So after procrastinating for almost a year, I finally updated my iPad to OS 8.2. I love it! I use an external keyboard when I'm writing, so I haven't been able to fully take advantage of the additional features in Pages, but I will when I'm able to edit words like pate fermentee, which is properly written pâté fermentée. I have yet to update my iPhone, I suppose I will have to take the plunge soon.
Last night, after what turned out to be a great workout at the gym, I broke into our inaugural batch of soap. We were intending on curing it for four weeks, but needs must and all that. I am very pleased with the lather, which has a combination of large bubbles that build into a thick layer on the skin, and then rinses cleanly. If there is any tweaking to be done, I think we'll switch to a 7% lye discount formula for a bar that's intended to be moisturizing, and for facial bars. At 5% lye discount, this bar makes you feel clean without being astringent. I intensely dislike moisturizing soaps that leave you feeling unclean when they're rinsed from the skin. I'd prefer to apply lotion separately to the area's of my body that might need it.
Glossary: lye discount - the difference between the oils and NaOH sodium hydroxide in a soap formula, in which, more oil/fat is present than is required to complete the saponification reaction. The remainder of the oils/fats is available to soften, or moisturize the skin when the bar is used. This term is use synonymously with super-fatting in soap making, however, you can add fats and oils at the end of hot process soap making for their specific emollient, or moisturizing properties. This is what I call super-fatting a formula.
Later tonight, I will be cutting the coffee scented bars, and taking some pictures of the good, and the bad, results so far. Yes, there's even a little ugly...Tomorrow, I am making - or at least starting - another set of birdhouses. Friday we'll be making more soap.
While I'm on the subject; after the seemly endless search for a laundry detergent that doesn't make one, or both of us, break out; only to have the manufacturer endlessly reformulate it until it does make one, or both of us, break out: I've decided to break the cycle. In addition to our body bars, we are going to make our own laundry soap. In the meantime, I have started to use Zote, a tallow and coconut oil soap formulated for clothes. You can get it at Walmart and on amazon.com. I know it may sound insane to grate your own laundry soap but I don't mind, and I'll do anything - including make my own - to avoid the urge to scratch myself raw. BTW, Twenty Mule Team Borax is my fabric whitener of choice. I have a bleach pen for really bad stains, but I generally avoid chlorine bleach.
Do you have sensitive skin or allergies? What laundry products do you use?
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