Hello.
Tonight I unveil my unscented soap with ground oatmeal added as an exfoliating agent. I also sprinkled whole oatmeal on top of the freshly poured soap as an accent when cut.
Not sure if it's me or the lighting in my place for I am having a hard time seeing the trace. I am literally on the floor looking in the soap pan at every angle. When I finally saw the trace I had to let the batch sit for a few seconds while I put the already ground oatmeal back into the coffee grinder for a quick spin. Once I added and stirred I poured it into the mold. At this point some started to leak out of the cutting slot so I taped a piece of heavy duty waxed paper on the outside of the mold. I then set the mold on top of a towel folded into thirds. I had no choice but to leave the mold on the kitchen counter instead of carrying it to the closet. I was relieved because carrying it with the soap so close to the top of the mold poses a real hazard. My only concern was the cat trying to get under the towels once I covered the mold. He did sit on the end of the towels so it knocked the lid off slightly. I had to tape each side of the lid and hope for the best.
I will report my findings later.
Soapmaker's Notes
March 31 recipe
5 pounds coconut, olive, and palm oils combined
12 ounces sodium hydroxide
32 ounces distilled water
3 tablespoons ground oatmeal
Handfull of whole oatmeal sprinkled on top of freshly poured mold
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Insurance Blus - Part II
Hi. I have decided to keep my soapmaking on a hobbyist level for the time being. Insurance is too expensive so will need to revisit when raises are reinstated. Have not had a raise in three years so flat-lined salary can't compete with the cost of living. Please stay tuned. Janie
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Insurance Blues
Okay, this has got me tied up in knots.
Anytime a product is manufactured product liability insurance needs to be in place. With soap, there could be a skin reaction to the essential oils or any lye that might be remaining in the bar. I fear the essential oils more than the lye because the bar of soap becomes milder as each week passes until there is none left in the final bar. This could take anywhere from 3-4 weeks.
So, I received a quote that seemed reasonable enough until I read the fine print. First the company is not in California so it is not subject to California laws. Say what? Secondly if you file a claim and the company is insolvent, tough luck. I need to go back to the drawing board on this. One thing is for sure, not one bar will leave my door until insurance is in place. I will not chance being sued only to lose my 401(k) or have my wages garnished.
Oh, boy!
Anytime a product is manufactured product liability insurance needs to be in place. With soap, there could be a skin reaction to the essential oils or any lye that might be remaining in the bar. I fear the essential oils more than the lye because the bar of soap becomes milder as each week passes until there is none left in the final bar. This could take anywhere from 3-4 weeks.
So, I received a quote that seemed reasonable enough until I read the fine print. First the company is not in California so it is not subject to California laws. Say what? Secondly if you file a claim and the company is insolvent, tough luck. I need to go back to the drawing board on this. One thing is for sure, not one bar will leave my door until insurance is in place. I will not chance being sued only to lose my 401(k) or have my wages garnished.
Oh, boy!
Lavender Poured
Hello.
I must have stirred faster than the previous two batches because the 8 pounds traced in less than an hour. Beginners usually take 90 minutes but I do have pretty strong arms! To digress, I have found that using two thermometers is inefficient especially since they vary by 1 or 2 degrees. The lye was a hair past 100 degrees and the oils were at 100 using the same thermometer. I deemed this to be the correct time to add the lye to the oils and get to mixing. I started mixing at 8:35 and ended at 9:23.
Like before, I sat on the kitchen floor about 45 minutes into the mixing process to get just the right lighting to see the trace. It traced nicely but did not sink back in right away. I was not too worried because it had a good consistency. I then added 2.5 tablespoons of ground lavender botanicals and stirred for about a minute then 1.5 ounces of pure lavender essential oils stirring for an additional minute. I added 1.5 instead of the customary two because the lemongrass batch before turned out just fine with its bontanicals and 1.5 ounces of pure lemongrass essential oils. After pouring into the mold, I scraped the small amount left with a spatula and added it to the mold. It had the same consistency as the batch before so I felt pretty good about it.
I must really do something about the way I transport the full mold from the kitchen to the closet. It's not that far but the batch is just a half-inch from the top of the mold and can slosh back and forth if you are not carrying it level. The danger of dropping the whole thing and having the active lye destroy the carpet is real. Anyhoo, I made it into the closet finally and covered it with four towels. It will be ready to uncover late Saturday night.
Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's Recipe
5 pounds of coconut, olive, and palm oils combined
12 ounces of Sodium Hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
2.5 tablespoons of ground lavender botanicals
1.5 ounces of pure lavender essential oils (next time use 2 ounces-but turned out great)
I must have stirred faster than the previous two batches because the 8 pounds traced in less than an hour. Beginners usually take 90 minutes but I do have pretty strong arms! To digress, I have found that using two thermometers is inefficient especially since they vary by 1 or 2 degrees. The lye was a hair past 100 degrees and the oils were at 100 using the same thermometer. I deemed this to be the correct time to add the lye to the oils and get to mixing. I started mixing at 8:35 and ended at 9:23.
Like before, I sat on the kitchen floor about 45 minutes into the mixing process to get just the right lighting to see the trace. It traced nicely but did not sink back in right away. I was not too worried because it had a good consistency. I then added 2.5 tablespoons of ground lavender botanicals and stirred for about a minute then 1.5 ounces of pure lavender essential oils stirring for an additional minute. I added 1.5 instead of the customary two because the lemongrass batch before turned out just fine with its bontanicals and 1.5 ounces of pure lemongrass essential oils. After pouring into the mold, I scraped the small amount left with a spatula and added it to the mold. It had the same consistency as the batch before so I felt pretty good about it.
I must really do something about the way I transport the full mold from the kitchen to the closet. It's not that far but the batch is just a half-inch from the top of the mold and can slosh back and forth if you are not carrying it level. The danger of dropping the whole thing and having the active lye destroy the carpet is real. Anyhoo, I made it into the closet finally and covered it with four towels. It will be ready to uncover late Saturday night.
Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's Recipe
5 pounds of coconut, olive, and palm oils combined
12 ounces of Sodium Hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
2.5 tablespoons of ground lavender botanicals
1.5 ounces of pure lavender essential oils (next time use 2 ounces-but turned out great)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tah Dah Lemongrass a Success
Me, again.
The Lemongrass batch completed its 48-hour insulation period and has been cut into bars. The scent is somewhat subdued because I believe the lemongrass botanicals may have absorbed some of the essential oils but I can still smell the scent from the bedroom. The loaf also felt a little moist to the touch although it was firm enough to give the cutting blade a little bit of resistance. I got 26 and 1/3 bars from this batch.
As an aside, I have been doing some research online trying to understand some of the nuances of cold process soaps. On one site there was mention of a ring appearing around the mixture when it was getting ready to trace (when lye and oils begin to form soap). I noticed this with the lemongrass but to me it looked like a ring of oil that had not combined so it had me a bit worried. Now I know what to look for. Phew!
Also, I am waiting for an insurance quote. Soapmakers are encouraged to get commercial insurance that includes product liability in the event someone is injured from your product. I am told it's expensive but I will find out tomorrow morning. By the way, a soapmaker on etsy suggested that I slow down and get real familiar with the process before selling and just to give away bars to get honest feedback. Of course giving or selling soap to friends and family comes with a risk so I would rather have insurance in place or else have my wages garnished or my 401(k) drained. Scary thoughts both of them!
Now, I am by no means an expert after three batches but using pre-measured materials for an 8 pound batch leaves some but not much room for error unless you really deviate from instructions. It's when I start to make my own recipes or add/substitute materials that the challenge comes into play.
Until next time.
The Lemongrass batch completed its 48-hour insulation period and has been cut into bars. The scent is somewhat subdued because I believe the lemongrass botanicals may have absorbed some of the essential oils but I can still smell the scent from the bedroom. The loaf also felt a little moist to the touch although it was firm enough to give the cutting blade a little bit of resistance. I got 26 and 1/3 bars from this batch.
As an aside, I have been doing some research online trying to understand some of the nuances of cold process soaps. On one site there was mention of a ring appearing around the mixture when it was getting ready to trace (when lye and oils begin to form soap). I noticed this with the lemongrass but to me it looked like a ring of oil that had not combined so it had me a bit worried. Now I know what to look for. Phew!
Also, I am waiting for an insurance quote. Soapmakers are encouraged to get commercial insurance that includes product liability in the event someone is injured from your product. I am told it's expensive but I will find out tomorrow morning. By the way, a soapmaker on etsy suggested that I slow down and get real familiar with the process before selling and just to give away bars to get honest feedback. Of course giving or selling soap to friends and family comes with a risk so I would rather have insurance in place or else have my wages garnished or my 401(k) drained. Scary thoughts both of them!
Now, I am by no means an expert after three batches but using pre-measured materials for an 8 pound batch leaves some but not much room for error unless you really deviate from instructions. It's when I start to make my own recipes or add/substitute materials that the challenge comes into play.
