# How much is enough?



## Edward Sebastian (Jan 20, 2020)

Okay, so I'm looking into ordering from Bramble Berry, but I'm a bit confused and need some clarification. 
I noticed that for each kind of soap project, they list what they've used and a lot of the oils and lye are 1 lb. each in quantity. 
So here's the question. 
Do you have to keep ordering that same amount of oils from other projects that list the same oils needed? Seems like a lot, if I'm only using a few ounces for a batch from one project. or can I just forego the oil and lye on the second soap project and use what I already ordered from the first order? 
I'm asking because I would like to make a soap for ladies in the house and a more masculine scented soap for me. 
Appreciate the help. Thanks


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## amd (Jan 20, 2020)

If you're already ordering from Brambleberry, I would just order one of their pre-mixed kits.
https://www.brambleberry.com/articles/ingredient-information/art0027-all-about-quick-mixes.html


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## Pepsi Girl (Jan 20, 2020)

Or if I’m understanding your question.  You can make the same soap for everyone but split the batter and put different scents in before you pour into the mold!


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 20, 2020)

amd said:


> If you're already ordering from Brambleberry, I would just order one of their pre-mixed kits.
> https://www.brambleberry.com/articles/ingredient-information/art0027-all-about-quick-mixes.html


I would rather not buy a kit that's already pre-made. I'd rather learn to add the ingredients myself.


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## shunt2011 (Jan 20, 2020)

If you’ve got oils left you can use them on other formulas.  If you have enough of specific oils just order what you don’t have.  If I’m understanding your question clearly. Order a couple pounds of lye and you can also find many oils locally at your grocery.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 20, 2020)

Pepsi Girl said:


> Or if I’m understanding your question.  You can make the same soap for everyone but split the batter and put different scents in before you pour into the mold!


What I mean, well actually, not sure how else to say it, but here goes...
If I buy the ingredients from one soap project, do I need to buy the ingredients of another soap project that shares some of the same ingredients as the first soap project? or am I actually using a pound of palm oil for a 3 lb batch? Does that make better sense? I really hope so, or else I should quit now...



shunt2011 said:


> If you’ve got oils left you can use them on other formulas.  If you have enough of specific oils just order what you don’t have.  If I’m understanding your question clearly. Order a couple pounds of lye and you can also find many oils locally at your grocery.


Perfect! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear... LOL Thank you kindly... **** near ready to pull the hair off my head... in a manner of speaking... LMAO!


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## Arimara (Jan 20, 2020)

YOu sure you want to make a 3 lb batch? you might be better off with 3 1lb batches to get your bearings.


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## cmzaha (Jan 20, 2020)

Maybe this will help answer. Many of us buy oils in bulk, such as gallons to 5 gallons or more. We use what we need for our recipe. You do not need to buy exactly what you need for a recipe. As Arimara just mentioned it is much better to make 1 lb batches. For starting out you can get oils from the grocery store, Sams Club, Costco and Walmart


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 20, 2020)

You'll find that some oils are going to be used in pretty much every batch you make - so go right ahead and order sufficient to last you several batches if you plan to keep soaping.  Coconut Oil is an example of this, and probably olive oil.  I buy my Coconut oil in 2 litre buckets ( about four pounds) and that lasts me for several batches.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 20, 2020)

Arimara said:


> YOu sure you want to make a 3 lb batch? you might be better off with 3 1lb batches to get your bearings.


I was using that as an example. As the projects on Bramble Berry are for 3 lb. batches. As you can see here, I just randomly picked two projects...



cmzaha said:


> Maybe this will help answer. Many of us buy oils in bulk, such as gallons to 5 gallons or more. We use what we need for our recipe. You do not need to buy exactly what you need for a recipe. As Arimara just mentioned it is much better to make 1 lb batches. For starting out you can get oils from the grocery store, Sams Club, Costco and Walmart


Thanks. I was just using that as an example. BB projects are for making 3 lbs. 



KiwiMoose said:


> You'll find that some oils are going to be used in pretty much every batch you make - so go right ahead and order sufficient to last you several batches if you plan to keep soaping.  Coconut Oil is an example of this, and probably olive oil.  I buy my Coconut oil in 2 litre buckets ( about four pounds) and that lasts me for several batches.


Awesome. Thank you kindly.


