# What advice would you give to your beginning soaping self?



## WeaversPort

I have been going through many of the threads and trying to learn as much as possible from others questions.

Some of the advice seems to be fairly straightforward, like:

Don't use glass for lye solution
Don't use wooden utensils because they'll break down over time
 Soap needs 4-6 weeks to cure (unless it is castle, which needs a year)
Wear goggles/gloves/long sleeves/pants
Document your recipes well, so you can recreate the good ones (via Bumbleklutz)
Run all your recipes through a lye calculator (via Bumbleklutz)
Use Metric for better accuracy in soapmaking (via kchaystach)

But some of it is very nuanced and only seems to come up during a specific conversation, like:

You can save a lot of money at the dollar store for soaping supplies, but use plastic with a #5 on the bottom (via Obsidian)
Measure fragrance and essential oils in glass - not plastic (via Obsidian)
Rice Bran and Safflower oil goes rancid (via kchaystack)
Setting soap in a mold under an A/C fan can lead to soda ash, or
Drying soap on paper shopping bags can smell like dog

If you could go back in time to give yourself as a beginner some advice on soapmaking, what would it be?


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## dixiedragon

Don't buy the cute individual molds. You will never use them all!


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## WeaversPort

dixiedragon said:


> Don't buy the cute individual molds. You will never use them all!



I'm glad you shared this, because I've been eyeing some molds.. What do you find yourself using instead?


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## toxikon

*Learn about oil properties for easy recipe making*. I followed tutorial recipes for a long time without really thinking about why and what was going into it. Once you learn what each oil brings to the soap, it's very easy to customize recipes to suit your needs and likes.

*Start simple.* It can be tempting to add sugar, sodium lactate, goat milk, oatmeal, honey, salt, clays, charcoal, beer, coffee (and so on...) to your recipes because it's all so new and exciting! But your first few batches should be very simple to get your feet wet and learn the process. First recipe: 3-4 oils, lye, water. Second recipe: Add a fragrance. Third recipe: Try a fragrance and a colour, etc. *Slowly build up your recipes.*

*Temperature doesn't matter too much.* When I first started and was following Soap Queen heavily, I watched my lye water and oil temperatures like a HAWK and combined them when they both reached exactly 120 degrees. On the forum, I was surprised to learn that a lot of people don't even use thermometers! And their lye water is room temperature! So yeah. As long as oils aren't cold enough re-solidify, it's okay if they're not the exact same temperature.
*
You don't need to pour at trace.* Your soap batter can be a bit liquidy if you're trying to do pretty swirly designs. You don't need to blend everything to oblivion with a stick blender until it reaches trace. Whisks are okay. Stopping early can give you a lot more time to add colours and pour your designs. As long as the lye water and oils have been fully incorporated, it's okay to pour your soap while it's still liquid.

*Give your curing bars lots of air flow.* I neglected this a bit when I first started. I'd let them cure for a few days, then pop them into a closet in a shoebox. Oops. Leave those babies out and exposed for at least 6 weeks to get all that water content out!

*Start small.* Keep your first batches reasonably sized! 500g - 1.5lbs is a good starting point. If something goes wrong, you don't want a huge pile of garbage soap on your hands. I recently saw a newbie post about a failed SEVEN POUND recipe. That's an insane amount of waste. When you're testing new recipes, small batch size is the way to go!


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## Annfine

It's a good idea to wear a face mask, because the lye solution is too strong to breath in. Have windows open and maybe a door when sprinkling lye into distilled water. I agree most of the soap making supplies are at the dollar store.


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## Obsidian

Don't waste your money on a bunch of different fancy oils/butters. Get a good basic recipe down first, one that you can replicate multiple times with no issues then starting playing with more expensive ingredients.

I like my cute molds but only use 1 or 2 with any regularity. Some, like the christmas trees are cute but impractical as the shape makes the soap difficult to use. My favorite are the half easter eggs or the lady bugs, no sharp edges and a nice size to easily hold. Most of the time I use them just for excess batter or for cute salt bars.

Don't go crazy with flowers or other things to decorate tops with until you have a chance to use said decorated soap so you know if you like them. I like the looks of flower petals on a loaf mold but they are gross to use, the petals turn brown in time and get all soggy in the shower.
Also be mindful of hard decorations. One of my early soaps was a black & white with whole star anise on top for decoration. They had to be forcibly ripped out before you could use the soap. Not a very good decision on my part.


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## IrishLass

You know, we need to compile all of this into a one-stop thread and make a stickie out of it!



			
				WeaversPort said:
			
		

> Wear goggles/gloves/long sleeves/pants


 
I agree 100% with the goggles and gloves- they are an absolute must, but I just wanted to state that I no longer wear long sleeves/long pants when I make soap....on purpose. This is due to an incident I experienced when I splashed raw soap batter on my sleeve that seeped through to my skin and let me know it was there by the itching that ensued. I had to stop what I was doing and take off my gloves so that I could take off my apron so that I could take off my shirt so that I could wash my arm before running back to my bedroom to grab another shirt to put on before putting my apron and gloves back on and continue soaping.  Thankfully, my batch was a high OO formula and it waited patiently for me. Whew! For me, it's just much easier/quicker to take care of the rare splash on my skin if there is nothing standing in my way.

RE: individual molds. I love my indie molds (I use them to test my formulas in un-gelled mode and also to form my scraps from beveling into pretty bars), but Dixie has a point- you _can _have so many that they all don't get used!


IrishLass


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## makemineirish

Plan the first five projects that you want to do and pick the vendor that can supply you your needs for three.  Do those three before going obsessive and adding every interesting FO and luxury oil to your cart to "justify shipping".

Maybe you are a better person, but I get flights of fancy.  As excited as I was about many of the tools and ingredients that I bought, they were often sidelined by even MORE creative endeavors as I stumbled onto new information.  I still have an assortment of 1oz FOs (that I should just de-stash) because the intended projects were sidelined by ideas that eclipsed them...or horsetail butter and nettle extract that I need to remember to actually put on my hair because it does NOTHING sitting in the cabinet.  

I bought a myriad of exotic oils and butters.  I'm not knocking them, and it helped me figure out what I like...and what I don't.  That being said, one of my favorite soaps is a 100% CO salt bar (rolling eyes).  In the future, I would only purchase them if trying to replicate a particular product that I KNOW I already love.


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## CTAnton

this is not original but does bear repeating:
Group all your oils in one area and when you've weighed them out put them in a separate area...unweighed on the counter...weighed out on the floor as an example...this way you're less likely to have forgotten one....


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## lenarenee

I really can't think of anything I would do differently except buy the large honking box of disposable gloves, leave them in easy reach and don't feel guilty for using multiple pairs in a soaping session. If you suspect something dripped into the glove - change it. Glove getting too slippery to pick things up or spread raw batter around - change it.

I had proper safety habits from the beginning, so the rest was just a natural learning curve that one doesn't appreciate unless they've lived through the experience.


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## Susie

I no longer wear long sleeves, or a face mask, either, for the same reason.  I don't wear an apron, though.  Just my old comfy t-shirt and sweats or capris.  The fumes from the lye water are going to go right through a mask.  Mix under a vent hood for a stove, or outside, and at arm's length.  However, the more you move stuff, the higher the risk of spilling it everywhere, so carefully weigh your risk and reward there.

I DO wear gloves and goggles. 

Do have some sort of individual molds, but it can be as simple as silicone cupcake molds or a silicone multi-bar mold.  You will need it for several things, such as mis-figuring your mold capacity, salt bars, trying colorants or scents...and the list goes on.

Do not throw any soap away until you ask here.  Most can be saved.  And more lessons are learned from botched batches than you can imagine.

When you come ask why your batch botched, please post your ENTIRE recipe in weights.  It saves us ever so much struggle when trying to help you troubleshoot.  That gets you an answer much, much faster.

Remember that this is a learning process.  Not one of us was born knowing how to make soap.  We were all where you are.

We are happy to help, but we all have lives, so you may not get an answer immediately, especially if it is the middle of the night in the US, or during the work day for the US.


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## BrewerGeorge

Don't go crazy with the stick blender.  Once things are fully emulsified it's not really useful any more unless you're trying to mix something into the batter - fragrance, color, etc.  Just standing there watching it while stirring gently is often just as fast as running the SB.

A corollary to the above: Scrape the sides of the bowl while using the SB!  (Not doing this bit me on my first two batches.)  Using the SB and stirring around with it like you see in the videos has a tendency to leave a layer of oil at the edges of the bowl.  It's a laminar layer that the turbulent flow from the blender won't touch.  You need to scrape it off the edges into the bulk batter with a spatula.  If you don't and wait to scrape the bowl into the mold, you'll end up with this unmixed oil as a slick on top of your batter.


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## Silver

I will touch on what many of the other soapers have already said once more: More expensive oils do not necessarily mean better soap. For my first couple of batches I decided to put some Jojoba oil in my soap (gasp, i know) until some of the other soapers brought me back to the light. At the small percentages that it would be feasible to use the expensive oils they really will not make any difference in the soap, and at the end of the day the expensive oils also really don't bring anything to the table that the standard oils do not already offer (coconut, castor, lard, olive oil, etc.).


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## Millie

Don't repeat a recipe til it has cured and you know you like it! One of my first soaps was the 100% coconut oil with 20% superfat that so many rave about. I lathered it up with gloved hands - amazing! The bar was so white, a perfect background for swirls! I whipped up two more batches the next day. When they cured I discovered I cannot tolerate them. 

P.s. I also soap in short sleeves. Dipped a sleeve in batter once.


