I'm Mad At Titanium Dioxide

WHY?
First, we had a nice lovely discussion about Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) like adults that we are. But it did cause a raucous didn't it? By the way, TiO2 is the chemical formula and I'll be referring to it as TiO2 throughout the post.

Then, a few days later, a puff of TiO2 blows directly in my face just at the moment I inhale. (Lungs. Seized. Help.)

And then, I make Ruby Rock Star soap and decide to create a pretty swirl with some TiO2 blended soap, and {{wham!}} 24 bars are now SALE BARS because I now have some soft crumbling sides. I am convinced it's the TiO2. Why? Because the soap is great except it's falling apart. Update: I think it IS the TiO2, but it also must have been a temperature thing even though I covered my pans of soap... see?

The compromised peach sides are my problem.

Do you remember the first time titanium dioxide ruined my other Rubies? The snow on top and what was up with the center? They were pretty AND ugly all at the same time. Just like lizards!

old rubies

I think I'm done with titanium dioxide. Hmm, let me think.... are there any soaps that would suffer design -wise? Only the Raspberry Linzer Cookie and I already went darker again with that because I wanted the cookie part to look more well done from the oven.

And why attack my Ruby Rock Stars? What have they done to the TiO2 anyway?? They are sweet, like princesses, is that why you hate, TiO2? Because you don't want them to be their pretty little sparkly little things? It's always picking on Ruby. Ruby The Rock Star.

Jealous.

Left me mad one too many times. I'm done wasting my time and soap on you... Here I come with my brown and creamy hues. I'll just make it interesting for Spring....another challenge (as if I need one). The 10 years off my life when I breathed in an ounce of the stuff and then my two loaves of soap... yeah.

Damn you, TiO2

Some Amazing Feedback About Our Perfumes

Here are just a few of the most excellent little outbursts we've heard from our customers and we are proud to share.

About Lair:

Oh my goodness. I honestly didn't think another fragrance could top 'Lounge" (gor-GEOUS) as my go-to sexy scent, but then I got "Lair!" It's so creamy, sweet, but dark and smoky at the same time. I adore it, and will most definitely be wearing it this Valentine's Day. *growl* Thank you so much for creating another amazing fragrance!

-
Lysa Luna, Ringleader
The Morbid The Merrier
http://www.themorbidthemerrier.etsy.com
http://www.themorbidthemerrier.blogspot.com

Also about Lair:

OMG Lair! I want to roll around in it forever, it needs to be in a soap, lotion, scrubs, everything. You're not allowed to discontinue it ever!

-Meghan Runyon of Dreaming Tree Soapworks

About Iniquity:

I love this fragrance too! It is warm and dark and sensual, and not too sweet. Perfect for feeling pretty on a chilly winter night.

also...

About Lounge: Mmm wonderful! Purchased for my husband, and it is great on him. Gentlemanly and dark without being too heavy, and it has excellent staying power! Joanna's tastes are spot-on yet again:)

-Sarah on Etsy

About Ruby Rock Star:

I love love love this scent. The grapefruit is a great wake-me-up scent, and underneath the primary citrus scent is a wonderful, warm, sweet fragrance that makes this much more mature and subtle perfume.

-buyer on etsy

About Sexy Laundry Day:

I don't think I could love this more. It is perfect.

-Kim of Kim's Kitchen Sink blog

If you have something to say about your experience feel free to send them along so others can feel confident ordering a perfume that is adored by you!

We are glad our hand blended proprietary scents have been so well received.

*

DIY Silicone Liners for Soap Moulds

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Tortuga Soaps and find Kaseen Cook's great website. She has two tutorials along with other information about saving turtles (we love turtles!): one on how to make your own silicone liner for soap molds.

Kaseen gave me permission to share this project with you (thank you, Kaseen!!)

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You can make your own silicone liners for your soap moulds; all you need is some RTV silicone (easily sourced from the internet or locally) and some simple supplies you can usually find around the house. Silicone is not a cheap material, so making your own can save you labor cost, as well as make soaping easier and more fun without having to line your moulds all the time! You can also pour your liners onto cool textures to make all sorts of uniquely textured soaps. Try pouring on engraved plaster to create a liner custom made with your logo. It takes a bit of patience, but is certainly not too hard for anyone to accomplish in a weekend. Silicone is the only material that will adhere to silicone. It does not “glue” the pieces together, it chemically welds them, which means that when joining two pieces of silicone with silicone they become chemically and physically the same object. This is like metal welding, only with silicone, so the finished product is just as strong as one that was made with one pour. There isn’t much difference to the end user having a liner made in one pour vs. one welded from pieces, although they take longer to make, but as long as the pieced one is put together with care and attention to detail, they are just as good. Welded silicone liners are strong and practical for those wanting to make liners and save some money. **For even cheaper liners, you could try Polyurethane Rubber. Polyurethane is not “self-releasing” like silicone, so will require mould release agents like food grade silicone and wax, but savings of up to 50% off the cost of silicone can be realized. The pros for this material are it’s much cheaper than silicone, firm but flexible material, and very durable and much longer lasting than silicone. The cons are that when molding soap the mould will need a release agent like food grade silicone or wax, so it’s a bit more work than silicone.

