Latest Happenings

It's been crazy busy around the soap shop lately.  Last weekend Pampered Puffin traveled to the Hill Country to beautiful Wimberley, TX for their monthly market show.  Business was steady all morning and we had so much fun meeting folks (shoppers and other vendors)  I love this venue.  Little paved paths winding through oak trees past quaint little handcrafted booths.  I would very much like to go back to Wimberley.

Of course, leading up to Wimberley were several weeks of steady preparation.  I stayed busy refining new products and packaging and labeling tried and true ones.  My Fizzy Bath Bombs debuted last weekend in 4 scents --Citron, Rose, Peppermint, and Lavender.  

I also sold lip balms in Cool Mint, Citron, and Lavender.  I've been giving these away as gifts and using them myself, but this was the first time I sold lip balm at market. I make my lip balms with almond oil and castor oil with a touch of beeswax for firmness.  Of course, being all-natural, I only scent them with essential oils.  I've never been a fan of fragrance oils when it comes to lip balms.  And these should never turn grainy either, another lip balm "turn-off"

And finally, I introduced my solid lotion exfoliating bars I call Scrubby Bath Bars.  They are similar to Lush'es Buffy Bars and are made with cocoa butter, shea butter, and the natural exfoliants of ground rice, strawberry seeds, and lemon peel.  They come in CocoaMint (smells like chocolate and mint) as well as Citron, my citrus blend. You rub the bar wherever you want intense moisturizing, rinse off the scrubby debris, and pat dry.  Incredibly smooth and sleek skin.  These were a hit, but I had to transfer them to a cooler once the weather hit the mid 90's.  Yes, butters will melt if they get too hot.

This weekend, Pampered Puffin is heading back down to the Hill Country to Boerne, TX for their monthly market.  The weather might just be glorious.  Come visit us out if you're in the area. And  check out our new banners.  We got so many compliments at Wimberely for these, I can't believe we waited so long to have them made.

One Day: 2 Major Fails

 Yesterday: I got up expecting magic and pulled back the dishtowel loosely veiling the peppermint bath bombs I had so carefully formed the evening before. I was not a little disappointed by what I saw:  Five very sad, grossly expanded and deformed gloops of citric acid and baking soda gone awry.  A sixth one still recognizable as a sphere, but also engorged and far from the ideal I had been shooting for.

and this was the "good" one

Bath Bomb fail #2.  I had considered this second attempt a sure thing.  I had followed a different recipe meticulously, not adding a single extra drop of water than what had been called for.  They had popped out of their molds easily enough and were left to harden in all their glory under the protection of that dishtowel when I had turned in for the night.  It should have worked, but it didn't.  And now I was heading back to the proverbial drawing board.

see the tiny speckles.  What a shame!

Fast forward 6 hours.  I am walking past my newly unmolded Geranium Rose soap.  I am particularly excited about the way this soap has turned out. Love it! So, I pick up the 1 small sample I had cut 2 days earlier.  (I had only sliced off the one piece from the loaf hoping to preserve all the lovely essential oils until I was ready to sell.) As I am walking by, I pick up the sample to take a whiff.   I do this often because I am really in love with the way my soaps smell and I like to enjoy them every chance I get.  My eye snags on  a glimmer, a pindrop of oil.  I rub the oil between my fingers, touch it to my tongue.  It's the "zap" test and I had never been "zapped" before in all of the batches I have ever made.  I zapped.  I felt zapped too.  Frustrated and depleted.  Not my beautiful Geranium Rose!  And so my soap was lye heavy.  I am fairly certain it was because the coconut milk was too cold and had not allowed the lye to completely dissolve.  There's a good reason why I had frozen most of the milk, but I won't go into that now.  Lye heavy soap is not usable.  I would have to ditch the whole batch or attempt to rebatch it. I was not crazy about either option, but this was the way my day was going. I process.

Yay!  Peppermint Fizzy Bath Bomb

This morning:  I wake up to a perfectly spherical, firmly hardened peppermint bath bomb.  I had hesitated to  pull off its covers. Now I am elated and.....relieved. Very relieved.  I had opted for the simplest recipe I could find that DID NOT include water on its list of ingredients.  They had not held their shape at first and I had  needed to add a bit more oil to get the two sides to stick together. I am thankful!