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## HowieRoll

There is a _ton_ of excellent advice here.  One thing that really resonates with me (now) is what toxikon wrote, to start with small batch sizes.  My first batch involved 39.5oz of oils and 63 total oz of soap batter (incl. liquid, lye, additives, etc).  It was way, way too much, especially since the soap is just okay but now what I make is a lot better (ok, in my humble opinion).  Besides, that first batch was expensive to make ($37.02 ingredient cost!) and after a lot of practice/experimentation with much smaller batches I've been able to hone in on suppliers/ingredients I want to work with, which has lowered ingredient costs considerably.  It's been mentioned here before, and I completely agree, not to go _too_ small, but a 500-ish gram batch size is good if you have a reliable scale.

Early on I started an Excel spreadsheet in an attempt to keep track of each batch all the amazing things I was learning (and I still add to it often).  The tabs on the bottom are things like Bar Soap Costs, Ingredient Pricing, Oil Notes, Additives Tips, Colorant Usage, EO Blends, EO Notes, Equipment Costs, General Notes, Alternative Liquids Notes, etc.  For instance, on the Additives tab I have a bunch of additives listed in alphabetical order (like bee pollen, beeswax, garam masala, honey, paprika, sugar, etc), the usage per pound of oil weight (PPO), and notes about them.  When I find things that sound interesting to me I note them there, and it's all in one place.  For the first several months I was pretty overwhelmed by all of the things I was learning and this just helped me feel more organized.  Plus, I'm a forget-ter.


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## dibbles

This is all very good advice. It should be compiled into a stickie!

Susie is right about mixing lye under a ventilation hood or outside. For me, that isn't really an option, as my dedicated soaping space is in my basement. I have decided there is far more risk in carrying my lye up and down the stairs and, being a bit of a klutz, probably spilling it at some point. Also, going outside to mix on super cold MN days would be brutal. I invested in a good respirator mask and mix my lye in an area away from where I am working to get everything else set up and weighing my oils. The lye fumes dissipate fairly quickly and are gone before I am ready to use the lye solution. 

I would take temperatures for your first few batches too, just so you can have a reference point of how warm or cool the outside of the pitchers/bowls you are using feel at the temperature you prefer for soaping. I still take temps, and usually try to stay around 90-100 when using a lot of hard oils.


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## WeaversPort

Oh wow, this is incredible. Thank you everyone! I would have never thought about how to get out of batter soaked clothes with an apron, gloves, goggles, glasses.. 

My apartment is somewhat small, so I'll probably be mixing my solution outside. Of course as it becomes summer I'll need fans going just to survive inside. 



makemineirish said:


> Plan the first five projects that you want to do and pick the vendor that can supply you your needs for three.  Do those three before going obsessive and adding every interesting FO and luxury oil to your cart to "justify shipping".
> 
> Maybe you are a better person, but I get flights of fancy.  As excited as I was about many of the tools and ingredients that I bought, they were often sidelined by even MORE creative endeavors as I stumbled onto new information.  I still have an assortment of 1oz FOs (that I should just de-stash) because the intended projects were sidelined by ideas that eclipsed them...or horsetail butter and nettle extract that I need to remember to actually put on my hair because it does NOTHING sitting in the cabinet.
> 
> I bought a myriad of exotic oils and butters.  I'm not knocking them, and it helped me figure out what I like...and what I don't.  That being said, one of my favorite soaps is a 100% CO salt bar (rolling eyes).  In the future, I would only purchase them if trying to replicate a particular product that I KNOW I already love.



I'm kind of a butterfly and easily get whipped up into more projects than I know what to do with... I'm struggling to stay away from any Internet shopping until I find lard. My first recipe is with lard and olive oil (I need to keep reminding myself of this!!  How do you know what you already love when you are just starting? Is it better to just get say.. three? five common oils? I see people talking about lard, coconut, olive, avocado, shea, castor, and palm mostly. 



Millie said:


> Don't repeat a recipe til it has cured and you know you like it! When they cured I discovered I cannot tolerate them.
> 
> P.s. I also soap in short sleeves. Dipped a sleeve in batter once.



Good to know, I can just see myself doing both of these things. I'm a hazard in long sleeves when it comes to getting them in everything! I can also see myself getting crazy about my first successful soap, without even knowing if I like it.. 



HowieRoll said:


> Early on I started an Excel spreadsheet in an attempt to keep track of each batch all the amazing things I was learning (and I still add to it often).  The tabs on the bottom are things like Bar Soap Costs, Ingredient Pricing, Oil Notes, Additives Tips, Colorant Usage, EO Blends, EO Notes, Equipment Costs, General Notes, Alternative Liquids Notes, etc.  For instance, on the Additives tab I have a bunch of additives listed in alphabetical order (like bee pollen, beeswax, garam masala, honey, paprika, sugar, etc), the usage per pound of oil weight (PPO), and notes about them.  When I find things that sound interesting to me I note them there, and it's all in one place.  For the first several months I was pretty overwhelmed by all of the things I was learning and this just helped me feel more organized.  Plus, I'm a forget-ter.



I've been getting a little overwhelmed with oils, costs, properties.. I've been using a cookbook app on my phone, but it hasn't been robust enough as I've been trying to learn things like oil properties. I really like the idea of an Excel spreadsheet, it might be what finally gets me to learn Excel..



BrewerGeorge said:


> Don't go crazy with the stick blender.  Once things are fully emulsified it's not really useful any more unless you're trying to mix something into the batter - fragrance, color, etc.  Just standing there watching it while stirring gently is often just as fast as running the SB.
> 
> A corollary to the above: Scrape the sides of the bowl while using the SB!  (Not doing this bit me on my first two batches.)  Using the SB and stirring around with it like you see in the videos has a tendency to leave a layer of oil at the edges of the bowl.  It's a laminar layer that the turbulent flow from the blender won't touch.  You need to scrape it off the edges into the bulk batter with a spatula.  If you don't and wait to scrape the bowl into the mold, you'll end up with this unmixed oil as a slick on top of your batter.





toxikon said:


> *Learn about oil properties for easy recipe making*. I followed tutorial recipes for a long time without really thinking about why and what was going into it. Once you learn what each oil brings to the soap, it's very easy to customize recipes to suit your needs and likes.
> 
> *Start simple.* It can be tempting to add sugar, sodium lactate, goat milk, oatmeal, honey, salt, clays, charcoal, beer, coffee (and so on...) to your recipes because it's all so new and exciting! But your first few batches should be very simple to get your feet wet and learn the process. First recipe: 3-4 oils, lye, water. Second recipe: Add a fragrance. Third recipe: Try a fragrance and a colour, etc. *Slowly build up your recipes.*
> 
> *Temperature doesn't matter too much.* When I first started and was following Soap Queen heavily, I watched my lye water and oil temperatures like a HAWK and combined them when they both reached exactly 120 degrees. On the forum, I was surprised to learn that a lot of people don't even use thermometers! And their lye water is room temperature! So yeah. As long as oils aren't cold enough re-solidify, it's okay if they're not the exact same temperature.
> *
> You don't need to pour at trace.* Your soap batter can be a bit liquidy if you're trying to do pretty swirly designs. You don't need to blend everything to oblivion with a stick blender until it reaches trace. Whisks are okay. Stopping early can give you a lot more time to add colours and pour your designs. As long as the lye water and oils have been fully incorporated, it's okay to pour your soap while it's still liquid.
> 
> *Give your curing bars lots of air flow.* I neglected this a bit when I first started. I'd let them cure for a few days, then pop them into a closet in a shoebox. Oops. Leave those babies out and exposed for at least 6 weeks to get all that water content out!
> 
> *Start small.* Keep your first batches reasonably sized! 500g - 1.5lbs is a good starting point. If something goes wrong, you don't want a huge pile of garbage soap on your hands. I recently saw a newbie post about a failed SEVEN POUND recipe. That's an insane amount of waste. When you're testing new recipes, small batch size is the way to go!



I feel like I should tattoo these to my arms and forehead... I have been watching a lot of Soap Queen, so I've been a little worried about all of the thermometer temperatures. And whether I'm wieldy enough with a stick blender. 

I'm almost terrified of trying to color anything after watching her videos.



Susie said:


> Do not throw any soap away until you ask here.  Most can be saved.  And more lessons are learned from botched batches than you can imagine.
> 
> When you come ask why your batch botched, please post your ENTIRE recipe in weights.  It saves us ever so much struggle when trying to help you troubleshoot.  That gets you an answer much, much faster.



I had no idea soap could be saved! Is saved when I get things like volcanoes or something? I saw cracks/volcanoes/ricing and something about orange spots.. 

I promise to do my best never to post something like 

_I made a coconut soap and it isn't working! Help! _ I can see that being a little impossible. :headbanging:


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## SaltedFig

*Keep good records*

Keep good records of your soaping adventures. Include things like:
*
Recipe - *The most important piece of information you can keep!

*Cost of materials* - this can be as easy as stapling the receipts into your soaping book. 
*
Time* - document when you start and how long each step takes, or the whole recipe. Your time is valuable.

*Weather* - temperature and humidity can have an impact on soaps (I know a professional soap maker who does not make high olive soaps on days when there is going to be a thunderstorm - they believe that it increases the amount of stringy gel apparent in the final soap (haven't tested this curiosity, but one day ...)

*Batch details of ingredients* - it sounds obvious, but recording manufacturer, date and batch information of the original production may become important months or even years later (when you want to know what made that particular batch of your soap different from the others, whether for good or bad).

*Notes as you go *- these are jottings that may or may not be important. They are just for you, so your shorthand is fine, but do keep them! You might never read them again, but for that one ... it's worth it.

