Category: Soap

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Busy Cooking Weekend

We were very busy this weekend but I did manage to spend quite a bit of time over the soap pots.  Happy me!  What did I mix up?  I finally got a Sweet Pea soap made that my littlest one has been wanting, a whipped lavender soap with dried flower buds in it, and a regular cold process oven baked Lavender.  The Castile soaps are feeling great so far; they are so worth the effort.  I also got a little creative and mixed up a concoction from odds and ends so we are anxiously waiting to see what happens with that one.  The smells from the Sweet Pea and Lavender are awesome.  I pulled the other soaps from the racks and got pictures taken of everything so I will share later this week.  Just have to get them uploaded from the camera…

I will be at Donna Lamy’s Westgate Neighborhood Market Day on November 15th so stop by and say hi if you’re in the area!

-Dorothy

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What’s on the curing racks now

With my little trick or treaters enjoying the rewards of their long walk last night, I can enjoy a moment and start planning the next batch.  I’ve anxiously been watching the racks here and waiting for some of the new bars to be ready.  No, I’m not talking about the medieval torture racks!  The racks here are the curing racks where new soaps hang out for about thirty days after being created.  This is their chance to settle down, drop some water weight, and torture ME as I wait for them to be ready.  Technically, they’re completely ready and safe to use since the chemical reaction neutralizes any potential nasties but traditional cold process techniques allow the soaps to cure for that thirty days before they are “done.”  Although I will admit to being guilty of grabbing some off the rack early because I’m too impatient and just have to try it out!

Due to come off this week are a second round of my Castille soap which is made from 100% olive oil and hubby’s Cedar and Spice soap.  I know my boys have been very patient in waiting on that one and I am quite curious to see how quickly this batch disappears!  Knowing their past history of that line, I should probably get started on another one of those before very long.  The coffee soap is also about ready to come off and it is looking great.  It has the color of a very dark roasted coffee and I’m curious to see the bubble factor from this milled batch.  I pulled the Texas Suds over the weekend and stashed those away so by next week, I should have all my racks empty and ready for another round.  Hooray!

Cedar & Spice on the Rack

I’m probably going to make another unscented batch again and definitely another Chocolate Brownie.   Now to pick a third…..

-Dorothy, Texas Pioneer Creations

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Why do I make handmade soaps?

It’s a question I’ve been asked more than a few times and I guess it would seem a strange hobby.  I have always been an admitted science geek and love to research.  My artistic skills are somewhat lacking but I’ve always enjoyed making things by my own hands.  Once my friend taught me how to create soap from scratch, I was immediately hooked on the magic of transforming the oils into soap.  I buried myself into books, learning all I could about the benefits of different oils, herbs, and spices.  I pondered the old homesteader’s recipes and learned a ton about essential oils and aromatherapy.  I made tons of batches of soaps, tweaking the recipes and trying new ingredients.  I found the chemistry in soap making transfixing and realized I had reached the point of no return when I was taking downspouts and the husband’s pvc pipes for molds.  I was eyeballing containers in stores not for their contents but if I could use it for a soap mold; I was a goner.  But that doesn’t explain completely why I feel handmade soap beats the usual mass produced soaps.

I have the advantage of using oils depending on what I am wanting to create, not having to consider the cheapest way to make 1000+ bars.  If I want an extra gentle soap for delicate skins, I just blend the oils I want and mix away.  If I want an all vegetable based or authentic pioneer recipe, I have that option without clearing it through a budget committee.  If someone wants a specific smell or herb added, I have that flexibility.  I can keep my ingredients all natural and avoid the extra chemicals and petroleum by-products you find in a large portion of the soaps in the store.  Handmade soaps also keep their naturally produced glycerin which is something mass produced soaps can’t really say.  You can actually read and understand the ingredients listed on my labels.  If you don’t know what an ingredient is, there is a real person to ask who is happy to answer your questions.

For the most part, I do not add colorants to my soaps.  Some of the essential oils or herbs & spices I add will color the soaps naturally or they remain their natural white to tan color.  For example, my homestead soap is white but the chocolate & vanilla soaps are brown.  My Texas Suds soap has a light caramel tinge to it while the cinnamon one is a speckled brown.  My Castille soap, made from olive oil, has a light green tint to it.  I find it quite enjoyable to see what colors the recipe produces.  And I get excited when planning a new batch, wondering what colors I might create next.

I make handmade soaps because I enjoy it and I feel it is better for my family.  It is all natural, better for us, and I know exactly what I’m rubbing all over me.

Now I must run and get back to the soap pot!

-Dorothy