Author |
Make It Easy: Soap Makers |
naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 10:58:22 AM
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Here's some information regarding the ingredients that make up FOs (fragrance oils). What you do with this information is up to you. It's just information. For me, I would never use FOs and in my teaching, I warn against the usage of them. I use only pure essential oils to my soaps. Even with using only EOs, I research them to make sure they can be used on the skin.
In 1986, the National Academy of Sciences targeted synthetic fragrances as one of the six categories of chemicals that should be given high priority for neurotoxicity testing. The report states that 95 percent of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and many other known toxics and sensitizers, which are capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.
SOURCE: Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace (Report by the Committee on Science and Technology. US House of Representatives, Sept. 16, 1986) [Report 99-827]
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 1:49:02 PM
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I used to only use essential oils and still prefer them. However, my customers want scents that you can't get from essential oils. So I've chosen to use phathalate free fragrances - at least that helps some.
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2009 : 1:55:56 PM
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It's good to know that there are phathalate free fragrances out there! My customers get what I offer and they like it! ha ha. I'm not really a meany. They just know if they want something I can't offer, I can point them to another soap maker.
PS...I see you're in Vancouver. I hear I5 is opened up again. Wasn't that crazy? If we needed to evacuate the state for some reason last week, how would we have done that? Passes closed, main interstate closed, roads closed all over the place! I'm glad things are opening up again.
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
Edited by - Wildcrafter on Jan 10 2009 1:58:04 PM |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2009 : 1:27:41 PM
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It was wild that I-5 was closed. When there is flooding it always closes in that spot. Eventually they are going to have to do something about building a dike to hold back the flood waters. When I-5 is closed is basically shuts down the whole state!
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
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Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2009 : 03:07:21 AM
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Thanks for ideas on the molds. I found I like just the plain soap. My husband loves it for deer hunting, no scent!! ALso I noticed my hands did not dry out at all the winter I used the plain soap.
Rae
I love living in the country!! |
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Bonne
True Blue Farmgirl
3003 Posts
Bonne
Littleton
CO
USA
3003 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2009 : 5:43:23 PM
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Rae, try adding anise EO to your hunters soap. Supposed to remove the "human scent", and also good for fishing.
http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
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boonedesigns
Farmgirl in Training
10 Posts
sandy
danville
OH
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 10:05:07 AM
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Could someone share a good soap recipe. I would love to make soap for our family sounds so fun.
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boonedesigns
Farmgirl in Training
10 Posts
sandy
danville
OH
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 10:06:37 AM
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Has anyone made soap with fresh chicken eggs or yolks. I have seen recipes but I have never tried. Do any of you have a recipe to share? |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 11:56:02 AM
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I've not made soap with eggs or ever heard of it. I have a tendency to avoid using fresh ingredients in soap because they could cause bacteria or mold to grow. But that's just me. Maybe someone else has tried it with success.
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 12:07:13 PM
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I've used raw ingredients in soap with no spoiling. Pumpkin puree, carrot juice, carrot pulp and the like. It doesn't sound like it would work and I thought exactly that for years, but it does. Especially if you hot process your soap or allow it to gel. You may try looking at some soap forums and ask around or do a search. I do remember seeing eggs in soap, but I can't remember where I saw it and I've never done it myself. I'm not sure why I would.
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
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MotherLodeBeth
True Blue Farmgirl
110 Posts
Beth
Calaveras County
California
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2009 : 12:54:17 AM
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quote: Originally posted by naturemaiden
Any fellow soap makers out there? I have been making cold process soap for a year now, and I am hooked! What a feeling to create something so wonderful that everyone loves. I now have over 30 varieties!
Goat milk soap here.
~MotherLodebeth- I was born in the wrong era~ |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
Posted - Jan 25 2009 : 04:55:58 AM
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quote: Originally posted by MotherLodeBeth
quote: Originally posted by naturemaiden
Any fellow soap makers out there? I have been making cold process soap for a year now, and I am hooked! What a feeling to create something so wonderful that everyone loves. I now have over 30 varieties!
Goat milk soap here.
