soap making essentials

Not really! I bought a couple books and had several failures. So, went online and found this site: http://www.millersoap.com/ Lots of good info. Then joined several yahoo forums and now make wonderful soaps with less disasters. It’s a learning process and may be a bit nerve wracking at first, but with time you’ll just plunge in and do it. I use this site to formulate my own recipes: http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php
Any site or person that tells you a certain way is "the only way" to make soap needs to be avoided. For example, ONLY using distilled water, or borax, or only vegetable oils, etc. There are many ways to make soap and the "ONLY’s" aren’t the only way. I use lots of different oils and fats in my soaps, including tallow (beef fat), lard and goat fat. Makes LOVELY soaps! Making soaps is a good way to use up some of my goat milk and amazes the friends and family that get them as gifts.
Hope this helps you.

I’m making some melt and pour soaps as gifts, and in addition to aloe and vitamin e, I would like to use coconut oil in them. Would this damage the soap? If not, how much should I use per lb of soap?

Yes,you can use coconut oil in melt and pour soaps and if you use just the right amount,there will be no damage to your soap.I usually use 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in some of my soaps.Remember that coconut oil is in solid,not liquid form.I hope this helps you out.

yea you can use them! you can also use crock pots..i think the work better than slow cookers…makes soap really moistureizing and really creamy!…enjoy!…..Cassie

I would like the recipe for soap bars, particularly the brown bars you might find in a ‘natural’ store. I am having trouble finding recipes for almost any kind of soap online. Please don’t say "add glycerin". I am looking for raw ingredients.

Thanks!

I’ve never tried it but there is this olive oil soap I use and it’s made from scratch. 2ltr olive oil and 40g lye dissolved in room temperature water mix 2gether and pour in molds let air dry for 2 weeks and there u go. http://www.delcitysoap.com/soaprecipe.htm try this link or just search olive oil soap

how do i make a layered glycerine soap like in the image seen here: http://beansandbears.tripod.com/images/soaplayered.jpg

how do i also add beads or whatever those are in a soap? what are those even called lol?

To make the layers, put the first layer in the mold LET IT COOL, at this point you can add beads, etc. then add the next layer. Each layer must be cooled before the next layer is added.

I know there aren’t many soap makers out there but for those that are: When I grate down my soap made from scratch and heat it with water (following directions from my soap book) it doesn’t melt all the way. Are you supposed to hand mill it before it cures all the way?

mine comes out like pancake batter, [thick] i just pack it in the molds anyway

i have a baton thats about a couple months old and i wanted to clean it for a performance thats coming up. Anyone have any sugesstions? Btw already tried soap and water (achohol dries up the rubber caps so thats a no no.)

go to wal-mart or car supply store and get a tire white wall cleaner

We just ended up getting an unexpeceted expence, and since I already make soap for personal use, it it would be feasable to make a significant dent in our monthly bills by selling homemade soaps.

you can definitely make that much or more. wholesome, natural, handmade products are in high demand. everyone is becoming health conscious. the key will be to get the word out about your product and find a good vehicle to sell (kiosk at a mall, small space at a boutique, website, craft show, etc.)

i don’t know how long it would take to get things going, though… best to you!