Soap Making 101 - My YouTube Video Series

This is the 1st video in a Series, that I will be publishing on YouTube.  The Series will include the following lessons:


1. Gathering & Organizing information, before you make your 1st batch
2. Gathering your ingredients (what to buy and where to buy it from)
3. Choosing your mold and gathering your equipment
4. Now you are ready to Make Soap


These video's will be uploaded on Monday's and Fridays for the next 2 weeks.  I am also thinking about doing a live soap making presentation on UStream or BlogTV, depending on the interest for something like that.  Please let me know your thoughts and is there is any other topic your would like to see.


Check out these soap making books:

Video about testing Fragrance Oils in soap.

Check Out my other YT Video's about soap making and Helen's Hands

Testing Fragrances for Cold-Process Soap making

When I began Soap making I would just order supplies without really thinking about it. I was just trying to buy them inexpensively, after all the more inexpensive your ingredients, the greater your profit margin (if you are selling your soap).  But, as I got more savvy I realized the importance of testing your ingredients before purchasing that ingredient in bulk. Especially fragrance oil because as most soap-maker's know the addition of a fragrance oil can be the perfect addition or the beginning of a science experiment gone horribly wrong. Fragrance oils are notorious for cause ricing & seizing in cold process soaps and trust me, having 8lb's of a fragrance oil that you cannot use is a waste of money no matter how good the price was.

So when one of my favorite suppliers Nature's Garden started a VIP Customer Testing Program, I jumped at the chance to get a free sample of a fragrance oil that they were considering adding to their extensive line of fragrance oils. Please go to their website for all of the details about the program.  With my latest order I received a 1oz sample of Pear Tart Fragrance oil that was safe for Bath & Body products and candles.  The scent is very sweet but not overpoweringly sweet, instead of Pear Tart a better name would be Anjou Pear because I associate Anjou Pears with a sweetness that definetly comes through in the fragrance.

When testing an FO for Cold-Process soap I make 1 or 2 pound batches, no larger.  Because in the event that the FO does something funky (i.e ricing, seizing, soap on a stick) The last thing I want to be doing is fighting a 10lb batch of soap into a mold as it fights me back.  That is not my idea of fun.  So to test this FO I made a standard 1# batch using Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut oil, Shea Butter, Soybean and Castor Oil; with a 7% Superfat. My temps were about 85 Degrees for both oils and lye.  When testing an FO I do not add colorant because I want to see if the FO is going to discolor the soap.  This is what the soap looked like in the mold:

As you can see there is very little discoloration and the scent is strong.  I used the entire 1oz for the 1# batch.

Here are some pictures of the soap cut into bars.

This FO accelerated trace a little; not enough to be in danger of becoming soap on a stick, but after adding the FO it took only 2-3 pulses with my stick blender to obtain a thick trace.  It was then put into the mold, insulated for 12 hours and then cut.





I give this Fragrance Oil 5 out of 5 stars for cold process soap.  If you are looking for a sweet Pear fragrance, look no further.  I am hoping that Nature's Garden adds this to their line as this will make a great addition to my Spring Line.  

What is your favorite Fragrance oil?


A brief update from yesterday's post. I completed 2 things of of my To Do List from yesterday! So Operation Stop Procrastination is in full swing!

Fighting Procrastination - Just Do It

Today makes the 2nd week that I have not made soap.  I am trying to get to the bottom of my apprehension.  I haven't had a failed batch or any other bad experience and I would like to take part in some local Christmas Craft Fairs so I really should be preparing for those by making soap.  But, I start the day with the best intentions and at the end of the day I have nothing done.
This seems to be a constant problem that creeps it's way into my life at the most inopportune times. I have been researching how to overcome/cure procrastination and found the following information courtesy of Ways to Overcome and Cure Procrastination

1. Divide and conquer. A big task can look too big to tackle at times, as it is so intimidating and overwhelming. This is why you have to break the task into smaller, more manageable ones, and go through them one by one, as if each one was an important task on its own.

2. Use the reward system. To give you an incentive, or a boost in motivation to do a certain task, give yourself a small reward if you accomplish it on time. Whether it's a certain food you treat yourself to, or a gift you buy yourself, it doesn't matter, as long as it inspires you enough to get the job done.

3. Don't waste any time. Sometimes, you may not do something because you feel like you don't have the time to finish it. Try looking at such a situation from another perspective. Tell yourself, 'how much can I get done, in the time I have left?' Do as much as you can in the time you have, and soon, you will notice that you're not lagging behind that much anymore.

