Thursday, October 23, 2014
The days are flying by, and it is almost time for the Wine Festival. We are racing to finish up several popular soaps that have almost sold out. Today we made Fresh Outdoors.
This is the second time we've used this scent. The first time we made it we used the CP method and tapped into our artistic side with a four color (sprinkled mica) hanger swirl.
Fresh Outdoors #1 - cold process with four color mica swirls.
Today you will see the difference between cold and hot process soap making. We will use the exact same ingredients, but the end result will look quite different (even though it will smell the same and cleanse the same).
We used Fresh Outdoors FO from +Natures Garden, it is the same scent
we used in the first batch only we will increase the amount this time.
To us this fragrance smells like a freshly mown field of clover.
Nature's Garden describes it as follows:
"Breezy tones of fresh ozone and bright orange oil highlight a floral blend of jasmine and lily at the heart of the blend. Clean woody elements of cedar and pine balance with a hint of spice to accent the floral accord. A clear musk undertone envelopes the outdoor sensation with shimmering sweetness."
The colors were a repeat from the first batch; all four are mica colorants from +Bramble Berry.
We mixed a 1/2 teaspoon of each color to a tablespoon of safflower oil. The two colors at the top (L) Aqua Pearl and (R) Copper Sparkle both already had shimmer added.
So we added a 1/4 teaspoon of Diamond Dust to the 1982 Blue,
and to the Fizzy Lemonade.
Now all four colors have sparkle.
We mixed up the usual suspects - lye/water with coconut, sustainable palm, olive and castor oils. Using a stick blender, we brought the combination to a medium/thick trace.
We put the lid on the batter and cooked the soap for 1-1/2 hours. We checked the soap with PH strips and then with the zap test, and then we deemed it done.
We added just over three ounces of Fresh Outdoors fragrance oil and mixed it thoroughly.
Then we tried something new. Previously we have measured out four different sections of batter, colored each one, then mixed the colored portions back into the remaining batter in the crock - the typical "in the pot swirl."
Today we tried a different method. We left all of the batter in the crock and made four indentations in it. We then poured each bowl of colored oil into a different "well" (see above). Oh, we crossed our fingers too.
Then we gently folded/stirred the colors around in the crock, trying not to over mix the batter.
Once we had mixed enough, we slung the batter into the mold
and slammed the batter down a few times to get rid of air bubbles (we hope).
See all the colors? We can, but at this point we can't tell what the center will look like.
Fast forward to Friday morning and we cut the soap.
The first thing we noticed was that the soap was hard (this is good), and the color had mellowed out a bit. Then we cut it into slices.
Wow! It's beautiful!
It might not be quite as fancy at the original, but it is still quite lovely
especially considering we made it using the HP method.
Looks like a smiling face,
Fresh Outdoors HP soap, will be ready next Friday.
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