Sunday, September 29, 2013

Restless, and No Good Soap to Show

I have been restless lately...we have our house on the market to sell and we are trying our hardest to keep it clean.  With three small kids that is a BIG challenge...for a soap maker (like me) it's heartbreak. 

I think about making soap and then I start thinking of all the dirty containers I will have...I need to keep my area tidy...make sure my oils and colors don't look cluttered.  Hide the curing soap from curious eyes.  It's exhausting just thinking about it...No soaping for me!

We had an open house and I swear I have two bars of soap missing! Oh well, just need to make sure to store the soap out of tempting eyes and hands.  SIGH....

I finally broke down and tried to make a new soap batch.  I was itching to try Patchouli Rain from Rustic Escentuals.  I am still pretty conflicted...not sure if I like the Patchouli fragrance.  I think it's starting to grow on me, and this fragrance is pretty nice.

I decided to go back to one of my "palm free" recipes, and boy did the soap gremlins not like me.  It ended up a little too soft for me.  I purposely decided not to discount the water...maybe next time I just might.  I also have a confession to make....I HATE SILICONE MOLDS...

Yes, I said it.  I have invested some good money on log silicone molds and I always struggle to get my soap out.  I always end up damaging my soap.  I have realize that I would rather sit here and cut, measure freezer paper to line my mold than use my thick silicone molds.  I find it easier for me to unmold my soap and set it on the counter for a day or two before I cut it.

Maybe it's just me...maybe it's that sometimes my recipes may be too soft (since I don't gel as much) or that I do not have the patience to wait =)

As you can see ...my poor soap is all damaged

 
 

So I am thinking that I may try to fix it a bit with my planer ...only if I can convince my hubby to go to the hardware store and buy a new blade for it.  Turns out the one I purchased on Etsy was not very good...=(

Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to unmold soap from silicone molds???  because I can guarantee you that the next time I make soap I will be lining it with freezer paper.  He he he! =)

Thanks for checking out my blog!
 
Happy Soaping!!!
 
Roxana
 

12 comments:

  1. What lovely colors in your Patchouli Rain soap :) I like my silicone molds the best, but I agree with you that is can be difficult to get the soap out. I usually use sodium lactate and the soap just slide out of the mold or then I let the soap sit in the mold for one extra day and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes.

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  2. I am with you, the silicone molds are not always easy to get the soap out of, especially my goats milk soaps. I also use sodium lactate but sometimes that does not make them just slide out. I have finally just started to line them just on the long side not the ends so I can get them out sooner and can cut them the next day. I have also purchased Bramble Berry's 5 lb silicone liner and my husband made wooden molds for them to fit in and I love using them, the silicone just comes right off. They are a bit floppy and I have either taped up the sides to my wooden mold until I get them most of the way filled then remove the tape. Good luck with yours.

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  3. I wonder if the Patchouli Rain you used is similar to Holly's (Missouri River Soap) because that one smells awesome and doesn't have that dirt smell. I just finished making soap with similar colors as yours. Yours looks really beautiful with those swirls, and I'm sure you can make them look perfect with a little trim. :-) I don't own a silicone log mold but thanks for sharing your experience.
    Good luck with the sale of your house and the move that will follow! It is such a huge task, I hope everything will go as smoothly as possible. :-)

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    1. Is that what it is Silvia? Dirt smell? I am not a fan of patchouli at all, but I couldn't place my finger on why exactly.

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  4. Your soap looks lovely! The colours are gorgeous and I'm sure you can fix the little mushes on the bottom. I have long debated as to whether I wanted to invest in silicone liners and have resisted up to now. I really don't mind lining my molds with freezer paper and they do come out so easily. I don't use sodium lactate or stearic acid for a harder bar and I don't water discount, so I'd have to be really patient with a silicone liner, which I really am not. So I think I'll stick to freezer paper, unlike my soap which doesn't stick.... :-)

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  5. The blue looks gorgeous, Roxana!
    Oh, Roxana, sorry to hear you have problems unmolding your soap, but I always put them in frizer, before unmolding, and I have never had problems with it.
    Good luck with selling your home!
    I am glad to have learnt more about you today( you being a mother of 3 children) :)

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  6. We've missed you Roxana! I hope your sale goes through soon so you can get back to doing what you love. That sucks that someone would steal your soap!

    I guess silicone works differently for CP than MP soaps? I love all my silicone molds because the soaps pop out so much more easily for me.

    Your soap is still beautiful, I don't think CP soapers ever make a loaf that isn't beautiful.

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  7. It must be hard not being able to soap as often as you'd like while your house is for sale, Roxana! Sorry to hear that your lovely soap was damaged. I don't use silicone molds very often, but I am able to get the soap out easily after it has been in the freezer. I wasn't gelling that batch, so I left it in the freezer overnight and then unmolded it right after taking it out. You probably wouldn't need to leave it in the freezer all that long, though. Good luck with your silicone molds, and good luck selling your house!

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  8. I don't really care for my silicone molds either Roxana. I don't mind lining my molds to get a nicely finished loaf. Your soap turned out so pretty, hope you can shape it up.

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  9. Aww, the colors and swirls are still gorg! You can plane it down nice once it's set up a bit and no one will be the wiser!

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  10. Beautiful colours and beautiful swirls!

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