Last week we took a quick trip to Cost Plus World Market to buy my favorite German Gummy Bear in 3 lb. bags (oh I feel so guilty but I can't stop!), my DH saw a soap named Rosemary Spearmint and shoveled up my nose and said, why you never make me this kind of soap?! So I rolled my eyeballs and promised him I will. Apparently he wants the exact same scent and pure white, no nothing or colors added. Wait, and you married me?! Something is not right here! What you did to my husband?! You are killing me (to be exact, my creativity) honey! As I complaint to him loudly he replied, hey, listen to your customer, your customer, me, I want white soap that smells like Rosemary Spearmint, period! I'm teaching you how to listen to what your customer wants! Oh~ !&^)$@^%_#*^%#_*^%)&@^ Can I not have this kind of 'customer' who doesn't even pay?
Anyway, I heard that adding a little Bentonite clay may boosts lather in soap so I added 3/4 tsp to my 2 lb. log. I totally forgot how Bentonite clay can swell up by absorbing all the water you add to mix it and puff up to be like jello! I was not having fun mixing it smoothly back into the soap batter. It literally made the batter jello-y. Oh well, glade that I was not making anything fancy, just plain old white soap!
I'm also experimenting soap cutting time. This came about when a few soap makers noticing bubble texture when they use wire cutters to cut fresh un mold soap logs. They were all wondering the uneven texture was due to the wire cutting through soft soap that is freshly made. I have that happen to me all the time, except I never thought the wire cutter was the cause. My first reaction to the bubble texture was that I trapped too much air when mixing. To prove right or wrong, I started cutting a slice every 12 hours after I took this log out of my mold. Well, let's just say, it make absolutely... no difference!
Anyway, I heard that adding a little Bentonite clay may boosts lather in soap so I added 3/4 tsp to my 2 lb. log. I totally forgot how Bentonite clay can swell up by absorbing all the water you add to mix it and puff up to be like jello! I was not having fun mixing it smoothly back into the soap batter. It literally made the batter jello-y. Oh well, glade that I was not making anything fancy, just plain old white soap!
I'm also experimenting soap cutting time. This came about when a few soap makers noticing bubble texture when they use wire cutters to cut fresh un mold soap logs. They were all wondering the uneven texture was due to the wire cutting through soft soap that is freshly made. I have that happen to me all the time, except I never thought the wire cutter was the cause. My first reaction to the bubble texture was that I trapped too much air when mixing. To prove right or wrong, I started cutting a slice every 12 hours after I took this log out of my mold. Well, let's just say, it make absolutely... no difference!
You're so funny! ....Sheesh--fussy customers!! Simplicity is still beautiful and so are your bars. I usually add clay at light trace to avoid that jello-y issue.
ReplyDeleteMe gustan los jabones con arcilla blanca, y estos te han quedado perfectos y sencillos.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
When can I order the plain white soap? Does it smell like spearmint? Nice!
ReplyDelete@ Rita, this blog entry was written a week ago actually but I didn't publish it until yesterday, lol. I will list this Rosemary Spearmint soap on my easy shop next year, 1/15/2012!
ReplyDeleteThey look beautiful, and very CLASSY. Shame to waste them on your husband! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHusbands can be challenging, but isn't it nice you could do that for him!!
ReplyDeleteI think the pure elegance of the white bar is lovely! Also the black background photography is outstanding too! How did you do that?
A photo wonder. It is great!
ReplyDeleteThe trick to this kind of photo is to use a photography studio box and put up a black velvet fabric as background, shoot 2 spot light on on each side into the box then take photos without flash light.
ReplyDelete