4. Have a "to do" list. It's always better to write things down then to have it just sitting there in our mind, where it can get lost with all our other thoughts. Therefore, write down all the things that you are putting off, and keep this list in clear sight, so that you are reminded of it. Then, as you do each task, cross them off, and go down the list. You will not believe the wonderful feeling of accomplishment as you cross all the items on your list!

5. Clean environment = clearer mind. Try putting things in your office or home in order, and keep it tidy and clean. Being in order helps to cure procrastination, as you feel less overwhelmed by all the papers and such lying around your space, and cleaning creates a discipline that can help you when it's time to do a certain task.

6. End of day preparations. At the end of each day, go over all that you have to do the next day, creating a schedule, and thus making you aware of what's to come tomorrow. This will mentally prepare you for what's ahead instead of being surprised and feeling in over your head.

Ok, I am going to start Operation End Procrastination today, by trying #4 and making a To Do List for today:

To Do List for 11/15/2010

1. Make 2 batches of soap
2. Finish labeling cured soap
3. List Finished soap on my ArtFire Studio

How do you overcome procrastination?

I will post the results of my to do list tomorrow, that's if I don't procrastinate! 

Another Soap Mold Bites the Dust!

Ok, I had the smart idea to try a soap process called CPOP (Cold Process-Oven Process) This is the process where you prepare your soap using the Cold Process method, and once you put the soap into the mold, you put the mold into an oven pre-heated to 170 degrees.  Leave the oven on for 1 hour, turn the oven off and leave the soap in the oven till morning.  And that is exactly what I did.  This is what the mold looked like prior to putting it in the oven 

I did not line the mold with plastic wrap, like it is in this picture, but I thought it looked oven proof.  Well, as you will see in the next pic I was sadly mistaken.
I made a pretty basic recipe; using 16oz of oils; Palm oil, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Soybean oil & castor oil.  I will post the recipe at the end of the post (if anyone is interested)
I stirred (with a stick blender) to a medium trace, added my FO which accelerated trace, so I put the soap in the mold and put into my oven. I checked it several times during the hour the oven was on; then I turned off the oven and went to sleep. And in the morning..

Oh My! The bottom and sides bowed, this is a complete loss as it was a take apart mold and it wont come back together anymore :( 

This is what it looked like from the top. 

Luckily I was able to remove the soap from the mold and cut it.  But, the soap on the top looked darker than the rest of the soap.  So I am wondering if the soap it gonna turn the darker color as it cures or will I just have to remove the darker part from the soap.

The finished soap! Scented with "Butt Naked" Fragrance Oil (smells soooo good!)

RIP to my 1lb mold, this is the 2nd one pound mold to go to the mold graveyard.  This mold will join my wooden mold.....

As you can see, his death was much more violent. LOL! :) 




Stay tuned for my next post...how to make a soap mold.  because I cannot keep buying molds, just to throw them out. 


Anyone have any suggestions for a good soap mold or instructions to make a soap mold for someone who's woodworking skills are less than stellar?

Collecting Rain Water to use in your Soap making

It has been raining the last 2 days here in NJ and as I was about to start making soap I remembered reading that rain water can be used in your soap.  Armed with a bunch of empty plastic containers I took my umbrella and went outside. No Need to let all that water go to waste. 

It was pouring, so it was the perfect time to collect some rainwater! 

I got some empty plastic bowls and put them on my front step, since it was raining very hard, they filled up FAST!

When they filled up, I brought them into the house and filtered the water through a stainer lined with a paper towel to remove any sediments that may have been in the bowl.

I plan on getting several large 5 gallon plastic buckets from Lowe's, because I ran out of pitcher's quickly and I could have collected a lot more water.  

After collecting and straining the water I put them into a bunch of these plastic container's and put them in the refrigerator to use in my next batch of soap.  Stay tuned to see what happens!

There are many resources on the web to make rain water collectors, from the very simple. to the very elaborate.

Making Homemade Soap - Making a 1lb test batch.

This morning I decided to try one of the several 1oz Fragrance oils that I got from Elements Bath and Body.  Since I am new to soap making I buy 1oz of any fragrance oil and do a 1lb Test Batch before investing in larger quantities.  So this is my Step by step process:

1. Always start with an accurate scale, preferably one with a TARE button, that weighs in Ounces and grams.  For a starter scale I got this postage scale and it works fine. I have it covered with plastic to protect it from an accidental spill. 

