# just wondering as new here



## terr (Mar 29, 2015)

how many soapers on this forum are from uk? I am only asking as would be easier to get advise on shopping !, by the way I am from notts

thanks for all your help so far 

carry on soaping

:wave:


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## shunt2011 (Mar 29, 2015)

Hello and welcome to the forum.  There are many from the UK and around the world actually.   There are quite a few topics that have been focused on UK suppliers etc.   You will find a lot of very helpful people and information here.


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## terr (Mar 29, 2015)

Hi thanks for this, it is really great that I have found this website as I have got really confused watching u tub videos as they all seem to conflict each other , I have now made 3 batches of soap and yet to have one works out right , but I wont give up although I could do with a new scale that shows increments of 0.01 ozs

thanks :clap:


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## Sonya-m (Mar 29, 2015)

I'm from the UK!

Regarding scales you're better off using grams if yours have that setting?

Ooh just noticed you said you're from Notts - me too!! Well originally I was, from Sutton In Ashfield but am in the north east now


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Mar 29, 2015)

Aye, for most work I think that 1 gram increments is fine - I do have 0.1g, but it isn't needed for batches of a decent size.


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## terr (Mar 29, 2015)

do you round up or down when calculating?


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## snappyllama (Mar 29, 2015)

I round down for lye and up for oils in grams. If you're having problems with a particular recipe, why not post it, your concerns with the end result, and the full process you used to make it here. Pictures of the end result help too.  We'd be more than happy to try to figure out what went wrong. 

There is a lot of awesome information on youtube.... and a lot of terrible too.  A good beginning video series is Soaping 101 (start with the oldest first since they build on one another).


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Mar 29, 2015)

Down on the lye, up on the oils - just to be extra safe.  That said, my 0.1g increments mean that I can usually get it fairly spot on the amount required with no rounding.

ETA, in answer to your question - I'm_from_ the UK, but I live in Austria so not too helpful on UK suppliers


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## terr (Mar 29, 2015)

thanks that is really helpful and will use this advice rather than having to buy a new set of scales ! and will look at the videos 101 

great!! you are such a helpful lot
:?


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## IrishLass (Mar 29, 2015)

Welcome, Terr! :wave:

In spite of my UK-sounding username, I live on the other side of the pond in the US and have never even been to the UK, but I've always wanted to visit. 

IrishLass


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## regansoap (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi terr - soap making is really good fun isn't it. In answer to your question with my very limited experience as a soap maker these are the places I have been buying my stuff from.
1. Amazon (obvs) there is a company called naiisence based in Swansea good for butters and certain oils.
2. Bookers cash and carry for oo po and vegetable oil.
3. Astor and Windsor for fragrances look online for site. Also they sell mpg and denatured alcohol lovely company to deal with.
4. For micas lovecrafts based in Cardiff - amazon again and that's about as far as I have got with my 6 weeks of experience of soap making - if I can be of any help please contact me.
Oh you asked where I was from its tenby.

Just quickly I find "the nerdyfarmwife" her recipes are really good I've made quite a few of hers and pretty much all turned out good.


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## terr (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi I already buy from e bay and amazon , but had not heard of bookers are they on line? yes I agree nerdy is a grat source for recipies, have you had a lot of success with your soaps?:clap:


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## happyshopper (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi

I have just joined and from the UK

Not made any soap yet, still to buy supplies. Where did you get yours from? I am looking at just a soap.

There is a Bookers near me but don't you need to know someone with a card?


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## terr (Apr 3, 2015)

there is no where near me that sells soap making equipment that I know of so I buy all mine on line , but I would not buy from soap kitchen or just a soap as their delivery costs are quite high, where is bookers?


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## happyshopper (Apr 3, 2015)

Bookers are national, there will probably be one somewhere near you.

They are a cash and carry that supply small shops/catering businesses.

Like I said in my previous post I don't think they are open to the public you need a card to be able to go in. The cards are issued to business so unless you know someone with a card unfortunately I don't think this is an option.

Your are right about the shipping costs from just a soap. I think you need to place an large order to make it worthwhile.


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## regansoap (Apr 3, 2015)

Hi terr well I have had a few disasters but have managed to turn it around by re batching. I actually love making melt and pour I will post a few of my better ones.

Yes you do need a card but if you are extra nice to them say you just want a one day pass I am pretty sure they will oblige. If not can't you say you are a new business soap company?????? Just a thought.


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## happyshopper (Apr 8, 2015)

Today I looked round my nearest Asian shop.

They sold coconut oil, castor oil, sweet almond oil, and plam oil. Also the vegetable oil they had was soyabean oil (for those not in the UK the vegetable oil sold in the supermarkets here is rapeseed oil).


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## zolveria (Apr 8, 2015)

*welcome and tell me about you batches*



terr said:


> Hi thanks for this, it is really great that I have found this website as I have got really confused watching u tub videos as they all seem to conflict each other , I have now made 3 batches of soap and yet to have one works out right , but I wont give up although I could do with a new scale that shows increments of 0.01 ozs
> 
> thanks :clap:



Hmm what exactly is going wrong with your batches.
I would recommend starting in small 1lb batch if even 1/2 pound.
 and example of trace would be when making porridge and we stir and stir until we can leave little dollops on top of he cream.