Until next time.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Pass Me the Lemongrass, Please
Hi there. Today was lemongrass day. I opted for that scent instead of lavender because I had fresh lemongrass botanicals to give it color. As a reminder, I do not use synthetic colors (or any other synthetics for that matter) in my soaps but may use natural colorants once I have a few more batches under my belt.
This was the second time I used my new mold. Last time I lined it with a white-plastic-kitchen trash bag (as taught in class) and it came out okay. This time I used heavy duty freezer paper. I watched a tutorial to learn how to line the mold and it turned out great. If you ever need anything soapmaking-wise I highly recommend soapmaking-resource.com. Steve the owner sells some great products, includes tutorials so you can know what the heck you are doing, publishes a newsletter, and responds to emails within a reasonable period of time. Wish I would have known about him sooner!
I was a little concerned that the lye mixture was half a teaspoon shy since I was transferring it to another container when some slipped down the outside. I immediately poured it back into the first container and added just a splash of distilled water to compensate. I had bought a second thermometer because it was inefficient to wait until the thermometer cooled down between testing the oils and the lye. Please note that the thermometers differed by one degree.
Once I added the lye to the oils (100 degrees each) I stirred briskly by hand until a light trace at minute 62. I added the ground lemongrass botanicals which was mostly powder with a few bigger pieces. Smelled just like fresh cut lemons! Since the scent was so strong I only added 1.5 ounces of lemongrass pure essential oils instead of two. It just felt right. The troubling thing is that I was unable to smell the oils after pouring into the mold like I did with the Victorian Rose. Perhaps the botanicals absorbed some of the scent? Not sure but I will find out at 7:00 pm on Wednesday when I uncover the mold.
I will report my findings then.
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's Recipe
Coconut, olive, and palm oils (5 pounds combined)
12 ounces of Sodium Hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
1.5 ounces of lemongrass pure essential oils
2 tablespoons ground lemongrass botanicals
This was the second time I used my new mold. Last time I lined it with a white-plastic-kitchen trash bag (as taught in class) and it came out okay. This time I used heavy duty freezer paper. I watched a tutorial to learn how to line the mold and it turned out great. If you ever need anything soapmaking-wise I highly recommend soapmaking-resource.com. Steve the owner sells some great products, includes tutorials so you can know what the heck you are doing, publishes a newsletter, and responds to emails within a reasonable period of time. Wish I would have known about him sooner!
I was a little concerned that the lye mixture was half a teaspoon shy since I was transferring it to another container when some slipped down the outside. I immediately poured it back into the first container and added just a splash of distilled water to compensate. I had bought a second thermometer because it was inefficient to wait until the thermometer cooled down between testing the oils and the lye. Please note that the thermometers differed by one degree.
Once I added the lye to the oils (100 degrees each) I stirred briskly by hand until a light trace at minute 62. I added the ground lemongrass botanicals which was mostly powder with a few bigger pieces. Smelled just like fresh cut lemons! Since the scent was so strong I only added 1.5 ounces of lemongrass pure essential oils instead of two. It just felt right. The troubling thing is that I was unable to smell the oils after pouring into the mold like I did with the Victorian Rose. Perhaps the botanicals absorbed some of the scent? Not sure but I will find out at 7:00 pm on Wednesday when I uncover the mold.
I will report my findings then.
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's Recipe
Coconut, olive, and palm oils (5 pounds combined)
12 ounces of Sodium Hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
1.5 ounces of lemongrass pure essential oils
2 tablespoons ground lemongrass botanicals
Thursday, March 17, 2011
BYE BYE LAVENDER BATCH
Last night I had no choice but to toss out the first batch of soap. Ouch! I had not been feeling good about it and now I know why. Let's bow our heads for a moment for the soap that withered away before it even got started.
So, after consulting with a master soapmaker it became evident that this batch was problematic from the word go. Adding to this was the fact that I was able to snap a bar of soap in half just four days before it was ready to use. This would never happen with a bar of Dove!
Since the second batch was a complete success I will not look back but learn from this experience. For those interested in knowing the steps that led me to this place, here they are...
So, after consulting with a master soapmaker it became evident that this batch was problematic from the word go. Adding to this was the fact that I was able to snap a bar of soap in half just four days before it was ready to use. This would never happen with a bar of Dove!
Since the second batch was a complete success I will not look back but learn from this experience. For those interested in knowing the steps that led me to this place, here they are...
Oils reheated from previous attempt
Lye and oils at 102 degrees(kept fluctuating so settled at 102)
Lye and oils at 102 degrees(kept fluctuating so settled at 102)
Hand stirred briskly for 90 minutes
Thick trace did not sink into batter
Essential oils added and stirred for one minute
Sticky residue on side and bottom of pan when poured (a bit scooped into mold)
Mold covered for 24 hours with one blanket
Mold still very warm 24 hours later when I removed soap block
Block firm to touch but corners sticky
Soda ash on block face up
Cut into bars after letting block cool
Left to cure in small closet with door open
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
S U C C E S S
Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
My second batch of soap is a complete success.