*Scent blends *- record number of drops and/or the weight of each component. Again, even if it's for that one, perfect, combination, it will be worth it!

*Your impressions *- include colour, scent, texture, bubbles and anything else that is important to you. Come back to the soaps from time to time and try them out again, and record your impressions again.

It sounds like a lot, but in reality it can be as simple as scribbling on the back of a recipe as you make it and stapling that into your book.

Lucky last - *keep at least on bar for years*. Like a physical diary - an old bar of soap has a story to tell you.


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## Susie

Cracks can be sealed and hidden with the judicious use of a gloved finger and some rubbing alcohol. 

Volcanoes can be avoided once you learn to keep a close eye on your soap during crucial periods of gelling.  And they can be plopped into a crock pot to HP if not.

Ricing needs to be stickblended into submission.

DOS-dreaded orange spots, AKA rancidity can be avoided with knowing your oils and watching those expiration dates before buying the oil.  You can also freeze oils if you don't use them often.  And you can add BHT or ROE to oils to help postpone rancidity.  If your soap develops DOS, it has to be tossed.  I can't abide the smell of rancid oils.  But you learn your lesson, and don't repeat it.


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## makemineirish

WeaversPort said:


> I'm kind of a butterfly and easily get whipped up into more projects than I know what to do with...
> 
> Is it better to just get say.. three? five common oils? I see people talking about lard, coconut, olive, avocado, shea, castor, and palm mostly.



I have similar issues and empathize.  Common oils are great to learn on for a few reasons.  

First, they are readily available.  Any money that you save with suppliers is typically overtaken by the expense of shipping jugs of heavy liquid (especially if you have to utilize multiple vendors).  There are a number of threads that suggest bulk goods stores are more reliable than stand grocery stores with regard to freshness.  I can buy Olive Oil, Coconut Oil (76), and Avocado Oil (considered luxury) at Costco.  Whole foods sells Spectrum Brand "Non-Hydrogenated Organic All Vegetable Shortening" in the baking aisle of which the only ingredient is "mechanically pressed organic palm oil" that is certified sustainable by the RSPO.  Lard is available in the grocery store (at least in Texas), as is castor oil.  If I was motivated (and I am not), I could render my own tallow.

Secondly, they are less costly.  If you end up trashing a batch because you forgot something (resulting in a lye-heavy product) or experience an unfortunate mishap (volcano, seizing, etc)...at least it was an inexpensive lesson.  As a research hound and conscientious planner, I have yet to make any bad soap (fingers crossed that I did not just jinx myself).  However, my first few batches still did not fulfill my artistic vision for them (batter thickened up too quickly for the design.  Being a perfectionist, I insisted on repeating the process until I achieved my "vision".

Finally, luxury oils have their place.  I utilize ingredients like kokum butter and meadowfoam oil in my body butter and love it.  However, soap is a wash-off product that resides on your skin for mere seconds.  It is unreasonable to expect it to do more than separate the dirt from your epidermis.  Even then, most of the actual cleaning is performed by the aggitation/abbrasion that you apply.  While controlling you ingredients allows you to reduce the cleansing/stripping factor, improve the tactile sensation of the lather, or increase the hardness/longevity...it's still just soap.  Many of the "luxury" ingredients do more to add label appeal than functionality.



> How do you know what you already love when you are just starting?


I base this on my favorite product purchases.  I love a lip balm that is $22 frickin' dollars.  You better believe that I am trying to find a supplier for the ingredients that I lack to make it.  While I do not care for many of LUSH's fragrances, my "signature" daytime scent happens to be a discontinued perfume of theirs.  I could not buy the perfume if I wanted to, but Nurture carries a spot-on dupe that I adore.  My preferred designer scent retails for over  $300/bottle.  I have never actually bought the stuff as I just grab  free samples from Neiman's periodically and am attempting to put together my own version based on the notes.  Do you love EvanHealy facial moisturizer or Milk+Honey deodorant.  If so, you can use the ingredient list as a springboard to craft your own.
Save
Save
Save​
Store your lye in a desiccant bucket. (per kchaystack)

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=59316


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## Zany_in_CO

WeaversPort said:


> If you could go back in time to give yourself as a beginner some advice on soapmaking, what would it be?


Take up golf.  It's not as expensive and the fresh air and exercise are good for you.


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## cerelife

I go through multiple sets of gloves per soaping session. It's always a good practice to remove your gloves before your goggles. Sounds like a no brainer, I know! But I hadn't ever thought of this until the time I took my goggles off first (after mixing lye water) and apparently transferred some lye to the edge of my goggles. Didn't take long to figure it out once I put them back on!! I had a nice little minor lye burn on my cheekbone for a day or two - no big deal, but I won't forget again!
I soap in my kitchen, and I've found that the $1 plastic tablecloths in the party section of the dollar stores makes for a fast, easy cleanup. I keep a stack of them in my soaping room. I mix my lye water in one side of my sink, and put my soap bucket in the other side when I'm ready to add the lye and stickblend. This way if I DO ever have one of my 'clumsy' moments while dealing with them, at least the spills would be contained and not go all over the counters/floors. I have a couple of those tubs that fit in your sink ($2-$3 each) to make storing my dedicated lye pitchers/lye measuring cup/lye spatula easier, and save my plumbing from raw soap if I ever happen to knock my soapbucket over. I've not had any issues with mixing my lye water in the sink; I add the lye and then stir at arm's length with my face turned away.
I have a 3-ring notebook for my soap recipes (printed from soapcalc) and the pages are in those plastic things, which is a lifesaver for me since I can just wipe off the random smears of oil/mica/etc. Before any soaping session, I make notes of what I'm planning to do for each batch. I'm easily distracted, so this keeps me focused. And if I'm trying something new, it's an easy way to make notes of any changes I made per colorants/scents/designs and the exact amount and type of colorant and scent. Once everything is put away and I've cleaned my workspace, I take those notes and type them into a running 'Soap Notes' document with the date. I add additional notes as needed after the soap cures for things like color morphing, scent fading, etc.
Oh, and it's good to keep spare batteries for your scale on hand!! It's a bad, bad feeling to have your scale die in the middle of soaping!


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## SaltedFig

I remembered another one ...

Don't wear fluffy clothes when soaping.

Soap has this amazing ability to pluck fibres from the air and stick them to itself. 
Add silicone and you have a perfect fluff magnet.


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## CTAnton

I remembered another one ...

Don't wear fluffy clothes when soaping.

Soap has this amazing ability to pluck fibres from the air and stick them to itself. 
Add silicone and you have a perfect fluff magnet.
 I can tell you that cat hairs stand up to the lye monster....quite intact...and very noticeable


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## cmzaha

Weigh your mixing container and mark it on the container. This way if you forget an oil you can easily figure out which oil is missing by weighing the container of oils. Don't laugh many times when batching several batches I get distracted and forget which oils are in the bucket or if all are in the bucket. Makes for an easy fix


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## dibbles

CTAnton said:


> I can tell you that cat hairs stand up to the lye monster....quite intact...and very noticeable



Dog hairs too :roll:


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## BattleGnome

CTAnton said:


> I can tell you that cat hairs stand up to the lye monster....quite intact...and very noticeable



You have just dashed my hopes to dissolve cat hair in my lye water. I'm starting to step in hair balls so the fluff is bound to start any day


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## navigator9

I wish I could go back and tell my beginning self to slow down and not buy all the "stuff" I thought I desperately needed to make soap. That crinkle cutter. I think I used it once, and hated the way the soap looked. All those botanicals, dried jasmine blossoms and chamomile blossoms, and a big bag of lavender buds that I ended up making sachets with, because as we all know after trying it once, lavender buds in soap look like mouse poop, and all those lovely flowers and petals (except calendula and cornflowers) turn brown or black. All the things like dried beet powder and dried carrot powder that I thought would be so nice in soap, but were just ugly and scratchy...there were a lot more that I ordered that I can't remember, and now the one thing that I use regularly is oatmeal, that's it. That expensive, magic, Mexican tree bark...what was I thinking?! As others have mentioned, all the fancy oils and butters, but those at least made nice soap, just not the "wow" soap that would have made their price worth it. A good, balanced recipe is much more critical to a good bar of soap that lots of fancy ingredients. Tons of micas and colorants, that as the years went by, I slowly realized that I much prefer a more natural looking bar.

 The purchases that I made that were well worth it were my first silicone mold, which back in those days was *very* expensive. It changed soapmaking for me. Not everyone hates folding those freezer paper liners, but I'm not one of them. I dreaded folding them. That silicone liner made soaping a total joy, and I loved the smoooooth sides and bottoms. I have a variety of molds, silicone and others, loaves and individuals, and I use them all. This may be because I'm not a great swirler or decorator of soaps, so I use the molds to make soap prettier than just a standard bar. And when I started to sell, I invested in a Tank, and it was worth every penny. So I would tell myself to slow down a bit until I found my soaping niche, and then I would know better where to invest my money.


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## dixiedragon

WeaversPort said:


> I'm glad you shared this, because I've been eyeing some molds.. What do you find yourself using instead?


 
Silicone, except my 4-log HDPE mold, which needs liners for easy unmolding. I like the HDPE mold over a wood mold, b/c the liners don't have to be perfect - it's okay if some soap touches the mold. 

I have a few Milky Way molds that I love the design - to the point where I am seriously considering making some paraffin casts and making silicone mold of them.


