About.com Candle & Soap Making

What's That White Stuff on My Soap?

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:01:33 +0000

Susan Miller Cavitch, in The Soapmaker's Companion, calls it the "million dollar question." Most soapmakers, at one time or another, will find that a white, powdery film has covered their bars of soap. It's most usually on the tops or sides - those sides exposed to the air. In the soap making world, it's called "ash." Some people believe it's sodium carbonate formed by the free sodium from the sodium hydroxide (lye) and carbon dioxide in the air. Cavitch once had a chemist test some ash on her soaps...and theorizes that it's actually microcystalline powdered soap. It generally forms during the first 12-24 hours after you pour the soap, and different people have different solutions for it. I knew a soap maker that added 1-2% soy or beeswax to her soap batches and greatly reduced her ash. Cocoa butter seems to have a similar preventative effect. Covering the soap with plastic wrap after you pour it, so that no air gets to it seems to minimize it as well. The good news is...that whatever "ash" really is...is that it's harmless and washes right off of the soap.

What's That White Stuff on My Soap? originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 23:01:33.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Story of Dr. Bronner's

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:05:36 +0000

When I first started making soap some years ago, I had a couple of friends in Austin, TX who asked, "Is your soap like Dr. Bronner's?" Well...while I did like putting text and stories on my soap labels...and while I did make peppermint soap...and liquid soap...I never made liquid peppermint soap like Dr. Bronner. He's been making interesting natural soaps for 60 years...and they are good. His story is a delightful read. Perhaps one of you readers will be as iconic a soap maker as Dr. Bronner.

The Story of Dr. Bronner's originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 00:05:36.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Basic Homemade Soap Log Mold

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:27:55 +0000

I recently moved - and all of my usual molds and such are packed in various boxes. I wanted to make a small test batch of soap, and luckily I was able to find my home-made mitre-box log mold. It was a great low-cost soap mold solution from a fellow soap maker friend, Pat Tyson of Pitterpat Skin Care. She designed a really wonderful, easy-to-make, small log mold that's made with strips of wood and a mitre box - and passed on the design to us. All of the materials are available at any local hardware store for just a few dollars.

Photo: Pat Tyson

Basic Homemade Soap Log Mold originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 22:27:55.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Plain Old Natural Soap is Best - (But We Knew That)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:46:02 +0000

Through all the years, all the commercials and advertisements, all the scents, colors and styles - it still comes down to this: washing your hands with plain old natural soap is best. This article from the Environmental Working Group elaborates, stating that washing your hands with soap is excellent for helping to minimize the spread of infection. But it adds that hand washing is also good for reducing our (and our children's) exposure to toxic chemicals. The article also tells us to:

Skip the anti-bacterial soap - it offers no benefits
Choose safer soaps - they recommend regular, natural soap with no added ingredients (not even fragrance)

So go make yourself some soap (we'll debate the use of fragrance oils later) and get your hands nice and clean.

Photo: Steven Puetzer / Getty Images

Plain Old Natural Soap is Best - (But We Knew That) originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 13:46:02.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

It's Pumpkin Soap Time

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:54:40 +0000

Halloween is in just a week...which means there are pumpkins in all of the stores - including some really interesting white pumpkins. (Orange is evidently very "yesterday.") Which means Jack O'Lanterns and hanging pumpking lanterns. But what about the day after Halloween? One of my favorite post-Halloween projects is to make a batch of pumpkin soap - with real pumpkin puree. Pumpkin is high in vitamins A and C and zinc...which makes it good for your skin too! (But we know that all of our natural homemade soaps are good for our skin, even without the pumpkin!)

It's Pumpkin Soap Time originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 11:54:40.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Halloween Candles for Spooky Holiday Fun

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:32:53 +0000

Halloween (October 31st) is the next major holiday here in the U.S. And if you've already made some pumpkin soap, the next thing to do is to make some Halloween candles. You can make some easy Halloween appliqu� candles, or, for the more adventurous, a fun project that uses a Balloon Candle Shell as the base to make a Ghost Candle.

Halloween Candles for Spooky Holiday Fun originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 21:32:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

How to Make Bath Oil That's Not "Oily"

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:04:00 +0000

My favorite time of the year is that transition time when the weather turns chilly for the first time after a long hot spell. It's time for hot tea, warm sweaters and hot baths. We soap (and candle) makers know the benefits of moisturizing oils on your skin, and the power of fragrance and essential oils on the mood. What a better time to combine them than in a tub of piping hot water? But what about the oily ring? Or the slipperiness? Here's a great and simple trick to take care of that.

How to Make Bath Oil That's Not "Oily" originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 00:04:00.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Because I Know You Love Candy Corn

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:10:30 +0000

Ok...it may look good enough to eat...it may smell good enough to eat...but it's just a candle, please don't eat it. At my house, we always get a bag of candy corn every Halloween and put it in a big glass bowl on the coffee table. Here's a Halloween candle project that uses the techniques to make a layered pillar candle - that looks like Candy Corn.

Because I Know You Love Candy Corn originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 23:10:30.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Fall Soaps for Cool Weather

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:27:06 +0000

The weather turned a bit chilly here this week, and leaves and pecans are falling from the trees. I love this time of year...and everyone is in a completely different spirit than they were just a month ago. Here's a project that will bring a touch of autumn into your home and make hand washing delightful (especially for kids). This easy melt and pour soap project uses "silk" leaves soaked in melt and pour soap. They're basically "single serve" soaps that not only smell lovely but look lovely too. Once you're done, just toss the used leaf/flower into the trash. Your kitchen and/or bathrooms will look and smell lovely! There's even a video version of the Dipped Leaves Soaps project too!

Fall Soaps for Cool Weather originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 21:27:06.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Jack O'Lantern Candle Project

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:01:30 +0000

If you're not a soap maker, and aren't going to be making pumpkin soap, you may want to try a pumpkin-inspired candle. This candle project is based on a balloon candle shell. Just like the Jack O'Lanterns you make yourself out of pumpkins, no two of these candles will be quite alike!

Jack O'Lantern Candle Project originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at 15:01:30.

Permalink | Comment | Email this