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## Pepsi Girl (Jan 20, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> What I mean, well actually, not sure how else to say it, but here goes...
> If I buy the ingredients from one soap project, do I need to buy the ingredients of another soap project that shares some of the same ingredients as the first soap project? or am I actually using a pound of palm oil for a 3 lb batch? Does that make better sense? I really hope so, or else I should quit now...


Nope you can’t quit!  To many people here to help you and you don’t want to disappoint them!


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## Arimara (Jan 20, 2020)

If that's the case, ok. You could have ordered that kit if you have wanted and just split the oils up into smaller batches. The way I see it, each of those projects yield 3 lbs of soap but it doesn't have to be all at once.


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## Dawni (Jan 20, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> Perfect! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear... LOL Thank you kindly... **** near ready to pull the hair off my head... in a manner of speaking... LMAO!


I laughed at this lol 

@KiwiMoose is right - some fats will be constant, in my case rice bran oil, coconut and shea, some sometimes constant, like castor, sweet almond and avocado. You'll eventually figure out which ones you like.

When I was learning, I was told to have at least one soft oil for conditioning like olive or rice bran, one hard oil and I picked coconut for cleansing, and one "brittle" for hardening which ended up being shea and cocoa butter. That's the minimum and it worked for a while til I wanted to try others lol

I buy my oils at a minimum one liter if that's the only thing available, if there's a bigger one better. Saves you some money buying bulk, and from a mountain of trash eventually. Most I get from the supermarket, the ones I can't find there from soaping suppliers. 

You'll just have to measure out the amount you need and store the rest for your next batch 

And oh, any recipe you find online, whether you resize to a smaller test batch (and I strongly encourage you to start small) or make the same amount, will have to be run through a soap calculator again to avoid mistakes.


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## Nona'sFarm (Jan 20, 2020)

My recommendation would be:
1) Talk to customer service at Brambleberry. Tell them you are new to soap making and only want to make small amounts to start with. I recommend their 20 oz silicone mold.
2) Use the SoapMakingFriend calculator to cut down the recipe to 20 oz.
https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/soap-making-recipe-builder-lye-calculator/
3) Start with the "easy" soap first, once you're happy with that, then try more difficult soaps.

Results to cut down Simple and Gentle Soap to 20 oz
*Recipe Oils, Fats and Waxes*
*Ounces* 
Olive Oil                                    5.72 oz               
Palm Oil                                      4.16 oz             
Coconut Oil, 76 deg                   3.12 oz             
Total                                            13 oz                
*Recipe Totals*
Liquid Required                                 3.86 oz       
NaOH Weight                                      1.84 oz        
Oil Weight                                          13 oz            
Fragrance Oil Weight                         0.39 oz        
Superfat 5%
Total Batch Weight                            19.09 oz      
Lye Concentration 32.26%
Liquid : Lye Ratio 2.1 :1
4) As others have mentioned, you may want to get your oils locally.
5) I would buy the BB 20 oz mold, and lye from Brambleberry. But you can use a cardboard milk carton for a mold.
6) Other supplies you may need:
      Safety equipment - gloves, goggles
      Scales - you need to weigh the ingredients
      Thermometer
      Soaping containers
       Stick blender
7) Watch YouTube videos on CP soapmaking. I think BB / SoapQueen beginning soap making videos are good. She covers the safety aspect, tools, basic process, etc.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it is overkill.


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## TheGecko (Jan 21, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> Okay, so I'm looking into ordering from Bramble Berry, but I'm a bit confused and need some clarification.
> I noticed that for each kind of soap project, they list what they've used and a lot of the oils and lye are 1 lb. each in quantity.
> So here's the question.
> Do you have to keep ordering that same amount of oils from other projects that list the same oils needed? Seems like a lot, if I'm only using a few ounces for a batch from one project. or can I just forego the oil and lye on the second soap project and use what I already ordered from the first order?
> ...


‘
No.  And yes.

Soaping is like baking.  You don’t just buy 6 cups of flour to make rolls and then buy 2 1/2 cups to make a cake and buy another cup for pie crust...no, you buy a 10lb bag and spread the love around.

To cut to the chase, I bought Brambleberry’s Beginner’s Cold Process Kit.  Not only was there enough to make two batches of soap and a little more since you get a full size bottle of Sodium Hydroxide, but you also got a nice 10” Silicone Mold and a tried and true recipe. 

