Monday, December 12, 2011

A Jolt of Java





I still remember the firs time I used coffee in my soap.


As naive (and ignorant) as a newbie can be, I was completely unprepared for the stink that was about to assault my nose as I poured my lye into my freshly brewed coffee.  The fragrant coffee aroma quickly turned into what I'd like to describe as the smell of deep-fried shrimps.   Not that I know what deep-fried shrimps (with shells!) smell like, but interestingly enough, some of my fellow soap friends all come up with the same description.  Deep fried shrimps.  With shells.





I stop adding coffee into my soaps after that horrible first attempt, but I never stop dreaming of soaps with natural coffee aroma (without using any fragrance oil).   With this recent attempt, I think I've got it!


I call these my Triple Shots - the oils are infused with fresh coffee grinds for 4 months, the water is replaced with super concentrated frozen coffee, and before the soap is pored into the mold, more coffee grinds!







The end result is this chocolate-like soap with a mild coffee scent - not the popular coffee fragrance, but the subtle smell of coffee grinds.   I love it!  Now I only hope that the scent stays and that I don't get brown suds with all these fine coffee grinds in the soap. ;)










19 comments:

  1. I love coffee smelling, but I don't drink, so your soaps are perfect for me. Congratulations.

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  2. Mmmmm! They look like lovely chunks of dark chocolate....

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  3. Love the look of these soaps... LOVE LOVE LOVE the photos. I think you are a wonderful photographer. Let us know how the natural soap scent lasts... and how these perform. xoxo Jen

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  4. Now that is a labor of love!! And your photos just make them look absolutely perfect. :)

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  5. To Michelle,

    Thank you!

    To Julia & Amy from Tenth Avenue,

    I'm quite happy with the way they turn out. It never hurts to have
    something that looks and smells like food!

    To Jen & Amy,

    Sometimes I find it difficult to take soap photos and I usually run
    out of ideas as to how to position and present the soaps. I'm glad
    you like what I did this time!

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    Replies
    1. Wow Maggie your soaps and photography are amazing! Canadian Soap Makers Rock! :p It is great that your coffee soap worked out...working with liquids other than water can be challenging sometimes but so worth it! Mike :)

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    3. Thanks Mike! You're right about Canadian soap makers, there are so many talents out there! We're just all being our Canadian selves, humble and all. :)

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  6. Haha, fried shrimp with shells! I think it's great that you were able to reach the goal of coffee scent without a fragrance oil, congratulations! =)

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  7. Ewww, stinky shrimp. LOL! I luv the scent of coffee in soaps. Your soap looks awesome!

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  8. the soap looks lovely!
    I also plan to do a coffe soap but I am afraid of mixing the naoh with the coffee, how do you know that everything dissolves...?
    love louisa.

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  9. To Anne-Marie, Michelle,

    I'm still in love with that faint scent of coffee in these soaps. I can't wait to bring them with me to the shower so I can see if hot water does anything to encourage the aroma. :)


    To Louisa,

    The only tip I have for you is to be patient and careful. Make sure you scrap the bottom of your mixture to check if any lye crystals are left undissolved. Have fun with your coffee soap!

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  10. Thank you! Yes maybe I should stir just extra long to make sure everything dissolves properly. well at last I will see if everything is ok, which will be the time when i will cut the soap ^^

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