2. ALWAYS use protective gear when working with Sodium Hydroxide aka Lye.  This is a caustic substance that can burn the skin.  Wearing protective eye gear and gloves is a must, remember...Safety first. 

3. Also keep some Vinegar on hand to neutralize the lye in your containers and for any unfortunate spills.  I keep some in a spray bottle and in a container with water to drop in any utensils that have come in contact with lye.

4. This is Sodium Hydroxide that was purchased from Lowe's.  If you purchase from a hardware store or chain store (Lowe's, Home Depot) make sure it is 100% lye! If you can find a local chemical company to purchase from that might be more cost effective, especially if you are going to be making soap in large quantities.  This 16oz bottle cost $12.99; you can also purchase online.  Essential Depot is a website that has very good prices and the shipping is very reasonable. 

5. I use distilled water in my soap; I get it from my local Walgreen's when it goes on sale for $.69 a gallon and just buy 10 gallons at a time.  Some people use rain water (I have done that yet, but I am going to try it one day) It isn't suggested that you use tap water because Tap water contains minerals and impurities such as calcium, magnesium as well as organic material.






















This is the recipe that I used for this 1lb batch.  I figured this out using the lye calculator at SoapCalc, When you find a recipe on the web or in a book, it is always a good practice to run it through a lye calculator.  People make errors or they may superfat 5% and you want a Superfat of 8%! So just to be on the safe side double check all recipes through a lye calculator. 

1# Test Batch

6.4 oz     Lard

4.8 oz  Olive Oil

2.4 oz   Coconut Oil

.8oz  Sweet Almond Oil

.2oz Castor Oil

1.4oz Shea Butter

6.1oz Distilled water

2.1oz Sodium Hydroxide (lye)

1/8 tsp Ground Annatto 

1oz Amber Sunset FO

6. Measure out your lye and water.

   7. Add the Lye to the water and stir (do this in a well ventilated area) or in your kitchen with your exhaust fan on. 

Safety tip: Never add the water to the lye; it will can cause a volcano effect! (not good)    

 I used cold water so the water only heated up to 146 degree F; if I had used room temp water, the lye water mixture can get as hot as 200 degrees F.  Put this to the side and mix together your oils.

8. Measure out your oils.  Be sure to TARE you scale after putting the jar or container on your scale.  This will make sure that the scale is only measuring the weight of the oils and not the container.  

This is the Lard

9. This is the Shea Butter.  I brought this from Ebay; the buyer also has a website Butters and Oils.

10. I use a double boiler method to melt my solid oils.  You can also use the microwave or direct heat.  While the solid oils melt, I measure out the liquid oils.

                                                                  

11. Next I measured out the coconut oil.  This coconut oil has a 76 degree melting point, so it is liquid, since it has been a hot summer here in NJ.

12. Weighed out the Sweet Almond Oil.  I am going to use this oil to mix with the colorant and add at trace.

13. Next I weighed out the Olive oil.  Keep in mind that the color of your oils will affect the color of your soap.  I am using a golden colored olive oil, instead of a green EVOO which would give the soap a greenish hue.

14. I measured out the Castor oil (forgot to take a pic of that) and this is fragrance oil &  Ground Annatto that I will be using as a colorant.  I have my mold ready and  lined with plastic wrap.

15. After I added the liquid oils to the melted solid oils the temp was 132 degrees F, so I put it in an ice bath to lower the temp to around 100 degrees.

16. The oils and lye are close to the same temp...time to mix and make soap! 

17. Mix the lye and oil together and the saponification process starts.

18. At a light trace I added the Ground Annatto mixed in with the sweet Almond oil. Also, added in the Fragrance oil and mix by hand and a couple of bursts with the stick blender.

19. Poured into the mold at a thick trace and wrapped up for the night...

In the morning, it is all set up and ready to be cut.  The mold breaks away, very easily.  I love the color; goes perfect with the name of the FO; Amber Sunset.

I put the soap in a mitre box to cut, 1 pound of oils, makes 5- 4.5 to 5oz bars. These bars will have to cure to about 3-4 weeks before being ready for use.

If you have any questions feel free to ask, and my next post will be about trying to make a salt bar.  Stay tuned for more of Andrea's adventure's in soap making.

Here is a good book about soap making, perfect for beginners.