Now it was time to address that failed batch of lye heavy soap.  I decided to attempt rebatch.  It meant grating up all the soap with a cheese grater and melting it down in the oven with a bit of water and then adding a brand new batch of soap to the melted soap.  It was a lot of work, more work than making the initial batch.  But I couldn't stand the thought of throwing all those good butters and oils and essential oils away.  The process went smoothly.  I complicated things somewhat because I didn't want to mix the 3 colors together to get an unappealing muted gray.  So I had 3 separate pots and had to distribute the new soap batch evenly as well.  I am not sure if I "cooked" it long enough after mixing in the new soap.  I was afraid it would harden on me if I didn't pour fairly quickly.  I will know shortly.

Lessons Learned:  Yes, I learned a new technique:  how to rebatch soap (we'll see how successfully) I learned more about how soapers "hot-process"  soap, and I learned to be extra careful to make sure all that lye is dissolved when I'm soaping with milk.  I learned never to add any water at all to your bath bombs though apparently some do it with success because there are quite a few recipes out there with water in them.  But, by far, the most valuable lesson I took home from my day of soaping catastrophes and epic fails was the importance of keeping a healthy perspective on the process.  Being able to accept losses and setbacks and to keep going forward is not an easy thing to do.  I have to intentionally keep my head high and recognize than every misbatch is a chance for me to make my product better. I guess we could all do well to apply this principle to every aspect of our lives.  The day was a great reminder.

Part III: Natural Deodorant Recipes

Here are my 2 top recipes for natural deodorant. Many of the ingredients can be purchase locally at health food stores or drugstores, but a few items such as the beeswax pellets, may be more difficult to find. There are some simpler recipes with only coconut oil, corn starch,  and baking soda, so if availability of ingredients is a big issue with you, modify accordingly.  I set out to find a combination that would apply smoothly, would endure higher temps., and would work well as a deodorant.  Both of these recipes contain beeswax which allows them to survive warmer weather.

My favorite recipe (Test Group D)

1 1/2 Tb beeswax
1/2 Tb cocoa butter
1 Tb coconut oil
5 drops castor oil
50 drops essential oils (choose from tea tree, lavender, rosemary, sandalwood, etc)

Directions:  Melt beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil in a double boiler or in your microwave at 10 second intervals until completely melted.  Add castor oil and essential oils.  Let cool slightly; pour into empty deodorant tubes or other clean containers.


2nd Favorite (Test Group C)
(I found this one at http://withgoodthings.com/make-your-own-deodorant/

1 1/2 Tb beeswax beads
4 Tb coconut oil
1 Tb shea butter
4 tsp corn starch (I used arrowroot powder)
4 tsp baking soda
20 drops essential oils

Directions:  Melt beeswax, coconut oil, and shea until melted in a double boiler until smooth.  Add drops of essential oils.  Cool slightly before pouring into empty deodorant tube or other container.

Individualize your Deodorant

1. If you find your deodorant too hard, use less beeswax in the recipe next time.  For now, remelt and add a little more coconut or castor oil. (you could also add a few drops of olive oil to soften it up a bit)  If you find it too soft, remelt and add a bit more beeswax.

2. If you are allergic to shea butter ((I have heard of more than 1 person with this allergen) simply substitute cocoa butter or mango butter.

3. You may use cornstarch and arrowroot powder interchangeably.

4. You can add a few drops of vitamin E to help with preservation.  (I plan to add this to my favorite recipe above for my next batch.)

5. Experiment with different essential oils to suit your preferences. Tea Tree and Lavender are very common in store-bought natural deodorants.  I am thinking I may try a combination of tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary next time, very similar to my soap called The Juan de Fuca.  Do keep in mind that some essential oils are more antibacterial than others and may affect the duration and effectiveness of your natural deodorant.

Part II: Natural Deodorants

After poring over lots and lots of DIY recipes for natural homemade deodorant, I finally settled upon 6 formulas that included most of the ingredients I had read about as options.  Most had baking soda and arrowroot powder, but not all.  One had castor oil; one had aloe vera gel; Several had beeswax.  I was particularly curious to see if beeswax made a positive, "can't live without" contribution, or if it would simply make the deodorant too hard to apply.  I also wanted to determine if baking soda was absolutely essential to absorb odors or not. I, too, wondered if coconut oil found in so many recipes was the main contributing factor to stains in clothing. I made 6 samples that were suitable to fill a regular deodorant tube.  Since I didn't have that many empty tubes on hand, I decided to use lip balm tubes instead.  They wouldn't provide the surface area needing for regular use, but could do a good job of testing application and melting point.




