Carriegsxr6

Were they all the same scent and color? I was thinking that the case that set up badly may have been a different scent and color combo than the rest and that may have caused it to set up differently. Different scents can react differently with soy wax candles. Just like they do with CP soaping. One batch of soap will mix and pour nice and smooth then another batch using the same recipe but different FO will cause the soap to seize and clump up real fast. It just depends all on the FO.

Great job on the coloring for the Maple, and they stamp makes it look much more convincing.

I agree, it's all about the way it's worded that allows people to get away with it. People can say "made with 100% soy wax", but the with is where they get you.

Yep thats where I remember hearing it as well. i actually have some of these warning labels and when i read this, it joged my memory and I went to the cupboard to check. Here they are:

I always love the way you cut your soaps, very clean

You could by some chamomile tea bags, open them up and pour them into the soap. The buds will create a gentle scrub. I have used 1tsp for 2lbs of soap. Also A Garden Eastward has a nice blend of Chamomile Fragrance Oil to also add to it. Here is the link http://addy.com/brinkley/311.html

Yes i have heard the same. I think its because the wicks for soy are so much larger.

Very nice soft colors and swirls. Great Job

simply adorable

Don't forget, you can force a small batch to gel by heating it in the oven on the low warm temp for 1 hr or so. Make sure your soap box is oven safe first.

Beautiful as always. I have been wanting to try some cucumber fo as well. I just ordered some on friday so hopefully it will be here by tomorrow. I will have to fight the urdge from blending it with something else.

Ditto!!! I use the 10oz apothecary (i think these are 3.75 or 4 inches wide) jars and two RRD 34's are hot enough. I use 7% Fo and also color them. I usually test burn for 2hr increments and sometimes dont reach a full Melt pool until the 2nd test burn. Be patient, it will reach a full melt pool with two RRD 34s.

That looks like a slice of pumpkin pie...... dead on!!!

I wouldnt make more than 2lbs at a time since you are still starting out and you will most likley make a few more batches that you are not happy with until you get it right. Its best to conserve your oils and lye for small test batches. I currently make 2lb batches and yeild 8 bars. Which is made up of 25oz of oils plus 7oz water. (i do 33% lye solution). Anyhow, welcome to the wonder world of soaping and I hope to see many photos of your creations soon.

I see peope use crinkled cheese cutters or just a straight bladed kitchen knife (not a steak knife cause it has ridges)

I heard of people pouring the lye over frozen milk. try that

OMG how did you make those leaves? The two toned colors are beautiful!!!!!

oh wow, at first i though those were black swirls, but now they look teal/aqua blue. I love them!!

ooooh that green irish tweed looks beautiful

looking better and better with every batch. those cuts are great, and the soap looks nice and firm, yet creamy. I bet its killing you waiting for them to finish curing so you can use them huh?

I think they look pretty and I am a sucker for the earthy scents too. I bet they smell great!!

It could be alot of things, too much FO or FO is not CP safe, or not enough lye, or etc. I know people hate doing it, but you will have to share your recipe and measurements you used in order for people to guess at the problem.

You should be alright, as long are you are using the full water amount, I would avoid adding any frgrance or color for your first few batches, just to get the "true" idea of how it should look and feel and how it traces. The high butter ratio may make it trace a little faster, but the full water will help you alot. if you are using a stick blender, use the low setting and mix slowly.

oh man, do they have any slab molds with dividers? Will you PM me the seller.

nope that is good hardenss, and the conditioning is alright. I would however try and make your creamy lather higher than your bubbly lather. I think you may be able to do that by decreasing your coconut oil and increasing your mango butter (or increase both mango and palm oil*). Decrease the coconut oil to 20% and then increase the mango to 20% (or mango and palm 15% ea) and you will see the conditioning and the creamy lather increse alot. The hardness, cleansing and bubbly will decrease slightly but not too much to worry about. It will be much less drying on your skin. *Not sure if you are trying to conserve your mango, so thats why i also suggested the palm, but if it were me i would use 20% mango ;-) 37 Hardness 13 Cleansing 62 Conditioning 22 Bubbly lather 32 Creamy lather 60 Iodine 146 INS 10 % Castor Oil 20 % Coconut(92) 10% Hazelnut Oil 20% Mango Butter (or 15%) 30% Olive Oil (used olive pomace for this selection) 10% Palm Oil (or 15%) Also might I suggest one more thing....I would actually start off making a smaller batch, try half that size. Trust me, you will want to make more and more batches once you get bit by the bug and you dont want too many extra bars laying around.