# Sharing recipes



## wbocrafter (Jun 24, 2016)

Does anyone ever exchange soap recipes on here or are they all proprietary?  If they do share recipes where can I find them?  Thanks.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 24, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> Does anyone ever exchange soap recipes on here or are they all proprietary? If they do share recipes where can I find them? Thanks.


 
Many of us have shared recipes.  You just need to go back about 10 pages in the beginners section and will likely find several.  Those of us in business dont generally share all out secrets there are many recipes that we have posted in the past that are freely available. 

The only thing we frown upon is beginners flat out asking for recipes without doing any research first.  

You can also formulate a recipe in soap calc and ask for opinions/assistance.  We are always willing to help.


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## dixiedragon (Jun 24, 2016)

There are lots of recipes on the site. There are subforums called Soap Making Recipes & Tutorials and Bath & Body Recipes & Tutorials. The recipes are pretty much all over, though. You can use the search function. I prefer using Google Search myself. I type "soap making forum" (use the quotes) and whatever I'm looking for.

What types of recipes are you looking for? 

You can also try the internet. Swiftcraftymonkey is really good. I have also had good luck with recipes from Majestic Mountain Sage and Brambleberry. My rule of thumb is I don't trust recipes from a more general interest blog or site - if the person posts about making soap today, and making jam tomorrow, then I assume they are not really a specialist. I will do more research or ask here before I attempt the recipe. But if a person blogs a lot about soap, I will trust their soap recipe (always using a lye calculator!)


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## wbocrafter (Jun 24, 2016)

Thanks so much for the info.  I was hoping to find soap recipes from experienced soap makers.  Maybe I'll be lucky.


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## Obsidian (Jun 24, 2016)

A nice basic bath soap, use 5% superfat

50% lard
25% olive oil
20% coconut
5% castor oil


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jun 24, 2016)

As has been said, read back through the first 10 pages of Recipe Feedback and luck won't have anything to do with it.  Not only is it chock full of recipe ideas, but also feedback and the reasons for the feedback which tells you why a recipe is good or not, rather than just giving you the recipe alone.  It will build a foundation where you no longer need a recipe, because you know more about the oils and what sorts of things work.


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## dixiedragon (Jun 24, 2016)

Miller soap has a lot of good recipes.


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## IrishLass (Jun 24, 2016)

Oh my- yes- there are lots of great recipes from our experienced soapers that abound on this site that are eagerly awaiting you at the tip of the search function. I've happily shared a handful myself. For starters, just click on the Advanced Search button, type 'recipe' into the search box, click on 'search titles only' in the drop-down box, and then hit search. You'll have more recipe threads pop up (mostly all of which include a treasure-trove of sage input from our more experienced members- which is worth its weight in gold, btw) than you can shake a stick at!  

Also, like Dixie said, a good place to start is the Recipe/Tutorial section of the forum. 


IrishLass


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## penelopejane (Jun 24, 2016)

The thing with soap making is even if you get someones "best ever" recipe you might find it doesn't suit you because everyone's skin is different. 
This also applies if you are selling soap because you want something that differentiates your soap from the rest. 
So any recipe you find is going to require modification and experimentation


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## Steve85569 (Jun 24, 2016)

80% lard
10% coconut
olive / castor to fill in the rest.

Castor wants to be less than 7% for me or it gets "slimey". Beeswax around 2%, sodium citrate and sodium acetate if the recipe is a bit on he soft side. That gives you a place to start in soapcalc or some other lye calculator. Please do post up your recipe with any questions. The more experienced crafters will give good insights.

I actually enjoy the experimentation involved in finding the "right" recipe. I'm not so sure that friends and family share my feelings though.


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## Susie (Jun 24, 2016)

You've been a member since 2010, and you are asking if we give recipes??


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## fuzz-juzz (Jun 24, 2016)

Susie said:


> You've been a member since 2010, and you are asking if we give recipes??



Maybe he/she was active off and on.
I find it more strange that someone with that little posts and input to this forum would straight up ask for free recipes.
We all neee to start somehow, but it's not really much of a learning curve if you just end up using other soaper's recipes.
And in the end, it's not really nice. We all used our time and resources to work them out.