Preparation:

Planning the layout –

Measure the length, width and height of your liner, and then arrange into one or two flat areas as in the diagram. Remember, silicone is expensive, measure twice and pour/cut once!

Determining the amount of silicone for your mould – I would suggest a liner thickness of 3mm for the most cost effective use of your silicone as well as not taking up too much space in your mould, while retaining adequate strength. After you have determined the surface area you will need to cover with silicone (the internal surface area), ensure the measurements are in cm, and determine the total surface area in cm squared. If you want a 0.3cm thick mould (3mm), multiply the surface area by the thickness of the liner to get the volume of silicone in cm cubed, or cc’s, or ml’s. This volume is equivalent to the material in weight (as 1cc/ml of silicone is approximately 1g of silicone), so for measurement purposes convert the volume to weight.

Here is an example to illustrate:

Liner surface area (as contained in the frame) is 39x32cm = 1,248cm2 1,248cm2 x 0.3cm(thick) = 374.4ml (or cc’s) = 375g silicone. With the average cost of silicone at $0.05/g = $18.75 As you can see increasing the thickness will greatly increase the price of the liner:

1,248cm2 x 0.5cm(thick) = 624ml (or cc’s) = 624g silicone. = $31.20 1,248cm2 x 1cm(thick) = 1,248ml (or cc’s) = 1,248g silicone. = $62.40 Materials:

· Long wooden battens or strips of cardboard or any other straight objects to make frames.

· Stirring stick/spatula, plastic tub, and gloves.

· RTV Silicone (I would suggest starting with about 1kg for cost effectiveness and for just enough volume without huge investment. If you plan to make many liners or if you have large liners, 5kg packages are the most economical and cost effective of the smaller packages, ranging from $200 to $250AUD)

Desirable properties (guide only):

Low to medium viscosity (45,000 cps or less) for smooth pouring, medium cure time (min about 6 hours to full cure and 30min pot life to allow working time, real cure time is usually half of advertised cure time), and Shore A hardness of 25 or greater – the firmer the silicone (Shore A of 35-50) the thinner the liner can be while retaining the same strength and support (as long as the other qualities are still present).

Australian Resources and Suggestions:

Online –

Adelaide Moulding and Casting

(http://www.amcsupplies.com.au)

Suggestions: (made by Barnes Silicone)

Maximould, M4503, Ultrasil.

Barnes Silicone (http://www.barnes.com.au/) Suggestions: Use caution if you choose to use Pinky Silicone, as this silicone must be molded in about 6minutes, which may not be enough time to pour/spread your liner, otherwise it’s the best silicone so may be worth a try! Tufsil 25, Maximould, M4503, Ultrasil.

Solid Solutions

(http://www.solidsolutions.com.au)

Suggestions (Tin Catalysed): Solid Mould 500, Polytek TinSil 70-30.

Local –

Check your local Fiberglass and Mould Making Supplies Store; many carry RTV silicone and the Barnes range of products (their website lists stores that supply their silicone). Just look up “fiberglass” or “molding and casting” in the yellow pages.

Steps:

1. Layout the batons into the surface area rectangles required for your size liner, to contain/mould the silicone. Be sure to use a right angle tool or the corner of a sheet of paper to square your frame.

2. Tape around the edges of your walls to prevent any silicone leaking out.

3. Ensure the surface you are pouring onto is clean. You can pour onto any surface, including cool textures (bubble wrap, sandpaper, needle point grid, ect.. beware of fabrics or carpet, silicone can soak in and be hard to get out!).

Tips: You can use the side of the silicone that is touching the surface as the inner or outer part of your liner depending on which you prefer. Sometimes it is better to pour your liner onto a slightly textured surface like paper or MDF and use the side that contacts the MDF or paper as the outer side of your liner, because it will not grip onto your outer wooden mould when inserting.

4. Mix your silicone as per the manufactures guidelines (search for pouring silicone and the “bombs away” method on the internet for some really good videos. Tap Plastics makes great instructional videos). Pour into your frame using the “bombs away” method to reduce air bubbles. The bombs away method is essentially pouring a very thin stream from a height to stretch and pop any bubbles that were trapped in the silicone during mixing. Using a plastic spatula spread the silicone into the corners and even-out thin or thick areas.

5. Blow across the silicone with a hair drier set to cool and with an air funnel/straightening attachment to make a concentrated blast, or just blow across the top of the silicone with your mouth, to pop any remaining bubbles (just be careful not to accidentally spit on it or hyperventilate lol).