The lineup of ingredients for each Test Group was as follows:

To determine which, if any of the recipes could compete with store-bought natural deodorants, I conducted 5 separate tests.
1. Texture Test.  (How gritty or smooth it felt to the touch.)  smooth (1)-gritty (5)
2.  Ease of Application. I rated how smoothly it could be applied using a deodorant tube (1 being
                                      easiest and  5 being most difficult)
3.  The Stain Test.  I applied each sample to a piece of cotton fabric to check for oily residue.
4.  Heat Friendliness Test.I placed them all in a 125 degree oven to see how long they could hold out on a hot summer day.
5.  Duration Test-- How long it would last until I needed to reapply.  Deodorants do not prevent sweating, but they help kill bacteria and keep you from stinking it up.

Results:

Texture
With regards to texture, , A and B did not make the cut.  The gritty baking soda was quite evident in both of these samples.   The winner in this category hands-down was sample D, but that is not surprising since it contains no baking soda at all.  Test Groups C, E, and F, all shared a similar texture.  It was mostly smooth with an ever-so-slight touch of grittiness.  The texture did not bother me at all; I would be fine with any of these 4 deodorants when it comes to texture.

Ease of Application
 With 1 being slick and easy to apply and 5 being either too soft, runny, or hard to apply, Test Groups C and D tied for first place.  I ended up rating them both a "2" because neither is as perfect as those propylene glycol deodorants found in the stores, but they both applied really well.  As might be expected, A and B fell short in this department again.  Test Group A left a considerable powdery residue on application.  And B, never solidified so it sort of disqualified itself from the start.  I do want to point out, that some folks intentionally make liquid deodorants either to use in spray form or because they believe in the liquid components such as aloe vera or witch hazel. I knew from the start this one wasn't going to harden, but thought it would make a nice comparison.  That leaves Test Group E.  Let's just say, with its generous portion of beeswax, it is difficult to apply easily.

Stain Test.
Test Groups E and F ranked best in this category leaving barely noticeable stains.  Test Groups, B,C, and D, fared the worst.  All of these samples left oily patches on the fabric.  I'm still uncertain of the correlation with coconut oil.  While all 3 of the formulas that left really noticeable stains contain coconut oil, 2 of the groups that did not leave significant stains, also had coconut oil. Perhaps more than one factor is involved here. After washing the cotton fabric, no stains were detected, but more tests may need to be done to determine staining on costlier fabrics like silk.

Warm Day Friendliness Test
I wasn't sure how to do this one.  I really wanted it to be a 100 degree day so I could carry my samples around with me in a steaming hot car in my purse.  After all, that is why I was doing this test in the first place. I settled upon  turning the oven on the warm  setting and checking the samples and temperature every few minutes to keep track of how they were holding up.  I didn't bother with B since it started out in liquid form.  Test Group A soon followed suit and softened up after only about 3-4 minutes.  Test Group C softened up next, but it took it over 5 minutes at 125 degrees and it was by no means melted, just softening up.  D and F did really well, both of them maintaining their firm state up to 15 minutes after being exposed to 125 degrees.  They did finally begin to soften at the 30 minute mark.  And no surprises here, Test Group E with the largest amount of beeswax, was still going strong even after 30 minutes.  

Duration Test
By the time I was ready to test out how long these samples would last until needing to be reapplied, I had already narrowed down the field to 3 finalists.  One of them did not contain baking soda, and the other 2 were fairly similar except for the type of butter they contained.  I chose to test C and D for an entire day.  I really wanted to see what this stuff could do, so I started out by taking a 3 mile run.  I sweated some, but there was absolutely no body odor.  I checked throughout the day and 9 hours later, I was still doing fine but was beginning to detect a bit more perspiration.  Both test groups  (with and without the baking soda) seemed to work equally well.  I intend to give this a longer trial before drawing any hard conclusions, but preliminary results seem to show that baking soda is not absolutely necessary to make an effective deodorant.

 CONCLUSION

My overall favorite natural deodorant was Test Group D.

