Teach Soap

Hello everyone!:) I am new here...lurked for awhile, until I realized how amazingly smart you guys all are, and then decided to join in the hopes that I'll learn by osmosis. (LOL)

Anyways...I recently made my dad a shaving soap for his birthday, but it didn't turn out at all. I used 2 oz of melt and pour soap base, 1/2 tsp of sweet almond oil, 1 tsp of sls, and a couple of drops of a "male" scent. He says it doesn't lather at all...probably due to the extra oil. He said the lather is supposed to be thick, and stay on your hand if you put it there and turn your hand sideways. I have NO idea what I did wrong, or even how to achieve this lol. I got laid off, so I don't have the money to buy the shaving base from Brambleberry just yet, although I will as soon as I can....I'm just looking to see if there's something else I could do to make the soap I have right now work in the meantime.

Also, I bought a meatballer for my fizzies to make pretty round ones awhile ago...and for the life of me, I can't get the dang thing to work. The two halves just won't stay together, even though I sprayed them with witch hazel (which promptly caused them to fizz all over). And I can't even use just the half dome shapes, because I can't figure out how to get them out..I tried oiling the stainless steel surface, and they still won't come out. Any ideas??? It'd be a lifesaver!:)

Thanks so much for any help you guys could give!!!
Mandi

Welcome!
MP base works the best without any extra oil added. You could add a small amount of clay for glide and a small amount of fragrance. The SLS could be too harsh for the facial area. Is the fragrance that you have soap safe?

As far as the fizzies, VERY little witch hazel is needed. Don't oil your meatballer as that makes the mixture stick. Try a little dusting of corn starch instead. It also depends on the formula that you use. Weighing ingredients is important for success.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Hi There!

Okay, so I make about 200 bath bombs a week, crazy I know But here is the recipe I use & they come out of my round ball mold quite nicely, the right consistancy is key with the fizzies, not to wet & not to dry...it does take some patience & testing until you know when it's exactly right.

1 1/2 cups citric acid
2 cups baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 - 1/2 cup dead sea salt (epson works too)

Mix together & then add the following:

Oils/butters (you can use whatever you like,but here is what I use)

1/8 cup shea butter
1/2 oz grapeseed oil
1/2 oz jojoba oil
1/2 oz castor oil
1/2 oz polysorbate 20 (you don't have to use this, I use it because it helps the oils to dissolve better in the tub)
1/2 - 1 oz fragrance oil (this is up to you depending on how strong your FO is)
Colorant if you desire

Mix it all together very well, breaking up the shea butter until you have little to no clumping.
Give it 5-6 light sprays of witch hazel or water, mix while you do this so the fizzing doesn't start. Okay now, is when your eye becomes handy. You should be able to take a handful of the mixture and squeeze it into a ball like light wet sand. If it crumbles quickly it's too dry, give it a few more squirts of water.

My only other tip to you is the molding process. I prefer the plastic sphere molds (like the Xmas ornament type), but your meatballer will work too. Don't pack the sides to hard, rather put enough mixture in them lightly & overfill the halves (kind of like you're shaping a clay ball). Then take both sides and mash them together, don't twist them together (it takes a little forearm power LOL). If this is done right you won't have to wait to unmold. Simply lightly twist the top off, and turn it over in your hand tap the other side & it should come out very easy for you. I have a video somewhere on my laptop if you'd like me to email it to you just let me know!

Good Luck, they're tons of fun!

Michelle