----------



## WeaversPort

CTAnton said:


> I remembered another one ...
> 
> Don't wear fluffy clothes when soaping.
> 
> Soap has this amazing ability to pluck fibres from the air and stick them to itself.
> Add silicone and you have a perfect fluff magnet.
> I can tell you that cat hairs stand up to the lye monster....quite intact...and very noticeable



I think we could go through nuclear fallout, and both cat and dog hair would survive as long as there wasn't fire..



navigator9 said:


> I wish I could go back and tell my beginning self to slow down and not buy all the "stuff" I thought I desperately needed to make soap.... Tons of micas and colorants, that as the years went by, I slowly realized that I much prefer a more natural looking bar.
> 
> The purchases that I made that were well worth it were my first silicone mold, which back in those days was *very* expensive. It changed soapmaking for me. Not everyone hates folding those freezer paper liners, but I'm not one of them. I dreaded folding them..



I'm glad to be learning this... I've been restraining myself, but bright colors and shiny things are really easy to get sucked into.. I think I might get maybe two or three, just to see if I like them. 

I also hate the idea of folding paper.. I'm not patient enough to get it right. 



navigator9 said:


> And when I started to sell, I invested in a Tank, and it was worth every penny. So I would tell myself to slow down a bit until I found my soaping niche, and then I would know better where to invest my money.



What is a Tank?



dixiedragon said:


> Silicone, except my 4-log HDPE mold, which needs liners for easy unmolding. I like the HDPE mold over a wood mold, b/c the liners don't have to be perfect - it's okay if some soap touches the mold.
> 
> I have a few Milky Way molds that I love the design - to the point where I am seriously considering making some paraffin casts and making silicone mold of them.



HDPE, is that like PVC pipe?



CTAnton said:


> this is not original but does bear repeating:
> Group all your oils in one area and when you've weighed them out put them in a separate area...unweighed on the counter...weighed out on the floor as an example...this way you're less likely to have forgotten one....



I used this yesterday... I can't tell you how much it helped me, not get lost in trying to do my first soap. Thank you!! 



cerelife said:


> ImOh, and it's good to keep spare batteries for your scale on hand!! It's a bad, bad feeling to have your scale die in the middle of soaping!



SaltedFig and cerelife's tips on notes also really helped keep me from getting lost. And I bought some double AAs!! 

Thank you everyone!


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## dixiedragon

WeaversPort said:


> HDPE, is that like PVC pipe?


 
High Density Polyethelene.

http://cumberlandacoustic.com/product/divided-mold/

I actually don't recommend this particular one - I would purchase one like the Precision Molds (sold by The Chemistry Store and AHRE) that come completely apart, or a custom one by The Soap Hutch that comes apart completely. One advantage to this vs a silicone mold is no bowing. If you grease it up enough (mineral oil) it slides right out and leaves the sides of the soap log perfect.

A disadvantage of Milky Way type molds is that if the shape is not round, the corners or points will become cracked much more quickly than the rounded parts.


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## lionprincess00

The longer you soap, the more complacent you can be (at times). Don't be! A tiny droplet of cooled lye water on the tip of a finger hurts! I never did that, once, I swear...
:think:


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## navigator9

WeaversPort said:


> I'm glad to be learning this... I've been restraining myself, but bright colors and shiny things are really easy to get sucked into.. I think I might get maybe two or three, just to see if I like them.
> 
> I also hate the idea of folding paper.. I'm not patient enough to get it right.
> 
> 
> 
> What is a Tank?



WeaversPort, buy a small amount of colors you really like and experiment. You may find that swirls and colors are your thing. Just don't don't go overboard until you discover what you really love...is it micas, oxides, infused oils? Once you find out, then you can go crazy. 

As far as molds go, silicone molds are so much cheaper these days that you can buy a really nice, basic loaf mold without breaking the bank. But again, I say go slowly to avoid buying lots of molds you may think you just have to have, and then find out that you rarely use them. Soaping gives you plenty of opportunity to spend money on things you need and use all the time, like a good scale, a backup stick blender, the basic oils and butters you use regularly. 

A Tank is a multi bar soap cutter. I bought it because I could never cut a straight bar of soap, and when I was selling, my customers would always be going through the soaps, looking for the "big ones." The tank allowed me to cut uniform bars and it's a luxury I appreciate every time I use it, even after all these years. http://forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20


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## BrewerGeorge

navigator9 said:


> WeaversPort, buy a small amount of colors you really like and experiment. You may find that swirls and colors are your thing. Just don't don't go overboard until you discover what you really love...is it micas, oxides, infused oils? Once you find out, then you can go crazy.
> ...



The sample sets from Nurture are a great, inexpensive way to experiment with colors.  I've made several soaps with my original Vibrance sample and still have some left.


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## earlene

First off, checked to make sure this wasn't a necro-thread before responding.  (chuckle)

Second, I am traveling, so did not read all the responses, so undoubtedly I may repeat (or emphasize) important pieces of advice that I would have given to myself if I had only know better.


Here's what I would tell myself if I could go back in time:

Take copious notes; annotate everything!  Before, during and after making the soap.  As it cures, including how the soap performs each time I test use it and keep those notes together on the same page or document.

Don't lick solid chunks of something in soap that looks like a crystal (it was lye and it burns something awful when in a large crystal-like chunk.)

Don't soap when very tired or shaky.  (I don't, but I have once or twice and that's when I am more prone to mistakes.)

Always double check the lye calculator results, especially if I transcribe the results by hand to a different notebook.  (I have made transcription errors.)

Don't give away soap I haven't tested myself and am thoroughly happy with the results.  Even then, don't give it away if it is less than 3 months old (12 months if it is Castile soap.)

Keep favorite recipes on computer as well as in my soaping notebook. 

Always use a control when doing test soaps (scientific method) for comparison purposes.

Always put a label of some sort (I use masking tape on the drying tray) for new soap, immediately when I make it.  Leaving it even a few hours can lead to a few days and that can lead to not remembering at all. (Yes, I did make that mistake a couple of times.)  Include date, and a label that will match the notes I have in my notebook/computer file, so I can find it later when it comes time to make the actual soap labels.

Always write down/record what fragrance & what colorant I use and who the manufacturer/vendor was so I can use it again when I really love it!  (yep, forgot that one a couple of times!)

Avoid using lavendar buds in the body of soap, and if I feel compelled to try it out, do it only in a very small batch to see how it turns out.  (yep, been there, done that.)

In fact, for any unknown ingredient, use it only in a small test batch the first time and wait to see how it turns out (a reasonable time to wait is after cure is complete) before repeating the same action.

Makes small test batches for all new recipes, new ingredients, new oils, etc.  

When making alterations to a recipe, do only one change per test batch, otherwise it's hard if not impossible to identify which thing worked or didn't work.

Label all soaps with all ingredients so I can know what's in them, and so my recipients can know what's in them.  Never assume someone may not have an allergy or sensitivity to an ingredient, so list them all.


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## cherrycoke216

navigator9 said:


> That expensive, magic, Mexican tree bark...what was I thinking?! .




Is the Mexican tree bark you are talking about Tepezcohuite? Anti-aging, heals burns...and whole nine yards...


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## makemineirish

*This might seem overly anal...*

Develop a system.

I do not really need to convey this to my younger/novice self as I was pretty good about the organizational/planning aspects.  However, I think that it is worth mentioning.  I have a ridiculously anal system of soaping.  The recipe changes, but the process by which I accomplish it is the same every single time.

I have an card on the fridge with weights of my containers as I am just as annoying about baking.  I weigh each of the oils/butters added to my soaping bowl.  Then I weigh the filled bowl before setting it over my pot of hot water to melt any solids.  This is to confirm that the total weight is equivalent to my oil weight + container weight (meaning that I have not omitted any oils/butters).

My recipe is printed, annotated, sleeved, and taped up where I can easily see it.  I don't just have ingredient amounts and additives listed.  I actually decide on the proportions of color, do the math, and make notes on the page so that I can divide the batter appropriately for my design.  I am persnickity enough that it is much faster for me to pour to my pre-determined weights than to eyeball and adjust the quantities, but that's me.  If it is a complicated design, I may diagram it out on paper and/or add markers to the mold to aid me.

I put my bowl of liquid oils/butters in the center of the workspace with the lye solution placed behind and my stick-blender in front.  Everything I intend to use (colorants, additives, fragrance oil, etc) is arranged in a specific order to the left of my oils and lye.  I double-check each item against the recipe as I set it down.  As I use each component, the its empty vessel is moved to the right of my bowl of oils (now soap batter).  This makes it incredibly obvious if I have failed to add an ingredient.  There is nothing more annoying than having poured your perfect design into a mold only to realize that it is lacking fragrance, sodium lactate, or anything else that you carefully pre-measured.

Once the soap mold is placed in the oven or fridge, I dump all my empty vessels into one of two five-gallon buckets.  I have already wiped my lye solution thermometer and container with an oily towel and thrown it in.  I wipe off my gloved hands (as there is almost always some soap batter on them), wipe down my workspace (and scales if needed) with vinegar, toss the towel in the buckets, screw their gamma lids on, fold up my workspace cover, and wash my gloved hands again.  The gloves are set aside to dry and I can yank off any other safety gear with my bare hands.

I leave the mess in the buckets for 24 hours or more and clean it up once all my lye has had a chance to saponify the oils (or more appropriately, that my oils have neutralized the caustic lye).  The towels can then go in the laundry and bowls, funnels, spatulas, etc can be washed in the sink.  It is way less stressful to clean soap off of everything.

I am aware that this must make me seem insane.  I am not suggesting that you follow MY system.  Rather, I think it is useful to have A system.  Doing things in the same manner each time makes it less likely that you will screw up.  

