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tips and how to's
Lotions and Creams
A cream and a lotion are basically the same. There is more solidifying agent such as lanolin or beeswax in
a cream.
Basic Cream
1 1/2 Ounce Solidifier and/or solid fat such as 1 Ounce Lanolin and 1/2 Ounce Beeswax.
3-4 Ounces Skin Oil such as : 2 Ounces Almond Oil and 2 Ounces Soy Oil
1 Ounce Herb Water
5 Drops Essential Oil
Melt the solidifier and/or solid fat together in the top of an enamel double boiler. Add the oils a bit at
a time. Stir continuously. Turn off the heat and slowly add the herbed water, stir continuously until cool. Add
the essential oil and stir in completely. Spoon or pour into a 6 ounce jar. The jar should be opaque.
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Rosewater Cream
1/2 Oz. Beeswax
2 Oz. Olive Oil
1/2 Oz. RoseWater
1/2 Oz. Sweet Almond Oil
Make as directed for Basic Cream
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Moisturizing Vitamin E Cream
Good for rough, dry or chapped skin
4 Oz Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Beeswax
2 Oz Orangewater
5000 Units Vitamin E
5 Drops Oil of Orange Flower or Orange Peel
Melt the oil and wax using a double boiler. Remove from heat and add orangewater. Stir Thoroughly.
Pierce 10 capsules of 500 units of Vitamin E. Squeeze contents into the cream.
Add essential oil and stir continuously until cool.
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Basic Lotion
1 Ounce Solidifier or Solid fat Such as : 1 ounce lanolin or Cocoa Butter
3 Ounces Skin Oil : 3 Ounces Almond or Vegetable Oil
2 Ounces Herb Water
5 Drops Essential Oil, Optional
Melt the solidifier and or solid fat together in the top of a double boiler. Alternately, add oil and herb
water, stirring continuously. Remove pot from heat. Add the essential oil and stir. Pour into a small 6-8 ounce
opaque glass or plastic bottle. Shake the bottle continuously until cool.
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Rose Petal Lotion
Wonderful treatment for areas of parched, chapped skin, and smells terrific
1/2 Ounce Anhydrous Lanolin
1/2 Ounce Cocoa Butter
4 Teaspoons Almond Oil
4 Teaspoons Glycerin (preferably vegetable)
6 Drops Rose Essential Oil (rosewood or rose geranium oils may be substituted)
Put the lanolin and cocoa butter in a heat proof bowl and place in a saucepan half filled with water. Heat
gently until melted and the mixture forms a smooth paste. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond oil and glycerin.
Allow to cool before adding the rose oil , stirring well. Pour the mixture into a small jar.
Apply liberally to dry skin after bathing.
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Milk and Honey Lotion
This lotion may be used on your face or your whole body.
Melt some honey and add an equal amount of skim milk.
Apply the milk and honey lotion to your skin. Massage gently then take a warm bath to rinse off.
Elderflower Cold Cream
1 Generous Cup Almond Oil
3/4 ounce White Bees Wax
Scant Cup Elderflower Water
1/2 Teaspoon Borax
Melt the oil and wax slowly in a bowl over hot water. Mix the water and borax in another pan. Put the pan
over hot water and stir with a wooden spoon until the borax has dissolved. Then pour the borax mixture into the
oil and wax. Remove from heat and beat until smooth and creamy.
Candles
Newcomers to candle making may be having a hard time finding useful information about it. Years ago there
were some good books on the subject. There are very few candle making books available now, and most of these are
geared towards using granulated wax in boiling bags or beeswax sheets ( which are fine for those with just a casual
interest). The real fun in candle making is the experimentation. But First Things First...
Candle Making Safety
The Rules
Candle making is dangerous if you don't follow basic safety precautions. TAKE THIS
SERIOUSLY, failure to follow the safety rules may result in serious injury or damage to your home.