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## Arimara (Jun 24, 2016)

I don't think I ever really asked for a recipe. My first soap was a play on one of Anne Watson's recipes and whenever I go back to that soap, I like what I feel and would love to tweek it more to make it a soap I love. I can't wait to try it on it's birthday. We'll both be a full year older then. :mrgreen:


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## LisaAnne (Jun 24, 2016)

IrishLass said:


> Oh my- yes- there are lots of great recipes from our experienced soapers that abound on this site that are eagerly awaiting you at the tip of the search function. I've happily shared a handful myself. For starters, just click on the Advanced Search button, type 'recipe' into the search box, click on 'search titles only' in the drop-down box, and then hit search. You'll have more recipe threads pop up (mostly all of which include a treasure-trove of sage input from our more experienced members- which is worth its weight in gold, btw) than you can shake a stick at!
> 
> Also, like Dixie said, a good place to start is the Recipe/Tutorial section of the forum.
> 
> ...



Thanks for explaining how to find recipes on here. I always like looking at new ones and had no idea how to find them on here. It was so hit and miss. I was amazed at what came up when I looked. Thanks


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## Susie (Jun 24, 2016)

LisaAnne said:


> Thanks for explaining how to find recipes on here. I always like looking at new ones and had no idea how to find them on here. It was so hit and miss. I was amazed at what came up when I looked. Thanks



We are happy to help!  Please don't hesitate to ask!


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## Relle (Jun 25, 2016)

fuzz-juzz said:


> Maybe he/she was active off and on.
> I find it more strange that someone with that little posts and input to this forum would straight up ask for free recipes.
> We all neee to start somehow, but it's not really much of a learning curve if you just end up using other soaper's recipes.
> And in the end, it's not really nice. We all used our time and resources to work them out.


Active, is not 22 posts in 6 years.


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## fuzz-juzz (Jun 25, 2016)

Relle said:


> Active, is not 22 posts in 6 years.



Members can be active without posting, i.e. just lurking.
It's different than actually contributing to the forum which was my point.


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## fuzz-juzz (Jun 25, 2016)

Arimara said:


> I don't think I ever really asked for a recipe. My first soap was a play on one of Anne Watson's recipes and whenever I go back to that soap, I like what I feel and would love to tweek it more to make it a soap I love. I can't wait to try it on it's birthday. We'll both be a full year older then. :mrgreen:



My starting recipe was basic one from Soap queen. Everything else, I've tweaked myself.
LS is by IrishLass... Glycerine method one, she shared it willingly and I'll always be grateful, it's an awesome recipe. I tried other oils but keep going back to OO/CO/CastOil one.


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## Susie (Jun 25, 2016)

fuzz-juzz said:


> Members can be active without posting, i.e. just lurking.
> It's different than actually contributing to the forum which was my point.



I did not mean to sound confrontational.  I just meant that if someone even casually glances at various threads over 6 years, they should know that recipes are shared constantly, and well discussed with other people saying they tried tweaking it _*this*_ way or *that* way, yielding even more recipes.


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## Lion Of Judah (Jun 25, 2016)

and just a tip to add to this post is that any and every recipe that you find and would like to try still has to go through a Soap calc  just to double check that the numbers are right . I personally would encourage you to learn to formulate you own recipe because there is no feeling like it , the joy and satisfaction of using your own creation [ from idea to fruition ] is unparalleled.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 25, 2016)

*Soapmaking forum*

Thanks for the input Susie. Yes I've been a member from 2010. However, I have ADD and I go from hobby to hobby. I've been a quilter for a number of years. But for a while I will focus on quilting, then I will focus on knitting or spinning wool, or even soapmaking. So by the time I get interested in that hobby again I have forgotten a lot of the info I learned. Right now I'm working on knitting socks, I have a few quilts in the works & just became interested in soapmaking again. That was spurred by a stay at a bed and breakfast that provided us with homemade soap and I thought to myself that I would like to get back into it again. I'm not trying to be smart but don't judge a person until you've walked in their shoes. I'm in the process of reviewing all my notes and soaps that I've made. I was just looking for some really good recipes. I, myself, am not a real creative person. I can do it if I see someone else do it but to come with it myself is a challenge. Just looking for some good ideas. I wasn't asking for anyone's secret recipe and I should have notated that in my question.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 25, 2016)

*So sorry*

I'm sorry that I asked such a stupid question. I am not a person to just try things because if it doesn't turn out then I've wasted all those expensive oils and my time. It's just easier for me to take someone else's recipe and make the soap for my own use. I'm not a professional and do not intend to make this a business. I'm so sorry if I offended anyone. Lesson learned. I didn't realize I would be so chastized when I thought I was just asking a simple question. Thank you everyone for your input. I'll just use the recipes from the books I have on soapmaking.


