# Where do I start?



## NewToSoapMaking (May 16, 2020)

Hello all. I’m new to all this. I’m in South Wales and I think I’m trying to gallop. I’ve bought everything I could need. But I’m just waiting on my first ‘melt & pour’ blocks to arrive to start, I hope I’ll progress to the oil&lye method soon. I’ve started looking at all the legalities and becoming overwhelmed. I don’t really want to fork out even more money when I done even know if I can make soap yet?! How did you start off on your journeys?


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## IslandSoap (May 16, 2020)

I’ve only been making soap since January.. I started because I had bought some soap from a friend online and fell in love with it.. wanted to see if I could make my own and add my own touches to it.  I started with 2 cold process soap kits.... and then wanted to expand beyond “ quick mixes”.  I’ve done a couple artistic melt and pour loaves as well which is fun but kind of tedious.  Not sure what u mean by legalities?  I just have fun with it and my home always smells wonderful!. (I keep my family stockpiled with soap) .


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 16, 2020)

IslandSoap said:


> I’ve only been making soap since January.. I started because I had bought some soap from a friend online and fell in love with it.. wanted to see if I could make my own and add my own touches to it.  I started with 2 cold process soap kits.... and then wanted to expand beyond “ quick mixes”.  I’ve done a couple artistic melt and pour loaves as well which is fun but kind of tedious.  Not sure what u mean by legalities?  I just have fun with it and my home always smells wonderful!. (I keep my family stockpiled with soap) .


Thank you For replying island soap. I think I’m just over thinking it all. Becoming a full time seller and a multi millionaire of course  
I think I just need to remember that this is just for fun first off. Stop worrying about selling until I have it all sussed and then decide if I really want to go to Etsy etc. If I decide I do, i think That’s the point I’d have to look at the law regards Selling home made soaps.



NewToSoapMaking said:


> Thank you For replying island soap. I think I’m just over thinking it all. Becoming a full time seller and a multi millionaire of course
> I think I just need to remember that this is just for fun first off. Stop worrying about selling until I have it all sussed and then decide if I really want to go to Etsy etc. If I decide I do, i think That’s the point I’d have to look at the law regards Selling home made soaps.


Ps I’d love to see a photo of your soap? Xx


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## IslandSoap (May 16, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> Ps I’d love to see a photo of your soap? Xx


 The first 2 are the Melt and Pours and the last 2 are cold process.


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## SPowers (May 16, 2020)

Hi Newtosoapmaking... I made my first bars just 2 weeks ago.  For some reason I always wanted to try and make soap (the old fashioned way) and it literally has taken years to get me to this point.  My plan was to make soap for Christmas gifts last year and to that end I started buying some tools & supplies.  I was extremely intimidated to work with the lye (and still am to some extent) so I read, researched and read some more.  It seemed every recipe I looked at had a new ingredient or something I didn't have.  Fast forward about 8 months and I finally took the plunge.  It went reasonable well and the biggest thing (so far) that I've come away with is the fact that organization and timing is everything.  I don't sell so I have to restrain myself from doing too much, but I've spent a lot of time deciding on my next recipe and have played the process over in my mind a hundred times... today may be the day I do it.  My advice is to just take your time and try to enjoy the process... at some point I'm guessing it will start to feel 'comfortable' and normal!  Good luck in your journey!


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## Todd Ziegler (May 16, 2020)

I started my journey the same as you, with m&p. However your journey is going to be different than mine because of the different laws that you have in place for selling. Yet the rest will be the same. M&P will help you get familiar with some of the tools & techniques that are used in soap making but there is a large difference between lye and M&P soap making. 

The best thing to do is make some M&P soap until you are comfortable with it, then try your hand it lye soap. 

The best advice I can give you is read as much as you can online and books. Then ask questions about anything that you don't understand. Lye soap making can be intimidating at first but once you get the feel for it, it gets a lot easier.


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## Obsidian (May 16, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> I think I just need to remember that this is just for fun first off. Stop worrying about selling until I have it all sussed out



This exactly. You need to develop a good recipe, learn how color, scent, swirl and get consistent results.
Soaps should be tested for longevity in and out of the shower. This can take quite a few months.
You need to make sure a bar will last a few months in storage. If a bar goes bad after just a couple months, you won't get repeat customers.

Many sellers here suggest making soap for 1-2 years before you ever think about selling. Sounds like a long time but there is a ton of variables to test in each recipe.


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## artemis (May 16, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> I think I just need to remember that this is just for fun first off.



Right! You don't even know if you like making soap yet.


