New Guy from Ohio

[ed.balaun]

Hello. I’m Ed and I’m new here. I’ve been here a few days. Looks like a great place to learn and share experiences in soap making.

After three failed back surgeries left me disabled, I needed to find something that I could do since golf and bicycling are over for me. I can stand and walk for about an hour or so. I started candle making, and when I saw most of the candle suppliers also sold soap making supplies, I decided to try melt & pour. But I recently became interested in cold process. I bought a starter kit from Bramble Berry after watching about 40 of Anne-Marie’s YouTube videos. My first few batches turned out great with the exception of one batch that I figured out what I did wrong.

I like the calculator here and I’ve been buying all the oils and supplies I need.

I find I’m enjoying showering more lately!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum. Just a little advice for a newbie. Start with simple, small batches of cold process. That way if you have a batch that doesn't turn out well, you won't have lost a lot of expensive ingredients.

 

[LynetteO]

Welcome!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Hello. I’m Ed and I’m new here

I’ve been here a few days.

I know! You have a great sense of humor. Your post in this thread made me laugh out loud!

After three failed back surgeries left me disabled,

I recently became interested in cold process.

Anne Marie has been around ever since I first started soaping in 2003. She is a great teacher and covers so many different aspects of soaping and has great recipes! You are in good hands.
For negotiating SMF though, you may find this advice helpful:

I’ve been buying all the oils and supplies I need.

CAUTION: There are no support groups for OCD soap supplies shoppers. Take a cuppa along and spend some time reading this thread. It's the best I can offer. Consider yourself warned.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ou-give-to-your-beginning-soaping-self.62916/

 

[ed.balaun]

CAUTION: There are no support groups for OCD soap supplies shoppers. Take a cuppa along and spend some time reading this thread. It's the best I can offer. Consider yourself warned.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ou-give-to-your-beginning-soaping-self.62916/
Wow, this really is good! Thank you!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You're Welcome!

 

[TheGecko]

Hello. I’m Ed and I’m new here. I’ve been here a few days. Looks like a great place to learn and share experiences in soap making.

After three failed back surgeries left me disabled, I needed to find something that I could do since golf and bicycling are over for me. I can stand and walk for about an hour or so. I started candle making, and when I saw most of the candle suppliers also sold soap making supplies, I decided to try melt & pour. But I recently became interested in cold process. I bought a starter kit from Bramble Berry after watching about 40 of Anne-Marie’s YouTube videos. My first few batches turned out great with the exception of one batch that I figured out what I did wrong.

I like the calculator here and I’ve been buying all the oils and supplies I need.

I find I’m enjoying showering more lately!

Welcome.

I started with BrambleBerry's Beginner Cold Process Soap kit and it was a perfect way to start. All your ingredients, a nice 10" Silicone Loaf Mold, a tried and true recipe and clear instructions. A good way to start out to see if you like soap making without having to make a big investment or end up with a bunch of stuff you have to get rid of. The FO left a little to be desired...that little Trial size was really strong and we all ended up going out for supper that night. LOL

As someone with back issues, I recommend getting one of those nice cushy mats...it really makes a difference and I need to get a couple more since my husband and daughter are constantly moving it from my soap cart (rolling kitchen island) to in front of the sink and stove.

A little advice...it's really easy to fall down the rabbit hole of soap making; like...falling off a log is hard in comparison.

1) Set a budget for the first year, it will really help you keep your uh...excitement...under somewhat control. I gave myself a $100 a month when I started three years ago and while it won't go as far today, it just means you have to place your purchases a little better.

2) I would recommend purchasing one or two 4" Square Silicone Mold...not only are they great for testing new recipes, colorants, scents, additives and techniques, they will help reduce the soap mountain that you are about to build. I started with the 10" Silicone Loaf Mold, then purchased a second one and was making soap twice a week most weeks even with all the uh...failures (of which there quite a few), I had over 300 bars of soap in just three months! And if you really want to get into all the techniques there are, consider purchasing a 6" Silicone Slab Mold. Both the 4" and 6" would produce four fairly standard bars of soap.

3) Have fun. Whether it's just a hobby...soap for self and gifts for family a friends; a hobby business to make a little extra cash; or a full-out business venture (though it isn't a great time to start a soap making business)...you NEED to enjoy it.

 

[ed.balaun]

Thanks so much Gecko! I’m laughing because I realized a couple bits of your good advice over the weekend. I walked into the room where I have about 15 bars of soap curing and I thought, “what am I going to do with all this?”

I’m glad I have a big family and friends to help me evaluate.

 

[TheGecko]

Thanks so much Gecko! I’m laughing because I realized a couple bits of your good advice over the weekend. I walked into the room where I have about 15 bars of soap curing and I thought, “what am I going to do with all this?”

I’m glad I have a big family and friends to help me evaluate.

I donate a lot of soap to my local homeless shelter. I cut all the bars in half and take a portion of them and put them in zip lock bags with a wash cloth and the rest just go in a box. In the beginning I was using a cleaver to cut my soap so I had a lot of wonky bars. Even when I moved on to a cheese slicer, I still ended up with some wonky bars. Also in the box were soaps where the color didn't turn out right or the scent completely faded or I forgot to add the scent or I mixed up scents/colorants or the design failed or I just really disliked how the soap turned out for whatever reason. All good soap, just not what I was willing to sell. And yes, I could rebatch, but I have zero interest and I'm fine with it going to others who can use as is. There is an ingredients list on the box and the shelter has my contact information.

I also donate to a local food bank run by my church...these are whole bars, standard size, wrapped in wax/baking paper. Ingredients list on the package with a plain label in accordance with labeling laws.

And I donate to a group that runs several shelters for victims of domestic violence. Originally it was the best of the 'box', because I wasn't expecting the request, but now it's all stuff that comes out of inventory and why I never got rid of the molds for a failed idea of have a kids line of soap. So a couple of times a year I made silly kids soap in fun shapes with silly scents like Monkey Fats and Bubble Gum in bright colors.

Of course, the problem I have is now after a few years of soap making, I'm pretty settled in soap making so not much goes into the 'donation box' these days, especially since I make "test" batches and I'm more careful. So I need to start making soap for donating because I do enjoy giving back to the community.

 

[lloydcreeksoapllc]

Hello. I’m Ed and I’m new here. I’ve been here a few days. Looks like a great place to learn and share experiences in soap making.

After three failed back surgeries left me disabled, I needed to find something that I could do since golf and bicycling are over for me. I can stand and walk for about an hour or so. I started candle making, and when I saw most of the candle suppliers also sold soap making supplies, I decided to try melt & pour. But I recently became interested in cold process. I bought a starter kit from Bramble Berry after watching about 40 of Anne-Marie’s YouTube videos. My first few batches turned out great with the exception of one batch that I figured out what I did wrong.

I like the calculator here and I’ve been buying all the oils and supplies I need.

I find I’m enjoying showering more lately!

Try lovinsoap.com site. She has great recipes and great teaching videos. Welcome to the wonderful world of soaping.

 

[Becky1024]

O-H!

Welcome from a fellow Buckeye!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Try lovinsoap.com site. She has great recipes and great teaching videos. Welcome to the wonderful world of soaping.

Good advice!
https://lovinsoap.com/
Amanda & Aaron have been around every since I first started soaping in 2003. If you click on the link to receive their blog you get a FREE 26-page Guide to Making Cold Process Soap download that is the best I have ever seen.