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Hi all, I'm currently a newbie at soap-making, having made a total of 6 one-pound batches so far. I'm loving this hobby and I'm finding myself making more soap than I can use in a year! :) Is anyone else from Colorado? --Metal Substance

I'm not sure what "hairy" lather is, but on my very first batch of soap, I used 75% lard and 25% soybean oil (before I learned about all the bubbles that came from using coconut oil). The soap lathered just fine; the bubbles were just lighter and finer than they would have been had I used...

For what it's worth, my soybean oil soap is working better the longer I let it cure, and the smell isn't as pronounced. It doesn't feel extraordinarily lye-heavy to my skin, so I'll continue using it. Maybe this batch wasn't a failure after all; I probably should have given it more cure...

Wow, this is such an engaging hobby, that I'm making far more soap than I can actually use in a year! :) I'm attempting a vegetable shortening-based soap to see how it will turn out. Here is what I used: 2 sticks of Crisco (for a total of 12.5 oz.) 4 oz. LouAna Coconut Oil 2.22 oz. lye...

lotionlady, It could be possible that your lye might have reacted with the carbon dioxide in the air and converted to "soda ash", given that you've had it for so long. I don't understand the chemistry very well, but from what I know, soda ash doesn't work as effectively as fresh lye. Then...

I think I may have figured out what was wrong with my original soy-based soap batch. I poured the soap into the mold before I allowed it to fully trace, and the ingredients didn't end up mixing properly. Plus, I may have given the bar too much fat discount. It was worth a shot, wasn't it...

I'm really a newbie myself, having only gotten into soapmaking as a hobby this past month, and having only made a total of five 1-lb batches. The oil in question that I've been having problems with is Wesson Vegetable Oil, which is a soybean cooking oil that is available at your everyday...

Hi all, After making three successful batches of soap using lard and coconut oil, I have attempted to experiment with a pure-vegetable-oil soap blend using 75% soybean and 25% coconut (refined) oils. While the soap cleans and lathers well, I noticed that as it continues to dry and cure, it...