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## earlene (May 16, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> Hello all. I’m new to all this. I’m in South Wales and I think I’m trying to gallop. I’ve bought everything I could need. But I’m just waiting on my first ‘melt & pour’ blocks to arrive to start, I hope I’ll progress to the oil&lye method soon. I’ve started looking at all the legalities and becoming overwhelmed. I don’t really want to fork out even more money when I done even know if I can make soap yet?! How did you start off on your journeys?


Welcome to SMF, *NTSM.*

I am in my 6th year of soapmaking.  I started with HP in the Spring of 2015, then CP followed long about Summer or Autumn.  No plans to ever sell soap, but I do give a lot away.

I was never afraid of lye because that's what my mom taught me to use to clean my old fashioned stove parts with.  She taught me to make a lye solution and soak the parts of the stove in the utility sink.  She probably learned it from her mom.  That was over 50 years ago and I no longer have a stove I can take apart and soak in lye solution.  But with that history I had no real fear of lye.  I also had some experience in college working in chemistry labs, some microbiology practice and Nurses training, so I had easily transferable skills for soapmaking.

For the first year or so, I utilized recyclables as much as possible.  I chose to borrow soaping books from the library system rather than purchase.  I watched youtube videos, some good, some mediocre, and I did a fair amount of online research, which is how I discovered this site (it popped up pretty much all the time when doing a search about one thing or another related to a soapmaking search.)  It wasn't until I'd been making soap for a good 6-9 months that I decided to take a class, which I found via the HSCG website.  It was 2 states over from me, but the closest and earliest one scheduled that I could fit into my schedule.  I am really glad I took that class, even though I had enough experience under my belt to have skipped it.  I made enduring connections with other soapmakers which in turn linked me to others around the country, and introduced me to the idea of attending small soapmaker gatherings and later soapmaking conferences.  Perhaps that would have happened eventually, but without the class I took, I don't think it would have happened anywhere near as early in my soapmaking journey as it did.

Granted, the frugality of my early soapmaking journey has pretty much left the building, other than trying to get the best price on supplies that I do purchase. But limiting myself to only what I can scavenge from the recycle bin is pretty much just a memory. But I do still look for bargains whenever I can.


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## atiz (May 16, 2020)

Welcome!

I never did M&P, and started CP kind of on a whim. You really don't need a ton of stuff to make soap... most of it you probably already have. Some oils (my first soap only had what I could get at the grocery store), lye (from the hardware store). Some kitchen utensils, like a good hard plastic or stainless steel mixing bowl; a stick blender. A box for the mold (my first one was a random box for postcards). For my first soaps I used colorants I already had (paprika, turmeric), and some essential oils I had lying around. 

So -- I think you should just try it before you invest into a lot of equipment. You really don't need more than this to make a decent soap, and of course if you like it, you can buy fancy micas and molds and soap cutters and whatnot.


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## TheGecko (May 16, 2020)

IslandSoap said:


> Not sure what u mean by legalities?



Soapmaking in the UK is a lot more restrictive than the US.  You need to be licenced, your recipes have to be approved and so on and so forth.



NewToSoapMaking said:


> How did you start off on your journeys?



I used to buy Goat Milk Soap from this one lady and then she retired. The gal who took her place had a thing about oatmeal and put it in every soap she made...which is exactly five soaps. So I decided to make my own soap and I even took a soap making "class", but there wasn't really a whole lot of instruction and then I lost the recipe and life got in the way. Then about two years ago, fortunes changed and I started researching soap making and when I was able to watch some Russian lady, with no English or subtitles and understood everything she was doing, I decided it was time to make soap.

After after a little more research, I decided to purchase Brambleberry's Beginner's Cold Process Soap Kit. I mean, just because you want to do something, doesn't mean that you'll actually like doing or be any good at it. And I there were all the recipes with all these ingredients and nope...decided to keep it simple. Tried and True Recipe, enough ingredients to make two batches of soap, and a mold. Except for the Fragrance Oil clearing out the house, I was hooked as soon as I cut into that loaf.

From my experience, I recommend:

1) Start with a 'tried and true' recipe.

2) Make small (1 lb/ 500 g) batches. After having to dump several 2lb batches, I bought smaller molds.

3) Learn to crawl, then to walk, then to run. It's okay to make an uncolored, unscented batch of soap. I've been making soap for over a year and still haven't done a lot of 'fancy' stuff and I'm okay with that.

4) When it comes to colorants and scents, buy the least amount possible. I started with a couple of 'sample' packs for colorants, then I happened to hit the tail end of Rustic Escentuals' 'scent sale' and then I blew it. Without even had done any more than open the bottle, I bought an 8 oz bottle of one of the scents I received because it was on sale. 'Soap on a stick' doesn't even begin to describe the mess I had...I would have loved for it to been on a stick, at least it would have been usable. As it was, I had to throw the bowl away when I poked a hole in it when I was trying to chip out the soap.

