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Fancy Soap Bars

July 14, 2016 @ 20:51 By Gavin Webber 3 Comments

About three weeks ago, Kim and I taught on of our Advanced Soap Making workshops.  During each workshop we make two 1 kg batches of soap in front of the students.

This is to show them different techniques that they may want to practice and make during the class.

In this class we made two quite exceptional bars; Dragon’s Blood Scrub and a Forbidden Fantasy Scrub.  Both bars contained poppy seeds as a natural exfoliant.

Poppy seeds are much better to use than microbeads as an exfoliant (the latter enters the ecosystem and doesn’t break down) and are mild on the skin.  That and the fact that they breakdown and rot after a few weeks in water.

I love a good scrub in the shower and using these bars are quite invigorating!

Dragons Blood Scrub Bar

Dragon’s Blood Scrub Bar

The scent of this bar is quite unusual.  So many of our students go crazy over it, but it just makes me sneeze!  Yes I had to tell it like it is.

Forbidden Fantasy Scrub Bar

Forbidden Fantasy Scrub Bar

I think they turned out rather well.  During the class, I perform all the chemistry, and Kim does all the layering and swirls.  She is very creative like that.

Anyway, as the post title suggests, fancy soap bars are what we do.  I love guiding the students during class when they make their own soapy creations.  Some of the patterns and colours are just amazing.

Here’s a video I made when unboxing and cutting up the Forbidden Fantasy Scrub.


 
We are also experimenting with natural clays as well and hope to offer another class that is all about making soap with 100% natural ingredients.  As it’s under development we’re not sure when it will be available.

So, what do you think of our soap?  Have you made any fancy soap bars of late?  What process do you use?  Melt and Pour, Cold Process, or Hot Process?  Which one do you prefer and why?

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Filed Under: Soap Making

Taking Your Soap Making To The Next Level

February 11, 2016 @ 22:53 By Gavin Webber 4 Comments

Soap making is so much fun, even for a bloke like me.  So once you’ve mastered the basic chemistry behind combining fatty acids with an alkali and water, how do you take soap making to the next level?

Basic Soap making

Single colour soap

Well I truly believe that like anything in life, you have to practice.

Practice regularly, until you become proficient at it.

And that is exactly what Kim and I do.  We practice making soap, including many of the techniques that we strive to teach at our basic and advanced soap making workshops.

Why just last weekend we made 4 kg of soap in four batches, trying our hand at natural clays and pigments, new layering techniques, and top decoration.

Before you attempt cold process soap making, I highly recommend that you watch first this safety video titled Care with Lye.

Now that safety is taken care of, here are a few of our videos that we’ve made during our soap making sessions here at home.  We make them mainly to keep a record of each technique, but also for our reference if we make a particularly amazing looking soap so we can replicate it again.

Basic Layering

Layering is quite easy.  Firstly bring your soap batter to a medium trace, then split it into two and colour each parts separately.  Pour the first half into the mould and allow 10 minutes for it to go firm, then pour in the second layer on top and create a few peaks on top.

Here is an example of basic layering with our Lemon Cream Pie soap.

Pretty easy, but doesn’t it look amazing.

Advanced Layering

Layering three or more colours can be quite daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it is a breeze.  Just make sure you only bring your soap batter to a light trace which is still quite runny.  Then split into your desired colours, mix well, and drizzle back and forth in your soap mould until you use up all your batter.

Here is an example of more advanced layering with our Juicy Clementine soap.

Using Embeds

Embeds are object, usually previously made soap, that you put into your soap batter to create a dramatic effect.  We like to call it chunk soap because of the large chunks of not quite right older bars that we place into some of our batches.

Chunk Soap

Chunk Soap

And another method we use is called confetti soap.  We throw in any old soap shavings we’ve been saving and create quite a nice effect.

Confetti Soap

Confetti Soap

 As you can see, the patterns are quite random, and no bar is exactly the same.

Natural Colours

We have been experimenting with Australian clays to colour our soap.  We haven’t quite perfected it yet because the final product tends to be very dark.

Here are a couple of examples.  This one is using natural ochre and clays to create a layering technique.

Ochre Layering

Ochre Layering

It’s not quite there yet and turned out quite dark in the final bar.  We may need to add a tiny amount of TiO2 to each clay to lighten it.

Ochre layering next day

Ochre layering next day

I think that we will stick to a single colour in the next experiment because we both like the red and green colours the clay produces.  We also made another bar that has an amazing green clay in it that also features some plunging effects.  It has a deep olive tone which I really like.

Soap with green clay - soap making to the next level

Soap with green clay

Soap Making to the Next Level

These are just some of the ways of taking your soap making to the next level.  We learnt all these techniques through experimentation and practice.  That’s what it takes, lots of practice.  There are no overnight soap making gurus, which is what we tell all our students who attend our Basic and Advanced soap making courses.