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## Obsidian (Jun 25, 2016)

I don't think it was a stupid question and personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with asking if there are recipes posted some where. It can be hard to find recipes here, they are all over the place and it an take a long time to hunt them all down.

I realize not everyone who comes here is looking to make this a serious, long term hobby. Some people just want to make a couple batches for personal use or are on a budget and can't afford to experiment. Being told to go to soapcalc and come up with your own recipe doesn't help if you have no idea how a recipe should be formulated. I'd rather share a good recipe that I know is pretty much fool proof and will make a nice bar then see someone leave the hobby from frustration.

The only thing I don't like is when I get a PM from a newbie that I've never spoken too flat out asking for a recipe for such and such soap. I have private recipes and I have public recipe, if I want to share a recipe it will be posted somewhere.

Maybe we need a sticky with some of the more popular recipes posted, make it easier for newbies to get started.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 25, 2016)

*Thank you so much*

Thanks so much for your response.  I'm glad at least one person understands.  That is why when I posted I stated that I wasn't asking for anything proprietary.  I understand that the professional soapmakers put a lot of time & money in experimenting different formulas. I only make soap once in a while because it doesn't dry my skin & I like doing it.  But I don't make it very frequently which is why I asked.  I thought I was asking a truly innocent question.  Guess I shouldn't be so ignorant.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jun 25, 2016)

I think that it is less the fact that you're looking for a recipe - we need a basis from which we advance - but your question was if we share them and where they are. They are all over, and if you look over just a few pages of the forums you'll find beginner recipes being shared very often. 

Plus, even when you are at the stage of thinking up recipes, I would always post them here before hand so that people can look over them and let you know if anything is majorly wrong and if there is anything to look out for. That way you don't have to waste time and money making something that would be very bad all round.


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## artemis (Jun 25, 2016)

Obsidian said:


> Maybe we need a sticky with some of the more popular recipes posted, make it easier for newbies to get started.



Personally, I think this sounds like a great idea. Just a few basic recipes that are a good starting point for beginners to experiment with.


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## Steve85569 (Jun 25, 2016)

One of my favorite recipes that I've been using lately:
6 cups fresh blueberries
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package pectin
1 cup water
Mash about 1 1/2 cups of the berries, add water, lemon juice and pectin bring to boil, add sugar and boil for 5 or 6 minutes.
Have 8 pint jars, rings and lids ready. I put the jars in a canner and bring them to a boil to sterilize and to preheat. I also process these for 6 to 10 minutes in a canner just to be sure they are sterile.
Yummie jam!


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## Susie (Jun 25, 2016)

I really did not mean to sound confrontational, I do truly apologize.  It is just that to me, the forum is crammed with recipes.  Here's my favorite standard recipe (I don't sell, so I don't care who all makes it.)

Lard 65%
Olive Oil 15%
Coconut Oil 15%
Castor Oil 5%

Superfat 5-8%

I also add 7 gms of sugar PPO/500 gm oil to twice that amount of hot water, which is subtracted from my total water amount.  

I don't know your mold size, so you can run this through a soap calculator to size it to your preference.  My favorite calculator is Soapee.com.


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## Steve85569 (Jun 25, 2016)

I agree that a sticky with some of our more common and cost effective recipes would be a great idea.

I do NOT think that wbocrafter was asking a bad question in any way.
I do something very similar to Susie's posted recipe. It is nice soap and very cost neutral.


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## Susie (Jun 25, 2016)

I fourth or fifth the nomination for a sticky of recipes!  They should be tried and true recipes only.  Like one that at least one mod/min has also made to verify it is a decent soap and safe recipe. 

I never assumed that the OP was asking the question in a bad way.  It just astounded me.


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## topofmurrayhill (Jun 25, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> I'm sorry that I asked such a stupid question. I am not a person to just try things because if it doesn't turn out then I've wasted all those expensive oils and my time. It's just easier for me to take someone else's recipe and make the soap for my own use. I'm not a professional and do not intend to make this a business. I'm so sorry if I offended anyone. Lesson learned. I didn't realize I would be so chastized when I thought I was just asking a simple question. Thank you everyone for your input. I'll just use the recipes from the books I have on soapmaking.



Sorry, there was nothing wrong with your question. When it comes to making soap, you can use anything from a totally scientific to a totally cookbook approach.

