Soap Makers Help!

[LadyofChickRose]

All of this is goatmilk? Wow!

 

[LadyofChickRose]

All the pics look lovely! I hope I can try it someday!

 

[beccaporter]

I am in love with Anne Watson's books: Smart Soapmaking, Milk Soapmaking, and Smart Lotionmaking. She dispels a lot of myths and her recipe all work perfectly.

 

[beccaporter]

Btw, Soaper's Choice is awesome for oils/butters.

 

[eggorthechicken]

I have the milk soap making book. I tried my first goats milk soap and it didnt turn out so good...so I ended up pitching it. I used canned so not sure it that was the problem or just me. Ill try again just trying to find a good basic recipe and then adding to that. My last 2 batches have been good so im just gonna keep practicing...lol

 

[kat e wampus]

i doubt it was canned GM - but milk soaps can be a little finicky.

i usually buy my oils from columbus foods or local places if they have it in stock. i'm a big fan of scent works and sweet cakes fragrances. they are a little pricier but the difference is amazing. then again, i am a sucker for a plain bar of soap.

i've given my notice at my full time job and will at least temporarily become a full time soapmaker. i have lined up 3 more fairs for May and need to get some basics filled for my website and play with some new scents i have coming in - giving some scents from aromahaven a whirl.

i love making soap!!!

 

[eggorthechicken]

Wow that is great! I wish I could be a farmer...but oh well...lol. I can at least support my habits a little by selling here and there. I like my job most days so I cant complain....other than sleep issues cause I work at night.

 

[Bettacreek]

Well, I did one of those really dumb things. I was making soap and couldn't figure out why it looked like there wasn't enough. I weighed the batter and it was only about half of what it should have been. Scanned back through the recipe, making sure it was correct... Everything was RIGHT, but the batter wasn't. I went to check on the oils for a completely different batch (I was melting the coconut oil) and TADA! I had weighed and melted my coconut oil for the FIRST batch, but never added the darn stuff to the bucket. You'd think after years of soaping, something so stupid wouldn't happen, but at least I caught it before I ruined the soap, lol.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Just one of the reasons I've switched to master batching, Betta. I weigh out oils to fill two 5 gallon buckets. When it is time to make soap, I only need to weigh the oils once!

 

[Bettacreek]

I tried that a couple years back and when I tried making soap by dividing up the oil into smaller batches, it didn't turn out right. I still have no idea why, so I gave up the idea of materbatching soap oil. It WOULD be super nice to just stir, scoop and weigh one thing of oils, if I didn't manage to mess it up somehow!