If basic safety precautions are taken fire should not be a common problem, but be prepared anyway.
NEVER leave melting wax unattended. Not even in a double boiler.
NEVER overheat wax. Know the flash point of your wax (usually about
375 degrees F. for paraffin). It will spontaneously combust when it reaches the flash point. If using wax of unknown
flash point do not heat above 212 degrees F (such as in a double boiler). The fumes from overheated wax can cause
severe illness, in case of an accident evacuate the area and ventilate it.
ALWAYS keep wax away from open flames.
ALWAYS use a thermometer. It is essential for both safety and good results
that you always be aware of the wax temperature.
ALWAYS use a double boiler. Temperatures up to 200 degrees F. can be
achieved. Most recipes use a temperature in this range. If you don't have a double boiler, use an old pot for the
water and a coffee can to melt the wax.
A few recipes call for temperatures higher than 200 degrees F. and will require heating directly on the heat source.
Be vigilant, and do not allow the temperature to go above 325 degrees F. Do not let your attention wander. If possible
do it outdoors on a hot plate.
NEVER put water on a wax fire.
ALWAYS keep a pot lid, baking soda, and a dry chemical fire extinguisher
handy when heating wax. Use the pot lid to smother fires in the melting container. Baking soda will smother small
fires. A fire extinguisher is useful if you set the curtains on fire, or have some other major accident. These
items should be kept outside of any area that may be affected by fire but still within easy access.
ALWAYS use pot holders or pliers when handling hot pots or cans.
If wax gets on your skin, run it under cold water immediately- then peel off the wax.
Don't pour wax down the drain unless you like frequent visits from your plumber.
NEVER let candle making get so routine that you get careless.
Following these safety rules and taking precautions against fire will help you relax and enjoy your candle making
even more. I suggest reading these safety and damage control tips before burning your candles.
Now For The Fun...
Candle Making Basics
The Rules
Rule Number one - There are no Rules, with the exception of safety rules. Candle making is about
experimentation. It is Chemistry, Art, Imagination, and Magic rolled into one. There are many factors that affect
the finished candle - wick, wax, temperature, additives, type of mold, dye, scents, etc... Always consider candle
recipes a starting point for your own experimentation.
Record Keeping
One thing often overlooked by candle makers of all experience levels is the importance of keeping records. It would
be a shame to develop your "ideal candle", and not be able to reproduce your results. Keeping a notebook
handy in your candle making area is very helpful. Some things to consider for your records are:
- Type and quantity of wax.
- Type and quantity of additives such as stearine, vybar, luster crystals, etc...
- Type and quantity of dye.
- Type and quantity of scent.
- Type and size of wick.
- Type and quantity of mold.
- Pouring temperature.
- Tool List
Double boiler - may be a commercial double boiler, or use a coffee can
in an old pot. A seamless pot is highly recommended though.
Thermometer - a candle or candy thermometer that clips to the pot works
fine. Do not even consider making candles without a thermometer.
Pot holders or pliers - depending on whether you are using a pot or
a can.
Molds
Mold release - silicone spray is easiest to use, but peanut oil works
well also.
Cutter for wicks.
Wooden spoon - for stirring wax.
Dowel for poking relief holes in
molded candles.
Baking pan at least eight inches
square - numerous uses, but mainly for leveling the bottom of molded candles.
Wax
There are many waxes available for candle making. I recommend that beginners start with a general purpose
paraffin wax which melts in the range of 135 - 145 degrees. As you progress into candle making, you will probably
want to start experimenting with other types of waxes such as microcrystaline, beeswax, bayberry, and other melting
points of paraffin. For now get to know the properties of one readily available wax.
Additives
The variety of candle additives commonly available has grown tremendously in the past 2 decades. Here are descriptions
of the most common additives:
Stearine - Also called stearic acid. This has been the standard
paraffin additive for a very long time. Used to make wax harder, release from mold easier, and increase opacity
of the wax. Use from five to thirty percent ( three to five tablespoons per pound of paraffin). This is the easiest
additive to find, and I recommend it for beginners.
