New to soapmaking

[Spoonie98]

Hello!
Soap making is on my list of things I'm tackling in 2022. I am looking for information on supplies and ways to make the soaps we currently buy.
Our longer term goals are to make use of our beef tallow for soap and to make pine tar soap. We also like grit in our soaps. Plan on making a basic soap till I get the feel for it.
Looking forward to learning from you all and getting this project started. Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Welcome Spoonie! What soap do you currently buy? Is it handmade or commercial? You will never be able to replicate commercial soap, but the good news is - handmade is even better, so why would you want to? Once you've had homemade, you'll never go back.

 

[Spoonie98]

Thank you @KiwiMoose We buy Dr. Squatch soap. We prefer home made products and at $7 a bar it has pushed me to make this a 2022 goal. I hope I can make bars far better while sticking to what we like about Dr. Squatch.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thank you @KiwiMoose We buy Dr. Squatch soap. We prefer home made products and at $7 a bar it has pushed me to make this a 2022 goal. I hope I can make bars far better while sticking to what we like about Dr. Squatch.

Ok - just googled it and found these ingredients in the 'fresh falls' soap: SAPONIFIED OILS OF (OLIVE, SUSTAINABLE PALM, COCONUT), SHEA BUTTER, NATURAL FRAGRANCE, ALASKAN GLACIER MINERAL CLAY, LICHEN MOSS, INDIGO POWDER, SEA SALT.
Sounds pretty straightforward to me. I don't know much about the brand as we don't have it here, but how large scale is their set-up? Are they compressing/triple milling their soap? It doesn't look like they are. If it is just poured and cut like we would do at home then the longevity of each bar should be similar.
Grit can be achieved through many different means - pumice powder being fairly common. Or ground coffee (needs to be pretty fine though so you don't feel lacerated!). I've used both these and ground flaxseed, ground passionfruit pulp, ground orange peel.
Make sure you get familiar with the soap calculator and start plugging in some possible recipes to see what you get in terms of fatty acid profiles etc. You can always post any possible recipes on here for advice too - just bear in mind that we all have different opinions on what we personally like in our soap. Some people have aversion to different types of oils so just be aware that while there are many 'truths' about soap making, there are also many 'opinions'. it's to you to be as discerning or as risqué as you see fit

 

[Spoonie98]

@KiwiMoose Thank you!
The two bars we tend to stick with are very basic I believe on the ingredients. I don’t think it is compressed/triple milled but I don’t think I have a way to know for sure. Only says cold pour. My husbands go to is the Pine tar. I tend towards the deep sea goats milk. However we’ve liked other bars they have had but don’t reorder due to lack of any grit. We both like the grit.
I appreciate your help. I mainly am looking (down the road a bit) to do a pine tar my husband will like. He’s a trooper with all my homemade things and tends to prefer them so I think with some tweaks we will find a winner over time. Does not have to be exact.
For now I’m just trying to figure out what supplies are best to order/pick up.
Oils, Lye, safety equipment, from what I’m understanding heat safe plastic containers, silicone stir items, hand blender and molds.
When recipes say olive oil, coconut oil etc is this just oils from the store? I priced out multiple oils from Costco last trip to town but wasn’t sure if these are acceptable for soaps. I know the scents and dies must be soap safe but are the oils something special as well?
Thanks again for all the advice. It’s very much appreciated! I plan to get this going asap. Ready to order supplies just don’t want to order the wrong things.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I’m sure you’ll get some more local folk pitching in soon (usually about 5am NZ time) with ideas for good suppliers. I usually buy my olive oil, rice bran oil and coconut oil from the supermarket but all other oils from the soap supplies distributor. Lye I get from the hardware store. Distilled water I get from the supermarket. I often use aloe Vera juice, homemade oat milk, rice water, sea water or coconut milk in my soap too.

 

[lsg]

Hello!
Soap making is on my list of things I'm tackling in 2022. I am looking for information on supplies and ways to make the soaps we currently buy.
Our longer term goals are to make use of our beef tallow for soap and to make pine tar soap. We also like grit in our soaps. Plan on making a basic soap till I get the feel for it.
Looking forward to learning from you all and getting this project started. Thanks in advance for the help!

Welcome to the forum.

 

[SoapDaddy70]

Thank you @KiwiMoose We buy Dr. Squatch soap. We prefer home made products and at $7 a bar it has pushed me to make this a 2022 goal. I hope I can make bars far better while sticking to what we like about Dr. Squatch.

