# Making my first batch



## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

I've almost got all my ingredients...I bought Rooto from Ace Hardware which is 100 % lye..I think I paid 3.50 for it. My question is how much lavendar EO do I use for the basic walmart batch. Don't read this part Vicki  I want to use GM for my liquid too if that affects it at all.


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## Guest (Jun 7, 2009)

Linda,
Most suggest using .3 to .5 oz of EO per pound of oils, I like my soaps strong and using the higher end.. I would use 4 oz in the walmart batch.. Some lavenders can seize, so use caution when adding your EO, one way to help is take a little of the oil (sunflower) from the recipe and add to your EO, 1//4 cup will do... and when you do add it into the pot, stir by hand with a spoon, pour.. Milk will not affect your fragrance or your soap except to make the soap tan colored.. 
Barb


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

My Lavender EO does accelerate, so be prepared. 

And personally, if you have a scale, I would cut down the recipe to be less than 7 lbs. Just my opinion. I made a dozen 1 lb batches before I tried anything larger. Got more experience doing that than doing just a couple large batches. Plus I wanted to tweak nearly every batch and that would have been a lot of soap if they had all been larger batches. LOL


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## mamatomany (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm totally chicken, I have to follow directions  I always say I am an excellent student, I try to do exactly what I'm told  geez if only my kids had that mantality  I suppose I could try to cut it down just to give it a whirl. I just figure I have to wait 6 weeks for it to cure so I better get a decent amount for my waiting time  We will use up ourselves...Someday I can do more than just milk a goat  like cheese maybe...


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Linda are your molds oven proof ?? just pour in mold and have your oven to 150 degrees put in the oven for 1hr ,turn the oven off and leave overnight. Take it out in the morning and unmold and cut. your soap is ready to use. NO WAY IN HADES am I waiting 6 wks on anything. Heck I might even be dead in 6wks.


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Sondra said:


> Heck I might even be dead in 6wks.


ACK! Sondra don't SAY that!

What does the oven do and how does it age the soap? Very cool (or hot) idea - I'd like to learn more.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Curing soap is nothing more than waiting for moisture to wick out. Putting it in the oven OP is Oven Process...wicks out more moisture so you can use it faster. Vicki


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

Since advice is worth what you pay for it, I'll say, don't be nervous--dive in & get wet! I haven't used EO's, and you MIGHT be better starting with an FO, but what the heck? I used half milk in my first batch, all milk in the second, now I use the pre-dissolved lye solution, so it's half water & half milk. I WILL tell you that all the stuff you read about "trace" being when you can see pudding tracks when you lift the stirrer out is BALONEY! For smooth, pretty bars, pour it as soon as you get the fragrance mixed in. And don't have your mold across the room--have it right beside where you're mixing. Good Luck!

Tom


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

Sondra said:


> just pour in mold and have your oven to 150 degrees put in the oven for 1hr ,turn the oven off and leave overnight. Take it out in the morning and unmold and cut. your soap is ready to use. NO WAY IN HADES am I waiting 6 wks on anything. Heck I might even be dead in 6wks.


Well, let's hope not, Sondra! But is this true? I've got 300 bars of soap curing, & I don't know where to put any more shelves! It'd be great if I could get some of it packaged & put away. I read about curing time so much I've been afraid to start selling it till at least 3 weeks.

Tom


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Poke it with your finger Tom, when you can't indent it, wrap it. Letting it set out for weeks on end is going to kill any scent you have on the outside of the bar and it's that scent that sells your bars. Vicki


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