Group Study Exercise for June. :)

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judiss
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Hello everyone,

Forgive the "post necromancy" but I promised I'd do the June study group task and intend to keep my word. Therefore, now that I've finally done it, I'd like to share what I've done.

My goal was to make herbal soap (cold process). Now, I ambitiously aimed to forage all the ingredients myself (even made a foraging charm for it) but eventually decided that, rather than make it extremely complicated in terms of ingredients, I'll just keep it simple. Forage what I can, buy what I can't.
The full list of ingredients is:
[*]Coconut oil (bought)
[*]Caustic soda (bought)
[*]Distilled water (from my lab)
[*]Mugwort (foraged from the grounds around my apartment)
[*]Juniper berries (bought)
[*]Lavender (some was foraged from an overgrown garden, some from a local graveyard)
[*]Lemon peel (from bought lemons)
[*]Rosemary (bought; ground up)
[*]Activated carbon (bought)
[*]Himalayan salt (bought)
[*]Box (serves as a mould; from some cookies I bought at the London airport)
Originally, I also wanted elderflower and dead nettle but never got around to really look for it; work got busy. I did also pick some chickory and daisy flowers but ultimately decided not to use it.

Now, this can definitely be done at home, but it was much easier in the lab. Here's what I did, mostly following a Rain Country recipe:
1. Measure out 8.5oz (241g) of water in a metal pot. I also measured this amount in a pyrex bottle and shoved all the other ingredients except carbon into the bottle and heated it to extract the juice from the ingredients (creating a sort of tea, if you will).
2. Measure out 3oz (85g) of caustic soda on a tray
3. Measure out 20oz (567g) of coconut oil and heat until it is completely liquid (I know you can buy coconut oil that is already pure liquid, but I bought the type that had a 24-degrees-Celsius melting point). I was able to throw in a magnetic stirring rod and heat it on a hotplate with a built-in magnetic stirrer which saved me manual stirring.
4. Add caustic soda to water SLOWLY, in a well-ventilated area. I used the fume hood. Basic chemistry rule: ALWAYS ADD any acid or base TO WATER. Never the other way around, especially if you're working with a substance with a pH on either extreme (around 1 or 14). Explosion or extreme heat may occur due to exothermic reaction. Stir until the caustic soda is completely dissolved (solution should look like water).
5. If the solution from step 4 is too hot (I'd say over 50 degrees Celsius), wait for it to cool down to at least the same temperature as the coconut oil. I was working with around 40 degrees Celsius.
6. Slowly pour in the coconut oil (this is to avoid splashback, don't worry, no explosions for this step). Begin stirring like a motherfucker. Unless you have a stick blender, just mix it with any spoon-like utensil as long as it is metal or plastic. I do not recommend using an egg beater or the like because 1) you really can't afford flinging the mixture around, 2) Good luck cleaning that afterward.
7. When the mixture begins to thicken (you can see tiny solid molecules in the fluid rather than a pure liquid), you can add in your herbs and essential oils... or the aforementioned "tea". I poured my herbal water a little at a time, through a filter paper funnel folded in 8ths (common in labs). Stir until the entire mixture looks the same (homogenized; not striped or streaky).
8. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken into a cookie dough consistency.
9. Coat the bottom of the cookie box with activated carbon powder.
10. Pour the mixture in and smoothen until it fits into the box as a solid block. sitr around and smoothen a few times to release any trapped air; the mixture will continue to release heat (though not as intensely as the caustic soda solution). This is because your soap is hardening; turning from a liquid state into a solid state which necessitates the release of heat (because the reverse, adding heat/taking in heat would be meltin: solid to liquid).
11. Press in any herbs you have to create a design that you enjoy. You can also press in stamps or draw on the soap, whatever you like. You can see what I did with mine below:
IMG_0656.jpg
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12. Let cure (leave it alone) for about 1 month for best results. You can use it before then but it will definitely make for shittier soap. Like right now, it is very good at washing metal but leaves skin very slippery. Now you may be saying "ffs, judiss that's a huge block of soap". True. You can cut it apart when it hardens.

