Can I have some more Soap advice please...

[Peggy Sue]

I've had one go at making soap this year and (with a bit of help from Wombat) followed the recipe on the main site. Loved the result so now I'm up for experimenting!

How can I vary the recipe, is it OK to add any 'flavour' essential oil or does that make a difference?

Ideas welcome!

[the.fee.fairy]

As long as you keep it to the same amount of e/o then it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm looking into room temperature soap at the moment, its better for the more fragile and delicate oils, and oils like the citrus family - they tend to burn off very quickly at heat.

But yes, to answer your question, you can change the essential oils without a problem. You can also use fragrance oils.

Keep an eye on the soap when you're adding the oils though - some of them make the soap 'seize' - trace very quickly.

[Peggy Sue]

Thanks Fee, I will see what I can dig out of the cupboard that smells nice

[the.fee.fairy]

Good luck and have fun!

Have a look at www.fresholi.co.uk they have a great forum chock full of good advice (there's a familiar face on there too...).

[Wombat]

Hey Peggy Sue!

Glad it's working out for you. I find the better qulity oils give you better flavour, but basically, what Fee said

Nev

[Peggy Sue]

OK I decided to do Ylang Ylang but couldn't get the top off, so Lemon it was!!

Bit late now to ask but I Did think as I was making it how the last lot was quite soft and dissolved quickly in water (hence didn't last very long). Is it something I have done or is that just the recipe? The soap Fee sent me for seed swaps seemed much more like shop texture/hardness.
Do you think I'm misjudging trace? (I'm a bit impatient and afraid of waiting too long....)

Any views?

[Mare Owner]

I might guess, if it ISN'T that you misjudged trace, maybe you need to allow the soap to cure for some time before use?

Depending on the recipe (and the maker!) you can cure for months, and it gets more dry and hard, and will then last longer.

[Peggy Sue]

oo- I left it 4 weeks before, so perhaps I'll try some in 4 weeks and some in 8

[the.fee.fairy]

What did you use as your main oil?
I use Coconut, which makes a hard bar.
If you use palm, or avocado, or a softer oil, then it saponifies to make a softer bar.

[Peggy Sue]

I used the recipe on the main site Fee, it's Coconut and olive and 'Pura' mixture- I don't know which you'd class as the main oil. The coconut I bought off e-bay in a big lump, hope it's the right stuff!

I had a look at the website you gave me a link to, it refers to a base alot in the recipes but I hadn't worked out what that was exactly, I'll spend a bit more time scrolling through it soon, see what I can sus.

Always nice to learn new things I think

[the.fee.fairy]

aaah, thats because you can buy Melt and Pour soap base in a lot of places.

If you ca get hold of it, Melinda Coss's book - Handmade Soap is really good. That's the book i used to make the soap i sent you.

Also:

www.teachsoap.com - i made the break the rules soap - it makes MASSES of soap, so halve the recipe!! That's come out nice and hard (being mainly coconut) and there are some other great recipes on there too!

Other sites worth trying are:

www.millersoap.com
soap.about.com (i think...)

[Chickenlady]

I will second the Melinda Coss recommendation. I have two of her books and they are very easy to follow and mostly work.

[Peggy Sue]

Something for the christmas pressie list then! My MOL despares, she wants to buy jewelry and nice clothes, I want baking trays and soap making books!