# New To Soap Making



## RustyR (Jun 19, 2014)

Hello Everyone me and my wife are completely new to making soap and not sure where to start I have her a place all set up and everything ready to go except for the soap supplies! I have read and watched so many videos my brain is fried! What is the best way to go HP, Cp, or MP or if anyone would like to become our mentors that would be great send me a msg to my inbox


----------



## silhouette (Jun 19, 2014)

My first soap was was a MP. I had ordered a kg of melt and pour glycerin. Then i started with CP. I CP at room temperature. Love doing it.


----------



## Relle (Jun 19, 2014)

Maybe try M&P first that will be the easiest, then CP or HP. You have a whole forum full of mentors :smile: if you want them, just start posting. Start reading the forum back posts and you will find all the information that you need to get started. Also the Shopping Recommendations will tell you where to buy. A bit of research in SMF and you'll be on your way.


----------



## jules92207 (Jun 19, 2014)

I started with HP and then moved to CP. I bought a book first but I learned WAY more just searching this forum. Welcome to the addiction!


----------



## Khanjari (Jun 19, 2014)

Welcome to the forum and the addiction!  

I agree with the other posts that first,  if you look thru old posts, you will find a lot of information from all the PROs. Also, I started making soap about 10 months ago and started with MP. I am loving it so much I have not yet tried CP or HP!

Good luck and Happy Soaping!


----------



## FGOriold (Jun 19, 2014)

I would actually start with a small batch of a basic 3 oil (olive, coconut, palm) cold process soap with some added fragrance (one without known issues such as acceleration) and no color to get a feel for the soap making process.  It will give you a good idea of what trace looks like, soaping temperatures, measuring your ingredients, cutting and curing the soap, etc.  Melt and pour is great especially for unique artistic designs that take a good amount of experience to master, but is so different from cold process you really don't learn about soapmaking from it, but more the artistic side of it.

I guess it comes down to what are you goals - to have a finished product or to learn to make soap from scratch.


----------



## Seawolfe (Jun 19, 2014)

In a way I think that CP is easier because you can buy all the ingredients needed at the grocery (olive oil, coconut oil, lard, palm) and hardware store (lye). 
BUT if you are the sort of person who likes decorating cakes better than baking cakes, MP might be the method you want to run with because the results can be so pretty.


----------



## RustyR (Jun 19, 2014)

Question what type of melt and pour do I get and how muchand what else do I need!


----------



## pamielynn (Jun 19, 2014)

I have to disagree on the MP if you want to learn to make soap. Doing melt and pour really doesn't teach you anything about making real soap. Search through this forum and read, read, read. Then read some more. Learn to use soapcalc.net - the site has tons of info, not just the calculator. And start saving your money, because this is a highly addictive hobby


----------



## Susie (Jun 19, 2014)

First, may I ask, why do you and she want to make soap?  What is the goal?  If we knew that, we could probably steer you a bit better.

I never even considered going the MP route.  I went straight to CP as I wanted to control the ingredients.  I see no benefit to trying HP first, as you will soon enough be rebatching.

I am not saying anything bad about MP, as I simply have never tried it.  

You said you are all set up except for supplies, but what about equipment?

Also, you and she need to watch plenty of YouTube videos for whatever method you choose before trying the first batch.

And, if you are going to make CP or HP, you need to be on good terms with SoapCalc or another reputable lye calculator.  Start running every recipe you see through it.  Even if you don't print and make the recipe, you need the practice.  And, when you start to make soap, you will still absolutely need to run every last recipe through before making a batch.  No exceptions.  I don't care who or where you get the recipe from.


----------



## LunaSkye (Jun 19, 2014)

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=32055

This link will teach you the abbreviations for some of the stuff we use here and well as some of the suppliers. I can't remember if bulk apothocary is on the list, but they are a good one to place order with (from what I heard).


----------



## RustyR (Jun 20, 2014)

Ok here is what I have measuring cups, bowls, microwave, kitchen aid mixer, plastic spoons,  scale, crockpot, just really need silicone molds and the oils and ingredients and a thermometer


----------



## jenneelk (Jun 20, 2014)

Yeah I wouldn't do M&P.. IMO it's like apples and oranges.

Basic 3-4 oils (olive oil, coconut, lard or palm and castor) that won't take forever to trace, meaning not too high olive oil %, unscented so no chance of acceleration, in a basic line box of some sort or a basic soap loaf. 

Slowly get your feet wet one step at a time and don't rush.. There is plenty of time to make lots of soap and trust me, you will be making more if u get the 'bug'.

Soaping is all about the ride.. Enjoy it and take it slow while learning along the way.  don't crash by going too fast too quickly. 
Sounds like you're off to a good start!


----------



## Susie (Jun 20, 2014)

RustyR said:


> Ok here is what I have measuring cups, bowls, microwave, kitchen aid mixer, plastic spoons,  scale, crockpot, just really need silicone molds and the oils and ingredients and a thermometer



You need a stick blender(immersion blender) not a Kitchen Aid.  You will never want to use that mixer for anything else once it is used for soap.  

The thermometer is not so necessary.  I never pull mine out anymore.  But I guess it is a learning thing.

You failed to mention a box of gloves and safety glasses or goggles.  Those are NOT optional.

Here are a couple of good starting videos:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWnqXTqZTvU[/ame]


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYhH20vWxvc[/ame]


----------