One thing I do know for sure is that come the zombie apocalypse, our family will be extremely clean from all the soap we have stockpiled 😉

So how have you taken your soap making to the next level.  Do you keep it all natural, or do you go crazy with colour?

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Filed Under: Soap Making, Sustainable Living

Soap Making Update: Good to Go!

September 2, 2015 @ 20:29 By Gavin Webber 13 Comments

For those following the drama, here is a soap making update.

The great news is that I got it sorted.  The soap making product liability insurance issue we had is no more.

I rang up our insurance company again, talked to a lovely lady (different from the last one).  I talked through my issue, asked specific questions about making and selling soap, and we came to an understanding.

It turns out that we are covered as long as we are registered with NICNAS and all the ingredients are listed for each bar of soap we are covered for making and selling soap as per regulations.  I even got the ruling in writing and was backed up by her supervisor.

So it certainly pays to follow-up with your existing insurer one last time before going through the hassle of moving to another due to misunderstanding.  I suppose it’s like that for most things in life!

For those of you who want follow this up themselves, the company was YOUI and the policy is a Business Liability Insurance.  You have to have an Australian Business Number and have a registered business to be eligible for this type of policy.  We are not affiliated with the company, just happy customers.

Soapy smiles all round!

Soapy smiles all round!

Anyway crisis over and we have relisted our soap products on Little Green Workshops.  There is no stopping us now from selling our most excellent handmade soap!

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Filed Under: Little Green Workshops, Soap Making

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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Podcast Reviews

  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

  • ms
    July 22, 2016 by Ketaea12 from New Zealand

    I really enjoy listening to Gavin, he has a kind lovely voice. He covers some great relevant topics for the everyday greenie. With lots of tips or how to or what not to do. Thanks Gavin, love it!!

  • Well worth your time to tune in
    October 23, 2015 by A Vision Splendid from Australia

    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

  • very good
    June 28, 2015 by Scared pax from United Kingdom

    This is a great podcast if you want to improve your life in so many aspects and become a more sustainable person. I love the soothing voice, the good pace, and it contains lots of useful information. Recommended!

  • opened my eyes
    May 25, 2015 by Gorn4lyfe from Australia

    A wonderful show!

  • Inspiring
    April 30, 2015 by Alan Whelan from Ireland

    This is a great podcast if you're looking for practical info on saving money by living more sustainably from someone who's made that journey over the last few years. Told in a nice, easy conversational style

  • Green Living, inspiring and practical
    January 8, 2015 by EliseMac from Australia

    Thanks Gav for sharing what has (and hasn't) worked along your journey for living a greener lifestyle. Inspiring and achievable for anyone, I look forward to this podcast weekly.

  • Local food equals less waste
    December 27, 2014 by allotmentadventureswithjean from Australia

    Another brilliant podcast from Gavin Webber encouraging us, and showing us how, to cut down on food miles, growing our own food, and cutting down on food waste. Gavin is a really interesting speaker, showing us how to eat better, growing our own food and how to live more sustainably.

  • Honestly australian
    December 15, 2014 by HodgepodgeOz from Australia

    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

  • Morning motivation
    December 8, 2014 by Bunnyworm from Australia

    Gavin has a great passion for living this greener lifestyle that motivates others to do the same. The podcasts are always interesting and informative. :)

  • Passionate Advocate
    October 18, 2014 by BoomOpGirl from Australia

    Gavin's enthusiasm and passion for creating a more sustainable world is nothing short of contagious. Thanks Gav, you are my weekly source of motivation for living a sustainable life! :)

  • Gavin speaks from the heart
    October 13, 2014 by Green gavin from Australia

    Gavin's podcasts are required listening for anyone planning to live a more sustainable life. He doesn't preach, but tells you his story from the heart. You'll laugh, smile, share in his concerns and along the way you'll pick up some great tips on living a simple life.

  • Green thoughts, so well iterated
    October 9, 2014 by Kwasikwami from Australia

    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

  • Easy listening inspiration on being green
    September 24, 2014 by Broomedy from Australia

    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
    August 31, 2014 by Honeywoodmilk from Australia

    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

  • Enjoyed those ideas for staying warm
    August 15, 2014 by enduringdragon from United States

    Like you we are having winter here in Chile—brrr! Every bit we can save on heating we will.

  • Green Podcasts
    July 26, 2014 by Carneu from Australia

    Excellent podcasts, which are full of information to help get started on a sustainable lifestyle.

  • Practical ideas and inspiration
    July 19, 2014 by HeathrowHeath from Australia

    I highly recommend Gavin's podcast and blog. Down to earth, entertaining and inspirational. Thank you.

  • Interesting & easy to listen to
    April 27, 2014 by Velocity3 from New Zealand

    Gavin & his guests make this green journey lots of fun.

  • Great green listen
    April 18, 2014 by Obscurenickname from Australia

    Gavin is a great down to earth, tell it like it is aussie with a passion for sustainability and growing food and making cheese

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