~MotherLodebeth- I was born in the wrong era~
Bi Beth, I make goats milk soap too. I love your quote. I feel I was born in the wrong era as well! Connie
http://site.naturemaiden.com/blog1/ Also visit my online store @ www.NatureMaiden.com -Handcrafted Bath & Body Products, including soaps, salves, salts, lip balms, lotion bars, and much more! |
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sunflowercritters
True Blue Farmgirl
1102 Posts
Debra
Springfield
Maine
USA
1102 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 4:04:33 PM
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Hi all I'm a new farmgirl sister and am new at soap making I just made my first batch of soap this winter. A lady in my town showed me. I made it out of goat milk. Love it. What fun! Had a question and refresh my memory what is cold & hot that you talked about? I'm having so much fun learning and reading what you all have to say. thanks for any help you can give on this topic.. farmgirl sister #462
Worry ends Where Faith in God begins. |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3318 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3318 Posts |
Posted - Feb 16 2009 : 5:10:37 PM
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WOW... I didn't realize how many out there make their own soap.
My husband and I have been crafting soap for over four years now. And, we just LOVE it. We have a regular clientele and we go to a lot of art festivals and shows during the summer. I have a shop in my front room and a beautiful sign outside near my white picket fence that reads BY the BAY Handcrafted Soap!
One comment was made regarding trouble obtaining lye....we buy all of our lye through Menards here in Michigan.
Melody http://melodynotes-melodynotes.blogspot.com www.bythebayhandcraftedsoap.com www.LemonVerbenasoap.etsy.com
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 06:33:42 AM
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Debra - you probably mean hot process vs cold process. You still make the soap the same but in cold process you put it in the mold, insulate, wait 24 hours, remove from the mold, cut and cure for about 4 to 6 weeks.
In hot process you make the soap then cook it over a double boiler for about 2 hours which removes the lye, add scent and any botanicals, mold, and then cut when cool. Hot process still needs to sit for a couple of weeks for the water to evaporate but you could use it right away. Hot process tends to be a more rustic looking soap. I do soap both ways as I have a couple of recipes that I like better doing hot process.
I don't make goat's milk soap - although I love it - so I'm not sure about doing hot process with goat's milk. From what I've heard I don't think you can due to the sugars in the milk - someone else here can probably help you with that.
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
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Edited by - therusticcottage on Feb 17 2009 06:34:44 AM |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 06:55:04 AM
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I've done HP goats milk soap. It works just fine but does turn a darker tan and can smell like brown sugar sometimes. I like it.
I do my HP in the pot...stir like CP to very thick, pop the pot in the oven at 180 degrees for one hour, take out the pot and add EOs, pour into the molds. I think it's way easier than a crock pot because you don't have to watch it and it's so straight forward. I know that many people do HP in a crock pot and love it that way.
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 07:00:08 AM
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Suzanne - Thanks for the info on the goat's milk soap.
I've done my HP by putting the pot in the oven and love it. The one thing I really like about HP is that you can use less scent and the colors stay true.
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 07:05:40 AM
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I really like HP for so many reasons but every once in a while, I do CP. Especially this time of year before markets start when there's time to let the soap cure. During my season, it's almost all HP because I sell a lot of soap and just keep cranking it out and need to have it cured faster. I do about a 30% water discount and that helps quite a lot.
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 10:51:39 PM
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I just did some HP tonight - Cottage Rose. I always do this scent by HP so I can press the pink rose petals in the top without them turning brown. I've never done a water discount on any soap I've done. Guess I'm always afraid of seizing soap! This batch turned out nice but I think if I had done a water discount it would have been too dry. Suzanne - do you lower the heat when you do the discount? At what temp do you cook it? I did 200 degrees for 2 hours.
Handmade Soap and More! http://www.therusticcottagebath.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Feb 18 2009 : 05:57:11 AM
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I cook my soap at 180 degrees for 1 hour and it's done.
I woke up on January 1st and it was 2009. And it's been that way ever since!
www.goodnaturedearthling.com Cedar Mountain Herb School |
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Make It Easy: Soap Makers |
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