Deciding that I liked soap making, I ordered 7lbs each of Olive, Coconut and Palm Oils,  a pound of Castor.  I also Mica Sampler, a few sample EO bottles and a pound each of Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond to try out, and more Lye.  Today I buy my Olive Oil by the case at Costco, along with Coconut and Avocado Oil.  I buy Cocoa and Shea Butter in 5lb lots.  I recently put in a small order for some ‘no-stir’ Palm Oil to try.

After a few failures, I got smart and purchased a couple if 1lb molds for when I try a new recipe, colorant or scent.

I spent less than $50.00 on equipment...$30.00 for a stick blender and digital scale for Amazon, $5.00 for disposable gloves at Target, another $5,00 for safety glasses at Home Depot and $20.00 at the Dollar Store for bowls, measuring cups, spatulas and miscellaneous.

I just bought a soap cutter this year; previously I used a large knife and then a cheese slicer.  I have 4-2lb molds, 2-1lb molds and some assorted cavity molds; more than enough for my needs right now.

Oh...to cure my soap?  I started with my  old cookies sheets that I line with freezer paper


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 21, 2020)

Dawni said:


> I laughed at this lol
> 
> @KiwiMoose is right - some fats will be constant, in my case rice bran oil, coconut and shea, some sometimes constant, like castor, sweet almond and avocado. You'll eventually figure out which ones you like.
> 
> ...


HAHAHAA! Glad I can put some giggles in someone's life. Thank you kindly for your help. I thought I'd have to forget about making soap and start making something easier, like cookies. Hee hee! Thanks again, Dawni. 



Nona'sFarm said:


> My recommendation would be:
> 1) Talk to customer service at Brambleberry. Tell them you are new to soap making and only want to make small amounts to start with. I recommend their 20 oz silicone mold.
> 2) Use the SoapMakingFriend calculator to cut down the recipe to 20 oz.
> https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/soap-making-recipe-builder-lye-calculator/
> ...


Oh wow! Thank You! Fortunately, I've bought every thing I would need about a year ago, I just finally decided to take the plunge and get over this fear of failure I've had. I, finally, just ordered the ingredients I needed to make two kinds of soap. And funny you should mention videos. I've been watching her videos over and over again. I feel like I can make the soap blind folded, but that's just "Courage" trying to punch "Fear" in the face a few times. 
Thanks for the help. And no, not overkill at all. 



TheGecko said:


> ‘
> No.  And yes.
> 
> Soaping is like baking.  You don’t just buy 6 cups of flour to make rolls and then buy 2 1/2 cups to make a cake and buy another cup for pie crust...no, you buy a 10lb bag and spread the love around.
> ...


That's absolutely solid. Where were you when I was purchasing all those things...*sigh*. I think I spent about $200. for everything...LOL! Lessons will be learned. Thank you.


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## Dawni (Jan 21, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> HAHAHAA! Glad I can put some giggles in someone's life. Thank you kindly for your help. I thought I'd have to forget about making soap and start making something easier, like cookies. Hee hee! Thanks again, Dawni.


That you did lol

You can make both.. Great with ladies (most lol) and kids (probably all lol)


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 21, 2020)

Dawni said:


> That you did lol
> 
> You can make both.. Great with ladies (most lol) and kids (probably all lol)


LOL! True.


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## TheGecko (Jan 21, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> Where were you when I was purchasing all those things...*sigh*.



Right here.  LOL

When I was watching hours and hours and hours of videos, I wasn't just watching what they were doing and how they were doing it, but what they were doing it with (equipment).  

I'll warn you right now...it's really, REALLY easy to get caught up in the excitement of making your own soap and want to buy this and buy that and..................WHOA!  I started with some Mica sample packs to get a feel for using Mica, then I made small purchases (5 grams) after that.  Colorants that I like, I bought larger quantities of.  When it came to scents...again I started small (1 ounce); do you really want to buy an 8 ounce bottle and discover that it really stinks or accelerates badly or discolors to baby poo?!?  Believe me...you don't.  I have such a bottle, I've learned how to work with it, but I don't use it often.

Set a budget...very VERY important.  

When I bought my originals molds, I did pick up a pack of 16 individual molds (amazon).  I use them for extra soap.  I use them for testing a bunch of new colors or new fragrances.  I use them for travel/sink/sample soaps.


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## Kathymzr (Jan 21, 2020)

Small batches will help you get past initial learning without much cost. A quart milk container on its side is about 1 1/3 lb soap. Makes 6-8 bars. 

