How do you make your bar soap? need a recipe!

[autumnbloom]

I'm really interested in making our own soaps (not glycerin if i can avoid it - just dont like it ) Here's a couple of examples of the STYLE of soaps i'd like to make. i think these have an olive oil base? anyone have any ideas??

http://static.flickr.com/84/26849328...db39d2.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/68/21830017...6de450.jpg?v=0

thank you!!!

[autumnbloom]

remind me to check google more often

miller soap has some good recipes, but they contain lye... is that common? i've never made my own soap before. i'm just concerned about chemicals... :

[autumnbloom]

ok i'm a ditz.... apparently all (most anyway!) soap is made with lye (thank you google! again!)

so.... is this okay? bad? good? i read that the lye goes through a chemical reaction that changes the fats into fat & glycerin combo that makes soap....

ok lol... soooooo - there's no such thing as a glycerin free soap.... or a lye-free soap.... right?

[mgilleran@earth-co]

ok lol... soooooo - there's no such thing as a glycerin free soap.... or a lye-free soap.... right?
That is right. No lye, no soap. I started making soap earlier this year. It is so much fun & very addictive. You are right to be cautious about lye. It is not as bad as it sounds sometimes, if you take the correct precautions. You have to be so careful not to contaminate anything else & proper clean up is a must. There was a thread on here a while back about soapmaking.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=526924

I would also read everything I could online & I highly recommend checking out a book from your library. That way you have a guide to use as you make your first batch. Just remember to wear gloves, long sleeved shirt, pants & googles. I don't ever mix my lye in the house. I don't want to take a chance on the lye particles gettin gon anything. It is a hobby that requires a lot of stuff to get ready ( digital scales, etc) but it is so worth it. PM me if yuo ever have any questions.

[autumnbloom]

thank you!!!

[MellowMama]

Can anyone tell me where to purchase lye? I was told you could get it in the Drano section of the grocery store, but I can't find it. I would prefer to buy it locally rather than online. I really want to try soapmaking!

[Spastica]

I'd suggest taking a soapmaking class first - I took one once and they teach you how to correctly handle lye, what tools you need, and how to put the correct amount of lye per batch you make (it's a calculation - if you don't calculate it correctly, you get a hazardous batch of soap).

The essentials of using a non-corrosive pot (use a heavy stainless steel pot vs. tin, aluminum, iron, or zinc pots, which are very corrosive) and helpful gadgets like stick-blenders make soapmaking easy too. You have to use tools that don't corrode or get destroyed with the lye process. The lye reaction also creates a lot of heat, so you have to be careful handling the mixture.

I personally don't think you can just jump into true soapmaking without some sort of detailed book or a class. Maybe the other mamas can back me up here. Norma Coney's soapmaking book is a good one.

If you want to make melt and pour soap and add your own essential oils, herbs and whatnot, try grating Dove Sensitive soap (which is the cheapest, closest, and safest thing to natural soap) or buy flaked castile soap online and melt the mixture, let cool a little and then add your ingredients. Pour this mixture into molds and let harden for a week. Slice to desired shape and let cure for a month.

As for lye - Red Devil lye used to be found near the Drano - but unfortunately it's banned from groceries stores because people buy it and make Meth out of it. As a result, there are more regulations for selling lye now.

You can get lye from soapmaking stores or online stores. FromNatureWithLove.com should have it.

[SabraMamma]

I haven't made my own soap in a few years (I really should get back in the habit) but I used to get the red devil lye from the local hardware shop. I dont know if the meth thing would pertain to hardware stores, but i would try looking there.

[solidcitizqueen]

I'm revisiting the thought of making soap again, as it's been about 10 years. I loved doing it (although some didn't come out quite so amazing), and love the thought of KNOWING what's in the soap we're using (although we're buying natural soaps now, after all the yucky stuff is used up). I can get away w/ tossing the kids' soap now, and hubby would never know the diff, I just can't toss his. 3 out of 4 isn't bad, and he used to use crap bar soap, so switching him back to bar may not be too difficult. Somebody put a fire under my butt to get me back into soaping. Anyone know the savings average by making it at home these days? I'm saving TONS on laundry soap, but don't know about the bar soap savings, if any.

Thanks!

[mgilleran@earth-co]

I think that if you were to compare it to the "crap bar soap" there would be little to no savings since it is so cheap. But to compare the cost to quality natural soap ($2-4/bar)there is a savings. Aside from the huge satisfaction I get knowing that I am making everything that goes on my family's body from head to toe. I use the cheapest olive oil I can find (not extra virgin). The main cost is getting set up (good scales mainly). But if you already have those it isn't bad. I really enojy it. I have GOT to get a new batch made so it has time to cure before Christmas for gifts!

[solidcitizqueen]

Thanks for your experience. I was mainly wanting to compare the cost to store bought natural soap, since that's what I've most recently bought for myself. The kids are turning up their noses at the thought of going back to bar soap, but we'll do some reading together about the ingredient risks, since it's been a couple of years. It will only take one talk to convert them! I'm so excited. Time to hit the library on Sunday to check out some books again, since I donated my old ones years ago! I can't wait!
I'm jealous that you're ahead of the game, and ready for Christmas w/ the soap curing in time. Lucky!

[JessicaS]

Dove Sensitive Soap contains: sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium isethionate, tetrasodium EDTA, and trisodium etidronate.

They aren't actually required to give a full ingrediant listing for "soap" only "cosmetics"

I like the Soap Making book by Country Living for learning how to make soap. It contains pretty simple recipes and detailed instructions.

You can find lye at soap making supply sites. I like brambleberry.com

Oh..on basic olive oil soap..it takes AGES to trace, you *must* use a stick blender or your arm is just going to fall right off. It is hard as a rock once it cures and V. nice.

[JBaxter]

Originally Posted by MellowMama

Can anyone tell me where to purchase lye? I was told you could get it in the Drano section of the grocery store, but I can't find it. I would prefer to buy it locally rather than online. I really want to try soapmaking!

I found it where I find everything else EBay LOL. There are several soap making "ebay stores".

[paschallraschalls]

Olive oil?

mgilleran@earth-co _Where do you get your olive oil?

[JessicaS]

Well, I buy Olive Oil at costco 5 quarts for around $15.

The thing is, you don't really *need* extra virgin in soap, and if you use extra virgin it will retain that olive oil smell a little.

Also, darker oil will produce darker soap.

[Siennaflower]

I found a ton of soap making advice here http://www.soapdishforum.com/forum/

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by FlutterBee

I found a ton of soap making advice here http://www.soapdishforum.com/forum/

Oh! I am a member there..but..they changed the site since I have been there. I wonder if my username still works. :

[amcal]

Originally Posted by Spastica

The essentials of using a non-corrosive pot (heavy aluminum pot) and helpful gadgets like stick-blenders make soapmaking easy too. You have to use tools that don't corrode or get destroyed with the lye process. The lye reaction also creates a lot of heat, so you have to be careful handling the mixture.

I'm not picking on you I swear but this is absolutely incorrect. Absolutely DO NOT use an aluminum pot when soapmaking!!! The lye will react with the aluminum and it will start bubbling up. ALWAYS use a stainless steel pot when making soap.

[Spastica]

I don't even recall what I meant when I said that. I probably wanted to add in the parenthesis (aluminum is corrosive compared to glass and other materials).

Yup. Losing my touch and not typing what I know. See ya.

[amcal]

I really swear I'm not picking on you. But, you might want to edit your post where you suggest using an aluminum pot. If people don't read further down, they may take this advice but, using aluminum can be really dangerous. The lye will react with the aluminum and raw soap can bubble up and climb out of the pot.