Soap Session 2 Adding a bit of fragrance

I couldn't wait for my soap to cure before making another batch, it's a learning curve trying out differing recipes and oils.

Soap 3... made 15/08/2015

My next recipe used almond oil, cocoa butter, coconut, olive oil, and rain water, it was a simple recipe without any additions of fragrance or colour....

I carried on and made a second batch using my quilting and soaping friend Charlie's hard bar recipe using castor oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, olive oil and palm oil, this time I added some essential oils and soon had them tucked up in their moulds under towels to keep them snug

I had a feeling that my first loaf wasn't going to 'gel' but carried on and placed the second loaf in beside it, soon the second loaf was hot but the first was cooling down. I left them both there for a couple of hours to see what would happen. The first loaf didn't show any signs of warming up, in hind sight I should have stepped in sooner, it was late at night but before going to bed I thought I would pop that loaf in the bottom of my Aga for half an hour, that did indeed start the gel process. After half an hour I put the loaf back under the towels and went to bed leaving the soap loaves to do there own thing.

Next day the first loaf looked a bit dry and mottled but I was really pleased with the second loaf and little loaflettes

I was pleased to have a little case of essential oils on hand, only small bottles, I don't like strong heavy scents so chose a mixture of geranium, bergamot and roman chamomile, using only 6gms. I was happy that I had added the essential oils to the second loaf and that this one had gelled successfully.

Soap 4...I cut both loaves and although I am sure the first loaf would have still been soap I decided to have a play and rebach it and add a bit of colour in the form of cold tea straight from the teapot. I also added a little coconut milk and a little olive oil to help the soap soften, along with some real ground black peppercorns and blackpepper and neroli essential oils. I know I should have taken a photo of it in the pan in the bottom of my Aga but I'm sure there will be another opportunity.

The soap slices were huge so I cut them again, I think that these smaller pieces will be easier to use.

Blackpepper Tea loaf

Of course this is a softer soap, I'm thinking it will take two or three months to cure and dry out.

Smooth Geranium bars

I love the fragrance of this geranium soap and can't wait to try it out, may have to be a few weeks yet though...

Soap Session 1 Simple and Gentle Cold Process Soap

Soaps made 01/08/2015

My first homemade batch of soap is a basic recipe I figured using a lye calculator using only three oils/butters, this is a test to get used to the equipment and techniques.

All natural honest to goodness soap

Soap 1...Simple and Gentle Cold Process Soap

Using only three oils in a 500gm batch
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Palm Oil
Lye and rain water
No added frangrance or colour

I'm not going to give detailed recipe instructions here, there is plenty of information out there, this is going to be a picture diary for myself to follow my own progress and see where this goes...I'm lucky to have a second kitchen area to work in.....

Apart from buying a digital thermometer (and a couple of plastic throw away measurine jugs, read very cheap), I'm using utensils from my home/kitchen that will either stay as soaping acessories or be dumped when necessary. I will acquire any other necessary equipment as I go along.

This is my Lye Station near to the sink incase of any emergency.....not forgetting the goggles and rubber gloves

This is my Oil and general mixing station with my recipe printed out clearly....

Checking lye temperature

Checking lye and melted oil temperatures.....that's is close enough....

Achieving emulsion or 'trace'

Using a silicon loaf mould

Taking a quick peek to see the 'Gel' stage

So that was it, leave it wrapped up for 18-24 hours, except I thought that was too easy so I decided to make up another slightly bigger batch adding another ingredient to compare with...

Soap 2....Soft and Gentle with Shea butter

33 ounce batch
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Palm Oil 
Shea Butter
Lye and Rain Water
No added frangrance or colour

Checking Lye temperature

Checking oil and Lye temperatures.....that's close enough

Looking for trace...

Into the mould

Tucking them up in towels to keep warm

A quick peek at gel stage....working nicely.....

Then I left them nicely tucked up for 24 hours noting that the first smaller batch came very quickly to 'gel' stage very nearly to the edge of the mould but then stopped and rapidly cooled down, maybe coz I lifted the towel and peeked in or maybe that size batch should have been in a smaller mould, I'm getting used to quantities here too.