Many of the people who participate actively here go beyond the cookbook and become interested in the whys and wherefores of ingredients and process. You may or may not, but your intentions weren't bad and there is no reason you shouldn't search for a recipe if you want to. Stay away from complicated or exotic recipes, because they are often nonsense. Many of the best soaps use ordinary fats and are no more complicated than Obsidian's suggestion.

We do occasionally get a person saying they want to start a soap business and what is a good recipe. THAT is a little clueless.


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## Dahila (Jun 25, 2016)

I do not remember asking for recipes either.  I spend hours on soapcalc studying the numbers of different oils.  there is range so when I am in the middle I knew I am good.  My first soap was  white, hard and cleansing of 14 .
We used it up, my hubby enjoyed it, I not so much. Internet is full of recipes too.  I do not think when someone in need should be served fish,  I would rather give them the fishing rod


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## earlene (Jun 25, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> Thanks for the input Susie. Yes I've been a member from 2010. However, I have ADD and I go from hobby to hobby. I've been a quilter for a number of years. But for a while I will focus on quilting, then I will focus on knitting or spinning wool, or even soapmaking. So by the time I get interested in that hobby again I have forgotten a lot of the info I learned. Right now I'm working on knitting socks, I have a few quilts in the works & just became interested in soapmaking again. That was spurred by a stay at a bed and breakfast that provided us with homemade soap and I thought to myself that I would like to get back into it again. I'm not trying to be smart but don't judge a person until you've walked in their shoes. I'm in the process of reviewing all my notes and soaps that I've made. I was just looking for some really good recipes. I, myself, am not a real creative person. I can do it if I see someone else do it but to come with it myself is a challenge. Just looking for some good ideas. I wasn't asking for anyone's secret recipe and I should have notated that in my question.




*wbocrafter*, I sometimes put down a hobby for a long time and pick it up again.  I don't think that is at all unusual.  I used to quilt and keep thinking I'll go back to it someday, which is why I don't get rid of anything quilting related (except all my quilting magazines, those I did purge).  My SIL quilted for at least 4 decades before she has begun to weave and now says 'I am a weaver now' when anyone mentions her quilting.    I have not asked her if that means she plans to never quilt again.  I just cannot believe that and as far as I know she hasn't gotten rid of any of her sewing machines or sergers. Or other quilting supplies.

Anyway, here is a link to one of my favorites, an egg yolk soap which I adapted from Anne Watson's recipe.  It makes a wonderfully bubbly soap that feels like it softens and conditions my skin.  In spite of the high Coconut content of this one, it does not feel at all stripping like some other soaps I have made with high CO content.  I think the egg yolk and milk must have counteracted the usually too-oil-stipping CO (for me.)  If you want to give it a try, I think you might enjoy it.

Since making that recipe, I have tried an adjusted recipe to use different oils, but at the time I first made it, I used what I had on hand.  I still have some of this soap made originally on Oct 10, 2015 and it is really very wonderful.  It is my favorite hand washing soap.  Until I test the new formulation, I will not share it because I don't yet know its quality.


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## Arimara (Jun 26, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> Thanks so much for your response.  I'm glad at least one person understands.  That is why when I posted I stated that I wasn't asking for anything proprietary.  I understand that the professional soapmakers put a lot of time & money in experimenting different formulas. I only make soap once in a while because it doesn't dry my skin & I like doing it.  But I don't make it very frequently which is why I asked.  I thought I was asking a truly innocent question.  Guess I shouldn't be so ignorant.



Like others have said, there was nothing wrong with your question. In my case, I don't remember asking for any recipes. I liked playing around on soapcalc to make my other recipes or to check borrowed recipes because it helped me learn what my skin likes and how to formulate my soaps. Generally, I like 50-70% soft oils and the rest hard. My favorite vegetarian recipes include avocado and olive oils in equal parts or with slightly more olive oil, a heft amount of cocoa butter and or shea/mango butter and some cleansing oil not to exceed 10% unless I am NOT using coconut oil.



Steve85569 said:


> One of my favorite recipes that I've been using lately:
> 6 cups fresh blueberries
> 6 cups sugar
> 1/4 cup lemon juice
> ...



I've never used pectin. I just boiled my selected fruits (usually strawberries) in some water with sugar and  a little lemon juice. I also don't can nothin'. That said, I could use a change in pace once apple season starts. Who doesn't love galas and fuji apples together?