Vybar - Available in low melting point (Vybar #260) and high
melting point (Vybar #103). More economical to use than stearine. Improves color and scent retention. Difficult
to find, and doesn't always release from mold easily. Use one to five percent.
Plastics - There are a variety of plastic additives (mostly
polyethylenes) that will improve gloss, opacity, translucence, strength, and hardness. Marketed under a variety
of names such as luster crystals, opaque crystals, translucent crystals, etc... These are readily attainable, but
are difficult to use due to their high melting point. Must be melted separately, then added to melted wax. General
usage is from one half to two percent depending on the product. Not recommended for beginners.
Wick
There are more than 35 different wicks on the market, although only about six of these are commonly available to
retail candle supply purchasers. Wicking can be broken down into three categories - Flat, Square, and Wire Core.
Flat and square are used for molded and dipped candles, wire core for floating, votive, and container candles.
The starting point for wick selection is to match the wick to the mold diameter. For a small mold use a small wick,
etc... If a test burn of the finished candle shows a minimal wax pool the wick is too large for your wax formula.
If your wax pool is drowning the wick by causing it to go out or have a small flame, go to a larger wick. The wick
size is the easiest way to adjust how your candles burn, and it is important to keep in mind that changing your
wax formula may require changes in wicking as well. If you don't have another size wick handy, adjusting your wax
hardness with more or less additives may help it burn correctly.
Dye
There are 2 main ways to color candles, dye and pigments. Most candle making is done with dye. Pigments
are very concentrated colors primarily used for over dipping and carved candles. As a general rule, never use pigments
to color the core of a candle - the particles of pigment will clog the wick. Although it is common to see candle
making instructions using crayons for color, this can also clog the wick. For the best results always use a dye
specifically made for coloring candles. If a really deep color is needed consider an over dip in that color - too
high a color concentration in the core of the candle may cause burning problems. Wax colors will be lighter than
they appear in the melting pot. To get an idea of the finished color place a drop of wax on a piece of white paper.
An even better test is to put a half inch of wax in a paper cup and place it in the freezer, this will give you
the exact finished color in a hurry. Keep in mind that wax additives affect the final color.
Scent
Candle scent is marketed in 2 forms - liquid scent oil, and scent blocks. Although the liquid scent is a higher
outlay in cost, I feel it works far better than scent blocks. As a general guideline follow the manufacturers directions.
Higher scent concentrations can usually be used, however too much scent can ruin a candle. Use caution with acrylic
molds since high percentages of scent may ruin the mold.
Molds
There are a huge variety of commercial molds on the market, as well as an almost infinite number of everyday items
that make good molds. The instructions that follow will be for using a standard commercial mold, in other words
a mold that makes the candle upside down. My personal recommendation is to get a one piece metal mold as these
tend to be the easiest and most durable to use. Here is a basic rundown of mold types:
Metal Molds - Available in a broad variety of shapes, these are simple
to use and relatively durable.
Acrylic Molds - Available in a variety of geometric shapes and sizes.
They are easy to use, but are easily scratched. Use caution as too much scent may damage these.
Two Piece Plastic Molds - Available in a large assortment of novelty
shapes. These are more difficult to use even though most beginners start with them.
Rubber Molds - These are available in latex and vulcanized rubber. Both
produce seamless candles, with the latex requiring a little more effort to use. Vulcanized molds tend to be expensive.
Top Up Molds - these are molds that are used the opposite of most candle
molds - with the top of the mold being the top of the finished candle. Many floating candle and votive molds are
used this way. These are easy to recognize by their lack of a wick hole.
Flat Molds - Used to make wax appliques and hanging ornaments. These
generally do not produce good candles, but do make nice decorations to embellish your candles with.
