FostersFields said:
Hi, I am new to soap making...and lotion making as I am sure this will sound the same as another post I wrote
Welcome!
FostersFields said:
Anyway I had thought about doing M&P but somehow think its not just the same as really making it myself from scratch. So here is the main question, how hard is it really?
The mechanics of making soap are fairly simple and straightforward. It's not all that hard or different from those of baking a cake, but as with the ability to make a
great cake as opposed to an 'okay' cake, the ability to make really
great soap that your skin is happy with and that has the right kind of lather to your liking, takes a bit more know-how and practice/trial and error.
FostersFields said:
If my future plan is to sell it, should I be taking a class first instead of the multiple youtube videos I have watched?
Classes (if they are good classes) can be helpful, but they are not necessary. The same with good books, good videos, and good web-blogs too. I emphasize the word 'good' because there are soaping classes, books, videos and web-blogs out there with bad/wrong/outdated info.
I would have to say that I learned the most from interacting 'real-time' with other experienced soapers on the several different online forums and from reading through all the forum archives and learning from all the trials and tribulations of other's experiences (there is wisdom to be found in the counsel of many, as opposed to just one author or one class or one blog). My own trial and error experiences were (are) very valuable teaching tools, too. I spent about a year reading through the archives of at least 3 soaping forums before I made my first batch. I'm not saying a year of reading is necessary before anyone can make their first batch, but it was for me- mostly because I was a fraidy-cat who was terrified at the thought of working with lye and I wanted to make darn sure I knew what I was doing and what to expect.
FostersFields said:
There is a lot of terminology thats a little overwhelming...trace, saponification, alkaline, glycerine and many more that I believe I should be very familiar with before attempting this task!
Like the others have said, it can be daunting at first. As long as you have an understanding of the basic mechanics of saponification and are mindful of the safety precautions needed when working with lye, i.e., such as having the proper utensils compatable with lye (avoid aluminum, tin and glass and certain plastics),
and you have a digital scale, you should be good to go for your first batch. As with many things in life, once you actually jump in and do it, things become clearer and begin to make more and more sense as you go.
My best advice is to read all you can on all the different soaping forums, ask lots of questions whenever in doubt, and make lots of soap.
Also, before selling, it is recommended to have about a year of soaping experience and testing under your belt. The nature of lye-based soap is such that problems such as DOS/rancidity, and scent/color fading and/or morphing usually don't reveal themselves right away. For example, you can have a soap that looks and smells absolutely lovely right out of the mold, but 2 months down the road it has developed ugly orange spots all over it (DOS), or the scent has totally faded and the color has moprhed dark brown. Giving yourself a good year for testing/quality control purposes is priceless and will save you from a lot of potential heartache down the road.
IrishLass
