I Am Obsessed With Soap Molds!

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My last post kinda hinted at my borderline addiction, but it's becoming a bit of an illness-this obsession I have with soap molds. Don't ask me why because I can't explain it. Ever since I started making cold processed (handmade from scratch) soap, it's always been more about the mold than the end result. Yes, yet another one of my many quirks. I'm really enamored of wooden soap molds. I just think they are the creme de la creme of soap molds. Every soap maker should own at least one wooden mold in my opinion. They're sturdy, rigid, and last forever, and they don't have to be "soap" molds per se.

Yes, it's stained and dirty, but I do line it before each use. Trust me, no dirty soap...

Above is a wooden box that I scored at White Barn Candle Co. about 5 years ago. It came with a candle set I bought, and I just happened to hang on to it after I used up all the candles. Making soap was the last thing on my mind at the time, but I am SOOOOOOOO glad I kept it. This is my official "slab" mold. I use this one for bulk soap orders mostly. Here are a few soaps I've made with this mold:

Vanilla Cake-This one looked so real and smelled like straight vanilla and butter. I can't duplicate it for the life of me!

Spellbound-A Vicky's Secret dupe

Okay, a beat up soap mold means it gets the job done!

This next mold is used in probably about 80% of my soap making. I got this one from Candles and Woodcrafts about 3 years ago, and sadly, they've closed shop indefinitely. This is a 3 or 4 pound mold (I can't remember), and it's the perfect size. I can get about 11,  5+ oz bars when I cut the loaf. If I had to buy this one over again, I would have chosen the hinged version as opposed to the pegged one because I'm always losing the pegs! Here are a few of my personal faves made with this mold, and again, can't duplicate them. It's always the experimental soaps that I never take notes on (duh!) and they turn out perfectly only never to be made again...

Dirty Sexy Soap. I blended patchouli essential oil and nectarine blossom. Fan-freaking-tastic!

Royal Soap-English tea rose

Lastly, is the score of the year! The Upland Soap Factory and Southern Soapers both closed shop this year (I was genuinely upset when SS closed), and Kelly, Southern Soapers' owner, announced on her Yahoo Group that she was selling off the last of her equipment including her prized Upland Soap molds. Some consider these the gold standard of wooden molds. The craftsmanship was said to be impeccable and top-notch, and I've always wanted one, but I am a tightwad in every aspect of my life. These molds started at around $60.00 and zoomed from there. So this is a major score because I copped this bad boy for 30 bucks! I guestimate this one to be around 2.5 pounds-maybe 3? Someone, lemme know if you know. I have yet to make any soap with it yet. I just received it the other day, and I'm going to use it to make my first holiday soap of the season.  What I love most about this mold? The silicone liner! No more lining with wax paper. YAY. No, double YAY!

Crazy Love

Just a quick post today:  My Obsessed Soap has taken a slight turn. It's now called Crazy Love. I really love this powder blue or baby blue. I wanted it to pop, so I brushed the tops with shimmery powder blue mica. That's my newest obsession by the way-brushing the tops of my soaps with shimmery mica.

Get The Bomb Lips!

I am fiendish when it comes to lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick… My lips are perpetually dry while the rest of my face is perpetually oily. Go figure! Anyway, I love lip balm. I probably own a dozen different brands from Avon to the various handmade Etsy delights. The one that I avoid like the plague is Chapstick. That stuff is awful. It has camphor in it which dries out my lips making me apply and re-apply and re-apply. I offered lip balms before and called them Lip Lushes. They were a little too glossy for my personal taste when the goal was to create a “balm” that moisturized without sliding off when you so much as opened your mouth.

  Lip Lushes-Peace......

Finally, I’ve discovered a lip balm formula that’s not too grainy or too greasy. The key (duh) is not to overheat your ingredients. Anne-Marie over at Brambleberry has a great video tutorial on making your own lip balms. So, I went back to the lab and decided to go with a tube as opposed to the slide tin. The weather is getting warmer, and there’s nothing worse than a pocket or purse oozing with scented lip goo. I also decided to go with the oval-shaped tube instead of the standard tube. If it tips over, it won’t roll away! I really love my labels-a big shout out to my graphic designer (like she works exclusively for me lol) Jen at Studio 71 Designs. 

With the launch of a new product comes a new name: Lip Bomb. I don’t really pronounce balm as “ball-m” but “bomb” so why not name it such? Besides, it explodes with scent and flavor. These balms are unsweetened, but the flavors are so intense that your mind thinks they’re sweet. I’ve got the old standbys: peach mango, cherry, cherry cola…but there are also some new additions: chocolate, pear, and almond biscotti. Of course the names are cheeky.I haven't listed them yet because I'm still playing with the finish of the labels: I'm torn between solid white (which I did not photograph)  and this "sheer" finish. I'm loving my new lippies!