More Adventures in Liquid Soapmaking

I'm having so much fun making liquid soaps! I've lost count of how many variations I've tried so far. Some haven't worked out as planned and were made to disappear but most have been very successful. I've got the process down now and each batch takes about three quarters of an hour, from start to finish. 

Once made, it needs to cool overnight; we let it sit for about a week just to mellow out a bit. That gives me plenty of time to plan fragrances and additions. 

Here are a few that came with us to our last market, this past Sunday.

From left to right: Cactus & Sea Salt, Golden Sunflower, and Cucumber Melon

Champaka Hemp

All are available in either a pump bottle or a regular bottle that you can use to fill your own pump dispenser or foamer bottle. There's a fragrance for everyone, from fruity (Apple Mango Tango) to hippy (Champaka Hemp) to medicinal (Tea Tree & Lavender Charcoal) to fresh (Cactus & Sea Salt). 

Transparent Soap - Let's Try Again

One thing I've often been told since I was a child is that I'm pretty stubborn. I certainly can be, especially when it comes to getting things to my own expectations. That can certainly be said for the transparent soap. I couldn't just make it once and let it go if it wasn't perfect.

So, I tried it again.

And, this time, it worked perfectly! The thrill of walking into my soap room to see if I could unmold the soap and finding it clear made me a little giddy. 

Here's the first one, so you can see the difference. 

As much as I enjoyed making this soap, I don't think it's one I'll make all the time. Don't get me wrong - it's a lovely soap but it isn't the cheapest to make and even though it can be used as a melt & pour soap, it seems to have a pretty low melting point that isn't conducive to a lot of creativity. I'll likely use it to make some fun little soaps for the next market and for some special occasions but it won't be a regular item in my booth.

Liquid Soap - Round How Many??

I've been making bar soap for quite a while, 10 years or so now. I've tried making liquid soap before but was never happy with the results and didn't like the process. It can take up to a week the way I used to make it.... when I made it. In addition, there was something about the scent of the raw soap that I just didn't like. 

When I found the Ultimate Guide to Liquid Soapmaking, it became a game changer! I'm not trying to advertise the book, I'm just so impressed with the book and the resulting soap. 

The photo shows three of the soaps I made within the past couple of weeks. All are made with animal fats (lard, tallow, and emu) and all are amazing.

And then, there's this one. Talk about dramatic!! This is Charcoal Tea Tree & Lavender liquid soap. It smells amazing and lathers beautifully. 

One thing I will need to remind customers is that hand crafted liquid soaps are quite concentrated. As little as 2-3 drops is enough to wash your hands. To get an idea of how liquid soaps can be used, check out this web page from Dr. Bronners liquid soap.

Transparent Soap - First Try

I've often looked at soapmakers who make transparent soap as nearly godlike. I mean, it's soap that's transparent! They speak of solvents and heat and it would leave me scratching my head, thinking there's no way I could ever do that.

Then, I came across a recipe on a Facebook group I'd joined (Ultimate Guide to Soapmaking) and a 10-minute Transparent soap recipe. I figured if it could be done in 10 minutes, it really couldn't be THAT difficult, could it? So I downloaded the recipe, realized I had all the ingredients and started reading.

It turns out, I was missing one ingredient but it had an easy substitution (sugar) and I was a little short of another ingredient.  I jumped in anyway and probably rushed things a little more than I needed to. However, look at what I made! 

It may not be perfectly transparent but it is soap and it's translucent. I can use it as a melt & pour soap with opens up all kinds of opportunities. Will I make it on a regular basis? I doubt it. But I will say that it's a nice recipe to have in my back pocket when I want to make something that incorporates melt & pour soap.

Will I try it again? You betcha! I really want to make a fully transparent soap. Stay tuned!