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D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Houston, We Have Soap
Thu Nov 18 2004


I uncovered my box of soap yesterday from under its layers of blankets to reveal that I indeed did have soap. It is no forgone conclusion that when you pour the stuff into the mold, that it will harden. Though in all the years that I have been doing this, I've only lost one batch. That doesn't seem to allay my fears however. I wait with baited breath every time I attempt this project.

Soapmaking is a chemistry experiment par excellence. I have to weigh out all the ingredients and combine them at the proper temperatures and am dealing with caustic substances. . . all very scientific. It's FUN!

This batch was particularly reticent, and I had to resort to heating the whole mess up two different times to get the reaction going in the right direction. Looks like it was worth the patience.

I use the book by Ann Bramson called "Soap. Making it, Enjoying it" I highly recommend it to you if you are wanting to try something out of the ordinary one day.

The recipe that I use from the book makes a fine hand soap that is mild enough to wash your face with. It contains coconut and olive oils. And this time the oils that I used to scent it with were not destroyed by the lye (which sometimes happens). So my soap smells like lily of the valley with a touch of lavender. Quite pleasant.

Although after yesterdays outburst, I suspect some of you think I should use a bar to wash my mouth out.

But I can't do it yet. The stuff has to age for about a month before it's ready to use.

Sorry! Can't oblige you today. :-)

[album 65561 Soap Box2.JPG]

10 Comments
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    I, for one, think it is cool that you make your own soap. I would like to try it some day, but not today!

    I used to have a friend who raised Emu's, and made her own soap using fat from them. She swore by it and would only use that for her family. She gave out samples of it to everyone in the cub scout troup, and it was one of the best soaps I had ever used. No dry skin at all!
    Alli
  • From:
    Ichandra (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    hey mon amie your post yesterday was very cleansing it reeked with a strong scent of rage against the brutal injustice of war if you mean that swearing well let me fill in the blanks for you fuck there I said it for you hee hee what else are friends for mon amie anytime

    I enjoyed responding although I would like to add that there are many truths and levels to look at any argument but I was a flower child you know make love not war and smoke weed

    beautiful so you made soap with a lily valley and lavender scent such a beautiful spiritual experience washing with your soap would be I truly beleive that it would not only be physically cleansing but spiritually cleansing as well

    have a beautiful day mon amie there is always so much variety in your journal one never knows what the next tone will be
    anyway my favourite word is harmony
  • From:
    Ichandra (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    if only lady mcbeth had washed with your sweet scented soap then she may have been successful at cleansing herself hee hee
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    Is there no end to your domestic talents???

    I have three bottles of partially used shampoo. Because? After I use a brand for a few times, my scalp begins to itch. So I decided that instead of throwing away, I could use the shampoo as a mild hand soap. Works very nicely, and smells good too.

    But I'd surely like to find a shampoo I could use more than 3 or 4 times. Suppose you could work out a formula for homemade shampoo without all that other stuff they put in the commercial products?

    Shalom
  • From:
    Fairywishes (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    what a super domestic goddess you are?! ;-)

    I have made soap, with good results, so nice to know that you *know* what is in there and in turn what you are putting on your skin

    x
  • From:
    Monstergue (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Nov 17 2004
    Cool beans!!!! Can't believe you know how to make soap!
  • From:
    Speriavortices (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Nov 18 2004
    Hi I have wanted to make soap but have wondered how usable it comes out.But it sounds like your you can use and it is mild and is scented.Huh- Is that book user friendly for the beginner?
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Nov 18 2004
    I love hand made soaps, but have never had any inclination to try making them. I bow to the superior Domestic Goddess among us. :)

    As to yesterday, you said what needed to be said and what too few are willing to say in public so keep the soap for washing hands and faces. Your mouth would not benefit from it in any way.
  • From:
    Bookworm (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Nov 18 2004
    Lol, I loved your lead into today's entry. I like the sound of making my own soap, but just don't have time right now for such things. Good on you, though. ;-)
  • From:
    Sezrah (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Nov 18 2004
    oh MAN, that stuff looks good enough to eat!

    i adore coconut too