A Literal Translation of a Soap Fragrance

Oatmeal, Milk & Honey has got to be a staple scent in every soap maker's arsenal. There's something about the scent that is just innocent and so dang comforting. I decided to make a new batch of nearly every soap maker's fave, but I wanted this soap to not only smell like the classic fragrance, but literally be made with oatmeal, milk and honey. And guess what? I had all 3 ingredients-at the same time!   

The oatmeal portion is actually Crafter's Choice Oat Scrub from WSP. The milk portion is powdered goat's milk. I have not graduated to liquid milks yet, so I'll stick to the powdered variety for now thank-you-very-much! Is it me or does goat's milk stink? Okay, stink is a little harsh, but it has a definite odor. Finally, the honey, is well, honey, hence, the color of the soap.

These bars have a lot of ash on the bottom because I made these in a plastic soap mold usually reserved for melt and pour, but I wanted these particular bars to look like granola bars. I think I accomplished my goal. Just look at the texture and oats poking out of these! They smell good enough to eat. I used less than an oz of fragrance oil in this batch because while I wanted the soap to smell like oatmeal, milk, and honey, I wanted it to be as natural as possible. I'm lovin' it...

I'm A Glutton For Damn Punishment!

Remember a couple of months ago I lamented about this damned soap? I ended up calling it The Damn, Damn, Damn Lemon Chiffon Soap? Well...it's baaack-bigger and better than ever! Who knew it would be such a hit?! I call these The Big Damn Lemon Chiffon Soap!

This time I made a 3.5 pound batch of it, and I colored the center yellow so that it would have some yellow in it. I didn't scent that part in hopes it will stay yellow, but we'll see. It smells like a slice of lemon pound cake. I mixed in some poppy seeds. I've upped the ante in the moisture department too. These bars are packed with cocoa butter and mango butter-just in time for cooler days ahead! These babies will be ready mid-September. I expect these soaps to be damn-near black when they're cured...LOL.

A Few Soaping Tips

I never view other soapers as the competition (although technically they are) because what I've noticed is almost everyone has something different to offer, and no one's soaps look exactly the same. I've been seriously making cold processed soap for about 9 months now, and my technique has gotten better and better because I do my research, and I learn from and document my mistakes. So, I thought I'd share a few tips that I've picked up along the way. And, no, I'm not giving away classified secrets. I'm still a newbie here, but I think we can all learn from one another in some way.

Before you even make a batch of cp soap, write down your ingredients. This includes the oils you use, the amount of water and lye used, and any additives such as exfoliants, herbs, etc., and the fragrance you use.

Only used distilled water in your formula. This can be argued til the cows come home, but I've tried using regular tap water with several batches, and my soap always came out jacked up! I don't know if I have hard water or soft water, I just know that tap does not work for me. I've tried filtered drinking water and have had moderate success, but distilled is the way to go. Buy several gallons at once. It's something you never want to run out of.

Only use 100% lye in your formula. If it doesn't say 100%, then it's most likely cut with some other chemicals that I would not dare use in my soap. Remember, lye is corrosive. It can burn, and it can kill. Never have lye setting around especially where there are children and pets involved. When handling lye, make sure that you're in an open or well-ventilated space and that you're wearing long sleeves and long, rubber gloves. I've burned myself plenty of times with splashes while stirring my lye solution. Lye can be purchased online, but in 99% of the time, you will be required to sign and fax a waiver form before they will even ship it to you. I've been fortunate enough to find my lye at a small, local hardware store. I buy about 5-6 bottles at a time at about $5.00 each for a 16 oz bottle.

Please, please, please! You must use a lye calculator! You can't just throw a bunch of oils in a pot, and dump water and lye in it and think you have soap. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!!! The amount of lye you use is based specifically on the type of oils you use. I learned this the hard way. You can't substitute one oil for another and think that the amount of lye you use will be the same. WRONG! Your soap will either come out lye heavy or lye deficient making the soap totally unusable. There are many lye calculators online that are available, but one that I really like is by Summer Bee Meadow. One caveat for those who use the metric system: It only calculates in oz, so you'd have to convert to grams.

Keep in mind that the combination of oils you use will determine how hard or soft your finish bars will be. The general philosophy is that a good bar of soap should possess the properties of being hard, lathering, and conditioning. It's a good rule of thumb, but it's not the only solution. If you do use mostly "soft" oils in your recipe, your bars will take longer to cure.

I like to add my FO or EO at light trace because I never know how the fragrance will react once I add it to my raw soap. It could have no reaction or it could seize and cause the soap to almost completely harden. Once I add my fragrance, I stir it by hand and not using a stick blender as it could facilitate trace.

Lastly, document your findings once your batch is complete. Was it successful or a complete failure? Did your fragrance oil seize in your soap? How does your soap smell? How did your coloring or additives fare? You get the picture...

In conclusion, this is just one of many ways to make soap. I've been successful using these tips. I welcome every one's input and tips. Happy soap making!