Welcome to the forum. My soapmaking journey started after ordering a few bars of Dr. Squatch and Bearsville Soap company. I was intrigued by the idea of making the soap myself. That was over a year ago and I have not bought anything from them again. Soapmaking can be an expensive hobby but in the long run it is much cheaper than paying 7-8$ a bar plus shipping. There are awesome people on here that are always willing to help. Take it slow and respect the process and before you know it you will be making soap that blows away Dr. Squatch.

 

[Megan]

Take it slow and respect the process and before you know it you will be making soap that blows away Dr. Squatch.

I was going to say, if Dr. Squatch is your benchmark...be prepared to be blown away!

also: Welcome Spoonie!

 

[dibbles]

Hi Spoonie98 and welcome! It sounds like you have thought out a reasonable plan to get into soap making. Starting with a basic recipe is a very good idea. When purchasing oils, a lot of the expense comes from shipping so if you can buy them locally that is a good way to go to start. I buy my olive oil (light, not extra virgin, not a blend) at Costco. I go through a lot of coconut oil, so I do buy that in bulk online, but Costco would be a good choice for coconut as well starting out. I buy high oleic (HO) sunflower oil at Trader Joe's. Since it seems you aren't opposed to using animal fats, I would suggest giving lard a try until you start rendering tallow. Lard makes a lovely soap and is an easy oil to work with and available at most grocery stores (or Walmart). I've bought lye from Essential Depot, the Lye Guy and most recently from Amazon. Many soap supply vendors sell it also if you are placing an order from one of those places anyway.

Check your kitchen for a mixing bowl and spatulas you might be able to repurpose, or if you have a dollar store near you check there. Amazon also has a lot of things to choose from, and I would be happy to let you know what I've found that works best for me if you want some ideas.

It looks like Dr. Squatch uses the cold process method, and the 'grit' you like is oatmeal (colloidal or finely ground). The pine tar soap also lists sand, and you could use pumice for that type of feel. Pine tar can be tricky to work with, so you are wise to put that on the bucket list for the future.

Good luck, ask questions and have fun!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Sssssh everyone - @Spoonie98 was up late last night obsessing over new soap-making adventures and is now having a lie-in.

 

[Spoonie98]

So helpful y’all!!! Thank you!
@KiwiMoose How’d you know!? That’s exactly what happened It started with reading another soap book that came the searching for more information online, then more YouTube videos. I’m determined to get set up asap and quit putting it off.
@dibbles That is extremely helpful! Thank you very much! I have a ton of rendered tallow already waiting. The olive oil confusion you cleared up for me and there is a Trader Joe’s in the same town as the Costco. Will be making a trip. I would absolutely love to know what things you’ve found work best. Don’t have much in the kitchen to repurpose for soap making. Try not to have things in the cupboards we don’t regularly use. Plan on buying dedicated soap gear.
@Megan Thank you! I am prepared and beyond ready. I’ve been putting this off for years due to not feeling confident in the information and not having someone to “help” with information.
@SoapDaddy70 Thank you! I’m looking forward to finally tackling this. I kick myself every time we order and have shipping delays which is basically every order. We buy in bulk so it won’t be much different than waiting for home made soap. At least now I’ll be able to control what’s in stock.
@lsg Thank you!

 

[AliOop]

If you want a basic starter recipe to use your tallow, I recommend opening SoapMakingFriend.com to try the following recipe:

Set your lye concentration to 33%.
Set your superfat to 5% (many of us go lower, but for newbies, 5% gives a good safety net)
Then set your batch size. We recommend 1-2 lbs max for beginners.
Select your oils and put in the following percentages:

37% olive oil
37% tallow
20% coconut oil
6% castor oil

The calculator will now tell you how much of each ingredient to measure out, based on the batch size you selected. You can line a small cardboard box with freezer paper, or buy an inexpensive silicone soap mold like this or this. Then follow the basic soapmaking procedures from reliable YouTube soap channels, including Soaping 101, I Dream in Soap, or Tree Marie Soapworks.

This recipe is not a mimic of the Dr. Squatch recipe, but it is a good place to start with ingredients that you have, or that are easy to get. After you have a few test batches made, you can start adding more expensive items like shea butter, goat milk, and glacial clay, or more tricky ingredients like pine tar and honey. That's when you can also start figuring out what you like and don't like in your own soap, and customizing accordingly. Whether you go fancy, or stay basic, it will still be great soap.

Just from what you've written so far, I think you will have a blast making your own soap. Enjoy!