The new mold worked wonderfully with only a minor hitch that I had anticipated. I did not have heavy duty wax paper to line the mold so I used a plastic trash bag like the first batch. I had to cut extra pieces to miter the corners and some of the soap batch seeped through but just a tiny bit.
The built in cutter helped me cut as close to precise uniformed bars. I now have 26 Victorian Rose scented soaps with oatmeal added as an exfoliating agent. They will be ready three weeks from today. I will make my next batch on Friday night.
Soapmaker's Notes
Mold left covered with one blanket and two towels for 48 hours
Extra day yielded a firmer soap log
No heat after 48 hours
Oatmeal turned the soap a soft cream
My second batch of soap is a complete success.
The new mold worked wonderfully with only a minor hitch that I had anticipated. I did not have heavy duty wax paper to line the mold so I used a plastic trash bag like the first batch. I had to cut extra pieces to miter the corners and some of the soap batch seeped through but just a tiny bit.
The built in cutter helped me cut as close to precise uniformed bars. I now have 26 Victorian Rose scented soaps with oatmeal added as an exfoliating agent. They will be ready three weeks from today. I will make my next batch on Friday night.
Soapmaker's Notes
Mold left covered with one blanket and two towels for 48 hours
Extra day yielded a firmer soap log
No heat after 48 hours
Oatmeal turned the soap a soft cream
Sunday, March 13, 2011
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
Well, I may have never promised one but I certainly ended up with one! What I mean is that I added two ounces of Victorian Rose fragrance oil to my second batch of soap. I also added some oatmeal as an exfoliating agent. Before I wrapped the mold in blankets my entire apartment was infused with the beautiful scent of garden-grown roses. Now the mold is resting comfortably in my closet.
Like the first batch I stirred this one by hand but not as vigorously. I guess I thought it would trace around the same time but I was wrong. It takes anywhere from 75-90 minutes for the batter to trace and it was already 75 minutes in and I had yet to see a trace. I kept stopping after every minute or so to see if it had traced but I could only detect a slight trail after drizzling some batter on top of the batter. Even though there was a faint line I went ahead and added the oatmeal which was reduced in a coffee grinder then added the oils.
I poured the batter into my new soap mold (27 inches long with inner dimensions of 3.5 inches wide x 2.75 inches high. It has a built in cutter that slices bars 1 inch thick). To my surprise the batter filled almost to the top of the mold and afraid of dropping it (10 pounds) I set it on the carpet with the lid on top to slide into the closet. Well during this process some of the soap batter coated the inside of the lid so I hurried to clean it up as to not damage the wooden top. I also noted that some soap mixture got on the carpet so I cleaned it quickly. I already had it covered with two blankets when it dawned on me that there may have been some soap batter underneath the wooden mold. So I uncovered it and the lid went slightly askew. I hurried to put the mold on top of a towel then put the lid back on quickly and covered it back up.
So one concern includes whether the soap had traced properly. I believe it did but the first batter was a bit thicker because I had stirred well beyond the trace and never let up on how swiftly I stirred. Another concern is whether or not the batter will seep through the connecting points of the wooden mold as I did not use heavy duty wax paper but rather a white plastic trash bag that met end-to-end but not enough to miter into the corners. I did cut two extra pieces for either side to accommodate the shortage. A final concern is whether the soap batter that got on the carpet will do damage as the lye is highly active at this stage.
All in all I think it will turn out well. I will report back on Tuesday once I uncover and slice the bars.
Wish me luck!
*****************************************************************************************************
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's recipe:
5 pounds of coconut, olive and palm oils combined
12 ounces of sodium hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
2 ounces of Victorian Rose fragrance oil (to my horror I thought I bought essential!)
2.5 tablespoons of oatmeal put through a coffee grinder
All in all I think it will turn out well. I will report back on Tuesday once I uncover and slice the bars.
Wish me luck!
*****************************************************************************************************
Soapmaker's Notes
Today's recipe:
5 pounds of coconut, olive and palm oils combined
12 ounces of sodium hydroxide
32 ounces of distilled water
2 ounces of Victorian Rose fragrance oil (to my horror I thought I bought essential!)
2.5 tablespoons of oatmeal put through a coffee grinder
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Curing Nicely
Hi gang.
Just wanted to share that my first batch of soap is looking real good.