6. Cover your frame with a board or other stiff cover if you are worried about lint or pets/kids getting into it while it hardens. Allow curing for the recommended time, heat generally speeds up the cure (as the reaction is endothermic), so a blast with a hair drier, heater or keeping it in a warn room will quicken the process. Do not use a heat gun or flame on the silicone, as this is TOO hot. To clean up your mix pot and spoon, just let the silicone cure and peal off, it’s really easy to clean! Or you can put the silicone pot with the extra silicone on the sides in the freezer to prevent it from curing for about 1-2 days, and use it later to join/weld your liner sides.

7. When dry, peal off the frame and surface. Trim/slice the silicone sides to fit into your mould.

8. Mix a small batch of silicone (about 10g is enough) or get the remainder you saved from the freezer and apply to the edges of your liner sides and weld together supported inside your wooden mould (you may need blocks or other objects to hold your sides up from the inside as well). Wipe away excess, and allow curing.

You’re done!

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Thank you, Kaseen!

I don't know about you, but if I could have my way, I'd love to have Upland silicone molds for all of my molds because I HATE lining molds with freezer paper. BUT! I found this fantastic do it yourself silicone molding tutorial that you could try.

If you do, please send me pictures!! :)

I Should Really Explain

I should really explain my absence and sporadic posts. I used to be pretty good at posting every few days and now I'm lucky if I get over here and do anything once a week. I am sorry my soap friends. Do not give up on me. Here are some of my reasons...

Number the first: Wholesale soap orders have increased which eats up a lot of my time (and space).

Number the second: I've had to stop working at 2:30 to study and tutor my son for months. We are having issues. Enough said. Stopping my work day at 2:30 has really cut into my production and income which doesn't help matters one bit. We're finding ways to change this problem, but for the moment it's painful.

Number the third: My personal life has so much going on that if I even start typing about any of it I will breakdown - - there is just more going on than one person should have to bear. So overwhelming. Enough of that. Don't ask, don't feel sorry for me. I'll get through it all and I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. It's just an awful time and I'm explaining why writing has been hard.

Number the fourth: I haven't been blown away by soap that has come this way in a while. I really liked Jackie's salt soap (Magic Hands), but she closed shop and I have all her recipes, so there's that. I need soap to stun me again. So if you think you have a soap that will stun, please send it to me. (no lavender - but really, do I need to mention that :) )

I have missed you and your comments and support. You all are my friends and I love having you come to this blog, so please forgive my absence and let me try to get it back on track as I stumble through this crazy life of mine.

xo Joanna

Building Blocks

A little soap porn for you... it has been a while.

tower of soap in Aleppo, Syria

olive oil soap block by earth naturals

unscented block bar for sensitive skin by sandstone coast

big banana pudding- goat's milk soap by soapopotamus

primitive handmade chocolate lye soap by the country crock

peppermint spark soap by the soap seduction

block of spiced tea soap by primitive earth

soap construction blocks by sofiart

rainbow marshmallows by have it confections (NOT SOAP!)

I just thought it was beautiful and fit so nicely with all the other blocks. :)

The Kids Who Survived The 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s & 70s

New York, circa 1940, © Helen Levitt. Courtesy Laurence Miller Gallery

and/or powerHouse Books.

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and questionable brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day was a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose. Not from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually got the cooties.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight. Why? Because we were always outside playing...that's why! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms. WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms didn’t live in us forever.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we never put an eye out. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and talked to them. Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law back then!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of them? CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?

¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©88©©**¨¨¨¨**©©©©**¨¨

This was sent to me in a different form. I edited it - it needed a little work, but it rang true at least to me, so I thought, perhaps, it would be interesting to some of you...in the mid 30s and older. :O)

Titanium Dioxide: Is It Safe? A Re-Post

The following was written by Erin of Inner Earth Soaps and I think it's an industry issue that might be of interest to you. I have copied it verbatim.

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Recently I've had some customers asking me about titanium dioxide. I've always considered it to be a fairly innocuous product, but lately there have been some concerns over studies where it has been shown to be a possible carcinogenic, causing fear in consumers. So let's bring it out in the open.

What is titanium dioxide?

It's a naturally-occurring mineral, mined from the earth. After mining it is processed to remove impurities, leaving behind a mineral pigment in the form of a white powder.

Which products might contain titanium dioxide?

Soaps, make-up, toothpaste, sunscreen, food, plastics, paints, ink and paper, to name a few.

Why use titanium dioxide?

Apart from in sunscreen - where the titanium dioxide is used to block UV rays from the skin - it is a mostly aesthetic ingredient that makes products appear more white or opaque.

Is titanium dioxide safe?

