These are a few of my favorite things

My soap pantry wouldn't be complete without:

*Rubber spatulas!

Ok, so this isn't an ingredient, but I can't live without 'em. For soaps that have multiple colors/ layers I end up using 3 or 4 for the batch (because when every second counts, there's no time to wash/ wipe down a utensil between pouring and scraping; just gotta pick up a clean one!). I have 8 or so I keep with my supplies and depending on the batch I'm making, I just set out 4 or so to have on hand so I don't have to run back for a fresh one!

* Whisks!

Alright, another non-ingredient, but again, it can make the difference between a successful batch and a death-sentence when using an accelerating FO. (translation: some fragrances tend to 'accelerate' the rate at which your batch traces, or sets up. If you use an over-zealous stickblender with these fragrances, you will end up with 'soap on a stick', which means your soap goes from 0-60 in a matter of seconds and creates a concrete block on the end of your stick blender. Steadily whisking the accelerating FO into your batch will usually completely solve this problem!)

* Milk!

Be it goat milk (sweet and decadent) or coconut milk (thick and creamy), milk adds a dimension to a bar of soap that you just can't get with anything else. It's smooth, rich and gentle (and who doesn't want that?).

There are several techniques to making a milk soap. You can mix your sodium hydroxide directly into the milk as your full liquid (best way to do this is to measure your milk and freeze it solid before adding the SH to avoid it scorching as the SH heats it up). You can use milk powders (I've heard buttermilk powder is wonderful in soap, although I can't personally vouch for it), or you can do the method I settled on after much trial and error: adding the liquid form of the milk at trace. To do this: Divide your liquid amount in half, adding your sodium hydroxide to one of the portions in the form of water. The other half is the milk, and you can simply pour it in at trace, without fear of scorching. (In this method, for example, if your required liquid is 24 oz, you would add your lye to 12 ounces of water, and then add 12 ounces of milk at trace, to reach your total liquid amount).

*Coconut oil!

A widely available ingredient (you can even pick it up in smaller quantities at Walmart for a decent price!), coconut oil is a staple for me. It makes big, beautiful bubbles, a rock hard bar, is cost effective and vegans, environmentalists, and your average Joe all seem to be ok with it. Only caution I would throw out would be to use it in amounts of 20% or less in your recipe, as it can feel drying to some people with more sensitive skin, since it is a high cleansing oil.

So what does it mean if your coconut oil says '76' on the label? Or '92'? Those are the temperatures at which your solid oil will melt. I prefer to use '92', as it is easy for me to store and measure. In the winter months, when it is a solid rock, you can use a (new!) hand trowel to 'dig' out what you need. The sharpness of the small spade makes it a snap to cut into the block and measure out your recipe.

*Cocoa powder!

I love layered soap. Even more then that, I love layered soap with a 'line' between the layers. When I first began looking into designing soap, that pencil-thin black line between color looked oh-so complicated! I mean, really, how on earth did one measure out such a small layer and get it to pour so smoothly and evenly without it setting up in the bowl? I look back and laugh now, but I really couldn't wrap my brain around it at the time. ;)

Here's how I (and pretty much everyone else) does the little pencil line: For a 2 color layered soap, at thin-medium trace divide your batch into portions (some do this by weight).

Color each portion (mixing your color in with the ever-useful whisk!) as desired. The color that is to be the bottom layer, if it hasn't already come to thick trace, blast it once or twice with the stick blender and then pour. This extra blast brings it to the thickness needed to support the top layer. If you pour as-is and want to wait for it to set in the mold, you risk your top portion setting up in your bowl as you wait.

Using a wire sifter (like you would use for sprinkling powdered sugar onto french toast) and a steady hand, 'dust' the top of your bottom layer with cocoa powder. Be sure to lightly 'dust' it on, not sprinkle, as sprinkling will cause clumps and possibly bleed later on.

Pour your top layer carefully over your cocoa powdered bottom layer. I do this over the back of a spoon, as close to the mold as possible so it goes on softly in a wide surface area. Too high of a pour in a concentrated spot will probably make your top layer sink into the bottom layer.

* Celestial Colors!

I have used so many types of soap colorants. I'm glad I took notes as I learned, so that I could see which colors did what in different recipes and at what proportions. Some color morph terribly when used in a batch with certain FOs. Some colors bleed, some fade (or even disappear!) some clump, etc. For ease (and to indulge my laziness), I love Celestial Colors. They are pre-mixed and stay quite true in almost everything I've done. There's a huge selection to choose from, ranging from primary basics to wild neons. You can buy as sets, or pick and choose singles you need. If you don't want to deal with mixing oxides and messy micas, try Celestial Colors. It's a staple in my soap pantry (along with the micas for dusting the tops; I can't resist a little sparkle once in a while!).

So, there you have it. A few of my favorite things and the reasons why I love 'em. Of course, make sure you're stocked with plenty of castor oil, shea butter, oats, fragrances, honey, olive oil (or rice bran oil is nice, too) and if you're feeling super indulgent: avocado oil, hemp seed oil, babassu oil and just about any butter you want (cocoa and mango are great, as is the previously mentioned shea!). Oh, and if you don't have a silicone lining for your mold, pick up some freezer paper (not wax paper- they are not the same!) too.