How much is enough?

[Edward Sebastian]

Okay, so I'm looking into ordering from Bramble Berry, but I'm a bit confused and need some clarification.
I noticed that for each kind of soap project, they list what they've used and a lot of the oils and lye are 1 lb. each in quantity.
So here's the question.
Do you have to keep ordering that same amount of oils from other projects that list the same oils needed? Seems like a lot, if I'm only using a few ounces for a batch from one project. or can I just forego the oil and lye on the second soap project and use what I already ordered from the first order?
I'm asking because I would like to make a soap for ladies in the house and a more masculine scented soap for me.
Appreciate the help. Thanks

 

[amd]

If you're already ordering from Brambleberry, I would just order one of their pre-mixed kits.
https://www.brambleberry.com/articles/ingredient-information/art0027-all-about-quick-mixes.html

 

[Pepsi Girl]

Or if I’m understanding your question. You can make the same soap for everyone but split the batter and put different scents in before you pour into the mold!

 

[Edward Sebastian]

If you're already ordering from Brambleberry, I would just order one of their pre-mixed kits.
https://www.brambleberry.com/articles/ingredient-information/art0027-all-about-quick-mixes.html

I would rather not buy a kit that's already pre-made. I'd rather learn to add the ingredients myself.

 

[shunt2011]

If you’ve got oils left you can use them on other formulas. If you have enough of specific oils just order what you don’t have. If I’m understanding your question clearly. Order a couple pounds of lye and you can also find many oils locally at your grocery.

 

[Edward Sebastian]

Or if I’m understanding your question. You can make the same soap for everyone but split the batter and put different scents in before you pour into the mold!

What I mean, well actually, not sure how else to say it, but here goes...
If I buy the ingredients from one soap project, do I need to buy the ingredients of another soap project that shares some of the same ingredients as the first soap project? or am I actually using a pound of palm oil for a 3 lb batch? Does that make better sense? I really hope so, or else I should quit now...

If you’ve got oils left you can use them on other formulas. If you have enough of specific oils just order what you don’t have. If I’m understanding your question clearly. Order a couple pounds of lye and you can also find many oils locally at your grocery.

Perfect! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear... LOL Thank you kindly... damn near ready to pull the hair off my head... in a manner of speaking... LMAO!

 

[Arimara]

YOu sure you want to make a 3 lb batch? you might be better off with 3 1lb batches to get your bearings.

 

[cmzaha]

Maybe this will help answer. Many of us buy oils in bulk, such as gallons to 5 gallons or more. We use what we need for our recipe. You do not need to buy exactly what you need for a recipe. As Arimara just mentioned it is much better to make 1 lb batches. For starting out you can get oils from the grocery store, Sams Club, Costco and Walmart

 

[KiwiMoose]

You'll find that some oils are going to be used in pretty much every batch you make - so go right ahead and order sufficient to last you several batches if you plan to keep soaping. Coconut Oil is an example of this, and probably olive oil. I buy my Coconut oil in 2 litre buckets ( about four pounds) and that lasts me for several batches.

 

[Edward Sebastian]

YOu sure you want to make a 3 lb batch? you might be better off with 3 1lb batches to get your bearings.

I was using that as an example. As the projects on Bramble Berry are for 3 lb. batches. As you can see here, I just randomly picked two projects...

Maybe this will help answer. Many of us buy oils in bulk, such as gallons to 5 gallons or more. We use what we need for our recipe. You do not need to buy exactly what you need for a recipe. As Arimara just mentioned it is much better to make 1 lb batches. For starting out you can get oils from the grocery store, Sams Club, Costco and Walmart

Thanks. I was just using that as an example. BB projects are for making 3 lbs.

You'll find that some oils are going to be used in pretty much every batch you make - so go right ahead and order sufficient to last you several batches if you plan to keep soaping. Coconut Oil is an example of this, and probably olive oil. I buy my Coconut oil in 2 litre buckets ( about four pounds) and that lasts me for several batches.

