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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Making Soap: The Tyler Durden Chronicles, Part Two

While my first batch of soap came out looking like mashed potatoes, it works.  It lathers up well, gets you clean, and feels good on the skin.  It's just really, really ugly.

This is what I learned for the next time:
  • Never guesstimate when judging temperatures.  Some may have this skill.  I clearly do not.
  • All rough add-ins, such as oatmeal and lavender should be ground up.  This should have been obvious.
  • Invest in a stick blender.  Just fucking do it.  It's only $20, and life is too short.
  • Less creativity with molds.  Remember that you have to get the soap out of this ornate contraption that you found at Salvation Army.
  • Put saran wrap down on the molds.  Again, you will have to get the soap out of this thing.
  • Don't underestimate how hot Sodium Hydroxide gets.  Don't underestimate how long olive oil takes to cool down.
  • Find a better place to store these than in the living room.  It IS a conversation starter though.
That's one ugly "bar" of soap...
Photobucket

You can read the first part of my soap misadventures here.

Ever have a DIY project turn out completely and utterly wrong?

6 comments:

linda said...

lol :( poor ugly bar of soap

Anonymous said...

"Invest in a stick blender. Just fucking do it. It's only $20, and life is too short." Hahahaha! And so you've taken to bathing yourself with handfuls of oatmeal lavendar mush? *Starting to get concerned*

DAN the MAN said...

First of all, just as in cooking, no one should estimate until they are very experienced and practiced. You are guaranteed to mess it up if you think you can eyeball it correctly your first time. Any experienced cook will tell you this. Measure everything for the first 10 batches at least.

Second of all, stop pretending you ever have guests in your living room.

Anonymous said...

That's one of the funniest things you've ever written. I sense some frustration.

Alison said...

"Ever have a DIY project turn out completely and utterly wrong?"

No. Everything I do turns out amazing. Surely you know this.

Anonymous said...

Tried the soap today. While it may be bulldog ugly it works great. Thanks.
D