[velcromom]

I have been making my own soap and have found that it is much less drying to the skin, and I like knowing exactly what is in it!<br><br>
I found out that many cleansing bars sold at the store have no soap, only detergents in them, and that most commercial brands that really are soap have had their glycerin removed so the company can sell it for other uses. My skin is so sensitive to all that, I hadn't used soap on my skin for years til I began making my own.<br><br>
If there are any other soapers out there, I'd love to share recipes and soaomaking tips with all of you, or if anyone is interested in trying it, same thing.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[Peppamint]

My mom and I have been reading up on it... we're in the process of researching what we need and deciding when/where to do it. We both have small kitchens and not much storage space, so we need to figure how to get around that.<br><br><a href="http://millersoap.com/" target="_blank">******'s Soap Page</a> has lots of recipes and helpful hints. Anyone else have a favorite link or book?<br><br>
I've been buying handmade soaps such as Tami's Soaps because they are so much nicer to my sensitive, dry skin!<br><br>
Okay... Since I haven't actually made my own soap <b>yet</b>, I'll shut up now! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"><br><br>
PS- I like your siggie! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">

 

[JessicaS]

I do!! I do!!<br><br>
The soap making book by Country Living is pretty basic and simple. I think it is the best book to learn with.<br><br>
The Soapmakers Companion is more complicated and the recipes often call for pretty exotic and expensive oils. It is a fantastic resource once you get the basics down. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Most of the recipes in the Country Living book are coconut, palm, and olive but they do have some with more exotic oils in them

 

[velcromom]

I love the ****** site too. Here's another one you might find interesting..<br><br><a href="http://waltonfeed.com/old/soap/soapchem.html" target="_blank">http://waltonfeed.com/old/soap/soapchem.html</a><br><br>
I learned the basics from the old classic, 'Soap, Making it, Enjoying it' and learned the updated techniques pretty much all online at different sites.<br><br><br>
As for the space issue, I like to keep things simple and I don't have a lot of equipment. I use a scale, a stick blender, a glass candy thermometer, a plastic bowl and a couple of spoons. And a pair of goggles from Home Depot & gloves. I started with a stainless steel pot but it is too big for the stick blender to immerse into a small batch, and I found I can control the temp of the oils very well if I use a plastic bowl and microwave it to melt.<br>
So for me there is not a lot of equipment to store. It all fits into a shopping bag.I don't worry about making perfectly shaped soaps so I use a cardboard box as a mold. Oh, did I mention I'm cheap, I mean frugal?<br><br>
I normally skip those complicated recipes with all the exotic oils and use only two oils with maybe a little bit of something nice to superfat. I don't even use coconut oil and I've had great lather anyway.<br><br>
I learned a great tip recently that I just used yesterday.. you know how when you pour the lye out of the plastic container it jumps all over the place? Well if you rub the lip of the lye container and the container you are pouring into also with a fabric softener sheet(if you use them, if not then some other kind of static reducer), it eliminates the static and makes it a lot easier to pour without getting bits of lye all over.<br><br>
Happy soaping!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[NotQuiteJuneCleaver]

I do. I have made soap for about 16 years. If you want any information please don't hesitate to email me privately.

 

[velcromom]

Soapmaven, is there any way to get a goat's milk soap to remain light colored or does it always turn dark no matter what?<br>
TIA!

 

[NotQuiteJuneCleaver]

HI!...yep...freeze half your goat milk in a ziploc laid flat Have all your oils ready - Then crunch it up the frozen milk and pour your lye on top of it. stir stir STIR and as soon as the milk is melted and mixed with the lye...go from there with your process and after it has thickened JUST a little add the remaining milk. And when traced pour it in your molds.<br><br>
HTH.<br>
Susan

 

[JessicaS]

Another option is to use half water half milk.<br><br>
Mix the half water with the lye as normal then add the milk at trace. It is really easy.

 

[HokieMum]

Add me to the soapin' list! I started making soap as a curiosity, but after 1 batch of "home-cooked" soap, I was hooked. There are a lot of resources on the net. There is a great lye calculator that helps you to create your own recipes at Magestic Mountain Sage (<a href="http://www.thesage.com" target="_blank">www.thesage.com</a>) You input the oils and liquid that you prefer to use, and it caculates the ammount of lye required based on the saponification values. That way you can figure out a recipe from whatever you have on hand!