Teach Soap

I am so ticked at myself:x ! I ordinarily measure out any colorant that I intend to use, and add a tad extra in case I want more, then I set that by me in the kitchen. Well, like a ding bat, I started to do the normal, but then just grabbed the whole container. So my soap begins to trace fast and I pour some into the mold and grab the tumeric I intended to color with, then I just tossed some in without measuring it. By this point the soap needs to be in the mold and in my hast, I over-portioned the amount I wanted to color anyway. So at this point I have a colored layer not the swirl, that I was intending. So now, on top of having a loaf of something I didn't intend, I have to wonder/worry if I used too much tumeric.

Has anyone else used tumeric to color with? If so, how much did you use? I think I probably used between 2-3 teaspoons. I was making a 4 pound loaf but, as I said, I put that whole amount into a layer, not the whole loaf ....and not the swirl I wanted. Can't believe I did this Did I completely ruin my batch? Have I mentioned hating rebatching? I know, I know, I have to wait and see.....but I need guesses now!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Sure sounds like a lot. If you don't want to rebatch, how about if you chunk it up and add it to an uncolored batch?

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

Yep I just might end up having to do that SoapBuddy. I am so frustrated with myself! I have been looking on line and trying to see numbers in regard to using tumeric in soap, but I have seen anywhere from 1 tsp to 1 TBS (which would be about what I used) per pound....so I guess I will have to wait it out and see what it's like. Oh well, tomorrow's another day! Thanks for the suggestion, I will definably do that if I need too, I like that idea better than rebatching!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I hate rebatching. I like my soaps nice and smooth.

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

Aren't you glad that tomorrow is a new day and we get the chance to start over? There are some days that are good to leave behind!

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So many oils, so little time.

-Cathy

YES onmysoapbox, I am VERY glad that we get the chance to start over! And, aside from lining the mold, I'm even happy I get to start over making this new soap recipe!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I've used tumeric on several occasions in soap. I take a clean glass jar, add warm olive oil and a bunch of tumeric and let it sit for a week or so. When I want to use it as a colorant, I shake the jar and then strain the oil through a coffee filter--I want just the color and not the spice itself in my soap. It really doesn't take much of the colored strained oil to use as a colorant. I do the same thing with ground parsley flakes (ok as green but not a solid green color), and paprika.

Tammy, sorry to hear about your episode! I'm thinking that it is easier for those of us who do this just as a hobby... a messed up batch, just use it for something else. But those of you who soap to sell, well that is really lost time. Hope it turns out for you.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

We all get a turn at the oops. Color, Fragrance, clay! Not long ago I forgot to fragrance a batch! Shredded it and added to a fragranced batch the following day and voila nice soap! 2 pounds of shreds to 3 pounds of a different batch. It was a test and it worked really nicely.

Mella, I know I am not alone, but it still stinks! And you are right, I will do something to make it work in the end, it's just frustrating!

Falldowngobump, yep, that's what I should have done! I have comfrey and beet root powder steeping like that now. This was really a last minute decision in the first place, then I just continued to do stupid things! It was one of those nights I guess, but I don't think it will be a mistake that I repeat anytime soon!

Bubbles, you are right, it is a waste of time to mess up a batch, which means a waste of money in the end, but I never really look at it that way. As the others have said, there will be something I can do with it if it is botched, but aside from that, it really isn't worth getting worked up over. I had my time where I yelled at myself, now I am on to laughing at myself, and getting over it.

To that end, it has really helped me to have you all commiserating with me, so THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!
I'm going to cut now and I will let you all know how it turns out after the cure!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Well. I was quite obviously still twisted a bit when I wrote my post this am, as I can't cut it today, dah! But it is looking pretty good, gelling nicely, so I will see in the weeks to come. Good news though, I just finished pouring a 5 lb loaf a little bit ago and the whole ,mess from yesterday is becoming a distant memory! This batch is also a new2 recipe and I scented it with a blend that smells great now, and hopefully will remain so. I used champagne fo, pink grapefruit fo, lime eo, balsam peru eo and blueberry fo. I used beet root to color with, making 2 levels of color with a new swirling technique, so it's still an experiment in all ways, but this one is looking promising at this point.

Tomorrow.....salt bars I think!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

LavenderLady- Did you dissolve your beet root powder in oil? What color did the oil turn? I tried to add beet root to some oil a few batches ago and it never dissolved so now I have a swirl with speckles in it (not what I was going for). Also, are you gelling this batch, I'm curious to know what color it lends to the soap.

I am waiting for my first salt bar to come out of the oven. Plus I just rebatched a goof. I hate rebatch which is the exact reason I am trying to make it work.