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## CaraBou (Jun 26, 2016)

Steve85569 said:


> One of my favorite recipes that I've been using lately:
> 6 cups fresh blueberries...



You have blueberries already?? Maybe I was in Alaska too long - should I be on the prowl?  I did harvest morels early this year


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## gdawgs (Jun 26, 2016)

Oooh, that egg yolk recipe sounds interesting.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 26, 2016)

*Many thanks*

Thanks so much to all of you who have been so understanding & helpful. I was pretty upset & hurt by some of the comments that were posted..  I have looked for the advanced search and have not found it yet.  I have also gone back about 10 pages, I'm assuming they meant in the beginner section, and I have not found recipes.  I put "soap recipes" in the search section & all I've gotten are the threads from my question.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  For those of you who gave me suggestions for soap I will give them a try.  The egg yolk recipe sounds good but I have a question.  The recipe calls for milk.  Is that milk you can get from the grocery store or do they mean raw milk from a farm which is not easily accessible in our area?  If I can use milk from store I'm assuming I need to use whole milk.  Again thanks to those who were so understanding to a rather newbie.


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## Dahila (Jun 26, 2016)

oh you are a beginner, do not start with milk or yolk.  Make a simple soap then start adding something each time you make a soap


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## gdawgs (Jun 26, 2016)

As a newbie myself, I don't think you should even consider that egg yolk soap yet.  Working with milk adds some complexity.  Start out with some simple recipes.  You don't need to look any further than this thread for now.  Obsidian's recipe on page 1 or Susie's recipe on page 3 would be perfect.  I have made a few batches of Susie's recipe and it is great.  Obsidian's is on my list to try as well.  Good luck!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jun 26, 2016)

I would do ten pages in - beginner, lye soap, recipe feedback, and soap making recipes.


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## Arimara (Jun 26, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> Thanks so much to all of you who have been so understanding.  I was pretty upset after I saw some of the responses.  I have looked for the advanced search and have not found it yet.  I have also gone back about 10 pages, I'm assuming they meant in the beginner section, and I have not found recipes.  I put "soap recipes" in the search section & all I've gotten are the threads from my question.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  For those of you who gave me suggestions for soap I will give them a try.  The egg yolk recipe sounds good but I have a question.  The recipe calls for milk.  Is that milk you can get from the grocery store or do they mean raw milk from a farm which is not easily accessible in our area?  If I can use milk from store I'm assuming I need to use whole milk.  Again thanks to those who were so understanding to a rather newbie.



Grocery store milk will suffice. You do NOT have to kill yourself trying to find raw milk and if anyone asks you for a soap made with raw milk, simply tell them to supply you with the goods. To be honest, I'd love to try raw milk just once.


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## earlene (Jun 26, 2016)

wbocrafter said:


> Thanks so much to all of you who have been so understanding.  I was pretty upset after I saw some of the responses.  I have looked for the advanced search and have not found it yet.  I have also gone back about 10 pages, I'm assuming they meant in the beginner section, and I have not found recipes.  I put "soap recipes" in the search section & all I've gotten are the threads from my question.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  For those of you who gave me suggestions for soap I will give them a try.  The egg yolk recipe sounds good but I have a question.  The recipe calls for milk.  Is that milk you can get from the grocery store or do they mean raw milk from a farm which is not easily accessible in our area?  If I can use milk from store I'm assuming I need to use whole milk.  Again thanks to those who were so understanding to a rather newbie.



The trouble with using 'soap recipes' as the search is that people would have to use either the word 'soap' or 'recipes' in the post.  I don't think that would be a very helpful way of searching for what you want.  How many times do we use the word 'soap' in our posts?  I haven't really looked, but I'm guessing it's pretty darned often!

Here is how to find the advanced search in SMF:
Use the little tiny 'downward arrow', then click on 'advanced search'






I don't actually use the advanced search, so that's as far as I can help you with that, though.

The way I search that works a lot better for me than the one here at SMF is to search using Google (or whatever search engine you use).  Type in the parameters (words or phrase you want to find) followed by: 'site:soapmakingforum.com' without the quotes.  This will pull up results only in SMF, but with greater accuracy for what you have typed into Google.