All the butters and oils measured and ready

It had by far the smoothest texture, best glide for application, great reliability in hot weather, and it worked for over 9 hours including physical activity before reapplication was necessary. And while, it didn't win the "stain" test, that is not a "make it or break it" factor for me. Runner-Up goes to Test Group C. My husband actually preferred this one when it came to texture and glide. It fared almost as well as D, but did not hold up quite as well in the heat and had a slightly more gritty texture. Still, it performed superbly and worked all day. Tomorrow, I will post the formulas for my favorite natural deodorant as well as the runner-up. I have a few more general observations about using natural deodorants and how you can individualize the formulas to cater to your specific needs. 

Something Stinks: Are Natural Deodorants Really Natural?

Last year I made the decision to switch to natural deodorants.  I had read about the possible link of antiperspirants to breast cancer and brain disorders like Alzheimer's. . It's the aluminum content that poses the threat.  Every normal store-bought variety I could put my hands on contained this toxin...except for the "natural" deodorants.  These more expensive natural products do not eliminate sweating; but they are touted to guard against b.o. And most importantly, they do not contain the aluminum culprit.

Because I make my own soap, and have made my own lotions and body butters and lip balms, I decided  to try making my own deodorant as well.  I already had most of the ingredients in my bath and body arsenal.  So why not?  I found several recipes online.  I explored the ins and outs of why people choose to make their own deodorant and why some seemed to be superior than others.   Then, because I liked the way my store-bought natural deodorant had worked for me, I took out my tube and studied the label, the ingredient list. The first ingredient listed was propylene glycol, an organic alcohol.  I found a second tube, a different brand, but also natural.  The first ingredient again was propylene glycol.

 It was time to do a little background check of this most abundant ingredient that I was daily applying under my arms.  What I learned was not a little disturbing. I found out that this petrochemical is used to allow other chemicals to penetrate deeply beneath the skin and to the bloodstream.  It also helps in hot weather to keep substances from melting and in cold weather, to prevent freezing.  It made sense why manufacturers would choose to use it in deodorants for those attributes. Did I mention that it is one of the key components of anti-freeze?

Here's a graph of how propylene glycol is used

But I also discovered that exposure to propylene glycol might just be linked to dermatitis, kidney and liver damage.  Yikes!  Exchanging one carcinogen for another was not exactly what I had in mind when I made the switch to natural deodorant. I know!  It supposedly takes a lot of exposure to do harm, but I use deodorant every day, and if you add that up over a lifetime..well, maybe that is enough exposure to cause cancer. Maybe that is more than enough.  And while the verdict is still out on this one, and nothing has been proven, I have to ask myself if I am willing to risk exposing my skin (the largest organ of my body) to a possible cancer-causing agent.  

I resolved to give it a go and experiment with my own version of "natural."  This week I plan to try out 6 variations of natural deodorant.  Would you like to make a guess what the first ingredient will NOT be? I'm going to use different essential oils in each batch to find out what scents I really like, but this should not affect the general consistency or properties of the deodorant. Then, I'll rate each batch according to the following criteria:
1.  slide/ease of application-- (hard to apply (1)--smooth and easy to apply (5)
2.  "hot day"  friendliness (at what temp. will it start to melt?)
3.  effectiveness (how long it lasts before warranting another application)
4.  texture ---gritty(1) --smooth(5)
5.  effect on clothes--stains(1)-does not stain(5)

A couple of factors for consideration
Many of these homemade deodorants are reported to melt when the weather warms up.  What an inconvenience during summer months or if you're like me and live in Texas.  To keep this from happening, some recipes incorporate beeswax or cocoa butter which have much higher melting points.

Many recipes include baking soda, but if too much is present, your skin may become sensitive.  Others say that baking soda causes the deodorant to have a gritty texture--not 
a desirable quality, for sure.

Once I get all my data, I'll report back my results and post the best recipes according to my tests.  This is going to be fun.

Spring Soaps 2012

Honey Oatmeal

I've been busy trying to wrap my brain around 

creating half a dozen new soaps while trying to perfect 

some others.  The honey oatmeal (shown above) has 

been a booger bear to perfect.  The problem lies with 

the ingredients of honey and almond milk, both of which 
like to heat up considerably during the saponification 
process.  My first batch overheated and leaked oil 
from all directions.  I was able to salvage it and most 
of the oils were reabsorbed, but the finished soap was 
not the prettiest soap. I ended up discounting it at 
Christmas.  My second go turned out much better.  
I put it in the fridge to do  its thing, but it was still slightly 
oily for my taste.  So logically, I took this a step further 
with the 3rd batch; it went straight into the freezer.  But 
when I cut it the next day, it had only partially gelled leaving 
the famed characteristic egg shape in the center of the loaf.

