Discouraged

[McSpin]

I'm only into my 3rd month soap making and I've done about 20-25 batches. So far, everything has been wonderful. Sure, there have been some minor glitches, but I haven't been trying to do time-sensitive stuff like multi-color swirls. However, I have done shaving soaps, pine tar soaps, beer soaps, honey soaps, and soaps with lots of hard butters, so it also has been interesting enough to not bore me.

I'm not sure how much you like to read, but I'm a voracious reader and this forum is a stockpile of info. Read, read some more and keep reading would be my advise. There is almost no problem that hasn't been dissected in detail on this site. Learn how to use the advanced search to find the relevant info and I doubt there is any concern you will not be able to quickly overcome. Whenever I try something new, I come here first and research the areas I'm unsure of, until I think I know how to succeed. I print out my recipe from Soap Calc and detail anything of importance in the "Notes" section. After I make it, I just write in what happened and why I think it went the way it did - I add suggestions for the next batch. When you try a lot of different and new things, it's hard to keep track of everything, but writing it down will help.

 

[Susie]

McSpin-welcome to the addiction!

 

[McSpin]

McSpin-welcome to the addiction!

What's so odd about this, is that I wouldn't have guessed there was even a remote chance that I would like soap making, much less develop an addiction. I started out trying to make a decent soap for my wife's sensitive skin and it snowballed before I had a chance to realize what had happened. Fourty lbs of soap later, I guess I can't use that excuse any more. :-D

 

[shunt2011]

Yup, you're addicted McSpin.....that's how most of us caught the bug.

 

[biarine]

I am a newbie too I making soap for 6 months and I have a lot of mistake too. One time I forgot to put my 10% castor oil and I am very disappointed but that's part of crafting. I am doing crochet for years but still I have some mistakes. Don't give up

 

[jules92207]

Hey fellow newbie, don't give up! I ruined many of batches before I even liked one. Now I have been soaping over a year, over 100 batches, and I am always perfecting and improving.

I love some, hate some, but I push on. I can't stop anyway, I've got the bug, so I just keep trying to get better.

Keep on keeping on!

 

[Hazel]

WSP carries an Aloe Oil as well.

Be careful about the aloe vera oils at WSP. The clear aloe oil is mineral oil, coconut oil and aloe vera leaf extract. The golden is soybean oil and aloe vera leaf extract. If anyone is opposed to using mineral oil, make sure to buy the golden; although, I can say the clear is really nice. I used it straight on my skin during the severely cold weather when none of my other lotions were keeping my skin moisturized. I intended to make a lotion with it but just didn't get around to it. So, I put it in a little spritz bottle and would squirt it on after I got out of the shower.

 

[valerieinthegallery]

Try this good old faithful recipe to start, there is a reason it is considered the "holy trinity" of soapmaking:

Palm/tallow/lard 50%
CO 20%
OO 30%

I agree with this! I am a new soaper as well, and I did not want to use animal products at all (or palm, actually), but after some failures and feeling discouraged, I decided to try this recipe (using the lard, co and oo) and you wouldn't believe the difference! I still don't want to use animal products but the success I had is what encouraged me to press forward and keep trying, whereas I probably would have given up.

I was having issues with partial gels, so when I made this soap, I finished it off with an oven process and it worked beautifully!

 

[hlee]

I made my first soap about 2 yrs ago and still going. I quit counting batches a long time ago and am truly addicted. I finally have 2 reliable recipes that I love but if I'm out of something and want to make soap I will use whatever I have. I do try not to be out of something. Keep your recipes simple at first. I didn't, but they are now.Don't be afraid to play with color or fragrance just keep it simple again. I think this is one of those hobbies where there is always more to learn, but you will and it's worth it.I also agree with read, read, read, and watching videos is really helpful too.I wish I was a better note taker also. I'm thankful I remember to note the date. Just do as I said and not as I did and you will be great!