When selecting your first mold, try to keep it simple. Read and familiarize yourself with the mold manufacturers
instructions. The step by step instructions below are general guidelines for using a metal mold and you should
modify them for your own situation.
Making The Candle
This is the big moment we've been building up to. All your materials are at hand, so lets jump right in.
Step 1
Put enough wax in your melting pot to fill your mold. If you don't have a scale to use, a good estimate may be
made by dividing the slab into even sections. For example divide an 11 pound slab into 11 equal sections to get
one pound of wax. Add stearine at the rate of two - three tablespoons per pound of wax. Start heating in a double
boiler.
Step 2
While your wax is heating, apply your mold release (gently - a little goes a long way) then wick the mold. Follow
the manufacturer's instructions for this. Prepare a water bath by submerging the empty mold in water and adding
water until the level is about one half inch below the mold top. Take care not to get any water in your mold or
wax - it will ruin your candle. It is easiest to add a mold weight at this time, typically a piece of lead wrapped
around the base of the mold. A more difficult alternative is placing a heavy weight atop the filled mold once it
is in the water bath - you must hold it down until the weight is in place though.
Step 3
When wax reaches the pouring temperature (refer to manufacturer's instructions for optimum pouring temperature),
shut the heat and add dye (optional). Stir until well dissolved. If desired add scent and stir well immediately
before pouring. A word of caution, excessive dye may cause the candle to burn poorly. Excessive scent may ruin
some plastic molds and / or ruin the finished candle. Set aside remaining wax for step 5.
Step 4
Pour the wax into the mold slowly but smoothly. On taller molds it sometimes helps to tilt the mold to prevent
air bubbles from excessive agitation. Always wear heavy work gloves when handling molds filled with hot wax - especially
metal molds. Wetting the gloves will give even more protection if needed. Gently tap the sides of the mold, and
allow 45 seconds for the air bubbles to rise. Place the mold in the water bath.
Step 5
Periodically punch one or more holes alongside the wick using a dowel of other long narrow implement. As the wax
cools it shrinks, and punching holes prevents it from shrinking away from the wick causing air pockets. the larger
the candle the more times you will need to repeat this. Fill the void left by shrinkage taking care not to pour
above the original level of the wax. On very large candles, it may be necessary to repeat this step more than once.
Step 6
Allow the candle to cure fully before attempting to remove from the mold. The larger the candle the longer it takes.
If the candle does not easily slide out of the mold, place it in a refrigerator for five to ten minutes. If you
still have difficulty removing it, place in the freezer for no more than five minutes. If all else fails heat the
mold with hot water until the candle will come out (this usually ruins the candle). Never pry or scrape the wax
out of the mold.
Step7
If refrigeration was used to unmold the candle allow it to return to room temperature before proceeding. The final
step is to level the base. Place your baking pan atop a pot of boiling water. Holding the candle by the wick, allow
it to touch the pan until the base is flat and level.
Step 8
Enjoy your candle. Watch how it burns, and on your next one adjust your recipe to make it burn better if necessary.
I would also like to remind you to keep an accurate record of your formula.
Expepts from Candles That Earn: Creating and Operating Your Own
Successful Candle Business, by Don Olsen. Published by Peanut Butter Publishing, Seattle, WA 1990.
A square cotton wick usually works best for beeswax candles. Generally, they have
to be about double the thickness of the wick that's used for paraffin candles of the same diameter.
Having trouble removing candles from plastic molds? Soap the mold with one part
detergent and two parts water.
Use an electric heating pad covered with waxed paper to keep sculpting wax pliable.
Want a 'crackle candle,' or a candle with small 'fractures' resembling cracked
ice? One way is to place a candle (one without stearic acid or Lustre Crystals) in your refrigerator for about
an hour. Then, hold it under your cold water faucet and rub the surface. Tiny cracks will appear for a delicate
crackle finish.