Though nothing was wrong with the soap.it is not

desirable in the soapmaking world.  Apparently, it had

already started to gel before I got it into the freezer.  My 

4th batch turned out spendidly as I decided to watch it 

closely until it gelled,and then place it in the fridge to 

avoid over-heating.  I sure hope I have this soap 

mastered, once and for all.  And I do have all of the 3rd 

batch available for a discounted price if anyone is 

interested.  

Painted Meadows (for now)

 I haven't decided for sure, but I'm leaning toward calling this new soap Painted Meadows.  My inspiration for this one came from several paintings by one of my favorite artists, Emily Carr from Victoria, B.C.  I wanted it to look and smell like a pristine forest. The scent is cedarwood and fir, with a hint of sweet orange.  I wasn't sure if I would like the "tree" smell, but I do.  It's not overpowering at all, but fresh and reminiscent of a lovely walk through the woods. I used natural colorants of walnut hull powder for the brown and nettle leaf powder and spirulina for the greens.

Citrus Gardener's Scrub

The Citrus Gardener's Scrub is take II of my first Gardener's Scrub scented with Patchouli and Ylang Ylang and Lavender.  The original has apricot seed meal, cranberry seeds and red raspberry seeds.  I added lemon and orange peel finely grated, of course, to this scrubby soap.  I added that line of charcoal in the middle.  The end product --a  dense hard bar of exfoliating goodness

The Juan de Fuca (Peppermint Refreshment Soap)

I tweaked this soap to add more minty cool effect.  

The secret ingredient is a touch of menthol crystals.

I took out the peppermint leaves and added woad 

powder for a minty blue/green natural color.  
This is a great soap 

for an invigorating and refreshing shower.

This soap is called Geranium Rose.  I liken it to a walk  through a fragrant garden.  This soap also has a lovely charcoal tinted layer and rose clay in the pink layer of soap. I hesitated to make a floral soap, because usually they are obnoxiously too strong for my tastes, but this one came out really nice.  I often use it on my face because  I think a face deserves special treatment.    

Sassafras Birch 

Sassafras Birch was a delightful soap to create.  It smells a lot like rootbeer.  I love the smell of rootbeer.  I added sassafras bark powder to give this soap its natural color.  It provides slight exfoliation and makes the soap a lovely purply/brown hue.  

Lavender Goat Milk

Last, but not least, is Lavender Goat Milk soap.  This was the second goatmilk soap I made.  It has lavender and cedarwood and orange essential oils giving it a fresh clean smell.  I have been very happy with my goat milk soap recipe.  The lather is abundant and fluffy.  I started making goat milk soap due to so many requests I received for this popular soap.

It Began on a Whim: How I became a Soap Artisan

It was a crisp chilly morning in early April 2010.  Our family of 5, living at the time in Victoria, B.C. stepped aboard a mid-size ferry. (Anyone familiar with Texas ferries would esteem it as gargantuan, however)
Our destination was Salt Spring Island, one of the Gulf Islands nestled among other such islands in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the Mainland B.C..

B.C. ferry; Sweet ride!

I had searched the internet a day or two before determined to find a do-able one-day excursion for the weekend.  Salt Spring seemed a perfect destination.  Their famed Ganges Market would be open, and the weather forecast boded fair skies.
An added plus were a few stellar hiking possibilities, one trail touting gnome doors hidden along the path.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese!

The market did not disappoint. As the morning drew on, the darling white tents and rustic farmers' stands bustled with the people, most of whom had traveled by boat to sample and taste the best the island had to offer.  The market's mantra -- Make It, Bake It, Grow It -- attracts a growing population of people who desire to support local communities like Salt Spring by buying that which has been grown or made locally.

Handcrafted Pottery

We had a wonderful time sampling cheeses made from local goat milk.  These were definitely the fanciest cheeses I have ever had.  So flavorful and rich, we could not leave this island without buying a couple of them. Neither can I  speak highly enough of the tasty artisan bread, perfectly crusty on the outside, delicately tender within.  There were tables filled with decadent candies, pastries, and the like; there were jams and jellies, beautiful pottery, jewelry, knitted items. There were tables upon tables of fresh vegetables and fruits.  So much goodness on all sides.  