Like any other handcrafter, I am researching ways to make my product look more professional so I am checking out a different type of soap cutter as well as a beveler. The old saying, "you have to spend money to make money" is alive and well.
That's it for now.
Night.
Janie
Soapmaker's Note
Buy a second thermometer so you can check temperature of lye and oils within seconds of each other.
Just wanted to share that my first batch of soap is looking real good.
Like any other handcrafter, I am researching ways to make my product look more professional so I am checking out a different type of soap cutter as well as a beveler. The old saying, "you have to spend money to make money" is alive and well.
That's it for now.
Night.
Janie
Soapmaker's Note
Buy a second thermometer so you can check temperature of lye and oils within seconds of each other.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
First Batch!
 |
| Soap color in its natural state. |
I just uncovered the loaf of soap (sounds funny!) after 24 hours. The corners were a little moist. Not knowing that I should have let it cool for at least 15 minutes I proceeded to cut the 8-1/2 x 11 inch slab into three blocks and cut each block into bars of roughly 4 ounces. Since these were hand cut each bar is sized slightly different. The lavender scent is PHENOMENAL. The batch was supposed to yield 28 bars but I only got 22 plus a lot of mini bars from a few larger bars that did not cut evenly because the loaf was too soft.
 |
| Mini soaps for guests or a few showers. |
Next, lemongrass!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Oy! I See
 |
| The good and the bad. |
So, I run to the store to get a brand-spanking-new thermometer and was back in soapmaking business within 30 minutes. With the lye at 102 degrees (based on an experienced soapmaker) it went into the pan of oils at same temp. I carried the pot over to the sofa where I proceeded to stir the mixture on the coffee table for 90 minutes. When the mixture resembling pancake batter traced (when a drizzle of batter from the spoon leaves a trail on top), I added two ounces of lavender essential oils. After stirring for another minute the batter was poured into the soap mold where it will remain covered for 24-48 hours after which bars can be cut. Three weeks after curing (when the lye has dissipated) it is ready and safe to use.
In retrospect, not having my assistant on hand once the new thermometer was in place forced me to do every step from that point on my own. I think this was for the best because I had to use my own wits to get the job done, which I did.
************************************************************************
SOAPMAKER'S NOTES
Today's Recipe
Sodium Hydroxide (12 ounces)
Distilled water (32 ounces)
Coconut, olive, and palm kernel oils combined (5 pounds)
Pure lavender essential oils (2 ounces)
Deviance from Instructions
Lye and oils at 102 degrees
Did not remove pot from stove while mixing in lye
Did not scrape sides of pan until almost traced
Scraped batter from sides of pan into the mold
Left batter on bottom of pan that had been continuously mixed (could account for reduced count of bars)
Lye Disaster
NOTE: Sodium Hydroxide is an ingredient in soap, period. When mixed with distilled water it becomes lye. The lye is then combined with oils and stirred for 90 minutes until it saponifies (becomes soap).
I tried to make my first batch of soap last weekend but could not quite get the hang of the lye solution. It is recommended that you use a 40 ounce glass bottle with a tight fitting lid. The lid should have two holes drilled - one for venting and the other for a steady pour. Finding a 40 ounce glass bottle in today's plastic world is almost impossible.
I did find a 50 ounce bottle and took it to Dixieline to have the holes drilled into the lid. Well, the mouth of the bottle was not wide enough to accommodate the Sodium Hydroxide chips (even after shaking the canister) so some fell on the ground. I set it aside thinking the solution was ruined. I then bought a replacement kit and mixed it in a 64 ounce Pyrex measuring cup. Success.
The lye solution heats to 200 degrees when mixed but needs to cool to 100 to match the heat of the oils. Well, I let the Pyrex batch cool to 40 so I tried to re-heat with a hot bath but according to the thermometer I could only get it to 80 degrees. During the course of the bath some tap water made its way into the mixture and it was ruined. I then took the 50 ounce bottle which was cold (found out the lye could still be used even though about a tablespoon was missing) but it too took on water. Ruined. Back to square one!
So that brings me to today. I have all the elements I need to try again and an assistant to help me through the process. I will report my findings later.
Wish me luck!
I tried to make my first batch of soap last weekend but could not quite get the hang of the lye solution. It is recommended that you use a 40 ounce glass bottle with a tight fitting lid. The lid should have two holes drilled - one for venting and the other for a steady pour. Finding a 40 ounce glass bottle in today's plastic world is almost impossible.
 |
| Extreme danger! |
 |
| Proceed with caution! |
So that brings me to today. I have all the elements I need to try again and an assistant to help me through the process. I will report my findings later.
Wish me luck!
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