When repouring the "well" in your candle, use a baster to fill the cavity
if you're having a problem pouring without getting wax down the sides of the mold.
Yet another way to determine the color of your candle before pouring the mold is
to pour about 1/2 inch of the melted wax in a small paper cup and place it in the freezer. In about 10 minutes,
it hardens and you can get an accurate idea of the actual color the candle will be.
To make a candle that is good for colds, put Vicks and eucalyptus oil in instead
of scent. When burning, the 'treatment' permeates the air for better breathing.
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How To Make Soap From
Scratch
A Step by Step Beginner's Guide
Read these instructions through a couple of times before proceeding. Have all equipment and ingredients on
hand and ready to use.
Warning: Keep children and animals away. Lye is very caustic and can cause
serious injury or even death, if swallowed. Lye in your eyes can cause blindness, so be sure to wear your goggles.
If you should splash some lye or raw soap into your eye, grab a cup and IMMEDIATELY pour large amounts of cool
water into your eye continuously for 10 minutes, or longer. This may save your eye. Visit your nearest hospital
emergency room or if you are alone, call 911. If you should splash lye or raw soap onto your skin, rinse immediately
with cool water. Usually it will stop stinging soon thereafter, if you are quick to do this. For more serious skin
burns, seek medical care immediately. If lye is accidently swallowed, do not induce vomiting, call a poison control
center or 911 for further instructions, get to emergency fast. This is why it is important to have your lye containers
labeled.
Equipment you will need:
(Most equipment available at Walmart or Kmart)
1 - Pair of safety goggles. (Important)
1 - Pair of Neoprene rubber gloves or dish washing gloves at the very least.
2 - Half gallon Rubbermaid type plastic pitchers (dishwasher safe). One
for water, one for lye.
2 - Sturdy plastic stirring spoons, one for oils, one for lye/water mix.
Wooden spoons are ok in a pinch,but you'll see that after a few uses the lye will break down the wood and cause
it to splinter.
2 - Glass (not aluminum) candy thermometers.
1 - Large enameled spaghetti pot to melt oils in. (15 qt. would work). Don't
use aluminum pots, only stainless steel or enameled.
1- Old blanket, preferably wool. You can find these at thrift stores if
you don't have any.
1 - Kitchen food scale. Preferably as accurate as you can afford. Eventually
you will want to invest in a nice digital scale if you plan on making soap for the long haul.
1- Saran type food wrap.
Ideas for Soap Molds:
Plastic boxes, cardboard boxes, Rubbermaid brand kitchen drawer organizers,
cardboard shoe boxes lined with plastic garbage bags, plastic shoe and sweater boxes, wooden flower boxes. Michaels
craft stores or Hobby Lobbies sell unfinished wooden boxes which are normally used for decorative painting. You
have line wood with plastic wrap, freezer wrap or just a plain old plastic garbage bag.
You'll know your a soapaholic when you start seeing "mold" potential
in everyday objects. :)
If you want round soaps (some call them hockey pucks), white PVC pipes,
found at plumbing supply and home improvement stores, can be cut into 10"-12" lengths and stood upright.
It's easier to have them cut them for you, if at all possible. You can sometimes find the flat ends that
go on the pipes, or you can seal the ends very tightly with saran wrap and tape. You could also pour 1/2"
of melted pariffin into a sweater box, and stand the PVC pipes into the pariffin until cool. Once the soap has
set up, it is sometimes difficult getting the soap out of the PVC pipe. Greasing the pipes with pam cooking spray,
vaseline or shortening before you pour, might help or you can place them in the freezer for 1/2 hour, then take
them out and let them sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour, which is enough to form a light water condensation
between the soap and the pipe, to make the soap slide out. Occasionally, the soap will shoot out like a cannon,
with just a small amount of elbow grease, so beware! Wait at least 32 hours after pouring your soap, before placing
it in the freezer, or your soap may not properly saponify. A wooden dowel rod can be used as a plunger along with
any round disc. shaped object that you might have on hand that will fit into the inside of the pipe.