5)  Have fun.


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## soapgeek (May 17, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> Hello all. I’m new to all this. I’m in South Wales and I think I’m trying to gallop. I’ve bought everything I could need. But I’m just waiting on my first ‘melt & pour’ blocks to arrive to start, I hope I’ll progress to the oil&lye method soon. I’ve started looking at all the legalities and becoming overwhelmed. I don’t really want to fork out even more money when I done even know if I can make soap yet?! How did you start off on your journeys?


Hi, I'm same as you, just starting out and in the UK... 
I've done a couple of workshops, all good, the CP soaps turned out fine.  I've just made my 4th batch of solo CP soap, and this is where it gets interesting...the first 2 seem ok and are curing well, the 3rd was a disaster, and this 4th one, well, let's just say I'm learning from mistakes! 
I had this notion that I would be able to just start making lovely CP soap, and then start selling it... I'm quickly finding out that it's not that simple... as well as all the UK legalities (getting recipes certified, getting them on the portal, labelling, GMP, PIFs, insurances, etc, etc), I'm realising that I'm going to have to do a lot of soapmaking and getting it tested in real life by myself and family and friends before I can even think about selling it! 
What's more frustrating is the waiting for the CP soaps to cure before they can even be tested - at least with M&P the soap can be used pretty much straightaway.
As far as legalities in the UK, I think M&P is a bit easier, but I guess it depends whether you want the finished product to be your own creation (which I do lol) 
So, I'm just going to keep practising, hopefully my soaps will improve 

Good luck soaping xx



IslandSoap said:


> The first 2 are the Melt and Pours and the last 2 are cold process.


Your soaps look fantastic! 

Can I ask please, are these from kits or have you made them all from scratch with your own recipes? One day I hope to be able to make soap that looks like this!


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 17, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> This exactly. You need to develop a good recipe, learn how color, scent, swirl and get consistent results.
> Soaps should be tested for longevity in and out of the shower. This can take quite a few months.
> You need to make sure a bar will last a few months in storage. If a bar goes bad after just a couple months, you won't get repeat customers.
> 
> Many sellers here suggest making soap for 1-2 years before you ever think about selling. Sounds like a long time but there is a ton of variables to test in each recipe.


Fab advice. I guess everyone will be having soaps as gifts for the foreseeable eh. X



earlene said:


> Welcome to SMF, *NTSM.*
> 
> I am in my 6th year of soapmaking.  I started with HP in the Spring of 2015, then CP followed long about Summer or Autumn.  No plans to ever sell soap, but I do give a lot away.
> 
> ...


Amazing. Thank you. I’ve been thinking of a class (after this crazy world settles down!) 
Thank you for your input. X



pollyhowarth said:


> Hi, I'm same as you, just starting out and in the UK...
> I've done a couple of workshops, all good, the CP soaps turned out fine.  I've just made my 4th batch of solo CP soap, and this is where it gets interesting...the first 2 seem ok and are curing well, the 3rd was a disaster, and this 4th one, well, let's just say I'm learning from mistakes!
> I had this notion that I would be able to just start making lovely CP soap, and then start selling it... I'm quickly finding out that it's not that simple... as well as all the UK legalities (getting recipes certified, getting them on the portal, labelling, GMP, PIFs, insurances, etc, etc), I'm realising that I'm going to have to do a lot of soapmaking and getting it tested in real life by myself and family and friends before I can even think about selling it!
> What's more frustrating is the waiting for the CP soaps to cure before they can even be tested - at least with M&P the soap can be used pretty much straightaway.
> ...


Thank you. I think I came to the same point as you. Ooo I want to do this, start buying - imagining all the amazing bars of soap I’d sell. Oh packaging. Oh license and insurance!! Really!! Urgh. Started to take the desire out but I think as thegecko Said- I need to crawl first. And stop being impatient especially as I’ll need to wait for the cure process eeek.

Thank you all for bringing me back down to earth. Crawl walk run. But let’s hope I will soon be updating my user name to something more pro


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## IslandSoap (May 17, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Soapmaking in the UK is a lot more restrictive than the US.  You need to be licenced, your recipes have to be approved and so on and so forth.
> 
> 
> 
> ...





pollyhowarth said:


> Your soaps look fantastic!
> 
> Can I ask please, are these from kits or have you made them all from scratch with your own recipes? One day I hope to be able to make soap that looks like this!


