# Blender Castille



## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

I just made a mock castile. It was more of a high olive oil type soap I've always wanted to try. I wrapped the molds in towels hopeing to get some jel action. I used 12 oz of olive, 4 oz of coconut, 6 oz of H2O, 63 grams of lye, 1/2 oz rosemary/mint oil (wow, great stuff) and 1/4 tsp of that green mica colorant which turned a bright orange. I'll let ya all know how it turns out. How long does the jel action take? Can I peek?


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

How did it come out? Hope you go ahead & cut it, as if you wait to long, it will be rock hard.

Did the color stay bright orange, or did it fade a bit?

I always peek when my soaps are gelling. Just make it quick, and cover back up, especially if your house is cold.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

It's been 30+ hours and it has set up pretty good. It's kind of a dull orange now. I mentioned in another thread recently about soap colors how this colorant was nasty looking. Well it ended up after a 2 week cure a beautiful olive drab. I'm hopeing this does the same. I don't think it went into heat mode, won't know if it gelled till it's demolded. I poured it into seperate bar molds. It will cure for 2-3 weeks, I'll then freeze it, put mold in hot water for a half minute, turn it upside down, give it a wack and walla. Perfect bars with a perfect celtic knot design. If this formula pans out, the next batch will have the coconut oil reduced. For some reason I can't go to a 100% olive oil soap in a blender. I'm just afraid to have a batch fail.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

It's been a week so I went ahead and unmolded 1 bar. The mold was one of those disposable apple sauce cups filled about 1/2 full. Froze it down, set it in warm water about 20 seconds and gave it a pop. Came right out but is much to sticky on the bottom. It is still a purple color, instead of green. It was orange. Maybe with exposure to air it will change color. Smells real nice though!


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Unmolded another disposable cup a couple days ago. This one droped right out. It has kind of a tie dye of lilac and purple color. What the heck is that about? Anyway it lathers nice, looks nice. Like a chunk of plastic. It may have went through some form of heat cycle? I like this blend of oils better. Next batch I'll drop the color. To unreliable as to the final color. I'll also drop an oz or two of coconut, add an oz of castor and the rest olive. Probably add orange or lavender EO to see how it works out. The lather of this olive oil based soap definetly feels better on the skin. And if this uncouth bog dweller can tell the difference, a normal person will be in for a sensory overload.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Unmolded the last 4 bars. Dropped right out, perfect bars. The color is lilac, lavender, something along those lines. Next batch will be 2 oz of coconut, 1 oz castor, 13 oz olive. Lavender and litsea EO's. I sure like this mock Castile. We will see if the reduced coconut in the next batch will make enough suds. Without suds I can see no use in bathing.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I bet the blender made the soap come to trace a lot faster. I started out doing blender soap and loved it. Now that I do larger batches, I use the stick blender; but your post made me want to do a batch of blender Castile. I think I wil, I think I will....


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Lynn, what's your recipe?


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I just used all olive pomace with a few drops of Vit. E and ran it through SoapCalc at 5% superfat. I used the blender and it came to trace quickly. It gelled and is still in the mold this morning. It is still kind of soft, so I will leave it for another day or so before unmolding. Soaping101 has a good recipe for Bastile.

http://www.soaping101.com/soap-recipes.html


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Thanks Lynn, I thought I would check this forum before running everything through a soap calculator. I'm making it right now, -28 at the moment. Good time to stay inside. How does the Bastille suds? Just made it using the recipe I gave in my last post. Looks good. I may try this with half/half instead of water next time. I used 1/2 oz of lavender and 1/2 tsp of litsea. Will see how the scent holds, might have to increase the lavender next time? Small batches of blender soap are an easy somewhat inexpensive way to test a formula. If you don't like it, you're not out to much.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

The Bastile recipe from Soaping101 contains coconut, Castor and olive oils. It does lather better than just Castile. Half & Half should make great soap. I freeze mine to prevent scorching and then pop the soap in the freezer to prevent gel. Keeps the soap a light color. I forgot how easy blender soap is. I will be using the blender more often. Clean up is easier too, just put some water in the blender after cleaning the soap out and run it a little. Most of the soap comes out with this method.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Just to let you all know that little bit of litsea is really overpowering the Lavender. Next time only a quarter tsp of Litsea and maybe 3/4 oz Lavender. It still smells awesome. Some EO's are so fleeting, so tantalizing, so tempting, so seductive. The Litsea should mix well with 15X Orange. I think it may be time for a bath, maybe a cold shower is more in order.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Litsea mixes well with any citrus, it also anchors the fleeting scents of citrus essential oil.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Linn, what would you recommend to anchor Lavender EO?,


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

I couldn't resist, I unmolded 1 applesauce cup. Popped right out. I haven't used it yet, as it hasn't been a week yet from my last bath. The Litsea is really, really strong. Nice smell, but the Lavender is really drowned out. Some adjustments will have to be made. It's also a beautiful white with a slight tinge of yellow.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Unmolded 2 big bars today. I'm guessing they are 5-6 oz bars. Still a bit sticky, but came out pretty good. Smells so good though the litsea over powers the lavender. I'm hooked on these Bastille soaps.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Kinda under the weather today, dang hockey rinks, so I whipped up another batch. Went down the middle, 3 oz coconut, 1 oz castor, and 12 oz olive, 1/2 oz 15X Orange EO and about an eighth tsp of Litsea. Awesome aroma. Nice balance. Can't hardly wait to try this one. I'll give it a couple weeks then unmold 1 bar, I should be ready for a bath by then. All these olive oil blends have really beat the old shortening blends.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Sounds great, let us know how you like it. My Castile is still in the log. It hardened up very well. In fact, I had better get it cut into bars before it gets too hard.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

bowdonkey said:


> Linn, what would you recommend to anchor Lavender EO?,


 I have never needed to anchor lavender, but you might include a little patchouli or even a little cosmetic clay in the soap. Here is a blend that I really like. I call it rosemary mint, but it contains lavender and patch.

For about an ounce of blend:

.43 oz lavender
.28 oz rosemary
.14 oz spearmint
.13 oz cedarwood
.03 oz patchouli


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

That sounds nice lynn.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

And of course, the soap classic of them all. There seems to be a few folks here new to soap making and IMHO making small batches in a blender is a good way to start. If you mess up, a lot less $$ down the drain! And it's easy.


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