First common mistakes even with a foolproof recipe: Stick Blending too long (just SB till oil isn’t sitting in top), using fragrance that is known to affect batter (read all the specs on it. Start with something that won’t cause surprises), ugly colors (order from well known suppliers and use colors made for soap then start light and simple—work up to zany color combos remembering red and green mix to mud color!). Stay calm!


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 21, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Right here.  LOL
> 
> When I was watching hours and hours and hours of videos, I wasn't just watching what they were doing and how they were doing it, but what they were doing it with (equipment).
> 
> ...


Wow. That's great advice. and Yeeeeaaah, I prefer not having poo scented soap. nope. Not at all. HAHAHAA!



Kathymzr said:


> Small batches will help you get past initial learning without much cost. A quart milk container on its side is about 1 1/3 lb soap. Makes 6-8 bars.
> 
> First common mistakes even with a foolproof recipe: Stick Blending too long (just SB till oil isn’t sitting in top), using fragrance that is known to affect batter (read all the specs on it. Start with something that won’t cause surprises), ugly colors (order from well known suppliers and use colors made for soap then start light and simple—work up to zany color combos remembering red and green mix to mud color!). Stay calm!


Fantastic advice. Thank you.


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## bookreader451 (Jan 21, 2020)

When I started I ordered this:
https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/cold-process-soap-making-oil-kit.aspx
I have never used the olive oil pomace but I did get a couple of batches from it.   

I already had some specialty butters and oils from making body butters and scrubs and when I found I loved making soap I picked up olive, coconut and avocado from Costco and lard from Walmart.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 21, 2020)

bookreader451 said:


> When I started I ordered this:
> https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/cold-process-soap-making-oil-kit.aspx
> I have never used the olive oil pomace but I did get a couple of batches from it.
> 
> I already had some specialty butters and oils from making body butters and scrubs and when I found I loved making soap I picked up olive, coconut and avocado from Costco and lard from Walmart.


Oh wow! That's great. Thank you so much. They even have molds representing Autism... Love it. Sorry, I got a little excited and ventured into the site, randomly. he he he... Looks like they're a lot cheaper than BB. Awesome. Again, Thank you. by the way, LOVE your tagline.


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## bookreader451 (Jan 21, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> Oh wow! That's great. Thank you so much. They even have molds representing Autism... Love it. Sorry, I got a little excited and ventured into the site, randomly. he he he... Looks like they're a lot cheaper than BB. Awesome. Again, Thank you. by the way, LOVE your tagline.


The shipping is a lot cheaper.   I love their no stir palm.  I buy it by the bucket.


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## Iluminameluna (Jan 24, 2020)

Hi. Welcome to the soap side. 
I'll put in my 2 cents if I may?
I'm on a strict budget and have never had a silicone mold or been able to afford micas or FO's.
However, I've made do with what's on my kitchen counter to great advantage.
Olive oil from Costco, in Mason jars together with turmeric or smoked paprika, set on a shelf and turned over every few days for a week or so looks beautiful in soaps.
I just made some chamomile and both turmeric AND sm. paprika decorative soaps with just such infused oil, together with lard and some organic coconut oil also from Costco.
I had saved some trays from frozen dumplings I thought would look cute. I think I was right.
The rest of the batter is still in a parchment-lined box I saved from a shipment.
The point is, when you're starting out, you don't need to spend a bunch of moolah to get a feel for what you want to do. In fact, I've been soaping now for almost 6 years with about 35 batches under my belt and still don't have anything resembling a "professional" type of setup. Everything is either from The Dollar Store, or disposable stuff like I described above.
It's all good! And it satisfies the soaper addict in me.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 24, 2020)

Iluminameluna said:


> Hi. Welcome to the soap side.
> I'll put in my 2 cents if I may?
> I'm on a strict budget and have never had a silicone mold or been able to afford micas or FO's.
> However, I've made do with what's on my kitchen counter to great advantage.
> ...


Heeeeeey, Those look like very nice decorative soaps. Very Nice indeed. well spent two cents of advice if you ask me. Thank you kindly.


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## Iluminameluna (Jan 24, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> well spent two cents of advice if you ask me.



Frankly, that's about all that was left in my piggy  bank!

Really though, my favorite place to learn to soap was soaping101.com's YouTube channel. She's a marvelous teacher, with excellent communication skills, great recipes, and does exciting ones for those who've advanced.