The melt and pour is just that.  I love the water and sea creatures and wanted to make something kids would like ( plus me) I got a little dolphin silicon mold and some other ocean themed silicon molds and made those first.  I used lab colors in clear melt and pour base to keep the “ water”  “ clearer”. I read up on how to do melt and pour.  That soap is actually 4 layers of pouring.  ( it took me 6 hours). I said..” never again”... but I’ll do it again sometime when I have that much time.  The bunny one wasn’t what I had planned .. but I wanted to do something for a little “ stepgranddaughter” who thinks I’m the greatest for the soaps. . I used a dark chocolate fragrance from Brambleberry and threw in vanilla stabilizer.  ( the white bunny is not fragranced)  I have 3 layers of mica colors for that one.  Unfortunately since I am new... I forgot that the melt and pour has to be “ I think” 120 degrees when u add a layer to adhere to a cooled layer.  ( u have to spritz with isopropyl alcohol first before u add a layer.. I use 99%) I poured cooler and a couple bars separated when I cut them.      The flower garden cp soap is my own recipe.. the flowers are all from silicone molds.. I colored melt and pour White base soap.  I used Brambleberry Black raspberry and vanilla FO for the other soap and did a “ mica swirl” for the top.  ( that means mixing the micas in a light weight oil, using a pipette and drizzling it on top of the soap) I then used a chopstick to lightly swirl the colored mica/oil on top.  .     How did I learn to do this?   I started with a couple Brambleberry kits... I’m on Instagram Addictedtosoapmaking.  You can see my progress with each loaf of soap.  I started with “ tried and true” recipes with Brambleberry/soapqueen..( I’ve done “ lemon poppyseed Cp .. top started seizing but I got it in on time... “ lime in the coconut”— great soap)... and then branched out to using soap calculators/soapmakingfriend on this site.  I also bought a couple soapmaking books from Nerdy Housewife and Soapqueen.  I’m pretty comfortable with it now.... was a bit worried about using lye... I wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves and keep my feet covered .. in case of a spill.  I also started a “ soap” book from day 1.  I have every recipe that I started with, along with “ what I did to make it mine”, colorants, FOs ...how it mixed, how it cured..( did it discolor, how is the lather, too drying? Etc..) and I added a picture of “ just poured, cut, and cured”.. mainly for reference... but when I am gone from this world.. hopefully I leave something about myself to my grandkids, etc...


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## soapgeek (May 17, 2020)

IslandSoap said:


> The melt and pour is just that.  I love the water and sea creatures and wanted to make something kids would like ( plus me) I got a little dolphin silicon mold and some other ocean themed silicon molds and made those first.  I used lab colors in clear melt and pour base to keep the “ water”  “ clearer”. I read up on how to do melt and pour.  That soap is actually 4 layers of pouring.  ( it took me 6 hours). I said..” never again”... but I’ll do it again sometime when I have that much time.  The bunny one wasn’t what I had planned .. but I wanted to do something for a little “ stepgranddaughter” who thinks I’m the greatest for the soaps. . I used a dark chocolate fragrance from Brambleberry and threw in vanilla stabilizer.  ( the white bunny is not fragranced)  I have 3 layers of mica colors for that one.  Unfortunately since I am new... I forgot that the melt and pour has to be “ I think” 120 degrees when u add a layer to adhere to a cooled layer.  ( u have to spritz with isopropyl alcohol first before u add a layer.. I use 99%) I poured cooler and a couple bars separated when I cut them.      The flower garden cp soap is my own recipe.. the flowers are all from silicone molds.. I colored melt and pour White base soap.  I used Brambleberry Black raspberry and vanilla FO for the other soap and did a “ mica swirl” for the top.  ( that means mixing the micas in a light weight oil, using a pipette and drizzling it on top of the soap) I then used a chopstick to lightly swirl the colored mica/oil on top.  .     How did I learn to do this?   I started with a couple Brambleberry kits... I’m on Instagram Addictedtosoapmaking.  You can see my progress with each loaf of soap.  I started with “ tried and true” recipes with Brambleberry/soapqueen..( I’ve done “ lemon poppyseed Cp .. top started seizing but I got it in on time... “ lime in the coconut”— great soap)... and then branched out to using soap calculators/soapmakingfriend on this site.  I also bought a couple soapmaking books from Nerdy Housewife and Soapqueen.  I’m pretty comfortable with it now.... was a bit worried about using lye... I wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves and keep my feet covered .. in case of a spill.  I also started a “ soap” book from day 1.  I have every recipe that I started with, along with “ what I did to make it mine”, colorants, FOs ...how it mixed, how it cured..( did it discolor, how is the lather, too drying? Etc..) and I added a picture of “ just poured, cut, and cured”.. mainly for reference... but when I am gone from this world.. hopefully I leave something about myself to my grandkids, etc...


