And you could always look at DeeAnna's soapmaking info :
http://classicbells.com/soap/soapyStuff.html
There's lots of good info there.
The Beginner's section here has godd info as well and you will get to see a lot of soap makers opinions too.
Thanks Steve85569,
I found her site (didn't know who she was back then) a month or so ago and refer back to it often. Have also taken lots of notes. I've been reading everything I can find on the internet for several weeks. I spend about 7 or 8 hrs every day looking for the best, most accurate information I can find. That's how I found DeeAnna's site which brought me to this forum.
I finally found that one other author, besides Anne L. Watson. Her name is Cheryl Boyd. For books, there's Alicia Grosso and Gregory Lee White too.
Steer clear of Speedy Publishing and beware of bundles. I've looked into food recipes and needle crafts as well- you get what you pay for sometimes. You don't always want that.
@amd I think you're thinking of Anne-Marie Faiola. I never read her books
Great! Thank you! I will look for those as well.
Thanks! Clicked the link and for some reason I get a 2 dollar credit on that title. No idea why. lol but I'll take it.
Ok, had to post additional info/vent. Sorry.
My original goal when I started researching how to make soap a few weeks ago was simply that ... how to make natural soaps that I could incorporate my herbs into via infused oils etc.
What I found was that soapmaking was far more complicated ... and addicting ... then I thought. Soooo many ways to make soap. I decided on HP because it will allow me to use infused oils or water after the cook. So the properties of my infusions stay safe and functional.
Then I find there are at least 3 ways to make hot process soap. Then of course my daughter tells me she wants me to make "shampoo bars" ... and off we go into another direction. Found out there is little to no way to make a "natural" shampoo bar that will not ruin your hair due to high PH and then found out the if the PH is too low, it will no longer be soap. Which brought me back to syndet bars. Syndet bars are also rather elusive currently as well, due to synthetics.
Then of course, there is my issue. Very very baby fine hair that does not respond to commercial shampoos very well at all. I haven't even used real shampoo for a year. Rosemary "tea" and rye flour only ... but would like to make it a little more convenient instead of making the "tea" all the time just to wash my hair.
My vent for the hour and the reason I'm continuing my search for books and whatever info I can find that eventually give me the ability to produce the items in question.
Sorry to be so long winded. I will stop now.