Let me know what is going wrong etc. To see if i can help.
WELCOME


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## zolveria (Apr 8, 2015)

terr said:


> there is no where near me that sells soap making equipment that I know of so I buy all mine on line , but I would not buy from soap kitchen or just a soap as their delivery costs are quite high, where is bookers?



Terr you can use pringle cans or milk containers. even plastic food container. or even shoe box. to practice.
later you can go to your local lumber supplier and get some wood and make a mold and soap cutter yourself. 
molds are easy to create. The oils and lye are a different story. 
potato peeler can be used for edges. 
ice tray can be used for you to practice on. 
silicone soap mold can also be used.


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## Susie (Apr 9, 2015)

zolveria said:


> I would recommend starting in small 1lb batch *if even 1/2 pound*.
> 
> WELCOME



I must, respectfully, disagree with this.  Please don't try to make batches with less than 500 g(or 1 lb) of oils.  Small errors are magnified in smaller batches.  

OP, if you would care to post your recipes/processes on here, we are pretty good at troubleshooting and giving constructive advice.  You need to truly be looking for what went wrong, though, and not be offended when we tell you.  It is not a personal attack, it is just us helping to make better soap.


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## Rowan (Apr 9, 2015)

Welcome to the forum and the soaping addiction.

freshskin and mystic moments are good for soaping supplies and there's no delivery charge which helps. There is a thread with recommended suppliers from the UK that might be worth looking at. Unfortunately I can't post the link from my kindle. Maybe someone else could?

Regarding your recipes do you run them through a soap calculator? It really helps to make sure your recipe is correct. Most people use soapcalc. There's a sticky on the beginners forum which explains how to use it.  

If you post your recipes, we can definitely help with advice.


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## biarine (Apr 9, 2015)

Hi Terr, I am from Newport South Wales I got my supply in new direction aromatics UK, Amazon, soap kitchen too


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## LBussy (Apr 9, 2015)

Susie said:


> I must, respectfully, disagree with this.  Please don't try to make batches with less than 500 g(or 1 lb) of oils.  Small errors are magnified in smaller batches.


Well ... that depends.  I have made a bunch of 1 lb batches of shaving soap, and I started formulating that recipe with 100g batches.  

Making a small batch is no different than making a large batch if you have the right equipment.  If all you have is a 6# kitchen spring scale then that sort of accuracy (or lack thereof) says "no" to making a 1# batch.  If you use a scale with 0.1g resolution (and most of those would have +-0.05g accuracy) then making a 1# batch is well within the acceptable limits. 

So I struggle with the "right" answer for a new person.  Making 1# is cheaper than 4# if you screw it up.  If you learn to make 1# batches you can darned sure make a 4# batch, but the inverse is not necessarily true.  Measuring 0.1g of something is slightly more challenging but practicing with something like table salt to get the hang of it is a pretty good idea, and using a dosing syringe for small liquid amounts (like FO's) makes it fairly simple.

So, I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement.  Tea?  :-D


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## dixiedragon (Apr 9, 2015)

Maybe the UK soapers could petition the owner for their own subforum?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Apr 9, 2015)

dixiedragon said:


> Maybe the UK soapers could petition the owner for their own subforum?


 
I don't think that is the best idea - there isn't that much difference between US and UK soaping.  So someone asks a question in the UK forum that is just been covered in the US one?  Not great.


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## Saponista (Apr 9, 2015)

I think it would be a shame to do that too as it would segregate us from everyone else.


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## LBussy (Apr 9, 2015)

Saponista said:


> I think it would be a shame to do that too as it would segregate us from everyone else.


Right, and I would not be able to point out to the English that they spell English words wrong!  

"Colours" indeed!  :lolno:


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## dixiedragon (Apr 9, 2015)

I say "subforum" not a totally separate forum. Kind of like we have a Fragrance subforum, an MP subforum, etc. And maybe that subforum could have a sticky of UK suppliers and resources.


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## terr (Apr 9, 2015)

*just wondering*

totally agree, dont think that we should start having sep sub forums as we couldnt bounce ideas or suggestions with other countries . I have now tried fresh skin and mystic moments and must say that of the 2 i prefer mystic moments fragrances , I dont make large batches of soap as just a hobby so I usually make either 1lb or 2lb batches.  Just to  let you know I have just had my first success!! will post a photo when I get timeXX however just one more question how much fragrance should I use in a 1lb or 2 lb batch as the fragrance seems to magically disappear in my soap?:think:


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## happyshopper (Apr 9, 2015)

:wave: from the UK

And puts a vote in to keep everything on the same forum, I like speaking to people all over, if you put in a sub forum for the UK, UK citizens might think they are only allowed to post in that bit, besides then you would need to do the same for the rest of Europe/elsewhere and would end up with sub forums for every country.

Re making small batches I plan to do this as it will be cheaper if I make a mistake and as there is only me and my son who will be using the soap, I don't want to end up with loads of the same type. 

(I have to go now as I have realised I need to speak to my neighbour about the colours in the catalogue )


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