Thank you! I'm just trying to get a handle on straightforward cp soaps right now, it's more problematic than I thought (I naively thought I could just melt, mix, and cure  ) 

The Brambleberry kits sound good, I'll have a look if they can be shipped to the UK... maybe I'll get some M&P too, results and useability are much quicker I think, no 4-6 weeks curing time! 

I'll head over to your Instagram page to see your progress, thanks again  x


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## Tresreina1 (May 18, 2020)

IslandSoap said:


> The first 2 are the Melt and Pours and the last 2 are cold process.


Those are really pretty soaps!


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## LilyJo (May 18, 2020)

I'm not an expert by any means but I do understand the uk regs for soap/ cosmetics and for candles. Happy to help point anyone in the direction of suppliers or assessors etc and provide any advice I can.


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## shunt2011 (May 18, 2020)

I never did MP.  I had purchased a bar of homemade soap and thought I bet I could do this.  10+ years later, I still enjoy making soap.  I made it for about 2 years before I thought about selling.  It's my therapy.  When stressed I find making soap relaxing.   Took a break the past year from making it but back at it hoping at least one or two of my shows still goes off this year. 

Take your time, learn the process, try different recipes and then use a soap calculator to tweak to your liking.  You don't need expensive oils or additives.  Great soap can be made with pretty simple ingredients.


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## soapgeek (May 18, 2020)

LilyJo said:


> I'm not an expert by any means but I do understand the uk regs for soap/ cosmetics and for candles. Happy to help point anyone in the direction of suppliers or assessors etc and provide any advice I can.


Hi Lily Jo,

I have a question if you don't mind please?

I started to make CP soap just very recently so am really just starting out, and I started because I don't want to go back to shower gels and that kind of thing - I bought a 'proper' CP soap about 3 years ago in Truro, and have been buying/using cp since, so thought I'd learn how to make my own (although it would probably be cheaper to buy soaps from others for the rest of my life, because I can see that my new 'hobby' is going to cost a fortune lol )... anyway, back to the point - I was reading the label of the soap and I'm a bit confused... It lists as below, and I've capitalised the ingredients that are confusing me:

☆Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Sodium Olivate)
☆Coconut Oil (Sodium Cocoate)
☆Organic Palm Oil - Fair Trade & Sustainable (Sodium Palmate)
☆Aqua
?? UNREFINED SHEA BUTTER (BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII)
?? ORGANIC CASTOR OIL (RICINUS COMMUNIS)
☆Clary Sage Essential Oil (Salvia Sclarea)
☆Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus Limon)
☆Cedarwood Essential Oil (Cedrus Atlantica)

I can see the first three oils have sodium olivate/cocoate/palmate written by them, but the shea butter and castor oil don't - I know I'm probably overthinking this and being a bit of a nerd, but why would some oils be sodium and the others not?? Should they not be sodium something too?

I should change my profile name to soapnerd lol 

Hope you can help?  I feel like I keep asking lots of (probably) rookie questions 

Thank you!


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## TheGecko (May 18, 2020)

pollyhowarth said:


> I can see the first three oils have sodium olivate/cocoate/palmate written by them, but the shea butter and castor oil don't - I know I'm probably overthinking this and being a bit of a nerd, but why would some oils be sodium and the others not?? Should they not be sodium something too?



Probably. Shea Butter, following the previous conventions should be _Sodium Sheabutterate._  It could simply be that the person who designed the label didn't know what the correct name was for saponified Shea Butter (or Castor Oil) and so used the INCI name instead.


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## soapgeek (May 18, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Probably. Shea Butter, following the previous conventions should be _Sodium Sheabutterate._  It could simply be that the person who designed the label didn't know what the correct name was for saponified Shea Butter (or Castor Oil) and so used the INCI name instead.


Ahhh, I did just wonder now whether those 2 oils could have been added AFTER trace, like you would with the essential oils? But then, if that was so, I think the soap would be very oily? Do people even add extra oils after mixing and getting trace?


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## atiz (May 18, 2020)

pollyhowarth said:


> Ahhh, I did just wonder now whether those 2 oils could have been added AFTER trace, like you would with the essential oils? But then, if that was so, I think the soap would be very oily? Do people even add extra oils after mixing and getting trace?


You could possibly add your SF after trace, although in cold process it doesn't make a difference (and probably doesn't in HP either). Many people do that in HP though -- you have your cooked soap and add a bit more oils for SF. Unfortunately it seems that the lye will saponify whatever oil it will come across, so at the end it won't matter when you add it.


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## LilyJo (May 18, 2020)

I just went back to check on my assessments and my assessor has stated both sodium butterate as well as Shea Butter so I am guessing that the label is slightly confused.