 

[dibbles]

Just for the basics that you need to get started. A lot of people start with the mixing bowls from the dollar store, and they work well enough. I found the handle to be a little flimsy, though and bought this bowl which I like. The measurements on the inside have stood up to the raw soap batter and I've been using it for 4 years now. It looks like the one I have has been updated (mine had red printing on the inside of the bowl), but it is an OXO brand. For splitting off batter to color, a plastic 4 cup measuring cup (I bought mine at Walmart for under a dollar) works well.

I prefer one piece silicone spatulas, and love the spoonulas and spatulas from Micas and More Supplies Archives - Micas and More Amazon also has a lot of similar choices.

My stick blender is a very old Braun that hasn't been made in years. On the recommendation of a few members here, I ordered this one and I love it. I didn't think I'd find one that I like as well as my old faithful, but I do! You want the 2018 model without the button on the top if you decide to get one. There are more economical choices, and a search here will give you lots of threads to read.

I use a dedicated stainless frothing pitcher for mixing my lye solution, but when it is dirty I have found that the Ziplock Twist and Lock containers work very well. If I'd known, I might not have bought the stainless pitcher. They are available at Target and grocery stores.

For a mold, you can use anything - a sturdy box lined with freezer paper works well. There are some inexpensive silicone options on Amazon, or soap supply vendors sell them. A small one to start with is wise so you can make smaller batches. 1-2 lbs (of oils) is a good size. This mold works well, and you can use it for test batches going forward. It's available at Bramble Berry and Wholesale Supplies Plus as well (probably more places too), so shop your best price or add to an order if you are placing one somewhere else.

That will get you started, other than your PPE - gloves and goggles at the least. Ask if you are wondering about anything else or if something is unclear. Lots of people here with great advice.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

Welcome @Spoonie98 , some of best soaping advice I got was to make small batches before sizing up up a recipe. I like my 4 inch loaf mold for small batches. Below are a couple of vendors who carry them.

https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/small-loaf-silicone-mold.aspx
https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-b...e-loaf-mold/V000745.html#q=Loaf+molds&start=1

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Our longer term goals are to make use of our beef tallow for soap and to make pine tar soap.

A good starter formula is the Basic Trinity of Oils. You can sub beef tallow for the palm in the formula. Just be sure to recalculate the lye amount needed. Pine Tar Soap is an advanced technique better saved until after you get comfortable with making a basic recipe.

SAPONIFIED OILS OF (OLIVE, SUSTAINABLE PALM, COCONUT), SHEA BUTTER, NATURAL FRAGRANCE, ALASKAN GLACIER MINERAL CLAY, LICHEN MOSS, INDIGO POWDER, SEA SALT.

FYI: More and more I see the "Basic Trinity of Oils" featured in popular soap brands like Dr. Squatch. Make a few successful (small) batches with tallow sub for the palm and you should be well on your way to reaching your goal.

Variation 1: Replace 5% of the tallow with 5% shea butter.
Variation 2: Add 3.5% sea salt to the lye water.
Variation 3: Add 1 tsp. - 1 Tbls. clay or other dry ingredient to the warmed oils before adding the lye solution for exfoliation.

When you have time, take a cuppa along and browse the Beginner's Forum - Learn to Make Soap Online for more tips on getting started.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[Spoonie98]

@AliOop Very helpful! Thank you! I am not looking to copy Dr. Squatch. Just go for what we like about it. Like the grit and the pine tar concept. That is down the line though. Just want to start basic. I'm in no rush. Just trying to actually get my buns in gear and get started.
You all have been so helpful and I'm so grateful!

 

[Spoonie98]

@dibbles Very much appreciated! I've added those items to my amazon cart. Ziplock twist and lock containers are new to me so I'll look into that. I actually do have a frothing pitcher and we don't have the espresso maker we used it with anymore. I now know where it's going.
@Nona'sFarm Thank you! I've written down the links for future purchase!
@Zany_in_CO Thank you! I am very interested in the tallow soaps. I am big on using all of what we produce. I will be giving this a try. Thank you and I have been browsing the beginning forum. Part of why I was up so late.
Thanks again everyone! Very grateful for the help! Thing I will start with a lined box before jumping in and buying molds.

 

[KiwiMoose]

If I'm not mistaken, you're up late again tonight
Soapmaking will do that to ya! Wait until you start having soap dreams!

 

[Spoonie98]

Got some supplies coming! Still haven’t ordered a mold yet. Working on that and the oils. Currently not able to go to the store. Not sure what to order online so waiting for a bit. But getting stuff coming is still exciting! Thank you all for the recommendation on supplies.