Favorite soap recipe?

[staceyshoe]

I just made my first batch of soap this week and can't wait to do it again. So, for all you soapers out there, please share your favorite recipe(s)!

[Monkeyfeet]

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[resimom]

it depends on what you want from the soap really. different oils yield different types of soap. i like soap that is not rock hard, not slimey, and makes big fluffy bubbles. some people like smaller bubbles and a perfectly hard bar.

so, what do you like in a soap? that really will determine what recipe works best for you.

[staceyshoe]

I've never used homemade soap before so I'm not sure what I would want. Since I'm used to commercial bars, I think I would prefer a rather hard bar. I don't know what else I want. I guess that's why I was wondering what other people like best. After I try a couple of recipes, I'll probably have a better idea what I want. Right now I'm just looking for something "tried and true" that other people like well.

[mamangazelle]

http://www.millersoap.com/

has many, many recipes, and they comment on each one (saying if it is hard, lathers a lot,...)

[AngelBee]

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[ashleep]

I have made 5 batches so far. I love them all equally. Actually, only 1 is fully cured but I have cheated and used a sliver from each one already.

millersoap is where I did most of my reading, along with www.thesoapdishforum.com

I like a decently hard bar, but I'm not too particular about having big fluffy lather. I prefer a mild soap, so I use no more than 15-20% coconut oil. Let's see... maybe..
35% olive (or a combo or olive and safflower/canola/other)
15% coconut
5-8% castor
15% palm
25-30% lard

My first batch was vegan and it's a great bar of soap, mostly olive with coconut and castor and canola. But all the others have lard and they're great. And that stuff is cheeaaaappp!

I'm still a beginner soaper but I feel fairly knowledgeable for a newbie, so ask any questions you want.

[3bees~1flower]

Be careful with this soap thing...once you start, there ain't no stoppin'!! it's ADDICTIVE! i have been making soap since the end of Feb of last year, so coming up on my first anniversary of soapmaking. i still don't have base recipe per se...it's hard to come up with just one when there are so many possibilities.

a great source of info is a forum i was introduced by a MDC mama (hi, Michelle!) it's www.the-whisk.com GREAT site!

[ashleep]

lol, oh yeah, I forgot to mention how addicting it is! At this very moment I am suppressing the urge to make soap in favor of things that actually *need* to be done.

[3bees~1flower]

you mean i'm sposed to surpress that urge ...is THAT why my laundry never gets done??

[Tummy]

I've never actually made soap before.

Sounds like fun, and of course as pp have said addictive. Just what I need.

[EricaLeigh]

I'm on the verge of making my first batch. I ordered the soapmakers companion from the library. I have a stick blender. I need to find lye. I'm not sure if I will have trouble getting it locally as some people now have reported. I also need to get my hands on a proper pot. Where do you buy lard? Is it really just called lard? I've been doing lots of reading too. There is just so much info it is a little intimidating. I'd love more tips or great first recipes for a newbie!

[mamabird32]

I can't wait to make my next batch of soap!!
I'm on the lookout for some lye...for some reason it's hard to get right now???
I like to use The Soapmakers Companion as a reference. It has wonderful reciepes as well as information.
I, personally make a vegetarian soap using, coconut and palm oils as my base and I use also a variety of other oils and always essential oils!!
Good Luck making your next batch.

[3bees~1flower]

Rd Devil has stopped manufacturing lye b/c of all the meth makers....nice, huh? so soapers are having to resort to buying lye in bulk from various soap supply companies.

Erika...you can lard at the grocery store or wallmart. you can get it in various sized pakgs.."morrell" is a brand that you can look for, in a bluish-green box...or "armour" brand that is pakged in two different sized tubs. look in the oil section on the store.

[ashleep]

Re: lye-
In my search for lye I went to Ace Hardware and asked if they had it. They were clueless, so I looked in the drain cleaner section and found Rooto brand drain opener. It didn't say 100% lye, so when I got home I called their cust. service # nd asked. The lady said they started producing 100% oure lye in Oct 2005 (to pick up where Red Devil left off?), but that a lot of the stores still have old stock that's not pure lye. She said to only use it in soap if you can open the jar and see only white crystals. The jars at my store are not sealed with plastic or anyhting so I could open it and check. If there are little metallic shavings/pellets/balls DO NOT USE FOR SOAP!


I found Red Devil lye over Christmas vacation in Pennsylvania. We stopped for gas at a small general store in a farming community; I bought 9 cans.

[EricaLeigh]

Thanks Carrie! Gee, I hope I can find lye around here!

[cpierce]

lye

Depending where you live, you can purchase Lye from a company in Dallas Texas. I went looking for lye when I found out the stopped making Red Devil Lye. When I called them they gave me a price of $34.50 for a 50lb. bag. What was expensive was the freight. The company is.....

Univar
214-340-7300