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 22, 2020)

Well all you lovely people. I have made my first tentative steps in to the world of soap making and I LOVE IT. 
It is addictive!! Itching to find time to make more!!!
Here are a few photos of my first loaf of soap.
I’ll be shopping now for CP ingredients. Xx















o


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## TheGecko (May 22, 2020)

Spraying the top of your M&P will get ride of those bubbles.  Very Nice.


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 22, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Spraying the top of your M&P will get ride of those bubbles.  Very Nice.


Thank you!! I tried a little vodka. It didn’t work. Haha. Waste of vodka too. I’ve ordered Alf spray but not arrived yet.


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## TheGecko (May 22, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> Thank you!! I tried a little vodka. It didn’t work. Haha. Waste of vodka too. I’ve ordered Alf spray but not arrived yet.



Jeez I’m an idiot, forgot to say what to spray with...alcohol (medical, not drinking),


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 24, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Jeez I’m an idiot, forgot to say what to spray with...alcohol (medical, not drinking),


I think I’m the idiot.  I’ve ordered alcohol but it hasNt arrived and I’m itching so I tried a bit of vodka. But I thought it might possibly but I can Definitely confirm it without a doubt doesn’t work


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## Iluminameluna (May 24, 2020)

I'm just gonna add my little bit here.
I've been soaping since 2014 and I started because I realized no matter the commercial "soap" or gel, my skin was always dry and itchy, even when I used lotion. Then YouTube recommended a video by Soaping101. My life changed.
I think I watched her videos, especially the ones from season 1, at least 10x each. It took me 2 years to build up enough courage, but I finally made my first batch, and it was the Bastile Soap. The easiest and simplest of her CP soaps. Mild, bubbly, and if you use lavender eo, very nice smelling for a good while.
I've never bought a mold, colorants, FO's, or had a soap cutter because I'm on a fixed income and can't afford them. And I'm a terrible sales person!! Can't sell heaters in Antarctica terrible!! So I make do. As long as my family loves my soaps, and my skin, that's all that matters.
Enjoy the journey, it's full of fun, discovery and wonderful skin!
I'm including a picture of an experiment that turned out to be a really good soap. I used cinnamon, Hershey's cocoa, coffee instead of water, and some of the coffee grounds. I added honey and coconut oil because I didn't have castor oil and we have really hard water here in San Antonio, Texas. I gave it to some friends, and my younger son up in Wisconsin, and they loved the scent which they thought smelled like butterscotch for some reason. And the scratchiness of the grounds they said feels good on their feet and other rough spots. My son has asked me to make some more, just without the grounds because he really, REALLY, loves the smell, and so do my grandkids. So the oils are being infused as I write this.
Oh, and the recipe is 65% lard. Cheap and leaves the skin feeling great. But it's not for everybody.


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## ShySoaper (May 24, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> Hello all. I’m new to all this. I’m in South Wales and I think I’m trying to gallop. I’ve bought everything I could need. But I’m just waiting on my first ‘melt & pour’ blocks to arrive to start, I hope I’ll progress to the oil&lye method soon. I’ve started looking at all the legalities and becoming overwhelmed. I don’t really want to fork out even more money when I done even know if I can make soap yet?! How did you start off on your journeys?





TheGecko said:


> Probably. Shea Butter, following the previous conventions should be _Sodium Sheabutterate._  It could simply be that the person who designed the label didn't know what the correct name was for saponified Shea Butter (or Castor Oil) and so used the INCI name instead.


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## ShySoaper (May 24, 2020)

Girlfriend I understand your frustration. I’ve just started soaping a few weeks ago myself and so far products and equipment cost me a little over $1000 already. I started with CP soaps.The shipping is quite expensive here in New York as well because of the pandemic but don’t give up when you actually start you will see how much fun you are having.


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 24, 2020)

Iluminameluna said:


> I'm just gonna add my little bit here.
> I've been soaping since 2014 and I started because I realized no matter the commercial "soap" or gel, my skin was always dry and itchy, even when I used lotion. Then YouTube recommended a video by Soaping101. My life changed.
> I think I watched her videos, especially the ones from season 1, at least 10x each. It took me 2 years to build up enough courage, but I finally made my first batch, and it was the Bastile Soap. The easiest and simplest of her CP soaps. Mild, bubbly, and if you use lavender eo, very nice smelling for a good while.
> I've never bought a mold, colorants, FO's, or had a soap cutter because I'm on a fixed income and can't afford them. And I'm a terrible sales person!! Can't sell heaters in Antarctica terrible!! So I make do. As long as my family loves my soaps, and my skin, that's all that matters.
> ...