I don't ever freak out that I forgot to lock the door to the house because it is such an ingrained habit that I am not sure that I could manage to leave it unlocked if I tried.  Whether or not I remember doing it, I KNOW that I did.  Despite my signature, I am not clinically OCD and not so specific about everything.  I would hazard to guess that many of your houses are cleaner than mine.  That being said, I freely admit to being selectively and weirdly obsessive about a myriad of things.  This is one of them.

:bunny:Save
Save​


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## CaraBou

I recommend washing your gloved hands if they get batter on them. There is no reason to dispose of gloves so quickly unless you do not have access to running water. Batter and lye rinse off very well. I actually reuse my gloves for multiple sessions as long as there are no tears.  Gloves are cheap but why be wasteful?


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## SunRiseArts

dixiedragon said:


> Don't buy the cute individual molds. You will never use them all!


 

haha  I can agree, and add to not buy any more silicone molds.  I have no space for them.

I end always using the same 3 or 4.


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## navigator9

cherrycoke216 said:


> Is the Mexican tree bark you are talking about Tepezcohuite? Anti-aging, heals burns...and whole nine yards...



Yeah, that's the one! Why oh why did I not hear my mother's voice in my head saying, "If it sounds too good to be true......"? :crazy:


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## ibct1969

I love threads like this.  What a wealth of information!

I can only add- have lots of paper towels handy, for use during soaping, but also to wipe the batter off of everything before you actually wash it.  Even better though, if it's possible, let the batter dry on all of your equipment (stick blender bowls, etc), so it turns into soap, then wash... fresh batter is a pain to wash (oily mess) and I don't think it's great on the ole pipes.


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## Steve85569

Document EVERYTHING.
It will save you lots of wondering "just what is in this wonderful soap?".
It will also save you from making soap on a stick more than once with that wonderful fragrance oil.
Some colors also morph and anything with vanilla will discolor.

Keep records of everything.

Did I say to document everything already?


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## Susie

I started out with molds that did not require lining.  But my hubby recently made me a wooden mold, so I had to learn how.  I watched this video:  [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHajJtHj4g[/ame]

And I wondered why everyone complains about lining molds.  It is not difficult.  Just takes a little time.  And I made several liners at one time once I figured out that it works, so I have some ready to go.


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## anjouwu

This is such a helpful thread with tons of great hints!

I've learned to wear gloves and goggles while measuring EO/FO, as splatters and spills happen (the stoppers in Bulk Apothecary oils specifically send a spray when yanked out). 

I've also learned to give myself at least 90 minutes from start to finish for soaping, unless I've masterbatched the lye and am only using a few oils. 

I love natural colors and herbal additives but have learned that these are the hardest to "control" and replicate. One batch of Alkanet-infused soap is a gorgeous blue-purple but the next, following the same recipe and technique, is a dingy gray. It's weird.


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## tklechak

The thing I've learned and need to follow is, learn how to make a decent bar of soap before going on to fragrance, swirls , and other fancy stuff. I have to keep telling myself this, and have to resist the temptation. There are probably very few people that can do it "right out of the gate". And I agree with the others that say to save your recipes !!  Timm .........

I agree ..... if I take too long weighing, my scale will shut down, so I started weighing and marking my containers ....


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## navigator9

tklechak said:


> The thing I've learned and need to follow is, learn how to make a decent bar of soap before going on to fragrance, swirls , and other fancy stuff. I have to keep telling myself this, and have to resist the temptation. There are probably very few people that can do it "right out of the gate". And I agree with the others that say to save your recipes !!  Timm .........



I think there are multiple reasons for this actually. For me, the most important is that by doing this, you focus on your technique and your recipes, so that you have a strong foundation for soapmaking. I always say that I doubt anyone gets into soapmaking because store bought soap just isn't pretty enough. We do it to have *better* soap. Better ingredients, less junk. Once you develop a recipe that you really love, and can make a successful batch of soap over and over again, then it's fun to explore all the many different possibilities for color and design. A pretty bar of handmade soap is no better than a bar of store bought soap if it isn't great soap to begin with.  At least, that's my two cents worth.


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## SimonHH

I create a lye solution outdoor, safely.


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## Zany_in_CO

BUMP! I'm bumping this cuz it's such a good thread for Newbies to read... as well as a nostalgia buzz for us oldies but goodies!


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## WeaversPort

Zany_in_CO said:


> BUMP! I'm bumping this cuz it's such a good thread for Newbies to read... as well as a nostalgia buzz for us oldies but goodies!



The things people shared on this thread helped me so much. And sometimes when I soap I suddenly realize, "Oh crap! That's why they recommended that!!" 

Like the other night.. When I was reminded about why long sleeves could be a soaping hazard!!


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## maxine289

What is a "Tank"?  You said you invested in one when you started selling.


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## navigator9

maxine289 said:


> What is a "Tank"?  You said you invested in one when you started selling.



I've had it for many years, still love it as much as the first day I used it. http://forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20


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## DeeAnna

If you feel utterly fumble-fingered, lots of little things are going wrong, and you are getting increasingly annoyed or impatient, try to stop before adding the lye to the fats and take a break. Sip a glass of water, put some calming music on, step outside for a breath of air -- whatever works for you to get focused and calm. If you can go back to soaping with a clear head, things will go much better.


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## Zany_in_CO

When you buy supplies to make a specific soap, then put your fingers in neutral and don't order more supplies to make something else until you follow through on making the first one. 

This is a serious condition that plagues some of us soapers and is a sure sign that most of your surplus supplies will be deeply discounted and sold off in a DeStash event in the distant future as your soaping cupboard swells and overflows into other places and spaces in your once peacefully uncluttered home. :mrgreen:


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## Saponificarian

Cleansing oils are overated (except in Laundry soap) . Soap will clean you whether it has Coconut/PKO or not. It will bubble, definitely not as much as a soap with Coconut/PKO but then bubbles do not get you clean anyways.  So yea.......


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## Kittish

I think my advice to my beginning soaping self (all of four whole months ago!!) would be not to mess about with trying to make my own mold liners. Just buy silicone molds right off the bat and build the boxes for them if needed. 

Also- You REALLY don't need a pound each of all those botanicals and mineral pigments. Really. One or two ounces of each is plenty. You don't realize just how much a pound really is... especially of something fluffy, like AC.


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## Chispa

Kittish said:


> I think my advice to my beginning soaping self (all of four whole months ago!!) would be not to mess about with trying to make my own mold liners.



Ive tried twice to make liners, and failed both times. Soap leaked out and I had to chip it off the mold. Plastic bags line the mold adequately and very easily, leaving a "textured" finish on the soap. Does cling wrap work as a mold liner? I've wondered that a few times.


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## Kittish

Chispa said:


> Ive tried twice to make liners, and failed both times. Soap leaked out and I had to chip it off the mold. Plastic bags line the mold adequately and very easily, leaving a "textured" finish on the soap. Does cling wrap work as a mold liner? I've wondered that a few times.



I know at least one brand of cling wrap will be eaten by lye, can't remember if it's Glad or Saran.


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## smengot0

So much wisdom here. Thank you. To my beginning soaping self: don't buy stuff just because it's cheap and on sale hoping you'll need it 'some day'. Then 12 months later you're still stuck with so many tiny jars and bottles you may never use. Ditto with oils and botanicals. [emoji848]


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## DeeAnna

Kittish said:


> I know at least one brand of cling wrap will be eaten by lye, can't remember if it's Glad or Saran.



Saran wrap used to be made of polyvinylidene chloride (a relative of PVC) and I'd avoid that. I gather it's polyethylene nowadays, and that should be fine.

Glad wrap, if I remember right, is also polyethylene film.

I hear that the press and stick wrap -- the stuff with the adhesive -- is not a good idea for lining molds. Haven't tried that myself to verify, so take it FWIW.


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## MissE

I can certainly relate to a lot that's been said already, and though I'm still a beginner, I think I can add this: Join a soapmaking forum and read, read, read, before you ever make a batch! Even though I'm still at a fumbling stage, it is always pleasant to see that every time something goes wrong I can immediately call to mind something I've heard or read someone say about it, and it helps me not to freak out and a lot of times has saved the day.

It's good to read everything ever written online, but right off the bat, join an organized, helpful group of soap enthusiasts like yourself... I wish I had!


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## 0115d8cf

Dear me, a partial gel on your first soap isn't the end of the world. You don't need to rebatch and burn yourself in the process. Also, don't try doing 4 colors at once.


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## TamvdM

*Thx*

Im a newbie. Thx for the tips. They help alot.


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## jcandleattic

For me, and I know a lot of this has probably already been covered, but if I could go back 15 years, and give myself advice about soaping with what I know now is this: 

-Always wear protection, (goggles, gloves, etc.,) at all times when there is a presence of lye around. 
(Many people have heard my story about when there was a freak explosion down the street from me when soaping one time - if not, just ask, I'll start a thread about it - I WAS wearing protection, thank goodness because TRUE accidents do happen) 

-Don't panic with an acceleration or seized soap. There are plenty of things to counter this if/when it happens. I used to freak out, panic, make things worse and end up in almost tears. Now, it's just like, oh, poo, okay here we go to fix it... 

-Don't be afraid of color - I used to use tiny tiny little portions of color and could never understand why my colors would fade to almost nothing, or not be as bright as I anticipated. Now I use much more, and always get the colors I'm after (for the most part) but not so much it colors/stains wash cloths.