I watched her beginner's tutorial videos over and over again, for almost a year, before attempting her most basic Bastile Soap recipe. I broke my piggy to buy some lavender essential oil on sale and made it. I was SO anxious, excited, and couldn't believe I was being so bold! But it was a success! I almost suffocated in my tiny efficiency apt without ventilation as it cured. A year later, my beloved Nanny was asking if I had any more of those beautiful soaps.
My advice? Do a simple soap, with a small batch of 1 lb of oils. Don't worry about who's going to want them. These will be your babies, so think about who might be the grandparents, aunties or uncles: a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, maybe your grand-aunt who likes to cook and washes her hands all the time.
Anyway. Take the plunge. You won't regret it.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

Iluminameluna said:


> Frankly, that's about all that was left in my piggy  bank!
> 
> Really though, my favorite place to learn to soap was soaping101.com's YouTube channel. She's a marvelous teacher, with excellent communication skills, great recipes, and does exciting ones for those who've advanced.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much. I will  definitely try my best.


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## Zing (Jan 25, 2020)

The Dollar and thrift stores are your friends.  I do love my silicone molds but when I started I used waxy soup and milk cartons.  They did tend to bulge out so I had to put heavy books next to them after pouring.  I still use empty single serving plastic yogurt containers which cut easily into round pucks.  I've had great luck with paprika and tumeric just thrown into the batter.


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## DeeAnna (Jan 25, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> ....I just finally decided to take the plunge and get over this fear of failure I've had....



Oh, I can so relate to this. The first year of soap making I often had to get everything ready to go, then I'd sit down for awhile before actually making the soap. I'd get so verklempt about actually putting the fat and lye together, so I needed a little time-out to chill. It got a lot better as I got more experience and learned it would all go okay. Maybe not quite as I wanted it to ... but okay. 

As far as supplies go, everyone else is giving good advice. Follow the bits of advice that make sense to you and you'll do fine.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> Oh, I can so relate to this. The first year of soap making I often had to get everything ready to go, then I'd sit down for awhile before actually making the soap. I'd get so verklempt about actually putting the fat and lye together, so I needed a little time-out to chill. It got a lot better as I got more experience and learned it would all go okay. Maybe not quite as I wanted it to ... but okay.
> 
> As far as supplies go, everyone else is giving good advice. Follow the bits of advice that make sense to you and you'll do fine.


Awesome! Thank you. Yeah, it's been a lot of fear and apprehension on my part. oh and a whole lot of procrastination. all due to the fear of Failure, I carry around...lol.


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## Kathymzr (Jan 25, 2020)

The milk containers are flimsy, but so handy. It is an effort, but they make perfect size bars. I cut off one long side, slice cardboard boxes to reinforce the sides and make a stop on the pouring end. Secure it all with tape. Line with freezer paper. You can reuse a time or two, or just toss. 

I finally bought a couple of molds, but still like the size of my milk carton bars!


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## ShirleyHailstock (Jan 25, 2020)

I'm a beginner and I didn't spend a lot of money. I followed advice here, but I always knew about the Dollar Store. I was concerned about using plastic for the lye-water. I thought it might melt, but it didn't. Then I read the using glass could have the lye etch the glass. Many of the supplies I already had. I took some duplicates and dedicated them to soap making. A large bowl I bought at the Goodwill for $2.00.


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## TheGecko (Jan 25, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> all due to the fear of Failure



Failure is nothing more than an opportunity to learn.  During my first three months of making soap, I had a many failures as I did successes.  I learned when making multi batch of lye solution for different recipes to label them so you don't put lye meant for a 2lb batch into a 1lb batch.  I learned to do the same when making multi batches of oils/butters for different recipes because I've added the ingredient meant for one batch in another batch.  I rewrote all my recipes so the ingredients are listed in the order I add them, I check off each one AFTER I add them and I wrote the weight of each mixing bowl on the bottom so I can weigh it before I add my lye solution because yes, I have forgotten to add an ingredient.  I always print a new copy of a recipes regardless that I have it memorized because no two days of soap making are the same.  One day you might be spot on with your measurements and another day...oops, I added 12 oz when I was only supposed to add 10 oz.  Or maybe today it is 90F with 90% humidity and the next time you make that soap it's 40F and dry as a bone.  Or this batch you gel and next time you don't or maybe you don't want to wait for your lye to cool down so you decide to try the HTM (heat transfer method) or your supplier was out of Cocoa Butter Wafers and you bought chunky instead.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

