Teach Soap

I just got my first 5 pounds of glycerin melt and pour base. I am waiting for my essential oils to show up but one of my favorite soaps was a lemongrass soap that I actually ran across in a hotel. I am pretty sure it also had Shea butter in it. The mold I just received is a 12 cavity mold 2" x 3" x 1,1, so a total of 79.2 cubic inches. I have not figured out the conversion for pounds of soap per fluid ounce. I can convert from cubic inches to fluid ounces, but maybe I have to experiment with the base to come up with a weight per fluid ounces conversion. Seems to me that would be handy to have as mold are in cubic inches. Maybe someone already has that conversion, and can share it.

My main question is can someone tell me how much of lemongrass essential oil and how much Shea butter I would add in relationship to the glycerin based melt and pour? Also, I've done some reading and most of what I've read is that folks seem to melt this in a microwave. I was planning to melt in a glass or stainless bowl set in hot water in a small sauce pan.

Thanks

Welcome to soap making & to the forum

Just to let you know, adding extra oils or butters like shea butter will decrease your bubbles and lather of your soap. But if you'd still like to add it, I'd stay under 1/2 an ounce of shea butter per pound of soap base.

As for the lemongrass essential oil, I'd not go above 0.36 ounces of essential oil per pound of your soap base. It's an essential oil that sticks well, so you wouldn't want to over scent it.
Brambleberry has a nifty little fragrance calculator that may come in handy for you, you could check out what they suggest for lemongrass EO.
http://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragr ... lator.aspx

I melt MP in a double boiler all the time, so you should be fine

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Genny

Welcome!
I add up to 1 Tablespoon of any oil or butter TOTAL to 1 lb. of MP base. Lemongrass is a very strong essential oil. I would start with a pipette and go by drops. You can always add a little bit more, but you can't take away. Good luck!

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

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Armi

Did a search and finally found it. This is what I'd like to try to match. Again, if I'm all wet trying to do it with MP, please let me know and suggest which process that would be best.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Homema ... 1291132598

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