My Soap Diary

Tuesday 23rd August

Thankfully everything has now arrived, to say I excited about making my soaps again I think is an under statement lol, but I think I have now managed to get back to the point where I was last time, before I bought Granny M's, they always say if you wonder off the right path for what ever reason you will inevitabley find you way back even if it is a couple of years down the line, don't get me wrong I have enjoyed making the skincare and it has given me opportunities I don’t think I would have ever tried or experienced  if I hadn't done it. So here we are, back on the right road, and I am getting the look and stand I have wanted to achieve for the past 6yrs, so fingers crossed, and I will be incorporating the skincare into this, but in a different way.

So here's my Soap Diary, I hope you have as much fun reading it as I do making them……

Lavender & Thyme

1st Batch Made: 24/08/11

Results: This Batch took 48hrs to set properly, because after 24hrs there was a small layer of oil on top and soda ash, I think the oil was the lavender oil and because I'd never done super fatting before, I also think a little was Olive Oil, but even so the soap batch itself was firm to touch. After the 48hrs the oil had been absorbed back into the soap, I then put the mould into the freezer for about an hour to help ease out the block of soap from the mould, which worked nicely. Once cut the slices smelt gorgeous of lavender but I couldn't detect the thyme, that is now coming through after 3 days of curing so hopefully after the 4 weeks there should be a nice balance.

28/08/11

The Next Chapter: 10 down and I am now over halfway through working out my next 10 recipes, I only have another 4 to do but I have a feeling its not going to stop there, I have ideas popping into my head all the time, but I have to remember I have the other products to work on too, like the Balms, Salts & Oils, which are all in their early stages, but I need to get all 20 soap recipes done first and then I must do the measurements for the other products, they will hopefully be winding their way to the certification process after christmas, but I would like to have some of them ready for before christmas, especially the facial oils.

Honey & Oatmeal

1st Batch Made: 29/08/11

I couldn't wait to get home today, we had been shopping in plymouth for my daughters school shoes, luckily that was all we needed so once they were purchased there was no excuse to stay……

Results: The Consistency looks lovely, but I did have a little trouble putting the lid on the mould, so I think I lost a little heat, fighting with this, but its now wrapped in 3 towels and has been place in a drawer on top of a towelling robe, so hopefully this has been incubated well, we'll see in 24hrs, ( I have just read this back and it sounds like I'm trying to hatch chicks lol, but I suppose it is the same labour of love and care that goes into both that matters). I have a suspicion we might have to wright this one down to experience, fingers crossed.