Zing said:


> The Dollar and thrift stores are your friends.  I do love my silicone molds but when I started I used waxy soup and milk cartons.  They did tend to bulge out so I had to put heavy books next to them after pouring.  I still use empty single serving plastic yogurt containers which cut easily into round pucks.  I've had great luck with paprika and tumeric just thrown into the batter.


very cool, thanks.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

Kathymzr said:


> The milk containers are flimsy, but so handy. It is an effort, but they make perfect size bars. I cut off one long side, slice cardboard boxes to reinforce the sides and make a stop on the pouring end. Secure it all with tape. Line with freezer paper. You can reuse a time or two, or just toss.
> 
> I finally bought a couple of molds, but still like the size of my milk carton bars!


Makes perfect sense.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

ShirleyHailstock said:


> I'm a beginner and I didn't spend a lot of money. I followed advice here, but I always knew about the Dollar Store. I was concerned about using plastic for the lye-water. I thought it might melt, but it didn't. Then I read the using glass could have the lye etch the glass. Many of the supplies I already had. I took some duplicates and dedicated them to soap making. A large bowl I bought at the Goodwill for $2.00.



I had taken the lye water, heating up, into account and had bought Stainless steel mixing bowls instead of glass or plastic. Plus it should last forever, right?...


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 25, 2020)

TheGecko said:


> Failure is nothing more than an opportunity to learn.  During my first three months of making soap, I had a many failures as I did successes.  I learned when making multi batch of lye solution for different recipes to label them so you don't put lye meant for a 2lb batch into a 1lb batch.  I learned to do the same when making multi batches of oils/butters for different recipes because I've added the ingredient meant for one batch in another batch.  I rewrote all my recipes so the ingredients are listed in the order I add them, I check off each one AFTER I add them and I wrote the weight of each mixing bowl on the bottom so I can weigh it before I add my lye solution because yes, I have forgotten to add an ingredient.  I always print a new copy of a recipes regardless that I have it memorized because no two days of soap making are the same.  One day you might be spot on with your measurements and another day...oops, I added 12 oz when I was only supposed to add 10 oz.  Or maybe today it is 90F with 90% humidity and the next time you make that soap it's 40F and dry as a bone.  Or this batch you gel and next time you don't or maybe you don't want to wait for your lye to cool down so you decide to try the HTM (heat transfer method) or your supplier was out of Cocoa Butter Wafers and you bought chunky instead.


I see. hmm. I guess pencil and paper is a must...lol! Thank you


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## Estee (Jan 25, 2020)

Think of this as making a cake.  If I have a 5lb bag of flour, and only use 2 pounds can I use the remaining 3lbs (or a portion of the 3lbs) to make the next cake..... YES,  you certainly can.  Now let's say you have a dozen eggs and only use 2... so you have 10 remaining.... can I use some of these remaining eggs to make my next cake.... answer, MAYBE.... how long has it been.... have these eggs gone bad, how did you store the eggs.... you might have been better off to buy only a half dozen eggs to start with.  So let's talk soap ingredients.... some things have a very very long shelf life like LYE (mind you I don't like to have lye hanging around so I buy small amounts and use all of the lye by adjusting my recipe -- like making a batch and a half all at once, or a double batch).  Now let's think about castor oil.... the shelf life here is about 6 months, and in small quantities this stuff is super expensive, but in a 5 gallon jug 100 grams of castor is very affordable..... but what to do with the remaining portion of the 5 gallon jug ????.  To make intelligent decisions you need to factor in the shelf life, and how you need to store the ingredient.... maybe freezer space in your household is at a premium... maybe, like me, you put anything in your freezer just to fill it up so it runs efficiently.  So look at quantities required verses sizes available and pricing.... then consider storage/shelf life and when you next figure you will use the stuff.  If your like me your first soap making "series" will be about 5 different batches in a couple of weeks..... then since I had over 60 bars nothing for almost a year.  In my 5 different batches common ingredients were:  Lye, castor and sunflower oil...... then different oils and butters depending on the batch.  I didn't use any colours (micas) despite having them around from cosmetic making, and I used very little fragrance, as this was not a priority.