SaltSpring Soapworks:  I bought my first soap right here!

And then there was this one booth.  I only stopped  as an afterthought right before we left the market square.  Something must have caught my eye. It was a booth of handmade soap.  I know now that it was cold-processed soap.  I knew absolutely nothing about soap that day. Intrigued by the display of tin buckets with soap peeking out,  I stopped to smell, and I was hooked into the sale at that very moment.  I really liked the look of the loofah soaps; I had to have one of those.

Cool Loofah Soap

Handmade Soap in Tin buckets

 I took a few minutes to decide and noticing a restless family, grabbed 3 in haste. (I chose one with mango, one with strawberry and one with rose) We left the market to eat takeout pizza and explore the beach of Salt Spring Island before heading home that day.

Yep, that's our picnic spot.

I could say the rest is history. But my lackluster first encounter with handmade soap was really just the precursor to an adventure into the realm of chemistry and art.  I guess for me, it has also turned into an escalator down into the realm of accounting and marketing. (Yikes!).

My kiddos on a tin horse right near the Market

During the weeks after our trip to Salt Spring Island I fell in love with the soap. I began researching and reading everything I could get my hands on about cold-processed soap. I bought soap from every local soapmaker I encountered.  I spent hours on forums and gathered recipes and troubleshooting advice, lists of all sorts of topics, far too many to list here.  And so I researched for close to a year before I ever attempted my first batch.  And boy was that first batch a scary endeavor!  But how fun to unwrap and cut that first slice of good soap.  I think the slicing is my favorite part of the process, second only to trying a new soap out in the shower.  There's no luxury or feeling of satisfaction quite like it. How blessed I am to be able to make something with my hands that pampers the body and promotes healthy skin, simultaneously providing aromatherapy benefits. I love being a soap artisan. And I am so thankful that what started out as a whim to  explore an island and its market has led to so many fruitful opportunities.

All Fears Assuaged: I'm Lovin' the Goatmilk Soap

So yesterday I was second guessing my decision to put my first batch of goatmilk soap in the oven to induce gel.  In the end I thought that maybe the larger batch that I had pulled out of the oven first, and that had retained its original color, might be the superior batch.  I really thought I had ruined the smaller batch which had turned caramel-colored in the oven.

Well, after disrobing both batches this morning, I was a bit surprised to find them looking about the same in appearance.  I was certain that the uncolored soap portion in each would be a different color, and I was pretty sure that the caramel-colored batch would turn out darker than the other.

from the larger batch 

from the smaller batch
(the one I thought I had overheated)

 I am  really tickled with this soap.  It looks nice.  I love the green imparted by the nettle leaf powder.  I will definitely use it in the next batch.  However, I will color a larger portion of raw soap green next time for a heightened effect.  I am still uncertain whether I like the layered look with green sandwiched by the warm golden hues of the natural goatmilk soap better than the soap with a green layer on top.  And the smell is addictve! Rosemary Mint is a winner! I kind of wished I had left one of the loafs out of the oven so I could observe whether gelling really was a concern, but then I risked having about 3 lbs of imperfect soap.  I am speculating that because I used the powdered goatmilk, I didn't have the overheating issues found more commonly with fresh milk. Four weeks from now, I get to try this soap firsthand and see how goatmilk soap compares to my vegan soaps.  Poor Me!  I am liking this goatmilk soap.

So Many Variables.. First Time to Soap Goat Milk

Yesterday I spent the greater part of the day scanning sites trying to impress upon my brain everything I could learn about making goatmilk soap.  This has not been the first time I've researched it either. I've read an entire book on this subject. I have vacillated back and forth about whether to add goatmilk soap to my line because I wasn't sure if I should stick to vegan raw materials or attempt to compete in both very unique markets.  Potential customers at Christmas shows asking if I had any goatmilk soap finally convinced me to give it a try.  So, it is with trepidation that I embark on this soaping project.  You see, some would suggest that making goatmilk soap is not the daunting task that many profess, but when I read the vast array of opinions on how it's so "easily" done, my brain gets fuzzy.