Awesome. Thank you kindly.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

What I mean, well actually, not sure how else to say it, but here goes...
If I buy the ingredients from one soap project, do I need to buy the ingredients of another soap project that shares some of the same ingredients as the first soap project? or am I actually using a pound of palm oil for a 3 lb batch? Does that make better sense? I really hope so, or else I should quit now...

Nope you can’t quit! To many people here to help you and you don’t want to disappoint them!

 

[Arimara]

If that's the case, ok. You could have ordered that kit if you have wanted and just split the oils up into smaller batches. The way I see it, each of those projects yield 3 lbs of soap but it doesn't have to be all at once.

 

[Dawni]

Perfect! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear... LOL Thank you kindly... **** near ready to pull the hair off my head... in a manner of speaking... LMAO!

I laughed at this lol

@KiwiMoose is right - some fats will be constant, in my case rice bran oil, coconut and shea, some sometimes constant, like castor, sweet almond and avocado. You'll eventually figure out which ones you like.

When I was learning, I was told to have at least one soft oil for conditioning like olive or rice bran, one hard oil and I picked coconut for cleansing, and one "brittle" for hardening which ended up being shea and cocoa butter. That's the minimum and it worked for a while til I wanted to try others lol

I buy my oils at a minimum one liter if that's the only thing available, if there's a bigger one better. Saves you some money buying bulk, and from a mountain of trash eventually. Most I get from the supermarket, the ones I can't find there from soaping suppliers.

You'll just have to measure out the amount you need and store the rest for your next batch

And oh, any recipe you find online, whether you resize to a smaller test batch (and I strongly encourage you to start small) or make the same amount, will have to be run through a soap calculator again to avoid mistakes.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

My recommendation would be:
1) Talk to customer service at Brambleberry. Tell them you are new to soap making and only want to make small amounts to start with. I recommend their 20 oz silicone mold.
2) Use the SoapMakingFriend calculator to cut down the recipe to 20 oz.
https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/soap-making-recipe-builder-lye-calculator/
3) Start with the "easy" soap first, once you're happy with that, then try more difficult soaps.

Results to cut down Simple and Gentle Soap to 20 oz
Recipe Oils, Fats and Waxes
Ounces
Olive Oil 5.72 oz
Palm Oil 4.16 oz
Coconut Oil, 76 deg 3.12 oz
Total 13 oz
Recipe Totals
Liquid Required 3.86 oz
NaOH Weight 1.84 oz
Oil Weight 13 oz
Fragrance Oil Weight 0.39 oz
Superfat 5%
Total Batch Weight 19.09 oz
Lye Concentration 32.26%
Liquid : Lye Ratio 2.1 :1
4) As others have mentioned, you may want to get your oils locally.
5) I would buy the BB 20 oz mold, and lye from Brambleberry. But you can use a cardboard milk carton for a mold.
6) Other supplies you may need:
Safety equipment - gloves, goggles
Scales - you need to weigh the ingredients
Thermometer
Soaping containers
Stick blender
7) Watch YouTube videos on CP soapmaking. I think BB / SoapQueen beginning soap making videos are good. She covers the safety aspect, tools, basic process, etc.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it is overkill.

 

[TheGecko]

Okay, so I'm looking into ordering from Bramble Berry, but I'm a bit confused and need some clarification.
I noticed that for each kind of soap project, they list what they've used and a lot of the oils and lye are 1 lb. each in quantity.
So here's the question.
Do you have to keep ordering that same amount of oils from other projects that list the same oils needed? Seems like a lot, if I'm only using a few ounces for a batch from one project. or can I just forego the oil and lye on the second soap project and use what I already ordered from the first order?
I'm asking because I would like to make a soap for ladies in the house and a more masculine scented soap for me.
Appreciate the help. Thanks

‘
No. And yes.

Soaping is like baking. You don’t just buy 6 cups of flour to make rolls and then buy 2 1/2 cups to make a cake and buy another cup for pie crust...no, you buy a 10lb bag and spread the love around.

