This is the other limited edition soap I've done for the spring line at Longcroft Soap Company. It's a mild, gentle soap made with fresh cucumber and soothing buttermilk. I love the creaminess of this bar, and I've used half the fragrance I'd normally use. I felt this soap should smell as light and fresh as the ingredients it's made from -- and it does. :)
17 comments:
Those are wonderful!!
Elizabeth, I need help~! Could you go to my soap blog and tell me if my botched batch is trash or can be rescued.... any words of wisdom other than I added WAY too much oil? I think I must have copied the reciep off the internet incorrectly.... me = big dummy
Thanks...humbly and sadly, Joanna
The Soap Bar
Thanks, Joanna.
I had a look at your Bad Boy and it appears the lye discount was much too low. It looks like you've got way too much 'free' oil in the soap.
I have never tried to rescue a soap like this, and I'm not sure what the best way forward might be, but I have an idea.
You seem to be short about one ounce of lye in your recipe. Here is what I'd suggest. I've never tried this before, so I can't promise you anything, but the cost of that meadowfoam seed is making me cringe. ;) We have to try something!
I think it's time for the crock pot. Grate or chop the Bad Boy batch into tiny pieces and put it in the crock pot. Then add a solution of 1.1 oz of lye dissolved in 2 oz of water to the pot. Stir as best you can and let it cook on low heat until it's all melted. You'll want it to look like thick petroleum jelly.
My hope is that the active lye will further saponify the free oils in the soap. You'll need to be careful that no active lye is left over, though. After you've cooked the soap for about 45 minutes, do a zap test.
Take a tiny amount of soap out of the pot and let it cool, then rub it between your fingers. If it's gritty, leave it alone to cook more. If it feels waxy and smooth, tap your soapy finger to the tip of your tongue. If it doesn't 'zap', the soap is safe. If it does, you'll need to keep cooking it.
I don't know if this will work, but I think it's worth a try. Your end result soap probably won't be pretty, but it will be mild!
Please let me know how you get on. And good luck!
Elizabeth x
omg. Thank you for a wonderful tip. The meadowfoam is about one year old....that is why I used it, because I figured if I didn't, then it would go rancid. I stopped using it in my Product Body formulas because the availability and prices were beyond what I could manage. I needed an oil I could get from anywhere at anytime.
So - I will attempt this tonight and will post pics. Thank you so much! The smell of them are wonderful, it is hard to toss them in the bin. I will try to save them with your rope.And if it a total failure, then we all know. Once a botch, just put the bad boys to bed!
I am copying this response to share with my audience. There has been a lot of debate as to what to do....
I just hope that the leftover oils in the soap are still receptive to being saponified. The lye amount I've suggested will still leave you with a 6% superfat.
I do hope it works!
I wrote about your queen-ness..... on The Soap BAr :)
ooops, mistakes, just updated....
reload, or as my hubby would say, refresh, jo, refresh!
Thank you, Joanna! :)
Please let me know how you get on with this.
I just all of a sudden see a whit partridge under a willow tree, do you see that in the soap?
I do see it now that you mention it. I wish I could say I'd done it on purpose!
I totally see a white dove in the soap. It is too beautiful.
Thank you, Casey. I wish I knew what I did to get the bird there. :)
It looks like magic to me!
Thank you, Heather! This soap was originally a pretty pale shade of green. I tried to keep it from gelling to tan, but didn't have much luck.
I see the dove as well - it makes the soap look very peaceful and it fits the soap perfectly. Lovely soap - yet another work of art. -jc
I have send my thanks again for bailing me out of a sloppy batch of goo. You are wonderful.. I'd send you a bar of the saved soap, but
a) you live on the other side of the ocean
b) you'd probably throw it out anyway
c) why embarrass myself with a third batch flop that got turned around that ended up just okay?
See my dilemma? No matter, you are a doll and I send good vibes and sweet thoughts here from hot and sunny Florida, USA!
-Joanna
You are more then welcome! I am so glad you were able to save your soap.
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