Here are some examples of search parameters to use:

basic soapmaking recipes site:soapmakingforum.com
basic CP soapmaking recipes site:soapmakingforum.com
easy CP recipe site:soapmakingforum.com
easy CP recipe with lard site:soapmakingforum.com

See how that works?  The parameters are the words you use in the first part of the search. The words you use will narrow or widen your search.  The more specific your wording, the fewer results, but you may actually find something you really want without all the excess you don't want to wade through.

~ ~ ~ ~

As far as your questions about milk in soap, any milk will do.  I have used whole milk (from the grocery store), buttermilk (but I prefer to drink it whenever I buy it, so it often only makes it into soap if I freeze it right before going on a roadtrip because I don't have time to drink it all before I leave, then I can use it in soap when I return), canned goat milk soap, heavy cream (from the grocery store), Crema Mexicana (sour cream), yogurt; all from the grocery store.   Some people use powdered milk from the healthfood store. I have not yet tried it in powdered form.

But as pointed out earlier, perhaps it is best to leave it to after you have done a few simpler recipes and are comfortable with those.  For some reason I thought you may have done several already.  When you are ready for the more complex, just ask, I am sure any number of people here will be willing to walk you through some of these 'advanced' techniques.  Personally I don't consider milk or egg yolks as 'advanced' because I still consider myself fairly new to soap making.  I've only been making soap for a year now.  But I do like to make soap so much that I do it several times a week when I am at home, and even sometimes when I travel.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 26, 2016)

*Thanks for the info*

I will give Susie's a try.  It sounded pretty easy.  I've been exploring how to render tallow & that doesn't look so bad.  There are several videos on youtube that made it look rather easy.  I've read that soap with tallow is also nice.  However I do have some lard I need to use up first. Thanks all!


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## earlene (Jun 26, 2016)

ppo = per pound of oil

1 pound = 453.592 grams, so I am guessing as a short cut to having to figure out the exact amount needed in 500 grams, they are rounding up.  I would just use a converter to figure out the exact amount needed.

It doesn't matter what type of oil, it's just xx/ppo no matter what type of oil.

This type of measurement in a recipe can be in any kind of recipe, really.  I see it in CP as well as HP.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 26, 2016)

What does PPO/500 gram oil mean in Susie's recipe? What does the sugar do & when do you add it?   What tpe of oil?  What does the PPO mean? Is that a hot processed soap?


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## cmzaha (Jun 26, 2016)

*PPO means Per Pound of Oils*, not hot processed soap (hp), as stated above. You add up your oil weight and multiply it by 7 grams. I happen to use 1 tbs ppo of oil, sugar being the only ingredient I use by volume not weight. Susie listed all the oils used and sugar adds bubbles. 500 grams of oil would = 17 oz, so 17 oz of oils would be 7.4 grams or rounded up to 8 g sugar


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## earlene (Jun 26, 2016)

wbocrafter, I add the sugar water solution to the lye water solution, but some soapers add it to the melted oils or even add it later at trace.  I think I've tried it all ways, but prefer doing it at the start so I don't forget it later.
Is Susie's recipe for HP, is that what you are asking?  She would have to verify, but I believe Susie uses that recipe as CP.  Even so, pretty much any recipe can be done as CP or as HP.  But this time of year, in the summer, I would just do CP because not so much heat to deal with in the house.


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## IrishLass (Jun 26, 2016)

earlene said:


> The trouble with using 'soap recipes' as the search is that people would have to use either the word 'soap' or 'recipes' in the post. I don't think that would be a very helpful way of searching for what you want. How many times do we use the word 'soap' in our posts? I haven't really looked, but I'm guessing it's pretty darned often!
> 
> Here is how to find the advanced search in SMF:
> Use the little tiny 'downward arrow', then click on 'advanced search'
> ...


 
[Bolding/underlining on the last sentence above is mine]. This is where a lot of our members miss out when it comes to being able to search more efficiently on the forum. The Advanced Search gives you more options to be able to refine your search in a more narrow/specific manner. 

Once you've clicked on 'Advance Search' as Earlene described above (thank you Earleane- that was perfect!  ), it will bring you to the Advance Search page where you can search by keyword/s and/or by username (either or both), and you can refine your search even further by clicking on the button right below the Keyword box which gives you the option of searching just thread titles only, or else searching entire posts. You can also refine your search even further by using the date parameters, or you can search by tag, and you have the option choosing which section of the forum you'd like to confine your search parameters to, or whether you want direct your search to all forums on the site. 

More often than not, I like to use the "search titles only" option. That hardly ever fails to give me what I want quickly.

