Calling all SOAPMAKERS!

SundownWaterfowl

Crowing
14 Years
Mar 16, 2008
9,764
102
456
Southern Columbia County NY
This Christmas I have decided that I want to give away homemade soaps. I have a couple questions.

First, how long in advance can you make the soaps, and how long do they last?

Do you have any good soap recipes?

Also, is it easy to make soap, or hard?
 
There are two methods to make soap:

1. Melt & pour glycerine soap - very easy, pretty, perfect for a casual hobby.

2. Lye based "cold process" soap - complicated, dangerous, great for a serious hobby in which you become qualified for an advanced degree in Industrial Chemisty.



(I do melt & pour glycerine.)
 
Yes, you could. It will become a little soggy in the soap though, so make the bits as tiny as possible.

Use a glass Pyrex measuring "cup" for melting in your microwave. Take it out as soon as the glycerin is all melted (because if you overheat it, it develops a bad odor).

Use fragrance oil for scenting, and food dyes for coloring.

You can get blocks of glycerin soap base and pretty clear plastic soap mold trays at a craft store like A.C. Moore or Michaels. I chop the glycerin blocks up into little cubes for easier melting. Also a good source of internet supplies is http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/.

Let me know if you have other questions. You will enjoy it a lot.
 
I make soap...just did a 180 bars for a family reunion. Customized the labels and all. I'd say if you do not have 6-8 weeks for cure time...do melt and pour. You could do Hot Process...it is complicated. Here is a link to watch what you need and how to get started with Cold Process Soapmaking.

I sell my soap for $2.50 a bar...mostly word of mouth and etsy...my site it down...but I'll be bringing it back up in a few days. I get a TON of orders for baby showers, weddings in the spring and fall, and family reunions. This is the bulk of my business. I do have FUN and go to chicken swaps from time to time and sell a few bars. I also sell at a local farm stand...but I keep it simple. My hobby pays for itself!
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I watched this lady and her video over and over like a million times before I started...


It's been 2 years since my first batch and I STILL watch it...

http://www.ehow.com/video_4437795_how-ready-soap-homemade-soap.html
 
I do the melt and pour as well - super fun and easy, my kids get to mix all the goodies in and then we wait a couple of hours and pop the soap out!
I like to leave it about a week before using it.

I get all my stuff from that wholesale website (In the middle of nowhere there are no stores)

I also make cool little bath fizzies and bath salts.
 
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How many bars of soap would 4 lbs of soap base make?

If I made the bars now, would they last until christmas? Or should I wait till a couple weeks before christmas and make it then?

Also, you just use regular food dyes to color the food? Like the food dyes that are in the baking section?
 
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I've done cold process lye soap in my kitchen. It's not that hard. You do have to be careful, and I wouldn't do it with young kids, but I didn't think it was all that dangerous. It was pretty cool--I've been meaning to do it again.

Erika
 

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