Vinyl gutters will work, but they tend to warp from the heat of saponification,
after the first couple of uses. Small, individual fancy molds aren't recommended, because they don't maintain the
heat that is necessary for proper saponification (the chemical reaction) unless you have something warm, like a
heating pad, underneath, to maintain the temperature of the soap. These fancy molds are better suited to melt and
pour soaps, rather than cold process soaps. You can line rectangular molds with freezer or saran type wrap for
easier removal of your soap. Spraying a light coat of Pam cooking spray onto your mold also helps. Any wood mold
must be lined or the lye will eat at the wood, eventually ruining your mold. You can use plastic garbage bags,
saran type wrap or freezer wrap to line or whatever works best for you. Kelsei's Creations makes some
nice wooden molds in a few different sizes, some come with dividers so you don't have to cut the soap when it's
done.
Optional but helpful would be a Braun or Rival type stick blender. The consensus
among soapmakers is that Braun works well and doesn't burn out as easy as some other brands.
DO NOT USE ANYTHING ALUMINUM - Lye has a chemical reaction with alumium.
Whatever you use, as far as equipment, must become dedicated to soapmaking
only. For safety sake, label all your equipment, with a black permanent marker, to show that it is for soapmaking
only, especially the lye container. Try to wear long sleeve shirts, slacks and shoes, in case the lye splashes.
Lab coats work well.
If you are concerned with what lye can do to your kitchen counter and sink,
then line all working areas with old newspapers. Keeping the pitcher with the lye water in your sink is a good
idea, in case it should spill.
Here is a Recipe for Basic Vegan Soap
(makes about 2 lbs.of finished soap)
Note: When trying to figure how much finish soap a recipe
will yield, you add all the ingredients except for the water. The water
will eventually evaporate as the soap bars age.
16 oz. Vegetable shortening (Crisco recommended for best results)
7 oz. Olive oil (regular or pomace, not extra virgin)
7 oz. White coconut oil - available at health food stores or middle eastern
markets. This is expensive, but you can mail order to get much lower prices.
1 oz. Cocoa butter - available at K-Marts, pharmacies or in drug stores
for around $1.29 an ounce. It usually comes in a little push up tube, in the 1 oz. size. You can also mail order
for lower prices.
4 oz. Red Devil brand 100% lye (NaOH) sodium hydroxide - try home improvement
or hardware stores. Usually comes in 12 oz. cans for aprox. $2.00/can.
12 oz. Soft water (rainwater, store purchased distilled water, melted snow)
- minerals in hard tap water aren't good for soapmaking.
1 oz. Fragrance or essential oil (optional)
1 Tablespoon Uncooked Oatmeal Pulverized in the blender (optional)
1 Tablespoon Dried, finely crushed herbs (optional)
1. Have your mold ready to pour into. Place these molds on top of your spread
out old blanket on the floor. Make sure they are level so you don't get lopsided soap.
2. Weigh out the oils and place in the enamel spaghetti pot. Put the pot
on the stove burner. Hook thermometer on the side of the pot. Turn on your burner to low and melt the oils gently
until they are liquid. Don't let the oils reach a higher temperature than 125F. Stir the melted oils gently until
they are blended together well. Set aside to cool. Cool oils down to 100F - 115F.
3. Weigh out the water and place in one of the plastic pitchers. Place in
kitchen sink.
Note: For goatmilk soap or any other milk soap, you can instead, use half
of the amount of water called for in a recipe and replace it with milk. You will then add this half (the milk half)
to the pot of soap when the soap begins to trace later on.
4. Put on your gloves and goggles. Open a window and put on your kitchen
fan. Weigh out the lye in the other plastic pitcher. Don't forget to account for the weight of the pitcher.
