Saturday 17 November 2012

Soaping Variables

 As I get to know my new soap studio… I am stumbling upon surprises with each batch lately.  We can all read a book about soap making to get started… watch tutorials… listen to advice… but our soap won’t turn out the same as someone else’s as our ingredients come from different sources and our environments are so different.  
Lately, strange things have been happening to my soap… my tried and true orange poppyseed set up on me for the first time ever.  I couldn’t get those smooth-sided rectangular bars this time.  So I did what I could with the tops.  Pretty for photos and presentation, but not my favourite for using and previously would have made packaging really difficult.  Swirly tops won’t affect our new packaging (I will reveal new packaging soon………...).
Then my lemon sea salt soap set up on me… yikes!  This one got so hard I had to push it into the mould.
Now, my shaving soap looks like this?  I know it will cure nicely and look uniform soon, but just so different from previously made batches of the same soaps.
I am using the same ingredients, the same tools, applying the same methods….
BUT - It has been uncharacteristically cold and rainy here over the past few weeks.  I have never soaped in this studio in winter before.   I am still learning about how environmental factors affect my soaps… 
Thank goodness I am still learning.  If I ever stop learning and being surprised, I am pretty sure I would get bored.
Happy soaping everyone!! xo Jen

9 comments:

Cee said...

Wow, that is so interesting that the change in location and weather would have such an effect on your soaps! You managed to save each and every one beautifully though. I think you're right about constantly learning, it is part of what keeps soapmaking so intriguing!

Tierra Verde Handmade Soap said...

Yeppers,I've been battling some unpredictability in my soaping lately-it keeps us on our toes doesn't it?

Jennifer Young said...

Cee Gee, Thanks for your comment! I know it is all pretty interesting... I just made a new batch of Honey Lavender and it took forever to trace, the opposite of what is happening with my other soaps!! Strange but wonderfully addicting... xoxo Jen

Michele (Tierra Verde), I know... I was thinking about you as I wrote this post, I almost even mentioned you because I knew you were having similar issues. Thanks for your comment friend, xoxoxo Jen

Isabel said...

Hola Jenn!!a mi jabón le ha pasado igual,utilizando los mismos ingredientes de siempre,y haciendo jabón en el mismo sitio,y me ha gelificado por el centro, es cierto que hay mucha humedad donde vivo y hay muchos cambios de temperatura, de pronto hace frío y de repente sube la temperatura,abrigué el molde como siempre y sorpresaaaa! pero no deja de ser un jabón estupendo, seguro que el tuyo también,ánimo y muchos besos Isabel.

LatherBeSoaping said...

I think all of your soaps turned out gorgeous, Jennifer, even if the process was a bit out of the ordinary. I love the looks of the orange poppyseed, and the shaving soap looks cool, too. Soapmaking is always an adventure!

Jennifer Young said...

Isabel, No se si el problema nuestra es mas por el frío, las temperaturas cambiantes o por la humedad pero sospecho que por la humedad. Cuentame si descubres algo. Gracias por tu comentario!! xo Jen

Jenny, thank for your lovely comment! Yes... the ever-changing and surprising adventure that we are on!! xoxoxo Jen

Joanna Schmidt said...

I love them all. You have beautiful soap, Jen!!

Jennifer Young said...

Thank you Joanna!! xo Jen

Lori said...

Great reead thanks