For anyone who wants to enter into recipe nirvana, this is what you need to do........ On the Advanced Search page in the "keyword" box, type the single word 'recipe'. Don't make the mistake of typing in 'soap recipe'- just simply type the word 'recipe' instead. Typing too many words in that box can oftentimes be your downfall. 

Then, underneath the keyword box you will find a drop-down box which gives you the option of refining your search by either searching titles only, or by searching entire posts. Click on "Search titles only". 

Next, further down near the bottom left side of the page, you'll see "Show Results as". Click on the Threads option.

Then over to the right, click on which forum section you'd like your search to be directed. I would click on either the Beginners Soapmaking Forum or the Lye Based Forum (Lye Based will give you a ton more results, btw). 

Lastly, click on "Search Now". 

I'm telling ya, once you've done all of the above, you will be amazed with the amount of recipes facing you. Like I said in my earlier post on this thread, you will see more recipes than you can shake a stick at. LOL


IrishLass


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## gdawgs (Jun 26, 2016)

Great info!  I didn't even know the advanced option was there.  I never noticed the drop down before. :?


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## earlene (Jun 26, 2016)

Thank you, Irish Lass.  Now I will have to give it a fair shake and try the SMF advanced search!


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## Rowan (Jun 26, 2016)

IrishLass said:


> [Bolding/underlining on the last sentence above is mine]. This is where a lot of our members miss out when it comes to being able to search more efficiently on the forum. The Advanced Search gives you more options to be able to refine your search in a more narrow/specific manner.
> 
> Once you've clicked on 'Advance Search' as Earlene described above (thank you Earleane- that was perfect!  ), it will bring you to the Advance Search page where you can search by keyword/s and/or by username (either or both), and you can refine your search even further by clicking on the button right below the Keyword box which gives you the option of searching just thread titles only, or else searching entire posts. You can also refine your search even further by using the date parameters, or you can search by tag, and you have the option choosing which section of the forum you'd like to confine your search parameters to, or whether you want direct your search to all forums on the site.
> 
> ...



Now I'm embarrassed. I've never found the advanced search before. I tried it out and it came up with so many threads thankyou!


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## Steve85569 (Jun 26, 2016)

CaraBou said:


> You have blueberries already?? Maybe I was in Alaska too long - should I be on the prowl?  I did harvest morels early this year



Next door neighbor has berries running about 3 weeks ahead of schedule. I do can much to the ridicule of my DW ( she freezes everything) but then I grew up canning with both grandmas.


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## dixiedragon (Jun 27, 2016)

I am also surprised at the pushback on this thread! I didn't see your question as offensive at all - many many people come here looking for a good, tried-and-true recipe as a starting point.

I didn't post a recipe b/c I wasn't sure what type of soap you want to make. It would be helpful if you narrowed it down a bit - do you want to make an all veg recipe, or are you okay with animal fats? Are you willing to order online, or do you want to get stuff from Wal-Mart?

Here's mine:
50% lard
20% coconut
5% castor
5% sunflower
10% olive
10% rice bran


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## wbocrafter (Jun 28, 2016)

*Response to what I'm looking for*

Thank you for your recipe. Where can I get rice bran and can I substitute tallow for the lard? We have a local butcher who will give me the suet free so that I can make my own tallow. I was tickled when I heard that it was free and that I could have as much as I wanted. I had contacted another butcher and he was charging me $1/lb. which isn't bad but free is better.

I am willing to purchase items from the internet rather than Wal-Mart. I have purchased from Wal-Mart & frankly I find the same items on the internet much cheaper. I know I should have been more explicit in what I was looking for. I was looking for a good soap that has nice lather & makes the skin feel soft/silky and not drying. I'm still learning what oils are good to use for certain qualities but the above is actually what I was looking for. I will certainly try your recipe. I have learned a lot on this forum already. Some of it is confusing but a lot of it is helpful. 

I too was shocked at how controversial my question was.  I have taken some of their recommendations to look for recipes on the forum and maybe I'm stupid but I haven't found any recipes yet.  I'll just have to keep looking. Thanks for your response.  I appreciate the recipe.