5. Carefully pour the lye into the pitcher with the water (half the water
called for when making milk soap), while stirring to dissolve. Keep your face back away from the pitcher as you're
pouring and stirring, as lye fumes are caustic. Cover your nose and mouth with a cloth (bandana) if possible. Stir
until you feel that the lye has all dissolved, around 3 - 5 minutes. It is good to place and leave this pitcher
in the sink while you're stirring in case it accidentally tips over.
You may prefer to do this lye/water step outdoors but make sure the pitcher
is out of reach of children or curious animals. Putting the lid on the pitcher will also keep the bugs and blowing
debris out.
6. Hook the other thermometer onto the lye/water pitcher. This mixture could
get very hot, like upwards of 180F because of the exothermic chemical reaction of mixing NaOH (lye) with H2O (water).
Now you need to let this mix cool down to around 100F - 115F. This can take about 45 minutes to an hour to cool.
You can speed this up if necessary by placing the pitcher into your sink filled with cool water. Be careful if
you do this as the pitcher can tip over more easily. Some people do step 6 before step 2, since it takes so long
for the lye/water mix to cool down. This isn't recommended until you've had some practice at soapmaking.
I still like to wait until the very last to mess with the lye, so I measure
everything out first, including the water and get my oils fairly melted before I weigh and pour my lye into the
water.
7. When the oils in your pot and the pitcher with the lye water mix have
both cooled to temps in the range of 100F - 115F, it is time to pour and stir the lye/water mix into the pot of
oils. The idea is to have both the lye/water mix and the oil mix within 5 degrees of each other when you are mixing
them together. If your lye/water mix gets too cool, you can gently heat it up again in the microwave, 15 seconds
at a time to match the oil temps, but be careful not to overheat or spill this in the process. Puting the lye/water
in the microwave is kind of risky, so be very careful. It's so much easier to heat the oils up, rather than the
lye/water. It is kind of a balancing act getting both temps within 5 degrees of each other, but this will come
easier as you make more batches. There are some soapmakers that believe mixing temperatures aren't all that critical.
This is something that you can determine on your own, after you've made
soap for awhile, but when first starting out, it's good to
stay within the range of 100F - 115F.
8. When the oils and lye/water are in the right temperature range, slowly
pour the lye/water mix into the oil mix that is in the enamel pot, while stirring at the same time. Stir this liquid
raw soap for a good 10 minutes. You can now leave, and come back to check on it and stir for five minutes, once
every 5 - 20 minutes. In other words, you don't have to keep stirring it the whole time, but you do want to keep
your eye on it and stir it occasionally for 5 minutes at a time, kind of on the theory that "a watched pot
never boils". If you do want to stir the whole time, that is no problem either. You are trying to achieve
what is referred to as "trace". This stage of the process is when the mix begins to thicken up. You will
know you have achieved "trace" when you can take some of the mixture on your spoon, drizzle it across
the top, like icing, and you are able to see a noticeable trail that the drizzle has left on top of the soap.
This trail will take a second or two to sink back down in to the soap. The
raw soap is sometimes still soupy at this point. Once it reaches trace, the longer you wait, the thicker the soap
will get. Getting to this stage can take hours, but usually happens sooner than this. After you achieve a good
trace, you are ready to pour into your molds. If you leave the pot, for say 5-10 minutes and come back and see
a layer of oil that has surfaced to the top, you need to wait and stir more, even though you thought you had achieved
trace. This is false trace. True trace is when all the oil and all the lye have reacted together and there is no
separation. The best time to pour into your mold is as soon as you can after your soap has reached true trace.
