So, in my last post, I mentioned that I've been doing water discounts in my soap. That's my new thing. Tiggy from Future Primitive gave me a few tips (Thanks Tiggy!) and I've been rolling with it since. A water discount is simply reducing the amount of water or whatever liquid you're using, to make soap.
The percentage that I discount depends on the fragrance and other ingredients being used. Sometimes it's as low as a 5% discount. The highest I've gone is a 30% discount and honestly, that's as high as I'm comfortable going.
CIDER BARREL
Cider Barrel is an apple cider type scent with some little secrets thrown in to make it extra yummy.
I did a 30% water discount on all 3 batches. They were made in the morning and two of the batches were hard and ready to cut that evening. I personally don't feel that water discounts cut down the cure time, but it certainly makes it easier to get the labeling and shrink wrapping (I use open ended bands) out of the way.
I packaged them about 3 weeks into the cure. Because of the discount, I don't have to worry about the bars shrinking and causing the labels and wrapping to become loose.
GOLDEN BLOSSOM
Golden Blossom is a beautiful scent with sweet fruit, light florals, vanilla and musk. It's very light and somewhat powdery, yet somehow, quite strong if that makes sense at all. This was also firm and ready to unmold the same day.
OMH!
OMH! is my version of Oatmeal Milk & Honey. This is a full Goat Milk soap with Colloidal Oatmeal. For some reason, although I poured this batch first, it was the last to firm up. I messed the sides up pretty bad removing it form the mold. Apparently it wasn't ready at all, because the cut bars did a partial gel on the counter overnight. They're fine now and just as hard as the first two batches.
I made three batches one week before this group and these bars are way harder than the bars that have been curing for 4 weeks already.
They are all so sweet! My favourite is the OMHI, love its creamy look!
ReplyDeleteThanks Natalia! The lather is verrry creamy :0)
DeleteKia they are beautiful and I bet they smell awesome! I love your pencil line in cider barrel.... I have yet to master this,just make a big mess LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks you. I do the pencil line using a small organza bag. Just put in a small amount of cocoa powder in and tap the sides of the bag with a spoon as you move around to control how it comes out.
DeleteThey're all beautiful Kia, the Cider Barrel is amazing! I've slowly been playing around with water discounts too...it does make a big difference!
ReplyDeleteYup, it makes a HUGE difference. It took me awhile to work my way up to the 30%, lol. I was so nervous!
DeleteAll of your soaps here are so gorgeous, Kia! I especially love the Cider Barrel - the pencil line is a great touch!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny!
DeleteWhat a beautiful line in the 'Cider Barrel'! I love the peeks supporting the line. And the other two look so yummy.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by 30%? Is it discount of the amount of oils? If it is, then wow,it's incredible! It's great that you manage to deal with f.o-s with such a discount!
Maja
Thank you Maja. I'm referring to a water discount. I deducted 30% of the water needed to make the soap. That means less water that will have to evaporate as the soap cures, resulting in a firmer bars sooner :0)
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Delete(Oh God, it stroke me like a thunder while I was driving - who knows why- that I sonuded like a crazy woman, hi,hi you must have been thought that. Well,no I edited my comment, so now I sound less crazy,lol. I suppose it happens - you think one, write another thing,....or it doesn't?)
DeleteYes,yes I know it's a water discount,but what I thought was you'd discounted water at 30% of the LYE amount. I have been doing the same (my discount is smaller,though), only if I know my f.o.is going to behave well. But,discounting 30% water of the LYE amount sounds really incredible,doesn't it? It'really beyond the reality!
Thanks Kia!
What gorgeous soaps! I'm particular loving the gorgeous color in the Golden Blossom soap. It just looks so rich and creamy. =)
ReplyDeleteThe fragrance in Golden Blossom is one of my personal BB favorites as well as a favorite with my long time customers. Beautiful scent. Thanks for stopping through!
DeleteI love your new soaps, your pencil lines are perfect and wounderful! I play with reducing the amount of water too, depending on the used fragrance oil and the design of the soap. It is interesting!
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