To cut to the chase, I bought Brambleberry’s Beginner’s Cold Process Kit. Not only was there enough to make two batches of soap and a little more since you get a full size bottle of Sodium Hydroxide, but you also got a nice 10” Silicone Mold and a tried and true recipe.

Deciding that I liked soap making, I ordered 7lbs each of Olive, Coconut and Palm Oils, a pound of Castor. I also Mica Sampler, a few sample EO bottles and a pound each of Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond to try out, and more Lye. Today I buy my Olive Oil by the case at Costco, along with Coconut and Avocado Oil. I buy Cocoa and Shea Butter in 5lb lots. I recently put in a small order for some ‘no-stir’ Palm Oil to try.

After a few failures, I got smart and purchased a couple if 1lb molds for when I try a new recipe, colorant or scent.

I spent less than $50.00 on equipment...$30.00 for a stick blender and digital scale for Amazon, $5.00 for disposable gloves at Target, another $5,00 for safety glasses at Home Depot and $20.00 at the Dollar Store for bowls, measuring cups, spatulas and miscellaneous.

I just bought a soap cutter this year; previously I used a large knife and then a cheese slicer. I have 4-2lb molds, 2-1lb molds and some assorted cavity molds; more than enough for my needs right now.

Oh...to cure my soap? I started with my old cookies sheets that I line with freezer paper

 

[Edward Sebastian]

I laughed at this lol

@KiwiMoose is right - some fats will be constant, in my case rice bran oil, coconut and shea, some sometimes constant, like castor, sweet almond and avocado. You'll eventually figure out which ones you like.

When I was learning, I was told to have at least one soft oil for conditioning like olive or rice bran, one hard oil and I picked coconut for cleansing, and one "brittle" for hardening which ended up being shea and cocoa butter. That's the minimum and it worked for a while til I wanted to try others lol

I buy my oils at a minimum one liter if that's the only thing available, if there's a bigger one better. Saves you some money buying bulk, and from a mountain of trash eventually. Most I get from the supermarket, the ones I can't find there from soaping suppliers.

You'll just have to measure out the amount you need and store the rest for your next batch

And oh, any recipe you find online, whether you resize to a smaller test batch (and I strongly encourage you to start small) or make the same amount, will have to be run through a soap calculator again to avoid mistakes.

HAHAHAA! Glad I can put some giggles in someone's life. Thank you kindly for your help. I thought I'd have to forget about making soap and start making something easier, like cookies. Hee hee! Thanks again, Dawni.

My recommendation would be:
1) Talk to customer service at Brambleberry. Tell them you are new to soap making and only want to make small amounts to start with. I recommend their 20 oz silicone mold.
2) Use the SoapMakingFriend calculator to cut down the recipe to 20 oz.
https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/soap-making-recipe-builder-lye-calculator/
3) Start with the "easy" soap first, once you're happy with that, then try more difficult soaps.

Results to cut down Simple and Gentle Soap to 20 oz
Recipe Oils, Fats and Waxes
Ounces
Olive Oil 5.72 oz
Palm Oil 4.16 oz
Coconut Oil, 76 deg 3.12 oz
Total 13 oz
Recipe Totals
Liquid Required 3.86 oz
NaOH Weight 1.84 oz
Oil Weight 13 oz
Fragrance Oil Weight 0.39 oz
Superfat 5%
Total Batch Weight 19.09 oz
Lye Concentration 32.26%
Liquid : Lye Ratio 2.1 :1
4) As others have mentioned, you may want to get your oils locally.
5) I would buy the BB 20 oz mold, and lye from Brambleberry. But you can use a cardboard milk carton for a mold.
6) Other supplies you may need:
Safety equipment - gloves, goggles
Scales - you need to weigh the ingredients
Thermometer
Soaping containers
Stick blender
7) Watch YouTube videos on CP soapmaking. I think BB / SoapQueen beginning soap making videos are good. She covers the safety aspect, tools, basic process, etc.

Hope this helps. Sorry if it is overkill.