Learning about "true trace" sometimes comes from experience. If your soap has thickened up and is no
longer separating (lye on the bottom, oil on the top), and you see a trail when you drizzle, then mostly likely
you are ready to pour into your mold. Now you don't want to wait too long either, like past the custard looking
stage, as you may end up with hardened soap in the pan, unless "that is what you mean to do". :)
Optional: If you have a stick type blender, you can speed this "trace"
up. Once you have added your lye/water to the oils, you can stick blend for around a minute or so. After you use
the stick blender, you want to go back to hand stirring with the spoon so as to get the little bubbles out that
the stick blender created. If you don't hand stir after using the stick blender, these little bubbles can become
trapped as the soap begins to thicken. These little bubbles will be noticeable in your finished soap. Stick blenders
are a blessing and do save a lot of time if used just for a minute or two. Stick blenders can burn out if turned
on for a long time.....I do realize that letting go of that blender button is very hard for most, but you MUST
take control of yourself and just say "no". :)
9. Once your soap has just started to trace, you can add fragrance oils,
essential oils, or other additives such as dried herbs or oatmeal, at this point (add your milk now if you are
making milk soap). Some fragrance oils may cause your soap to thicken up quickly, so you want to be ready to get
this mix poured in the mold as soon as you can after you've blended your fragrance in well. Don't use any fragrance
that might contain alcohol, as this can ruin your soap, causing it to curdle. Essential oils (plant oils) usually
don't accelerate trace as much as fragrance oils (synthetic blends) do. Clove and cinnamin oil are known to accelerate
trace.
10.Once your soap has a good trace, you can pour it into your prepared mold.
Cover with saran type wrap so that the wrap neatly lays on the soap with as few wrinkles as possible (this can
also take practice). Wrap your mold completely with the blanket to insulate. Some people refer to this as "putting
your soap to bed".
11. Let this soap "setup" for 24 hours. Don't be in a hurry by
peeking at it, because when you open up the blanket, you are letting precious heat out that is needed for proper
saponification. You can feel the blanket on the outside and it will get warmer and stay warm while it is undergoing
its metamorphosis. It's best to wait. On some occasions, it may still be warm after 24 hours. You'll know it is
soap when it is no longer warm. During saponfication the soap will get very hot, and go through a semi-transparent
gel stage.
If you peek, you would see this.....but don't peek......well if you must,
make it fast then.
12. After 24 hours, you can unwrap the mold from the blanket. Use your rubber
gloves! If the soap is hard, then you can unmold. If it is still a bit soft, it is best to wrap it back up and
wait a few hours longer. There is no hurry on unmolding it, although you wouldn't want to wait more than a week
or it might be too hard to cut up. You can cut the soap into bars with a knife, a drywall trowel, or a metal kitchen
scraper. Wire type cheese board cutters also will work. If you experience trouble unmolding, let the soap sit for
a day or two. The soap shrinks as it cures because of water evaporation.
13. Place your bars onto enamel coated wire racks to cure for a minimum
of 3 weeks. This time is necessary for the ph level of the soap to come down and also for the water in the soap
to evaporate. Occasionally "soda ash", a very thin powdery substance, will have formed on top. This can
be scrapped or washed off and is basically harmless to your skin. Some handmade soaps are sold with this soda ash,
to give it a totally handmade appeal, this is up to you. If your soap looks chalky or crumbly throughout or in
portions (aside from the soda ash), you may have used too much lye and the soap is not good for skin use but can
be grated and used for laundry soap. The object is to get a smooth, even looking soap throughout. You can always
cut away bumps, dents or soda ash with a potato peeler. Fancy fabric store buttons can be used to push a design
into the bar after the bar has cured for a few days. The longer the soap cures, the better it is. 6-8 weeks cure
time is ideal, but not necessary. Wait 2 weeks at the very least before you sell it.
Now you are ready to enjoy using your own creation!
Please note: Due to the overwelming volumes of questions
that I have personally recieved by phone and email, related to soapmaking in general, I have found I am no longer
able to keep up with replies, although I wish I did have the time. May I suggest joining some soap related email
lists where you can post your questions to other soapmakers that are subscribed. The soap lists are an excellent
way to learn about soapmaking in the shortest possible time and also to make some long term cyber friends!!!
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