-You really don't NEED a lb of every fragrance you want to try, even if the price per lb is cheaper by the ounce than buying a sampler. When I first started I would always buy lb quantities of every fragrance I would purchase, sure I would "use it all fast" - no. Don't do that. Also, just because there is a sale on FO doesn't mean you HAVE to have it. LOL (I know, try telling that to all us FO-HO's!! LOL) 

-You do not NEED every new mold out on the market, no matter how well priced, or how much you think you'll use it. I have so many molds that literally just sit there because I used them once, didn't like them, whatever. I literally use my ED molds, and my 5lb log mold and that's about it. (I have about 15 soaping molds - don't need that many!)

-Don't get distracted. If the phone rings while you are in the middle of a soapmaking session, don't answer it. Chances are it isn't going to be THAT important. If the doorbell rings, let them realize you are busy/not going to answer, etc., (I know emergencies do happen, but for the most part, you know what I mean...) 

-Don't soap drunk or high. This seems like a no brainer, and no, I don't have experience with this, and have never done this, so basically I didn't need this advice when I started, but have heard stories and just cannot imagine the danger, and to help others thought I'd throw this out there - especially since recreational marijuana is legal where I am, and most likely will be around the nation within the next 5-10 years. 

-Don't peek at your soap while it's "resting" - it will become soap without you looking at it every 5 minutes to make sure it's doing its thing. LOL I used to always unwrap my soap to look at it to make sure it was gelling, or doing, whatever, and it's just not needed. Now with more experience, I literally forget about it until it's time to cut the next day or day after. One time I literally did forget about it for like 4-5 days, and though it was going to be impossible to cut. It cut fine, it was just a little stiffer than usual, and I just had to go slower... 


I think that's all the beginning advice I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure there is more I wish I would have told myself back then.


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## MorpheusPA

Organize before the lye hits the oils.  I set up my color(s) and scent(s), all ready to go at emulsion or trace and merely have to pour out of the small glass bowl into the soap.

Temperature isn't that important--usually.  Unless you're doing a swirl or a complex swirl, it doesn't really matter if the temperature is 100° or 130°.  And the lye and oils definitely don't have to be the same temperature, or even close.  For one-color, simple scent soaps, I've soaped as hot as 150° to move the lard recipe along.

Temperature is important when swirling or doing a complex design.  For a chunky drop swirl, soap warm.  For a delicate cirrus-cloud-like swirl, soap cold and only mix to emulsion.

Read the description on colors and scents.  Words you don't want to read are "morphs," "accelerates" and "rices."  I have several micas that warp to gray or ugly browns in CP soap and a few scents that are unusable as they cause soap on a stick.

Keep children, spouses, and animals out of the soaping area.  They'll distract you.  Guaranteed.

Don't be hasty to unmold.  Solidification takes time, and I hate breaking an oval soap and causing a damaged edge just because I unmolded too early.

There's no such thing as a color or scent error.  You meant to do that.  Give it a clever name and people will adore it--they can't see the image you had in your head.

Every batch can be saved.  Hot Process Hero from Soap Queen will save almost every batch of soap if you can figure out what went wrong.


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## DianaMoon

I have a bottle of Rooto lye and a small apartment. I wrapped the bottle in two plastic bags & put it on the top shelf of my living room closet. Is this a good idea?

I did not store it under my sink because I often have drips (don't ask, I rent) and it's humid in there anyway. It's humid in my bathroom and I don't want to shower, etc., in a place where there is something so potentially dangerous.


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## penelopejane

Diana moon you are panicking about lye.
If you just take normal, sensible precautions you will be fine.
It has been used for decades to clean ovens, unblock drains and making soap.
Having said that I would store it somewhere you can get to without looking up at it, not above head height. 

 Dissolve it in a sink and store it sensibly away from children in its original packaging but do not panic about having it in the house. After you’ve successfully made ten batches you will realise it is just a chemical that you have control over.


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## isha

join smf n read read read before u start


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## Zany_in_CO

Bumping this thread for all the Newbies.


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## Zing

Thanks, Zany, for bumping this.  I enjoyed reading all the tips.  I would have discovered this forum BEFORE I started soaping!  Thrift stores and dollar stores are your friends for equipment.  Take notes on your recipe right after you pour into your mold.  If you are a perfectionist, be gentle with yourself and tell yourself that it's a learning experiment.  Receivers of your soap are generally very excited to get homemade soap and don't see your disappointing glycerin rivers, partial gel, etc.


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## Zany_in_CO

Zing said:


> Thanks, Zany, for bumping this.


You're welcome, Zing.  Well said.


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## bristles

I dont get the measure out fragrance in glass over plastic containers? I measure mine in plastic containers but they are only in there briefly before going in the soap


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## Chrissa Harmon

My advice to soap-making rookie me would be to PLAN OUT THE ENTIRE PROJECT IN ADVANCE.  I used to make messes and get myself into stressful situations by changing my mind about what colorants and essential oils I would use _during_ the project, and oftentimes _after_ my soap batter was already made.  This led to wasted time, frustration, and often more soapy dishes than necessary.  Now, I plan the entire project in advance, laying out every container and utensil I will need, measuring out all my additives, and mixing all my essential oils as my *first* step.  This prevents a lot of stress! Happy Soaping!


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## shunt2011

bristles said:


> I dont get the measure out fragrance in glass over plastic containers? I measure mine in plastic containers but they are only in there briefly before going in the soap



If using plastic cups like solo or bathroom cups the fo will eat through them in no time. You’ll hav FO all over


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## Saponika

Coconut oil is not the only high lathering oil.


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## Dawni

Lye is not scary. Sometimes. Lol

Wash with water and not vinegar if an accident occurs and you get lye on your skin. Vinegar is ok for utensils, counter tops, etc.

Always dissolve your salt and sugar in your liquid before adding sodium hydroxide (I HP).

You will not always get the named stages while your batter is in the slow cooker so don't overcook your soap while waiting for said stages (pudding, mashed potato, vaseline, etc.) that won't appear.

You don't need to wait til the very end Vaseline stage before you pour because it sometimes might be too late. Semi-translucency is enough coz saponification will continue in the mold.

Do not invest in soap loaf molds if they're expensive where you're from because milk cartons work like a dream (smooth sides and edges even for HP) and so do Pringles cans. Besides, recycling is always better and those are no longer single-use lol (technically)

Unlined Pringles cans can be reused if you let the soap harden enough (no soap stuck on mine, twice) before pushing it out. That means you'll need a small hole at the bottom that you cover up while the soap inside is still wet. And, gravity is your friend. I held mine upside down long enough and the soap slid out lol

I'm sure over time I'll have a lot more to add here since I'm still a newbie to soaping but see what all I've learned just being here!


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## Nan D.

I know I'm very very new to this, but...
My advice for Melt and Pour,
Go ahead and buy the 10 lbs, 20 lbs, because the two pounds in the little starter pack will never be enough!


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## Zany_in_CO

I'm bumping this thread for all the newbies out there...  good advice from those of us who have been there.


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## Misschief

One thing I'd tell my new-to-soapmaking self would be... don't be afraid to ask questions. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people in this forum; pick their brains. They love to share. And along with that, don't be afraid of critique from those knowledgeable people; they're only trying to help you get better.


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## Carl

Small batch size!

This way you waste less!


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## nonna oakie

I need an answer about spritzing alcohol on bars of soap to get rid of the forming soda ash:  Do you spry it on the wet soap batter, or after you
see it forming on the bars after a few days of curing?


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## Carl

nonna oakie said:


> I need an answer about spritzing alcohol on bars of soap to get rid of the forming soda ash:  Do you spry it on the wet soap batter, or after you
> see it forming on the bars after a few days of curing?



I've been spraying it on right after I pour.  It's supposed to act like a barrier so it doesn't form.

My question would be if you were selling this bar of soap, do you now need to include alcohol in the ingredient list?


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## shunt2011

nonna oakie said:


> I need an answer about spritzing alcohol on bars of soap to get rid of the forming soda ash:  Do you spry it on the wet soap batter, or after you
> see it forming on the bars after a few days of curing?



I spray it as soon as I’m done pouring it into the mold. I then add my glitter and cover it and keep it covered until I’m ready to cut it.  Now, some soap/fragrances still like to ash. It’s usually pretty light though and I just embrace it.


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## Dawni

Carl said:


> My question would be if you were selling this bar of soap, do you now need to include alcohol in the ingredient list?


I've never bought a handmade CP or HP soap that listed alcohol..

Advice:
Do your research. Do not plunge into soapmaking without doing at least some reading. Basic lye calculator usage, basic equipment, basic terms, basic recipes, basic "rules" and such. Having all your ingredients does not mean you're ready to soap. I did a ton of research and still messed my first batch up lol

High conditioning does not equate to moisturizing.. Soap will not do that. A better term will be "non drying." Less cleansing is better to watch for.

If using any milk as 100% of your liquid, do not add your lye to completely frozen milk to decrease chances of lye chunks in your soap. Slushy milk is better. But even better is adding lye to water and add the milk as the rest of your liquid to your fats.


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## shunt2011

Alcohol evaporates. Don’t have to list it so I don’t understand your comment to that affect.

And, people do add alcohol in the form of wine.


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## SaltedFig

Carl said:


> I've been spraying it on right after I pour.  It's supposed to act like a barrier so it doesn't form.
> 
> My question would be if you were selling this bar of soap, do you now need to include alcohol in the ingredient list?



It would depend on your local labeling laws.

Here it would need to be included:
_"Any ingredient, regardless of concentration, that has a technical or functional effect in the cosmetic must be listed as an ingredient."_

In Australia, for @shunt2011's example, where an alcoholic beverage is already in the ingredients list, ethanol wouldn't need to be added as an additional ingredient, under the Incidental Ingredients clause (see page 5) https://www.productsafety.gov.au/system/files/731_Ingredients labelling on cosmetics_Supplier Guide_FA4.pdf

If the alcohol being sprayed was a different alcohol (like isopropyl alcohol), here it would need to be included as an ingredient.