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## dixiedragon (Jun 28, 2016)

This Brambleberry's beginning soapmaking kit, and they're having a deal where it ships free.
https://www.brambleberry.com/Natural-Soap-Kit-for-Beginners-P6607.aspx?utm_source=Bramble+Berry+Newsletter&utm_campaign=9fb5b510bf-jun%2B17%2B2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4130d6c9f1-9fb5b510bf-296258133&mc_cid=9fb5b510bf&mc_eid=bccc84a0c0

» Your choice of one of our three best-selling essential oils (Orange, Lavender or Lemongrass)
» Natural Colorant
» Natural Botanical
» Reusable Silicone Mold
» Digital Scale
» Goggles & Disposable Gloves
» Sodium Lactate
» Blend of Oils
» Sodium Hydroxide
» Instructions and Custom Bar Soap Labels
» Exclusive Online video
» FREE SHIPPING!


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## Arthur Dent (Jun 28, 2016)

Here is my current favorite:

80% Lard 
15%OO 
5% Castor 
SF 7%
1 Tblsp sugar PPO
No scent or colors

Simple, easy, and I really like it.


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## dixiedragon (Jun 28, 2016)

Thank you for your recipe. Where can I get rice bran and can I substitute tallow for the lard? We have a local butcher who will give me the suet free so that I can make my own tallow. I was tickled when I heard that it was free and that I could have as much as I wanted. I had contacted another butcher and he was charging me $1/lb. which isn't bad but free is better.

Yay free suet! There is a really good thread here about rendering suet:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=487085&postcount=36
Get them to grind it for you - makes a HUGE difference! You can substitute tallow - just run it through the lye calculator.

Rice bran oil - possibly an Asian grocery? I got mine from Soaper's Choice. I don't think it's crucial - I use it as a substitute for some of the olive oil b/c it's cheaper. You could replace it with olive oil or sunflower.


I am willing to purchase items from the internet rather than Wal-Mart. I have purchased from Wal-Mart & frankly I find the same items on the internet much cheaper. I know I should have been more explicit in what I was looking for. I was looking for a good soap that has nice lather & makes the skin feel soft/silky and not drying. I'm still learning what oils are good to use for certain qualities but the above is actually what I was looking for. I will certainly try your recipe. I have learned a lot on this forum already. Some of it is confusing but a lot of it is helpful. 

I too was shocked at how controversial my question was. I have taken some of their recommendations to look for recipes on the forum and maybe I'm stupid but I haven't found any recipes yet. I'll just have to keep looking. Thanks for your response. I appreciate the recipe. 

Recipes are all over but they tend to be buried in threads. It's not an easy topic to search unless you are more specific. I think if you search for "shea butter soap" you will find some recipes, for example.


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## Cindy2428 (Jun 28, 2016)

Soaper's Choice is located in IL - shipping shouldn't be too bad for PA. They carry a lot of soaping oils at a great price.


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## wbocrafter (Jun 29, 2016)

DixieDragon I ordered the beginner set from Brambleberry that you told me about.  It seemed like a really good deal.  Thanks for the info.


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## Dahila (Jun 29, 2016)

my base recipe is 
30 % OO
25 % lard
20 %  tallow 
20 % CO
5% Castor


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## wbocrafter (Jun 30, 2016)

Thanks for sharing.  I will give it a try.  Do you use fragrance oils or essential oils?  Is there a favorite oil?


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## Dahila (Jun 30, 2016)

wbocrafter, I do not know what other's use but I stopped using essential oils in soap.   They hardly survive and the scent does not stick,  You need to anchor them, and still expensive, too expensive.  With FO I can sell them at decent price.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 30, 2016)

I mostly use FO. I do use a some EO's like lemongrass, patchouli, 15x orange, litsea, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary and mint.  FO stick better plus my customers like scents that don't come in EO.


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## Steve85569 (Jun 30, 2016)

I'm another FO convert. I started out using EO's because they are "natural" until I realized that the process for getting the oil out of the plant is anything but. And besides there is no EO for Monkey Farts.:mrgreen: That and DW Jan loves lilac in bloom and White gardenia. You know the ones that accelerate...


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## TheDragonGirl (Jun 30, 2016)

I use mostly EOs here, although there are a few FOs I really like, but I stay mostly away from the truly expensive ones, and researched which ones were likely to fade


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## Susie (Jul 1, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> Recipes are all over but they tend to be buried in threads. It's not an easy topic to search unless you are more specific. I think if you search for "shea butter soap" you will find some recipes, for example.



Leave the word "soap" out.  It is in a ton of threads.  Just search "shea butter".  Or "tallow" to narrow down that search.  

Recipes are buried in threads.  Threads that have lots of good information and discussion about what those recipes do or do not do.


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