I used Meyenberg Powdered Milk

First of all, you have to decide whether you want to use fresh, condensed, or powdered goatmilk.  Fresh is supposedly superior, but that claim is usually made by soapers who raise and milk their own goats so I'm thinking there could be a bit of bias in their opinion.  This method requires you freeze the fresh milk into ice cubes and make a slush, very slowly adding it to your lye water, and all the time making sure the temp. doesn't rise leaving you with scalded milk and darker colored soap.  Now, the condensed milk requires dilution though some soapers seem to prefer this method.  I decided to opt for the powdered goat milk.  I simply had to figure out how much water I was using in the recipe and add the amount of powder to equal the proper milk concentration. Instead of adding it to my water and having to anticipate overheating similar to the fresh milk method, I reserved a bit of my oils and mixed them with the powdered milk.  Doing this, I could wait until the soap is almost ready before adding goat milk thus avoiding the immediate overheating issue.

But that's not the only consideration with goat milk soap.  What kind of mold to use seems to be another factor.   Many had trouble with loaf molds; their soap overheated after they poured them and had the dark appearance which apparently is not desired with goatmilk soap.  Many soapers opt to use slab molds which spread out the soap as well as the heat that is contained therein.  Then, there are testimonies of soapers who didn't even get a full gel and used a loaf pan.  Did I mention that a huge numbers of soapers avoid overheating issues altogether by preventing gel?  They stick their mold of soap in the freezer or fridge until saponifcation is a done deal.  But that sometimes presents crumbly soap especially around the edges.  What's a soapmaker to do?  Well, I wanted to make mine in a loaf pan because I am really wanting to cut it with my new crinkly cutter that hubby got me for Christmas.  If I make it in a slab, it will simply have to be scored and cut in bricks.  Decision made on that point. I would gel  and use my loaf mold.

And so last night, I measured out all of my ingredients.  I played around with various essential oil combinations until I finally had one I really liked.  (It was peppermint with equal portions of rosemary, lavender, and star anise) I had already decided this soap would be scented.  For most people, scent is an integral part of which soap to buy. Most people desire a little something more than the scent of natural soap. (though I'm beginning to enjoy it more and more) I decided to add some nettle powder giving it a beautiful green hue.  But this would only be added to a small portion of soap poured on top and slightly swirled.

Goatmilk soap in process

Everything went well this morning.  I prepared my molds and got my solid oils melting.  I soaped and made pretty creamy soap in the pot with my goatmilk/oil sluice.  I then needed to decide whether to insulate or not.  I decided to go ahead with insulating.  when I checked on my soap a bit later, it wasn't very warm to my touch.Perhaps I should have heeded one soapmaker's advice akin to baking gingerbread men. No peeking!   I began to doubt that it would gel, and I really wanted it to gel.  I started to entertain the notion of sticking it in a warm oven to insure gel.  I seemed to recall such advice given on a  forum I had read to someone who only got partial gel.  I Did Not want partial gel.  So I did it.  I put my soap in the oven.  How ironic.  I go from worrying about overheating to worrying about underheating.

My caramel soap in loaf 

How someone feels making goatmilk soap.

The large loaf seemed to get harder but mostly retained its color.  I took it out and placed it back in its towels to nest.  The smaller one (which was also fuller) was softer and so I allowed it to stay in there a few more minutes. When I went back to check on it, it had turned a dark caramel color.  Now, it's hard to say.  Did I induce overheating or the gel process?  Will the larger loaf completely gel?  Maybe I ruined both batches. The first time I peeked and saw gelled soap, it scared me.  It turns translucent and changes colors so it's possible that what I was seeing was gelling progress.  My brain is still fuzzy!   I'll let you know the final results tomorrow.

Experiments with Color: Soaping Naturally

I've been wanting to do an experiment using natural colorants for some time now.  Sometimes, its OK or even best to just add the powdered herb directly to the soap at trace.  But in some cases, the soap will come out a bit speckled which is not always desirable, and it may also leave the soap feeling a bit scratchy.  In the past, when I wanted to make an oil infusion, I have gotten out my trusty mini crock pot.  I would add an undetermined amount of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of alkanet root powder or annatto seeds, (Those 2 have been the ones I have used most often.)  And I would let my crock pot "have at it."  And I've gotten good results.  However, I have felt the need for more precise measurements, and  there is such a variety of herbs and spices to choose from, I have been eager to expand my tool chest a bit in this department.

muslin tea bags 

5 oz. of olive oil added to each half pint jar

  I decided to do a whole set of oil infusions in mammoth proportions to my normal "mini-crockpot" routine.  I chose 14 different herbs and spices to add to these drawstring tie tea bags. All of these ingredients were dried or in powder form.  My understanding is that if you choose to make infusions with fresh herbs, you should soap them immediately as they will be easily susceptible to spoilage. 