These looks gorgeous. Thank you for your hints too. I think I overwhelmed myself with grand ideas and I hadn’t even tried making any  
I was probably just trying to talk myself out of it  
I’m happy with my little batches so far. Learning loads. I have promised a few people a bastille bar too and so I am loving the look of your bars. They look delicious. I bet the smell amazing. I’m definitely going to make it My first CP recipe. So far I’ve made three Loaves ( and a practice kit ) MP. Looking online now where I can buy ingredients in the U.K. for CP plus I need a stick blender. I’ve just got a promotion so I’m spending my lockdown savings plus my rise on soap stuff lol. I decided whilst I wasnt used to the money just to buy a few bits. I’m loving soapy life too. Plus stops me watching tv and eating snacks.  xx


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## NewToSoapMaking (May 24, 2020)

ShySoaper said:


> Girlfriend I understand your frustration. I’ve just started soaping a few weeks ago myself and so far products and equipment cost me a little over $1000 already. I started with CP soaps.The shipping is quite expensive here in New York as well because of the pandemic but don’t give up when you actually start you will see how much fun you are having.


I’m already addicted. Always thinking of the next design, fragrance etc. I know what you mean about shipping though. Gutting to have to spend so much when you can normally pop to the shops.  
Hope you’re staying safe in NY. Wales is coping at the moment. We’ve had too much of course but as a nurse I’m waiting for the call up and so far I’ve not been needed To move roles as Our hospitals seem to be coping pretty well. Stay safe Xx


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## TheGecko (May 24, 2020)

ShySoaper said:


> Girlfriend I understand your frustration. I’ve just started soaping a few weeks ago myself and so far products and equipment cost me a little over $1000 already. I started with CP soaps.The shipping is quite expensive here in New York as well because of the pandemic but don’t give up when you actually start you will see how much fun you are having.



Shipping is expensive period.  If you have a Costco, you can save on Olive, Coconut and Avocado Oils; mine is just a few miles down the road.  With Olive Oil being 35% of my recipe, it's a significant savings.  Being about to buy in larger quantities is also a savings, and I spread out my bulk purchases so I'm not ordering everything all at once...it's not only easier on my cash flow, but I also am able to order those larger quantities.  You want to comparison shop...it's a little time consuming, but I have a spreadsheet that makes it easier.  I don't include micas and scents in my comparison because they are specific to the vendor.  And lastly, watch your inventory...panic buying cost money, so can overbuying, especially when it comes to oils/butters with a shorter shelf life.

Oh...I should mention that when trying a new colorant or scent, buy the smallest amount first to test it, and test anything with a 1lb batch.  Tossing 16 oz of oils is a lot cheaper than 32 oz; spending $2.00 on a sample colorant and hating it is cheaper than spending $5.00; and never...ever...buy a 16 oz bottle of fragrance without testing it first only to discover that it severely accelerates!


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## ShySoaper (May 24, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Shipping is expensive period.  If you have a Costco, you can save on Olive, Coconut and Avocado Oils; mine is just a few miles down the road.  With Olive Oil being 35% of my recipe, it's a significant savings.  Being about to buy in larger quantities is also a savings, and I spread out my bulk purchases so I'm not ordering everything all at once...it's not only easier on my cash flow, but I also am able to order those larger quantities.  You want to comparison shop...it's a little time consuming, but I have a spreadsheet that makes it easier.  I don't include micas and scents in my comparison because they are specific to the vendor.  And lastly, watch your inventory...panic buying cost money, so can overbuying, especially when it comes to oils/butters with a shorter shelf life.
> 
> Oh...I should mention that when trying a new colorant or scent, buy the smallest amount first to test it, and test anything with a 1lb batch.  Tossing 16 oz of oils is a lot cheaper than 32 oz; spending $2.00 on a sample colorant and hating it is cheaper than spending $5.00; and never...ever...buy a 16 oz bottle of fragrance without testing it first only to discover that it severely accelerates!


This is so helpful thank you very much


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## ShySoaper (May 24, 2020)

NewToSoapMaking said:


> I’m already addicted. Always thinking of the next design, fragrance etc. I know what you mean about shipping though. Gutting to have to spend so much when you can normally pop to the shops.
> Hope you’re staying safe in NY. Wales is coping at the moment. We’ve had too much of course but as a nurse I’m waiting for the call up and so far I’ve not been needed To move roles as Our hospitals seem to be coping pretty well. Stay safe Xx


Thank you so much you be safe as well thank god for soaping an activity to help us cope with the madness.


