S.O.A.P. Opera - the FINALE

Now that #7 and #8 are saved and sound, it's time to end this long testing journey.  You have already seen how all CP and CPOP soaps have discolored further in time, I will also show you how body cream is doing after around 2 weeks.

I also created a log file to document all my testing, each category I would choose 2 favorites and they get a red heart!
(click on the image to open in another window to see it large so you can actually read my notes)

Making Liquid Soap with Glycerin

Traditionally you would have to use water to dissolve KOH (potassium hydroxide) then mix with melted butter and oil in a crock pot.  Then you have to go through hours of "cooking"... erg... that's why I don't make it often because it's such a pain in my axx.  I would make a big pot and save the paste to use for months until I have to do an other pot.  Then one day, I heard you can make liquid soap using glycerin instead of water to dissolve potassium hydroxide, and this will shorten the "cook" time by more than 50%!  Ok, I'm totally in for this, sign me up!  Time for experiment!

Heat up glycerin and dissolve lye (I don't know why it turned a little amber color)

Melted butter and oil in a crock pot:

Mix in the glycerin lye solution:

It got very bubbly:

Getting translucent about 10 minutes and thicken up:

I turned on the crock pot on low and let it "cook" for a couple hours.  Turned it off and let it cooled down, it feels like really thick taffy :

Viola!  Liquid soap paste!  I'm in love with glycerin made liquid soap method now!  I can never go back to the traditional way!  I'm doing a little silly dance in my kitchen right now...

S.O.A.P. Opera - Episode 7

So, are you still wondering what happened to the missing #7 & #8?  Well, here I present you the missing ones.

Put extra *** on #7, it accelerated even on 4 oz, I'm guessing if it's regular batch this will gel by itself without any insulation.

Conclusion: they all discolored...  Some lost scent already, some morphed to something else.
Remember to tune back for the finale episode.  All testing changes will be revealed!

I got it totally WRONG!

I was wrong...  If you have not seen my post Back to Nature No. 5 click on the link, read it quickly and come back to understand why I said what I said...

This is a classic case of lost in translation.  I got this purpleish herb from Taiwan (where I came from) awhile back and the store told me the English translation is "Comfrey".  I don't know much about herb, only know that Chinese and Japanese use this a lot as  a natural dye for purple.  I thought that was a great idea for using it to make purple soap so I bought some.  I should have checked myself on the translation part, but instead, I took the herbal shop's word for it and have been calling it Comfrey...

Until one day, one soaper friend emailed me and told me about the bane of comfrey in the US and Canada for certain use and I might want to get some deeper research about it.  And she also pointed out how she had never seen purple comfrey in her life.  I took some time and did a little internet digging (I do not know how anyone can live without internet these days, it's like a bible!) and found I was so WRONG.  This purpleish herb is actually called Gromwell or Stoneseeds in common name or Lithospermum in botanical name.

I feel embarrassed... how can I be so wrong...  Anyway, I made another batch using infused Apricot kernel oil.  I added red clay and active charcoal to do a little swirling.  It is scented with Ultraviolet fragrance oil mixed with Sultry Amber and a little Vetiver essential oil.  Oh very floral and strong. 

This batch came out with a more magenta hue compared to the last batch I did which is more blue toned.  The strange thing is both batches got this ash on the outside and inside.  Is this prompt to heat lose?!  Next time I will insulate it and force gel to see what the difference it can make.

What a HOOT!

These little Owl Soap is being featured in an Etsy treasury: What a HOOT

S.O.A.P. Opera - Episode 6

Recap from last episode: after CP, CPOP, and M&P, body cream was next on the line; these little 2 oz bottles are going to sit for a week to be examined for color changing and then test on "lab animal" meaning me.


This episode surprised me, out of my expectation, you will see why.

The last item on my testing schedule is silky quick dry body/linen spray.  And since I still have a little fragrance left each I decided to add another item to the schedule - natural liquid soap.  Silky body spray is simply made of Cyclomethicone (a low molecular weight silicone that evaporate quickly) and about 2% concentrated fragrance oil.  It is none greasy, oily residue or build-up, and leaves your skin a powdery silky touch.  7 out of 8 mixed well without problem.  A few showed slight separation (do you see the tiny bubbles at the top of #1 #2 & #6?!), need to shake before use.  #7 unfortunately again does not want to cooperate, it give this frosty look to the liquid and separates in time.  Darn you #7!  #1 & #4 got a slight discoloration to beige, so slight I don't think anyone can tell if stand alone.  I sprayed some on coffee filter paper and did not see any stain why dried.

Now, let's move on to the surprise.  I diluted some natural liquid soap I made and added 2% fragrance oil in each bottle.  OMG, instant gel!  None of them flows even up side down!  And #7 the one who gave me the most trouble since, actually was being good in liquid soap... what's happening?! 
P.S. #3 is back up to be my favorite again.  I used the "liquid" (or should I call it paste?!) soap to wash my hands and it smells so good!
P.S.S. I decided to add some more distilled water to thin them down, which proven to be difficult after being all gelled up in a small 2 oz bottle...  Note *** must thin natural liquid soap more before adding fragrance oil and probably just 1% fragrance is needed.

#2 gets the lightest color.  #1, 2, 7, & 8 frosted the clarity a little.  #6 actually deepen the color, look how dark it gets!

U2 rock!

I can't help it, I have to share these awesome photos with you all, because we got to be 10 feet away from the center stage!  Look how close we were, we can see all their wrinkles!

Thank to my crazy friends who stood in line since 6 in the morning to get us all into the inner pit right up to the center stage!