The second batch warmed quickly and gelled right out to the edge of the mould and stayed hot for a long time so I just left them there wrapped up.

All cooled down and set afer 24 hours

The first batch red mould soap was a little wrinkly and grainy on the surface but I'm sure the soap will still be soap, (maybe the batch was too small for the size of mould)

This soap looks lovely and smooth

Cutting 1" bars

Of course I melted up all all of my trimmings and made more soaps

Found a great dying rack, trouble is there's room for lots more soap????

Notes to self....

Need more accurate scales, mine are digital but only show add ins of 5gm units clearly, need something more precise

Would like proper straight sided soap moulds

Well, that's it just have to wait 4-6 weeks for the soap to cure, the water will evaporate and the soap will harden.....4-6 weeks, that's a long time....may have to make another batch before then.

All natural honest to goodness soap

I felt I neeeded to try this on my own first time out but next time I will try out a recipe given to me by my good quilting and soaping friend Charlie....but first I'm off to a quilt show, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK, APQS Stand E46, maybe I'll see some of you there.....


Update 22/08/2015
OK, I couldn't wait the full six weeks before trying my soap. On 22/08/2015, only three weeks into the cure, I tested my first batch of soaps, (the one with the narrower cut bars), I used ph test strips to make sure the alkaline levels were low enough. The test strips read around no7, that is a safe level to be able to use the soap and although further curing would ensure the evaporation of the water and provide a longer lasting harder bar of soap, I'm sure in the process of time I will have soap that has gone through a lengthy cure.
Result a lovely creamy slightly fragrant, comforting bar of soap, and yes I washed my face with soap and water for the first time in eight years. My face doesn't feel stretched and dry but well moisturised, and I tend to wash my hands just for the fun and pleasure of it as I walk passed a washbasin. All of my washbasins, bath, shower and kitchen sinks have a bar of my own soap there ready for use, it lovely!

My soaping diary....

I can only remember seeing one person in my entire life making soap, it was the Mother of a childhood friend. I can't remember all of the ins and outs but believe that it must have been a 'hot process' (HP) as I remember a pan on the kitchen range and a slow burning fire. I also remember being mesmorised, wanting to stay and watch but being dragged away by my friend, it was mundane to her, this family never bought soap.

The water supply to my farmhouse has very hard water, that is, the water supply has a high concentration of lime, large deposits of lime are left in the kettle, around the taps, in the shower, in the water pipes, When we moved here over twenty years ago we had to replace blocked up water pipes), the washing machine and even the clothes washed in the washing machine. The hard water even makes my hair feel like straw so cosmetics, shampoos and conditioners are important to me. Washing with soap and water used to leave my face feeling tight, stretched and dry, because of that, I haven't washed my face with soap and water for around 8 years. I found the combination of manufactured soap and hard water to be very drying on my skin,  so I used various facial and skin washes that gave me some moisture.

Years after, and after having many tests, taking lots of different prescription drugs and using many washes and potions from my GP, a 'patch test' revealed that among other things I was also sensitive to Bensoic acid and it's many derivitives. Bensoic Acid is a preservative, it's used in cosmetics, food, cleaning products and is also present in many natural foods such as soft fruits. One of the main foodstuffs that bensoic acid is added to is flour. It is impossible to remove this substance from your life or diet completely, the best that can be done to reduce the itching and hives is to limit your intake as much as possible   (Urticaria – also known as hives, welts or nettle rash – is a raised, itchy rash that appears on the skin).

I was enthralled when an online quilting friend posted photos of her hand made soap on Facebook, it was beautiful, I was intigued. I tried to figure out how she had coloured it so wonderfully with swirls and texture. Then began my quest to research soaping methods, firstly as an aid to my own sensitivity to bensoic acid and secondly to replace some of the moisture in my skin that our hard water supply takes away.

This blog will be a Soaping Diary to follow my progress and is a sister blog to my quilting blog Borderline Quilter