Want to, but haven't started yet!

[Rebel Swan]

I've wanted to make my own soap for a few years now. I've not been able to find a suitable site/tutorial that can guide me to good results without spending a lot of unnecessary time and money on failed results.

Since this is a forum for soap making, I'm hoping to find some great information in the forums which can help me short cut any failed starts and unnecessary purchases.

I live in Upstate New York, near Syracuse. I'm 46, female, have crafted much of my life. Knitting and crocheting, beading, jewelry making and chainmaille, resin art, photography...my interests are endless. As I'm getting more mature, and have wanted to make for myself rather than buy, I want to make my own soap for myself and my family.

 

[SaltedFig]

Hello and welcome aboard!

It is possible to make a very nice soap from simple ingredients available from your local shops, so if you are happy to, post up another thread in the beginner's soaping section asking for a bit of recipe help (mention if you have any restrictions in the fats you want to use - just about any fat/oil can be used in soaping and some of the animal and nut fats are quite popular for soaping) - I'm sure you will get all the help you need right here!

Chainmaille! I just saw that ... I'd love to see a picture of your work!

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Rebel Swan!

You've come to the right place where you'll find lots of good info to get you started on the right track from the get-go!

Ditto what SaltedFig said. You don't have to go much farther than your local shops such as grocery stores and/or retail stores such as Walmart, etc... Health food stores and/or stores like WholeFoods and Sprouts are a great place to find essential oils for scent, as well as base oils and some butters too. The first soaps I made were from using oils and fats from Walmart and lye from Lowe's. Depending on where you live and what the crime/drug situation is in your area, you may or may not be able to find 100% NaOH lye at your local hardware store. My local Lowe's stopped carrying it because of the meth heads in my area, so I order it online from Essential Depot (there are several other online vendors that sell it, too).


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and Welcome!!!

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

This is the first soap recipe I used. I was able to get everything but lye and cocoa butter locally (which dh ordered off Amazon for me).
It came together easily, and because there was a video it was easy to follow along.

 

[dixiedragon]

https://www.brambleberry.com/natural-soap-kit-for-beginners-p6607.aspx

This kit has everything you need except water, a bowl and a stick blender. And the shipping is free!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[LionLady]

Welcome! You sound like me, a craft artist and creative 'putterer.' I sew, crochet, bead and make jewelry! I spend a lot of time in the kitchen baking, and making goodies.

 

[Richard Perrine]

I sew, cook, crochet, make soap! 100% heterosexual. I added that b/c too many people around where I live have a harder time getting beyond traditional male/female roles. [emoji12][emoji5]

 

[Nan D.]

Welcome! I'm very New to soapmaking also, like 2 weeks new! This site is a big help!

 

[Ryan]

Welcome!

 

[Deborah Long]

While I know that so many other places have basic ingredients, I am so fortunate to have a shop an hour away that saves me a TON of $$, like I pay only $4.50 for 2lbs of NaOH. That's their everyday, usual price. Their website sucks, but they have EVERYTHING, trust me. I am in the process of bugging them to update the website to reflect their products and prices (like weekly!). Try calling if you don't see something you want. I would bet they have it!
https://arizonasoapsupply.com/product/soap-making-lye-bar-sodium-hydroxide-naoh/

@JanelleTrebuna - Welcome! This is an awesome forum!

 

[lenarenee]

I sew, cook, crochet, make soap! 100% heterosexual. I added that b/c too many people around where I live have a harder time getting beyond traditional male/female roles. [emoji12][emoji5]

As a kid living in the farm belt of the US, one of our most respected farmers was a gray haired giant that was 6.5 feet tall with as booming voice. He used to let me visited his horses and invite me in for a cool drink. His walls (huge house that to me, looked like a mansion) were covered in hundreds of intricate needlepoint items that he had done.

Thank God that there's more men able to defunct this stupid notion of "real" men don't do handicraft work!

 

[Relle]

Thank God that there's more men able to defunct this stupid notion of "real" men don't do handicraft work!

Have you seen the beautiful woven shawls that Dennis makes ?

 

[SoapAddict415]

While I know that so many other places have basic ingredients, I am so fortunate to have a shop an hour away that saves me a TON of $$, like I pay only $4.50 for 2lbs of NaOH. That's their everyday, usual price. Their website sucks, but they have EVERYTHING, trust me. I am in the process of bugging them to update the website to reflect their products and prices (like weekly!). Try calling if you don't see something you want. I would bet they have it!
https://arizonasoapsupply.com/product/soap-making-lye-bar-sodium-hydroxide-naoh/

@JanelleTrebuna - Welcome! This is an awesome forum!

Welcome to the forum!

They do have some nice prices. My son says they're about 45 minutes away from where he lives. I told him that there's next time be I visit, he has to take me lol.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

@JanelleTrebuna - Welcome! This is an awesome forum!

Thank you

Janelle

 

[lenarenee]

Have you seen the beautiful woven shawls that Dennis makes ?

Nope. (But I'll claim that one!)

 

[earlene]

Welcome, Rebel Swan. You will fit right in here.