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## Claudette Carignan (May 25, 2020)

Iluminameluna said:


> I'm just gonna add my little bit here.
> I've been soaping since 2014 and I started because I realized no matter the commercial "soap" or gel, my skin was always dry and itchy, even when I used lotion. Then YouTube recommended a video by Soaping101. My life changed.
> I think I watched her videos, especially the ones from season 1, at least 10x each. It took me 2 years to build up enough courage, but I finally made my first batch, and it was the Bastile Soap. The easiest and simplest of her CP soaps. Mild, bubbly, and if you use lavender eo, very nice smelling for a good while.
> I've never bought a mold, colorants, FO's, or had a soap cutter because I'm on a fixed income and can't afford them. And I'm a terrible sales person!! Can't sell heaters in Antarctica terrible!! So I make do. As long as my family loves my soaps, and my skin, that's all that matters.
> ...


I love The colour! You’re braver then I am As I only Follow recipes from books. I hope One day to be confident enough to get creative like you.


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## Iluminameluna (May 25, 2020)

Claudette Carignan said:


> You’re braver then I am As I only Follow recipes from books


That's exactly what you do when you start. It's how you learn! Then, when stuff goes sideways, as they inevitably do, it's MUCH easier for the more experienced to help you.
A tried and true recipe that someone else has made numerous times means they've worked out all the kinks, knows where it's possible mistakes can happen, and why it works so well. That's why I absolutely love Soaping101's YouTube channel. She's a wonderful teacher, the video means you can pause it at any time, and she gives excellent suggestions on a video for cheap supplies you can use to start making soap without spending a fortune.
I'm including another photo. This is my other soap. It's chamomile with chamomile infusion instead of water, and I heat the oils a bit with more chamomile flowers (my son bought 4 oz for $5 at a flea market before the world went pear-shaped). I add turmeric and smoked paprika or annatto for color. Also honey and coconut oil for suds. The pill bottle has a salve I make for our dry hands and feet, knees, elbows, etc. The box is from my monthly meds shipment and gets re-used at least 5 times (so far), it's been lined with local store's brand of parchment paper. Finally, the pretty little soap's molds were frozen bulgogi from Costco. I looked at the recycling code: 5! So I kept them. Same for some fruit cups we got in the kids' lunches. The sources are almost endless if you look for recycling codes and think outside, or inside, the box(es).
This week's soap is chocolate? I'm saving the chocolate milk half-pint boxes to use as molds for small chunky bars of soap. Just so I can send pictures of the soaps drying to my recipients, in anticipation of their gifts.
I hope you try your hand at making some soap soon! And by the way, even if "they" say you shouldn't or can't use a hand mixer to make soap, it's not impossible. I moved countries in a hurry 3 years ago and I had to leave my stick blender behind. I was desperate so I used a hand blender and you know, it worked! It took a while, I had to use a kitchen towel as a shield because of the splatter, and a couple of t-shirts were ruined anyway, but I MADE SOAP. It was GRAND. It wasn't attractive, but it had tons of suds, and it was SOAP. (The last picture is one of them) It felt like getting asked if I wanted a Jaguar X9, even if I'd it down!! 
Do it just to get your feet wet. You won't regret it, I promise!!


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## Claudette Carignan (May 25, 2020)

Iluminameluna said:


> That's exactly what you do when you start. It's how you learn! Then, when stuff goes sideways, as they inevitably do, it's MUCH easier for the more experienced to help you.
> A tried and true recipe that someone else has made numerous times means they've worked out all the kinks, knows where it's possible mistakes can happen, and why it works so well. That's why I absolutely love Soaping101's YouTube channel. She's a wonderful teacher, the video means you can pause it at any time, and she gives excellent suggestions on a video for cheap supplies you can use to start making soap without spending a fortune.
> I'm including another photo. This is my other soap. It's chamomile with chamomile infusion instead of water, and I heat the oils a bit with more chamomile flowers (my son bought 4 oz for $5 at a flea market before the world went pear-shaped). I add turmeric and smoked paprika or annatto for color. Also honey and coconut oil for suds. The pill bottle has a salve I make for our dry hands and feet, knees, elbows, etc. The box is from my monthly meds shipment and gets re-used at least 5 times (so far), it's been lined with local store's brand of parchment paper. Finally, the pretty little soap's molds were frozen bulgogi from Costco. I looked at the recycling code: 5! So I kept them. Same for some fruit cups we got in the kids' lunches. The sources are almost endless if you look for recycling codes and think outside, or inside, the box(es).
> This week's soap is chocolate? I'm saving the chocolate milk half-pint boxes to use as molds for small chunky bars of soap. Just so I can send pictures of the soaps drying to my recipients, in anticipation of their gifts.
> ...


Thanks for all the encouragement! You make it sound so easy that I’m feeling more confident all ready. Lol


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