Glad I Didn't Throw Out My Old Thermometer
Yesterday I made a batch of CPHP (crock pot hot process) soap. The flashpoint of the fragrance I was going to scent the batch with was 200ºF. I pointed my laser thermometer at the soap as soon as it had finished cooking. It gave a reading of 160º. That didn't look right. I wondered how soap that hadn't had a chance to cool, already be below the fragrance flashpoint? I took out my old thermometer which has a probe, stuck it into the soap, and sure enough, it gave me a reading of over 200º!Another soaping lesson learned. What has been your biggest lesson learned?

Soapmaking Timesavers
I’m a klutz. No matter how hard I try to line a soap mold, I can never get it right. I watched the videos on You Tube. I read the tutorials. I was still mold lining challenged. That’s why I was thrilled when

What's Your Soap?
The laws surrounding soap labeling can be confusing. Soap can fall into three catagories 1) soap 2) cosmetic 3) drugThe United States Food and Drug Administration defines soap as• The bulk of the nonvolatile matter in the product consists of an alkali salt of fatty acids and the product's detergent properties are due to the alkali-fatty acid compounds, and• The product is labeled, sold, and represented solely as soap [21 CFR 701.20].(Source: US Food and Drug Administration)If a soap makes no other claims than its intended purpose, as a cleanser, then the soap is not a cosmetic under FDA guidelines and is not sub

Look for the Label
I was on the phone the other day with a customer. She was interested in a particular fragrance and was looking for a local vendor so she could avoid high shipping charges. She joked that I should be ready for lots of business as she has a lot of co-workers. I joked back that I had to check if I had enough labels. She told me that it was okay, she’d buy the products without labels. I told her that I couldn’t sell her products without labels – it’s the law.Cosmetic manufacturers must label their products. The label must include1) the identity of the product - what the product is (e.g. body wash, lotion, scrub)2) name and place of business of the manufacturer, p

New Fragrances at You Scent Me
Three new fragrances have been added to You Scent Me's lineup:Energy - A FABULOUS blend of citrus including Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime, with hints of fresh Cucumber and Jasmine, and a touch of Pineapple, Blackberry and Champagne.Lavender - a classicSqueaky Clean - A clean unisex fragrance that smells like you just stepped out of the shower.