I'm just guessing here, but since the ingredients are so simple, & there doesn't appear to be a catalyst (like lye) to cause a true saponification to occur, (which chemically changes the ingredients into something "new"), & there isn't a lathering oil, like coconut oil (I think...brain is very blonde right now....) it may be a soap that just doesn't lather much. Again, if I'm remembering correctly (see comment above...) soap made with olive oil alone, does produce a harder soap, BUT doesn't really lather. That's why a lot of CP soaps use a combination of olive, palm & coconut oils to produce a nice bar that lathers well, & holds up well. I don't know that adding more glycerin will do much good, not sure if curing it any longer will help or not.... I'm sure there are some folks around who have more info on this than me...... Just guessing, Hazel

Sorry, already have 10 testers lined up, some people from across the country, a couple are my wholesale customers.....I usually just pick my scents by what I like, & by "instinct", but this time I decided to to some scent testing, just to see how close, or far off I REALLY am......then again, I may NOT want to know. I also thought it would be a good idea to let the wholesale folks preview upcoming things........ Depending on how this goes, I may just go back to the old way (me). It's been a borderline pain....I spent the weekend making tons of ½ size bars of soap, wrapping & labeling, now packing & getting ready to ship. I just hope these people get back to me with the results.....I've had to chase the soap base testers down, with the exception of Jill...she was the ONLY one who gave me detailed, scent by scent info, which I GREATLY appreciated! Anyway, off to pack the soap, & the ebay auctions....... Hazel

Hi there, I tried a great quality castile melt and pour recipe based on this one below (from an above comment) here with my substitutes in parentheses and what I had on hand. I want to sell these but my concern is this little oil is not enough to carry a scent in the soap. I did a lavender mint mix, a lavender only and a mint only and plain but could hardly smell a thing. The one without scent was teh same as teh ones with the drops. Usually for a human soap bar you woudl add about 2ml of lavender for example in 4 oz M & P soap, but assuming that is way to much for a dog so I do not want to increase that and have it be unsafe for the dogs as I know they process it differently then humans. Any advice? If I am labeling these with a scent customers will say I don't smell anything...thanks for any tips or what to say or label? Dog Soap Recipe #2 4 oz. melt and pour base 1 tablespoon herbal infused Apricot Kernal or Grapeseed oil (left out) 400 IU vitamin E (vets say it is great for the dogs coat) 1/2 tsp EMU oil (optional) I prefer the EMU to the vitamin E (left out) 1/4 teaspoon liquid glycerin (left out) 1/4 tsp essential oil of tea tree (left out) 5 - 7 drops of essential oil of citronella (lavender instead) 3 - 5 drops (each) pennyroyal peppermint or lavender (peppermint)

Hello and welcome to the world of soapmakers. I will try to answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. 1. You used a poor quality M&P soap. I make M&P soap, and it is wonderful. However, I only use the best available, and as far as performance, you can't tell it from Cold Process or Hot Process soap. If you want to make a good bar of soap, use a good base. Because of my allergies to additives, I have to use SFIC base, which is natural and contains no alcohols, surfactants, etc. The lather is exquisite. You can only purchase it on line at various places; I buy mine from Acorn Soap and Supplies. 2. Yes, all soap is made with lye, whether it is M&P, CP or HP. It all begins with lye. Properly made, there is no lye left, so to speak, when the saponification process is done. An improperly made lye soap can cause a lot of skin irritation, as the lye will burn the skin. (So I have heard- I have never used a bad bar of soap, but I have heard people talk about burning their skin.) 3. The differences in the types of soap are minimal as far as skin care. A high quality M&P like SFIC is just as easy on your skin as a super-fatted, all natural CP or HP soap. There are many skin conditioning additives that you can add to each kind of soap (yes, you add things to M&P to enhance it, if you so desire). As far as fragrance, M&P holds fragrance much better than CP or HP, and the fragrance is much more pronounced in M&P. Also, the same fragrance will smell totally different in M&P than it does in CP or HP because the saponification process (which the M&P has already undergone) drastically changes the fragrance. 4. I am not sure what Cetaphil is, but if it is a bar soap it is made with lye. Liquid soap does not contain lye, to the best of my knowledge. By far the best soap for eczema is African Black Soap. Just make sure you are buying real African Black Soap, which looks like a lump of dirt. This is what my customers use for eczema and I do, too. It is pricey, but worth every penny of it. Again, I have sensitivies to additives and chemicals, so I must use all-natural products, which is why I use the African Black Soap over conventional medications. I hope I have been of help. Happy soapmaking! Susan