Oh wow! Thank You! Fortunately, I've bought every thing I would need about a year ago, I just finally decided to take the plunge and get over this fear of failure I've had. I, finally, just ordered the ingredients I needed to make two kinds of soap. And funny you should mention videos. I've been watching her videos over and over again. I feel like I can make the soap blind folded, but that's just "Courage" trying to punch "Fear" in the face a few times.
Thanks for the help. And no, not overkill at all.

‘
No. And yes.

Soaping is like baking. You don’t just buy 6 cups of flour to make rolls and then buy 2 1/2 cups to make a cake and buy another cup for pie crust...no, you buy a 10lb bag and spread the love around.

To cut to the chase, I bought Brambleberry’s Beginner’s Cold Process Kit. Not only was there enough to make two batches of soap and a little more since you get a full size bottle of Sodium Hydroxide, but you also got a nice 10” Silicone Mold and a tried and true recipe.

Deciding that I liked soap making, I ordered 7lbs each of Olive, Coconut and Palm Oils, a pound of Castor. I also Mica Sampler, a few sample EO bottles and a pound each of Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond to try out, and more Lye. Today I buy my Olive Oil by the case at Costco, along with Coconut and Avocado Oil. I buy Cocoa and Shea Butter in 5lb lots. I recently put in a small order for some ‘no-stir’ Palm Oil to try.

After a few failures, I got smart and purchased a couple if 1lb molds for when I try a new recipe, colorant or scent.

I spent less than $50.00 on equipment...$30.00 for a stick blender and digital scale for Amazon, $5.00 for disposable gloves at Target, another $5,00 for safety glasses at Home Depot and $20.00 at the Dollar Store for bowls, measuring cups, spatulas and miscellaneous.

I just bought a soap cutter this year; previously I used a large knife and then a cheese slicer. I have 4-2lb molds, 2-1lb molds and some assorted cavity molds; more than enough for my needs right now.

Oh...to cure my soap? I started with my old cookies sheets that I line with freezer paper

That's absolutely solid. Where were you when I was purchasing all those things...*sigh*. I think I spent about $200. for everything...LOL! Lessons will be learned. Thank you.

 

[Dawni]

HAHAHAA! Glad I can put some giggles in someone's life. Thank you kindly for your help. I thought I'd have to forget about making soap and start making something easier, like cookies. Hee hee! Thanks again, Dawni.

That you did lol

You can make both.. Great with ladies (most lol) and kids (probably all lol)

 

[Edward Sebastian]

That you did lol

You can make both.. Great with ladies (most lol) and kids (probably all lol)

LOL! True.

 

[TheGecko]

Where were you when I was purchasing all those things...*sigh*.

Right here. LOL

When I was watching hours and hours and hours of videos, I wasn't just watching what they were doing and how they were doing it, but what they were doing it with (equipment).

I'll warn you right now...it's really, REALLY easy to get caught up in the excitement of making your own soap and want to buy this and buy that and..................WHOA! I started with some Mica sample packs to get a feel for using Mica, then I made small purchases (5 grams) after that. Colorants that I like, I bought larger quantities of. When it came to scents...again I started small (1 ounce); do you really want to buy an 8 ounce bottle and discover that it really stinks or accelerates badly or discolors to baby poo?!? Believe me...you don't. I have such a bottle, I've learned how to work with it, but I don't use it often.

Set a budget...very VERY important.

When I bought my originals molds, I did pick up a pack of 16 individual molds (amazon). I use them for extra soap. I use them for testing a bunch of new colors or new fragrances. I use them for travel/sink/sample soaps.

 

[Kathymzr]

Small batches will help you get past initial learning without much cost. A quart milk container on its side is about 1 1/3 lb soap. Makes 6-8 bars.

First common mistakes even with a foolproof recipe: Stick Blending too long (just SB till oil isn’t sitting in top), using fragrance that is known to affect batter (read all the specs on it. Start with something that won’t cause surprises), ugly colors (order from well known suppliers and use colors made for soap then start light and simple—work up to zany color combos remembering red and green mix to mud color!). Stay calm!