WARNING: Caustic soda is very basic. It will corrode anything organic, including skin, flesh, and wood! Therefore, only use plastic, rubber, or metal materials when handling it. If you do get a tiny, tiny bit on your skin and it causes redness, simply rinse under cool water and wash well with soap. If the exposure is greater, treat the affected area with vinegar to neutralize the base.

Notes: This soap is meant for me to use as a replacement for the typical cleansing bath/ritual bath. I can't take baths in my tiny apartments so showering and ritual soap is definitely the way to go. That's why I have salt, lemon, and rosemary which are reputed for cleansing. I threw in lavender mostly because it's probably my favourite smell. Mugwort because it supposedly augments your psychic faculties. Juniper... because juniper water tastes good, I felt like it might smell good in soap? Carbon because it's apparently nice for cleaning your teeth and face. Show your body some love. I put it on the bottom of the box so when the soap is done and you cut it, it's got the herb design on one side and the carbon on the other. It's aesthetic, aight?

Anyway, this is my fulfillment of the June prompt. Feel free to ask me about the soap or saponification/the science aspect. I'll be glad to help out maybe.
ᛚᛇᚲᚾᚨᚱᛁ:ᚹᛟᚱᛞ
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Image: "Faust in his Study" - oil on canvas - by Philipp Winterwerb
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How big is that block? O)O Did you use anything to keep to from sticking in the pan? Nice looking soap, and you did it yourself! My demons are excited that we are learning skills like this.
“If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn

"The Master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried."

Do not rely on ANYTHING, unexamined. If It does not seem to fit, ask about it. If it ultimately degrades or dishonors or holds you back, it is bad for you, so remove it from your life. If it takes from you and never gives back, it is a leech. Discard it. In magick rely only on your own work: What you have seen and done and used for your own self and in your own way. Only keep what in your own estimation is worth keeping. (Hellcat's Rules Of Satanic Magick)"

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judiss
Posts: 261
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:31 pm
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Your favourite Demon?: Lilith, Ronove, Beelzebub
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Satan's Hellcat wrote:How big is that block? O)O Did you use anything to keep to from sticking in the pan? Nice looking soap, and you did it yourself! My demons are excited that we are learning skills like this.
The block fits in one of these tins with about 1cm between the top of the soap and the lid. I anticipate making about 6 bars from this (cutting off some excess around the edges).
As for the sticking, fortunately, most if not all substances except water shrink when it turns into a solid. You can already see in the photo the soap is shying away from the tin. Therefore, when it's done curing, you can just dunk it out. But, I did coat the bottom with activated carbon (mostly for aesthetic purposes) which discourages sticking to the bottom surface. From what I've seen though, most folks prefer using one of those rubber, flexible moulds which I donøt have and cba to buy haha.

Thanks for the compliments, also, SH! Can't wait to make more soap now that I have all this caustic soda lying around. Besides, I've realized that, if anything, it's better using lab equipment for illicitly making soap because... I can easily make a clean getaway (aaaaaAAAWWW YEAAHHH).

DISCLAIMER: I'm not linking the tin for you to buy it; I cannot be less arsed. I have no affiliation with Walker biscuits or whatever they're called.
ᛚᛇᚲᚾᚨᚱᛁ:ᚹᛟᚱᛞ
Mabooka of the Iiopotto

Image: "Faust in his Study" - oil on canvas - by Philipp Winterwerb
Calin
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Awesome work Judiss, and you cleaned up with the pun! :crazy:
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judiss
Posts: 261
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Calin wrote:Awesome work Judiss, and you cleaned up with the pun! :crazy:
Well I figured if that'll lighten up the post, "soapy" it. :cooldevil:

By the way, I wanted to share this hilarious photo I took during the process:
IMG_0655.jpg
IMG_0655.jpg (66.56 KiB) Viewed 4072 times
How witchy is that? :crazy: :crazy: Honestly, the further I walk down this path, the more I feel like I either don't belong at all or I belong so, so hard. :witch2:
Now, you might be saying "damn, judiss! You're trying not to get caught but you're doing this in broad daylight?" Well funny story, my hardcore football fan coworker who walked in unexpectedly on a Sunday afternoon the day of the World Cup final ( :lame: ) is actually two benches away. Either she didn't notice because I'm that good at covering it up or she didn't and decided not to ask questions. After taking the photo, I threw a labcoat over the setup (don't worry, lab coats are flame retardant).
ᛚᛇᚲᚾᚨᚱᛁ:ᚹᛟᚱᛞ
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Image: "Faust in his Study" - oil on canvas - by Philipp Winterwerb
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Chrysopaelian
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Judiss, you did an awesome job!