Titanium dioxide is listed as a safe pigment, with no known side effects. However there is some debate over a specific type of titanium dioxide: ultrafine or nano particles. This is the type of titanium dioxide that is used in sunscreens, because the particles are small enough to be invisible to the naked eye, yet still reflect the UV rays. The debate is whether these particles are small enough to penetrate the skin and become a possible carcinogenic.

Does Inner Earth Soaps use titanium dioxide in their products?

Yes, in some soaps we do. Where it is used, it is listed in the ingredients. However, we don't use the ultrafine powder that is the subject of debate.

Even with this explained, some folks just don't feel comfortable using products containing titanium dioxide. So I've started experimenting with our soaps: some of the ones that currently contain titanium dioxide will be made without it. Below is our Honey Toffee soap. The one on the left contains titanium dioxide, the one on the right doesn't. You can easily tell the difference - the left one is much more opaque, and the layers more well-defined. I'm interested to see whether this new batch will be more popular.

What do you think? Do you use titanium dioxide in your products, or do you feel strongly about using products made with it? I'd love to hear your comments.

*******

If you'd like to read the comments left for her, leave a comment for her or see the original post, please go here. Thanks, Erin!

Also feel free to express yourself!

Making Perfumes & The Hurdles

I'm spending my Saturday making perfumes. It takes me a long long time to make these concoctions. I spend hours and then I wear them, change the formula, then wear it again... mostly, they end up down the sink or in the trash. I thought perfumers had it easy, baby. Boy, was I the hell wrong. This takes so much time, it's killing me, especially because I am in the process of making a Valentine's Trio of perfume oils which will all be in the Limited Editions sector of my line.

That aside, it doesn't help when I am on the fence about a scent, so I come out of my studio, wave my arm in front of my husband's face and he says this: "Crikey, woman! It smells like you spilled a dirty bong in a patchouli factory!!"

Yeah, the support is astounding. *

I didn't like it so much anyway... had a gasoline smell I wasn't going for on Valentine's. Burning Bed wasn't my goal. Today.

Whatever.

Back to work, but I was tired. I designed my labels and made one perfume I am really happy with. I'm not going to share with my husband because he won't like it, but I LOVE it.

I washed up with soap, then more soap and finally dishwashing liquid from my upper arms down to my fingertips. I even scrubbed myself with a Dobie pad. If you know what that is, you know I scrubbed up.

I sat here at my desk writing after I worked for a solid Saturday while my husband played Demon's Souls for 6 hours on his PS3. Luckily my children had other things to do today other than smelling me or listening to Brad curse under his breath because once he collects 1200 souls or whatever and he dies, he has to start all over again. Poor puppy...

Later, Brad comes over to my desk to set up my computer so he can share a file or something with his computer and he covers his entire nose and mouth and says: "You must take care of this, I'm going to die." Now he's coughing over there on the other side of the room. I'm going to go take a shower and unless the oils are seeped in (which I think they are), I'll smell like me again.

*you know I love my husband and he is wildly supportive. A little too concerned with scents, though....and Demon Souls

Ah, Family

2008

New Year, New Soap & The Art Of Soap

With holidays behind me and work starting tomorrow, I am feeling a sense of excitement along with fear as I move my business into the new year.

My company has been undergoing changes that I am happy with, but I am not finished with the changes and I have many hurdles to jump before I can get to where I must go. What I want most right now and to start the new year is to focus on soap. What it is for me, how it touches me to my very bones and the need to create tiny masterpieces that will ring true for me and for others. Hope I am not just serenading myself into a fantasy of soap-love-lust, but I am still all tied up and smitten with it.

Today, I sat with a hot cup of coffee and a book that was sent to me from Debbie Chialtas of Soapy Love. The book is her second published full color soap book that I have so generously been given. The book is a compilation of mini stories of 24 soap makers from around the world accompanied by colorful photographs of their soap. The soap maker's short story along with the close up photography of their soap brought me to tears a couple of times. The stories were powerful and a few were quite unique.



The photography was stunning and all photo credits go to Erin Pikor of Naiad Soap Arts, who is a wildly talented soap maker and now a published photographer as well!

I felt honored to be a part of the soap world when I finished the book... although I wished I had 24 more artisan soap makers to read about and see more photography of their art form.

My anxiety and excitement build up confuses me because I know what will meet me down the road. My friend and long lost soul: The art of soap making. When I have let the making part go for any length of time, I fear the worst and wonder if it will taunt me and hate me when I return. I know, you think I am crazy to think soaping takes on a being, but when I love something so so much, there is always a fear it might just disappear as quickly as it came.

I hope this book does a little heart string pulling for you as well. It just solidified the fact that no matter who we are or why we do it, soap is something we make and love, and until that is gone, we will be forever engaged.

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The Art Of Soap
by Debbie Chialtas of Soapy Love
Photos by Erin Pikor of Naiad Soap Arts