More on soap

Just did another batch, and in an effort to remember what works and what doesn't I"ll try to keep stuff written down.

Okay, again split one batch in two bits, just for fun really.

Peppermint... I added probably close to 3/4 oz to half batch and ... voila it still smells of peppermint!  I didn't do anything else to this batch, so it is the color of the soap plain (off white)

Okay, not I"m trying to remember what I put in that other batch, it has been almost a week now, but it was about a teaspoon of red clay, bergamont and rosemary .. It's hard to tell, it has an aroma, its nice, but I wouldn't peg it as either bergamont or rosemary, I think I probably needed a lot more of each since my measurements were, to dump what was left of the bergamont in and aggressively shake the rosemary bottle onto it (20-30 drops or so), but I let these batches trace a little long and they were setting up quickly AND I didn't pre-measure anything (lesson learned).  soaps are pink, its a nice color though a bit speckly... again, probably the late trace I didn't mix the clay in as well as I should have.

UPDATE: Next Batch this Sept '12:
Well, I used a recipe from Soapmaker's companion in lieu of my trustworthy one, and it seemed to turn out okay, haven't used it yet.  I also waay increased how much essential oils I put in, so we'll see if the smells stick.  They smell good, but sort of hard to put your finger on the scent. 

soap essentials bar (has a 10%discount... may have accounted for a long set-up time):
201 g sodium hydroxide
538.7 g water
595.3g Olive Oil (Pomace)
454g Coconut oil
396.9 (14 oz) palm oil

the recipe suggested 12g grapefruit seed extract as opt, which Idid not have, I bought some so maybe for the next batch, this is supposed to be a preservative.

also suggested 7 tsp or 35 ml e.o. 

This made about 15 bars

SO I divided the batch in half and in the first batch I added:
1 oz ground dried tangerine peel
5 ml tangerine e.o.
4 ml clove e.o.
8 ml 5x orange e.o.
looks light orange with dark flecks, was weepy for a while, I am not sure what this means in terms of preserving it or utility. 

the second half batch I added:
2 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp charchol
3 ml eucalyptus oil
10ml cedar oil
2 ml rosemary
2 ml basil.

dark grey, looks good, if you like grey soap.

Now, at the time I am sure I had a method to selecting this oil blend, but I can't remember right now, maybe some combos I saw somewhere else, maybe an attempt to get through my ever growing collection of e.o. I can't remember.  

Update That tangerine peel version above.. STILL weeping (it's 3 Nov), though less.  It is not lye, probably unsaponified oils, maybe poor mixing of the e.o. in.

Another batch of the same recipe as above (can't find my book with my other recipe, though I have it an an e.mail somewhere).

again, split it.  Probably got 19 or so bars total.  Actually almost evenly split this time.

one half, one tablespoon of bulgarian lavander + ground oatmeal (probably bet 1/8-1/4 cup didn't measure)

second half:  one tablespoon of lemongrass (some eucalyptus and rosemary to balance things out a bit) and a sprinkle of tumeric and about 1/4 tsp of dry spriulina.  The initial color sucked, it was kinda baby poop green-grey, but I think it has mellowed a lot just overnight.  we'll see when it is aged a bit more.