Here's the line-up:

1.  alkanet root                    8.  indigo

2.  annatto seeds                 9.  nettle leaf

3.  black walnut hull          10. paprika

4.  burdock leaf                 11.  safflower

5.  calendula flowers         12.  spirulina

6.  comfrey leaf                 13.  turmeric

7. dandelion leaf                14.  woad

In the past, I have always added my botanicals and spices directly to the oil.  But then, I had to strain the oil through cheesecloth to remove any debris.  This is messy.  I had read of others using tea bags, coffee filters, and other such methods to encapsulate the spices and herbs to avoid that messy step. Sounded good to me.  I decided upon muslin tea bags from a local organic grocery store.  I ended up needing a few more bags, so I thought I would also try out the coffee filter idea.  Three of the infusions were done using coffee filters I stapled shut; the rest were done with the cloth tea bags.                                                                                                                                      

  

I measured out 5 oz. of olive oil into each of the half pint jars.  I chose olive oil because of its long shelf life.  Almond oil would be another good choice.  You could probably eyeball the amount of oil, but I was wanting to make more precise measurements when it comes to adding colorants, and so I wanted each infusion to be the same.

olive oil measured out and awaiting fresh herbs and spices

I used the spirulina from my vitamin stash for this one.

Most of the herbs and spices came ready to be measured out.  Spirulina did not.  I am currently in dream/plan mode of a really colorful soap with various shades of green and blue.  I just couldn't resist trying out blue-green spirulina.  Since I had some capsules in the cabinet, I thought, "Why not?" So I did.  But that meant prying open each capsule to get to the powder inside.  I discovered there's quite a bit of powder in each one of these babies.  And this infusion, took by far, the longest to prepare.  I will be ordering this in quantity for the future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

I added 2 tablespoons of each herb to a tea bag with the exception of indigo and woad.  These natural colorants are so strong, I only added 1/4 teaspoon of powder to each tea bag.  I decided to use my tamale pot due to its large capacity.  I was able to fit 11 half-pint jars into this single pot.  I used a smaller pot for the other 3 jars.  The tray at the bottom of the pot made me feel less likely to overheat and crack the jars though I did only heat the burners to low. I basically allowed the herbs and spices to infuse for 3 hours in a hot water bath on low heat.  I slowly cooled them on a towel when I thought they had steeped sufficiently.  Most of the oils were fairly dark by this time, but I decided to allow them to continue to naturally infuse for a few more days.

infusions in the pot

Ready to go

  Most of the infusions came out as expected. A few of the herbs/spices are supposed to lend a yellowish tent.  Since olive oil is already yellow, it is hard to detect a difference with some of these.
Here are my general observations:
1. Alkanet root--nice dark purple.
2.  Annatto seeds -- bright orange infusion.
3.  Black walnut hull-- brownish-green
4.  Burdock Leaf-  not much change on this one
5.  Calendula Flowers-- is supposed to add yellow color, but not much change
6.  Comfrey Leaf-- greenish, but not as dark as I would like
7.  Dandelion leaf-- green
8.  Indigo-- this is supposed to add the color of denim, but this infusion is looking green.  Can't wait to see  what happens in soap.
9.  Nettle Leaf--- olive green
10. Paprika-- looks a lot like annatto seed infusion.  Bright orange.
11.  Safflower--more golden than plain olive oil with some red tint in there to boot (may be the powder escaping the tea bag.)
12.  Spirulina-- dark blue/green.  This one is going to be fun to use
13.  Turmeric-  yellow; not sure if this is different from olive oil
14.  Woad-- again this blue colorant is looking more green than blue to me in the oil.

My take on the muslin tea bags vs. the coffee filters:  I liked the ease of using the tea bags.  I think they may be less suitable for the powdered substances which are likely to escape.  But they worked great for larger plant material.  The coffee filters were really easy to close up and staple. Plus, they are super cheap.   I'm not sure if turmeric filtered through it or not, but the alkanet and paprika definitely did.  In the future I may use both, but I am leaning toward the coffee filters for cost and easy throw away.

***Part II will feature a small sample of soap using each of these 14 colorants. Can't wait to see how each of these beautiful infused oils manifests itself in cold-processed soap.