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## lsg (Jan 26, 2020)

I have Castor oil that is much older than 6 months.  I keep my supplies in my basement craft room, which has a fairly stable temperature, year round.  You can also prolong shelf-life of oils by adding rosemary oleoresin when the container is first opened.


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## ShirleyHailstock (Jan 26, 2020)

Edward Sebastian said:


> I had taken the lye water, heating up, into account and had bought Stainless steel mixing bowls instead of glass or plastic. Plus it should last forever, right?...


I'm actually looking for stainless steel bowls at a reasonable price, meaning finding them at the thrift store.


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## Kathymzr (Jan 26, 2020)

Talk about Lye—lol. So I bought some nice clear plastic jars that I thought would be handy. The label said they were sturdy. I put my Lye in and the water. As it heated up I watched the plastic curl and shrink in agony. Now I use a stainless steel small pot that will fit on a bowl of ice water to cool fast. I don’t use glass or plastic. Ahh, lessons learned!


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 26, 2020)

Kathymzr said:


> Talk about Lye—lol. So I bought some nice clear plastic jars that I thought would be handy. The label said they were sturdy. I put my Lye in and the water. As it heated up I watched the plastic curl and shrink in agony. Now I use a stainless steel small pot that will fit on a bowl of ice water to cool fast. I don’t use glass or plastic. Ahh, lessons learned!


Yeah, I read the horror stories of it. which is why I got the stainless steel mixing bowls.


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## Arimara (Jan 26, 2020)

Kathymzr said:


> Talk about Lye—lol. So I bought some nice clear plastic jars that I thought would be handy. The label said they were sturdy. I put my Lye in and the water. As it heated up I watched the plastic curl and shrink in agony. Now I use a stainless steel small pot that will fit on a bowl of ice water to cool fast. I don’t use glass or plastic. Ahh, lessons learned!





Edward Sebastian said:


> Yeah, I read the horror stories of it. which is why I got the stainless steel mixing bowls.



If that happened in type 2 or 5 containers, especially type two, I'd understand the fear more. Those types of plastic containers are generally the recommended types. Type 7 is a mixed bag of nuts and types 1, 3, 4, and 6 are poor choices for soapmaking.


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## DeeAnna (Jan 28, 2020)

My guess is the clear plastic container that "shrunk and curled in agony" was PET, polyethylene terephthalate, recycle code #1. PET containers can indeed be very thick and sturdy .... and PET is fine for weak acids, weak alkalis, and water, as long as the material is cold or cool. Basically PET is great for iced tea, drinking water, and lemonade and not so good for anything else.

If a person does not want to use plastic containers for working with lye or soap batter, that's a reasonable choice to make. But I would hate to see advice given that implies stainless steel is the _only _option for this purpose, because it is not. Sturdy containers made of polypropylene or polyethylene, recycle codes #2 and #5, are quite suitable and safe for working with concentrated NaOH, KOH, and soap batter. More: https://classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 28, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> My guess is the clear plastic container that "shrunk and curled in agony" was PET, polyethylene terephthalate, recycle code #1. PET containers can indeed be very thick and sturdy .... and PET is fine for weak acids, weak alkalis, and water, as long as the material is cold or cool. Basically PET is great for iced tea, drinking water, and lemonade and not so good for anything else.
> 
> If a person does not want to use plastic containers for working with lye or soap batter, that's a reasonable choice to make. But I would hate to see advice given that implies stainless steel is the _only _option for this purpose, because it is not. Sturdy containers made of polypropylene or polyethylene, recycle codes #2 and #5, are quite suitable and safe for working with concentrated NaOH, KOH, and soap batter. More: https://classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp


Oh, don't get me wrong, I didn't say plastic mixing bowls were bad, I planned on buying the glass mixing bowl. But decided, as far as expenditure and probability, to go with the stainless steel bowl. Lasting longer, if not forever.


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## Kathymzr (Jan 29, 2020)

Yes, I totally agree stainless is not the only type for mixing Lye! I just happen to like my little pot. I make small batches!


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## bookreader451 (Jan 29, 2020)

I bought the 32oz ziplock bowls with lids for lye water.  They are cheap, easy to grip and look cool with my skull and crossbones on them in sharpie.


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## Edward Sebastian (Jan 30, 2020)

bookreader451 said:


> I bought the 32oz ziplock bowls with lids for lye water.  They are cheap, easy to grip and look cool with my skull and crossbones on them in sharpie.


LOL!


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