Australian labelling: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/australian-soap-making-regulations.65334/
American labelling: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/fda-links-soap-vs-cosmetic-vs-drug-labeling-claims-etc.3583/


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## KiwiMoose

Thanks for bumping @Zany  - this thread has been very helpful.  Alas - I already have a cupboard full of supplies and a head full of ideas.  However, I justify this by knowing that some of my suppliers will be closed for a week or more over the Christmas/New year period so OF COURSE I need to ensure I had enough to make soap every day over the holidays.


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## Dean

Whoa...where to start?  Much of what I learned was stated to me by the veterans but I had to validate with experimentation.   In no particular order...

1.  A well balanced recipie needs a lil CO for lather but not too much so that its drying, lots of soy wax for hardness and insolubility, a touch of castor for lather stability and a high oleic oil filler.

2.  SF prevents a lye heavy soap but does not moisterize.

3.  Soap is a wash off product.  The SF, expensive oils and butters don’t remain on the skin.  They get washed down the drain.

4.  There’s is no shortcut to a 6 wk cure.

5.  Make ur life easier by investing in a silicone mold sooner rather than later.

The one thing I did get right was finding SMF at the beginning of my soaping journey.


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## Dawni

Dean said:


> 5.  Make ur life easier by investing in a silicone mold sooner rather than later.


LOL I posted above the opposite if this.. Goes to show how each soaper is so different in so many ways.


Dean said:


> The one thing I did get right was finding SMF at the beginning of my soaping journey.


Yesss! Me too.. And so glad I found this forum.


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## TeresaGG

Dean said:


> Whoa...where to start?  Much of what I learned was stated to me by the veterans but I had to validate with experimentation.   In no particular order...
> 
> 1.  A well balanced recipie needs a lil CO for lather but not too much so that its drying, lots of SW for hardness and insolubility, a touch of castor for lather longevity and a high oleic oil filler.
> 
> 2.  SF prevents a lye heavy soap but does not moisterize.
> 
> 3.  Soap is a wash off product.  The SF, expensive oils and butters get washed down the drain.
> 
> 4.  There’s no shortcut to a 6 wk cure.
> 
> 5.  Make ur life easier by investing in a silicone mold sooner rather than later.
> 
> The one thing I did get right was finding SMF at the beginning of my soaping journey.


 
In your #1 what do you mean by SW? I can't find it in abbreviations and acronyms post.


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## Carl

Dawni said:


> Lye is not scary. Sometimes. Lol
> 
> Wash with water and not vinegar if an accident occurs and you get lye on your skin. Vinegar is ok for utensils, counter tops, etc.
> 
> Always dissolve your salt and sugar in your liquid before adding sodium hydroxide (I HP).
> 
> You will not always get the named stages while your batter is in the slow cooker so don't overcook your soap while waiting for said stages (pudding, mashed potato, vaseline, etc.) that won't appear.
> 
> You don't need to wait til the very end Vaseline stage before you pour because it sometimes might be too late. Semi-translucency is enough coz saponification will continue in the mold.
> 
> Do not invest in soap loaf molds if they're expensive where you're from because milk cartons work like a dream (smooth sides and edges even for HP) and so do Pringles cans. Besides, recycling is always better and those are no longer single-use lol (technically)
> 
> Unlined Pringles cans can be reused if you let the soap harden enough (no soap stuck on mine, twice) before pushing it out. That means you'll need a small hole at the bottom that you cover up while the soap inside is still wet. And, gravity is your friend. I held mine upside down long enough and the soap slid out lol
> 
> I'm sure over time I'll have a lot more to add here since I'm still a newbie to soaping but see what all I've learned just being here!




Are you using the old cardboard milk cartons?  Or the newer plastic ones?  All milk here is now sold in plastic.  I haven't seen a cardboard milk carton in years.


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## TeresaGG

Carl said:


> Are you using the old cardboard milk cartons?  Or the newer plastic ones?  All milk here is now sold in plastic.  I haven't seen a cardboard milk carton in years.


Here most milk is sold in the plastic. However during this holiday season most egg nog comes in cardboard cartons


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## Dean

TeresaGG said:


> In your #1 what do you mean by SW? I can't find it in abbreviations and acronyms post.



Soy wax...the alternative to rainforest habitat destroying palm oil.


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## Dawni

Carl said:


> Are you using the old cardboard milk cartons?  Or the newer plastic ones?  All milk here is now sold in plastic.  I haven't seen a cardboard milk carton in years.


Here we still have loads.. UHT milk here comes in cartons.. Also soy, almond, etc.. There's a milk carton thread, with pics if wanna join in haha
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/milk-cartons.72660


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## Hendejm

Patience!!!!!!!!  I tell myself all the time....WAIT.....don’t cut that soap yet, don’t use it yet, don’t give it away yet, don’t make soap yet (oils or lye too hot), don’t think you can make those fancy swirls and designs that you see on YouTube videos yet......the list goes on and on!


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## Lesley Susan Madigan

Let's see

Well, 
 And yes I've made all of these

Be mean when adding colours and fragrances. A little really does go a long way

When microwaving base, don't set it for a minute on high power unless you like scraping burnt plastic and soap off your kitchen worktips

Make sure you've got enough to fill the moulds you want to fill

Whilst it's lovely to sit back and wait for the finished soap to cool down. Make sure everything is washed up before you do


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## nonna oakie

Carl & Shunt: thank you very much for answering my alcohol question.  No, I do not sell, just give...I just hate that ash on my pretty soap!!


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## For-U

Making soap for the first time is not going to be perfect. It gets better over time as I learn the ins and outs of soap making. Be patient and open to learn from the wise ones.


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## Hendejm

Lesley Susan Madigan said:


> Make sure everything is washed up before you do


Ditto that for me!  I HATE washing up after. I tell myself it’s better to wait till it’s hardened.....but I know better!


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## Misschief

Hendejm said:


> Ditto that for me!  I HATE washing up after. I tell myself it’s better to wait till it’s hardened.....but I know better!


It actually IS easier to wait 24-48 hours to wash up after making soap. It becomes soap on your dishes, not an oily mass of potentially lye-heavy goop.


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## Hendejm

Yay!!!!!!!  That means I’m not just lazy?


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## KiwiMoose

Put something down to protect your Formica counter top - a silicone sheet or something that soap batter won't seep through.  The Lye/oil is still very alkali before it cures and any spillages result in fuzzy marks that don't wipe off.


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## penelopejane

Hendejm said:


> Ditto that for me!  I HATE washing up after. I tell myself it’s better to wait till it’s hardened.....but I know better!



I think Lesley is talking about M&P which you have to clean up quickly. 

It is easier to wait to clean up CP soap.


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## Misschief

penelopejane said:


> I think Lesley is talking about M&P which you have to clean up quickly.
> 
> It is easier to wait to clean up CP soap.


I saw that after I'd responded.


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## Anglezarke

I've made about 10 batches now, so still very early days, but the biggest thing I would do if I could rewind is BUY LESS even if it is slightly more expensive pro-rata.  I went out and bought big batches of Sweet Almond, and Palm, oils.  Now the Palm is RSPO certified but I've decided that I'd rather go totally palm free, so I need to decide what to do with these couple of kilos of palm (will probably use them).  The Sweet Almond is fantastic but again a couple of kilos, and I'm concerned about shelf life on this one, I wished I had bought smaller quantities so I'm not racing to use it against the clock to evade DOS.

So, yes, buy smaller quantities!


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## Dean

Anglezarke said:


> I've made about 10 batches now, so still very early days, but the biggest thing I would do if I could rewind is BUY LESS even if it is slightly more expensive pro-rata.  I went out and bought big batches of Sweet Almond, and Palm, oils.  Now the Palm is RSPO certified but I've decided that I'd rather go totally palm free, so I need to decide what to do with these couple of kilos of palm (will probably use them).  The Sweet Almond is fantastic but again a couple of kilos, and I'm concerned about shelf life on this one, I wished I had bought smaller quantities so I'm not racing to use it against the clock to evade DOS.
> 
> So, yes, buy smaller quantities!



I refrigerate my almond oil to delay spoilage.

Might as well use the palm oil since you bought it.   I hate waste...especially of products that adversely impacts  animals or the environment.  Perhaps use higher quantities of  the palm oil to get  through the stock and switch to an alternative sooner.  Commercial vegan soap is 80% palm.

Welcome to the Palm-free Club!


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## Anglezarke

Thanks, good suggestion to use it up as quick as possible.  I toyed with going lard - cheap, it works well, it's a by-product, etc, but will probably go shea.  Thanks for the freezing tip as well, I'm preferring SA to OO from early experiences.


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## Dean

Anglezarke said:


> Thanks, good suggestion to use it up as quick as possible.  I toyed with going lard - cheap, it works well, it's a by-product, etc, but will probably go shea.  Thanks for the freezing tip as well, I'm preferring SA to OO from early experiences.



If you don't have issues with soybeans, soy wax is a cheap alternative to palm.  You have to use a lot of shea to get the same hardness as SW.  I've used both shea and SW together too.

I've always used SA instead of OO.


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## Anglezarke

Just looked at the pricing on soy wax and it looks agreeable so thank you, I will consider on next purchase.


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## Meena

Anglezarke said:


> Just looked at the pricing on soy wax and it looks agreeable so thank you, I will consider on next purchase.