Such a lot involved in your plan there, and you still managed to pull it off, that earns you a lot of respect from me. 8-)
It's things like this that make me wish the world was a little smaller, I would have given you some juniper berries if I could--there are some growing about a block away from my house. (Hm... this gives me ideas.) I'm glad this worked out so well for you and that nobody gave you a hassle for using the lab equipment :)

Also a little off-topic, but I enjoyed reading about your Lilith encounter as well. A big ol high 5 from Chrys just for you doing you and sharing what you've been up to.
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S̡̻͎̺͖̟̋̌͗͊̀͆͘͡t̵̥̬̜͍̥̽̅̒́͋̊̍͞o̩̻̪̣͚̘͓̳̰̯̎̍̄̈́̕͘l̷̞͔͓̭̹͖̳̅̅̃̂͐ơ̛̛̱̩͇͍͈̫̖͋͗̅̍̂́͢s̢̡̺̖̯̱̮̼̠̪̾̿͆̄́̅̅̿̀̾ Ŕ͉̫̩̟̪̳̀̑͛̇̓͢͢͠ͅa̵̗̯̭͓̘̞̜̓̓̐̀̑̏̾̾̕͘m͍͈͔̯͌̌̎̒̄́̍͟e̛̮̻͈͕̭̲͛̀̊͂̕͟͞c̴̱͖̰̠̤͉̥̣̲͛̅͗̿̀͊͊̈̐̐͟ v̬͉̞̜̺͚͒̒̓͂̉́͒͑̇͘͟i̭̰̰̥͑̏̏̀͛͟͟͞ả̸͈͇̻̦̱̿̾̾͐͌̌͟ṡ͙̙̝̯͎̩͂̃̒̕͜͢ă͍͔̟͇̞̣̩͈̪̎̆̃̆͟ ơ̴̤̰͎̲̬̙̺̪̋̑͛͡ṉ̵̡̧̖͆̓̊̌̄͜ c̸̛̹͙̗̮̻̾̎̀͌̄͜ȃ̶̡̡̹̬̞͖̼́̉̄͞͠
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User avatar
judiss
Posts: 261
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:31 pm
Patron Deities: Lucifer
Your favourite Demon?: Lilith, Ronove, Beelzebub
Number of Demon Familiars: 5
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 40 times

Chrysopaelian wrote:Judiss, you did an awesome job!

Such a lot involved in your plan there, and you still managed to pull it off, that earns you a lot of respect from me. 8-)
It's things like this that make me wish the world was a little smaller, I would have given you some juniper berries if I could--there are some growing about a block away from my house. (Hm... this gives me ideas.) I'm glad this worked out so well for you and that nobody gave you a hassle for using the lab equipment :)
Thanks Chrys! I guess all things considered I could make some more soap with more/other ingredients in the future. Speaking of, I'm still waiting on your post about mulberries :devil:P
Surprisingly, there aren't many juniper trees around where I am. I only know the local graveyard has a very wide variety of coniferous trees but none of them have berries growing out of 'em because of course they don't. Oh well.
Chrysopaelian wrote: Also a little off-topic, but I enjoyed reading about your Lilith encounter as well. A big ol high 5 from Chrys just for you doing you and sharing what you've been up to.
Hahahaha yes. Well. You know what they say: one writes best about what they know, and what do I know better than my life? I wish I could provide more posts that others would find useful. But, sort of on topic: my experience with Lilith is inspiring me to make some more soap with love spell ingredients for future use ;)
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Calin
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@judiss Honestly, I can't see why they would have a substantive issue with you making soap or essential oils in your spare time. Although it could be the start of a 'slippery' slope and you find you want to do nothing else but make these things! Either way don't get into a 'lather' about it! :ninja: I know what you mean, the further down the rabbit hole you go the more it becomes part of you, but every now and then you do a double take and go - wtf? Ordering my first replica skull was one of those moments for me. Meh. Love it - live it!! :headbang:
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