GMM Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Just curious...I have played with a lot of different recipes over the time I've been making soap, but interestingly enough, the one that I definitely like the best is one of the first recipes I ever tried. I use it as the base for almost everything I make these days. It's mostly OO, with a touch of coconut and castor. Seems to take superfatting well without becoming greasy, gets nice and hard, lathers up great, amenable to additives....all in all, it's a great bar of soap! Probably the only downside is the curing time, so I'm going to start experimenting with different water discounts to see if I can't cut that down. I sometimes add beeswax into the mix as well, when I use something like GM or honey that may result in a softer bar. Nothing seems to faze this soap recipe. I lurve it. So how long did you tinker around before you hit on your tried-and-true recipes you're currently using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I'm kind of like you. I settled into my basic bar not far into my soaping experience. Even after I found it I continued to play and tweak but kept coming back to the same recipe and still use the same recipe. I'm happy with it. I continue to try different ones, though, mostly for fun because after a while it gets kind of monotonous.As far as your discount, that's your best bet. A deep discount can make a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Well I've made about 15 recipes or more. I started losing count. I still am tinkering. I want it to end lol, but it won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I don't know how many recipes I tried, probably about 8. I tweaked a recipe a few times, found some oils that I definately like using and have stayed with them. I have a good balance of bubbles and lather that I'm happy with, the bar isn't drying and it hardens up nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Like many of you, I settled on a basic fairly early in my soaping career. Tweaked it slightly but it's still basically the same, pretty much. I've now developed my own original that I love even more, but it's a bit more complicated to make because it has more ingredients. I keep going back to my good ol' tried & true! It takes time and effort to switch your base recipe, so not sure I'll ever go there, even though I love my new recipe I developed. Some of you have gotten this new soap in swaps here, while others have gotten my good ol' standby, depeneding on which swap I was in with you. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heirloomoriginals Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Well, I started out just over a year ago and tried a recipe from Eugenia. I think I changed one or two things because I couldn't find them locally. Then I just sort of made my own recipes with what I could find locally (coconut, lard, oo, soy oil, etc). Now that I am selling, I have finally found a recipe that I like and is fairly inexpensive, but still very nice. I have to order my sunflower and castor oils, but can get everything else locally!Good luck!Steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriegsxr6 Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I have lost count on how many i have created and tired. I dont think I could ever settle on just one reciepe. I like to have a variety. A facial one, a body one, and extra creamy one and a castile one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Well I do have special recipes too. One for dry skin, a castile type, one for shaving soap, one for OMH, etc. However, most of the rest of the soaps I offer use the same basic recipe. I just vary the scent and color, and maybe an additive here and there. Just minor variations on the same basic recipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I have my Shampoo bar recipe I use and for the most part, stick with it. But every now and then I tweak it to try something new. Lately it has been the addition of Neem oil in it.My shaving soap recipe never changes ingredients.As for my normal every day bar, I have a basic boiler plate recipe I use but do tend to swap out three of my oils for whatever I happen to have on hand. For the most part, my recipe consists of CO, PKO, PO, OO/RBO, Shea, and Castor along with 3 more oils. But I have 3 soft oils I use and those are what can change. I have been working on trying to get the palm and PKO out entirely but haven't worked as hard on that as I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMM Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 I do exactly what Crafty1_AJ does--my standard recipe is just that, but if I want a creamy bar I take a bit of something away and add the appropriate something else. If I want a nice face bar, ditto. That's why I love this basic recipe so much. It's very chameleonlike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I think my basic recipe is the 2nd or 3rd one I tried. I've got a few varieties with it, one with meadowfoam, one with hazelnut/cocoa butter, everything else is varieties of additives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I use pretty much the same recipe, varying the butter and the "other" oil, sometimes it's sunflower or safflower, avocado, etc at 10% or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca_IA Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I still tweak and still create new ones. I have way too much fun experimenting and playing around. I do have recipes that are tried and true for me that I do use more often than others, but I still play a lot. I'm fortunate, because I don't do this as a business I don't have to worry about customer approval when using different recipes or tweeking a standard one, only mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xava Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 It took me 4 years to settle on a recipe and I continue to tweak it occasionally.For the first 2 years, I bet I used a different recipe for every batch I made. Then I finally begain narrowing it down to a select few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsy Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 Still tweaking all the time. My favorite so far is 25% each cocoa, coconut, lard and olive oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 Still tinkering here! One of these days I'll find the perfect recipe.. I just know it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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