Just keep in mind the high melt temp of SW, since you haven't used it before.  You may have to soap warmer than you may have previously done, so your recipe doesn't go too fast.  Rustic soap is okay too, though.   
I'm sure you can lean on @Dean for tips and questions ...


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## Madelyn Cole

Great, great advice, thank you all!


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## Donee'

I ahve a suggestion
Because i dont do the long sleeve shirt or anything but I do invest in sleeve protectors - they are light weight and only cover arms - you should be able to pick them up in the welding section of the hardware store or in any place that supplies catering stuff (like the caps etc).
I also dont do the contstant thermometre thing - I just go by room temp - but then i havent tried HP yet - it scares the bejizzles out of me.


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## LaToya

WeaversPort said:


> I have been going through many of the threads and trying to learn as much as possible from others questions.
> 
> Some of the advice seems to be fairly straightforward, like:
> 
> Don't use glass for lye solution
> Don't use wooden utensils because they'll break down over time
> Soap needs 4-6 weeks to cure (unless it is castle, which needs a year)
> Wear goggles/gloves/long sleeves/pants
> Document your recipes well, so you can recreate the good ones (via Bumbleklutz)
> Run all your recipes through a lye calculator (via Bumbleklutz)
> Use Metric for better accuracy in soapmaking (via kchaystach)
> 
> But some of it is very nuanced and only seems to come up during a specific conversation, like:
> 
> You can save a lot of money at the dollar store for soaping supplies, but use plastic with a #5 on the bottom (via Obsidian)
> Measure fragrance and essential oils in glass - not plastic (via Obsidian)
> Rice Bran and Safflower oil goes rancid (via kchaystack)
> Setting soap in a mold under an A/C fan can lead to soda ash, or
> Drying soap on paper shopping bags can smell like dog
> 
> If you could go back in time to give yourself as a beginner some advice on soapmaking, what would it be?


So I saw a huge one that just caught my eye. Why shouldn't we use glass for our Lye solutions? Currently I use my glass measuring cup.


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## amd

Glass will etch and eventually shatter.


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## Meena

Yes, and the etching will not be visible to you...  so one day, there could be an unhappy accident.  Since lye is seriously dangerous, this situation is best avoided, and can be, by using #5 plastic pitchers or a stainless steel pitcher for the solution itself, and a sturdy plastic or stainless steel bowl or pot for mixing the lye into your melted oils.

Also, do not get lye in contact with an aluminum vessel or a high-aluminum alloyed steel because it reacts with aluminum to create flammable (and potentially explosive) hydrogen gas.  It's also capable of dissolving the aluminum.  Those are the take-aways from the below, in case the rest of this post makes anyone's eyes want to glaze over.  

""This quoted from a German website:

"Under normal circumstances, aluminum does not react with water, as an impermeable protective layer composed of aluminum hydroxide either forms within seconds or is already in place. With the addition of sodium hydroxide, the formation of a protective layer is prevented. With the production of aluminates [ Al(OH)4 ]-, the amphoteric (capable of acting as either an acid or a base) aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3goes in solution:

2 Al + 6 H2O --> 2 Al(OH)3 + 3 H2

Al(OH)3 + NaOH --> Na+ + [ Al(OH)4 ]-

A layer of aluminum oxide previously formed by passive corrosion is dissolved by the addition of sodium hydroxide. For this reason, the reaction takes place at the beginning relatively slowly:

Al2O3 + 2 NaOH + 3 H2O --> 2 Na+ + 2 [ Al(OH)4 ]-

The aluminum completely dissolves and the water acts here too as an acid (for an analog, see Experiment 4.4.1).

This reaction is used in drain cleaners. They are mostly made out of strong alkalis, to which alumunim or zinc has been added. The alkalis break down organic residues chemically. In addition, the formation of hydrogen leads to a bubbling effect which adds an additional mechanical cleaning mechanism."

*The big problem here is the formation of hydrogen gas (as well as some heat).  The hydrogen gas is flammable, and if it's in a closed container, will explode.""*


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## LaToya

Oh wow I'm glad someone told me thanks!


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## melinda48

WeaversPort said:


> I'm glad you shared this, because I've been eyeing some molds.. What do you find yourself using instead?


I just bought some to use as embeds. Hope I didn’t make a mistake. At least they were not awfully expensive!


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## newlife

Stay basic. Buy small amounts of the items you need and make small batches at first. This will help you understand the process and the qualities of the soaps you made to decide if it’s what you like. Try different recipes in small batches until you find “the one”. Then you can start experimenting with additives . Always follow safety guidelines and just generally have fun. If you continue to educate yourself by reading and experimenting it will become easier. I don’t know anybody who’s first or even 2nd or third came out perfect. Part of the joy is experimenting and finding your uniqueness. Don’t fret failures, they are learning experiences.


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## Cherrydene soapy

Wow loads of great advice, I have spent the whole evening reading all your lovely words of encouragement. After 3 weeks of soap making,reading lots and watching loads I have learnt to write everything down, wear all the right gear, make sure I have no distractions and check then double check all my ingredients. 
I have given my hubby my bank card so I don’t spend too much money on items I don’t need, I suppose the good thing about living in the UK is there is not the choice of online suppliers that the USA have. I struggle to find soap moulds or a good selection of fragrance oils and I can’t find a supplier that sales a decent soap cutter  anywhere,  my knife skills are getting much better. I could order from BB but the shipping is very expensive. 
I am starting simple and small and can’t wait to take my first soap bar into the shower. 
I have never been apart of a forum before so this experience is new to me however ‘ what an experience ‘ thank you so much for allowing me to be apart of this great big family.


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## Meena

When I joined here, I read this whole thread within the first day or two, and want to give a #ShoutOut to @HowieRoll for this:

"One thing that really resonates with me (now) is what toxikon wrote, to start with small batch sizes. My first batch involved 39.5oz of oils and 63 total oz of soap batter (incl. liquid, lye, additives, etc). It was way, way too much, especially since the soap is just okay but now what I make is alot better (ok, in my humble opinion)."

Several members said the same thing and I definitely recommend 1 pound batches or just slightly more.  My homemade slab mold holds about 18.5 ounces.

As much as I have whined about not filling molds, it  has been a blessing, since none of my 7 cured recipes,  although better than store bought I've been using, none are soaps I would make the same again.  I feel so lucky to only have 5 or 6 bars each instead of 12 - 17.

Every time I think I want to finally make a large batch, The Invisible Hand (just not Adam Smith's) somehow miraculously prevents my folly;  I post my soap and gripe about the mold not being filled again, and later realize that the recipe was still not there yet.  Thank you, God. _/\_


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## Susie

MorpheusPA said:


> Organize before the lye hits the oils.  I set up my color(s) and scent(s), all ready to go at emulsion or trace and merely have to pour out of the small glass bowl into the soap.
> 
> *There's no such thing as a color or scent error.  You meant to do that.  Give it a clever name and people will adore it--they can't see the image you had in your head.*
> 
> Every batch can be saved.  Hot Process Hero from Soap Queen will save almost every batch of soap if you can figure out what went wrong.



^^^This!!! There are no mistakes. Just happy accidents. Some of the best designs I have done were not originally intended.


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## TheGecko

Good time to 'bump' this again.  Many thanks to @Zany_in_CO, because this is my first time reading this.

I honestly don't have a lot of advice to give my old self.  Being a Virgo and an accountant I took a very methodical approach to soap making.  I did a ton of research...got to a point when I could watch a video on mute and describe everything that was being done and why they were doing it.  And when researching, I looked at both the good and bad and took everything with a grain of salt because there is a LOT of conflicting information.  You can't just go with want you want to hear, you have to be open to the stuff that may give your pause or even stop what you are doing.

When it came time to make my first soap...I bought a soap making kit from a reputable soap supplier.  Yeah, it cost a little more, but it was the most logic course of action.  All the ingredients were included, it was a tried and true recipe, the instructions were clear and easy to understand, and it even came with a mold.  If I liked making soap...then I had a good start.  And if I didn't like making soap, I wasn't stuck with a lot of stuff and could donate the mold to St Vinnies.  Yes, yes, yes...you can buy base ingredients from Wal-Mart and use a milk carton, but as my Grandma was fond of saying..."work smart, not harder" and "something worth doing is worth doing well".  And because failure is ALWAYS an option (even when you have been making soap for 20 years) it's the reason why I bought two-4" Square Molds and a 6" Slab Mold...with those two mold, I can test new recipes, colorants, scents, additives and almost every technique there is...without wasting a lot of ingredients if things don't work out.  A heck of a lot cheaper to toss 20 oz of ingredients than 50 oz.

When I decided that I liked making soap (because who in their right mind would NOT like making soap because it's like the best thing in the world even if it does take six weeks, but then you have 10 bars of soap and can have more made before it runs out), I gave myself a budget which in all honesty kept me from making some pretty stupid purchases because the Grand Canyon is nothing compared to the rabbit hole of soap making.  And for the most, I stayed within my budget because if the choice is between purchasing sodium hydroxide or coconut oil and buying those cute little heart column molds to make embeds...it's pretty simple...can't make cute little hearts if you don't have lye or oil.  And even when the budget allowed me to buy some round cavity soaps so I could try making salt soap...I only bought one (actually it was a two pack).  Which turned out great because I really suck at making salt soap and who wants to be stuck with a dozen useless molds?

The closest I can come would be not letting folks talk me into selling soap so soon, but actually it turned out to be a really good thing because even though the experience was positive, it taught me that I was NOT ready to sell soap...I knew a lot, but I didn't know enough.


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## Zany_in_CO

@TheGecko Well said.


----------

