Soap Makers Help!

[smom1976]

so besides the color.. would you say that milk soaps are harder to make than water only soaps? if so why ..

And ninjapoodles your PM box is full..

 

[MissPrissy]

Unless you are very careful with the temperatures and trace goat milk soaps will overheat during the gel stage and the oils will break. You will get something that looks like a underground cavern with stalagmites and your oils will be your underground river.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

this is all so helpful, and i would love a thread with videos and soap recipes. I just know I am going to thoughly enjoy making soap. I can't wait to start.
The only problem, my recipe doesnt have any olive oil in it.. Here is the recipe, Please anyone who wants to comment on it or add advice, please do so. This is Brand new to me..

3 pints of Ice cold goat milk
2 oz Glycerine
1 12oz can of red devil lye
5 1/2 lbs of Lard
2 tbls Borax
1/3 cup Honey

Also i need to know how much essential oil to add to this soap? I dont know how much to use per batch...

 

[MissPrissy]

I never use a recipe that is not measured out in ounces.

Lye doesn't come in 12 ounce cans any longer. Also Red Devil isn't a name you find on the shelf any longer. You need to be sure what you buy is 100% lye.

You need to run every recipe you ever intend to make through a lye calculator.

http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

Lard makes a good basic soap but combinations of oils makes a better soap. I always use olive oil as a main oil.

 

[ninjapoodles]

I've never seen a soap recipe like that. I don't understand why you would need to add glycerin or Borax, and like MP said, I would never, ever use a recipe that didn't weigh out the milk...it's a really weird recipe. Where did you get it? With both a ton of milk AND a good amount of honey, plus no liquid oils, only lard, that recipe is going to superheat like a sonofagun, and you're going to get what MP describes above.

And yes, milk soaps are definitely trickier than water recipes. I would never start with a milk recipe. Learn how saponification works, what trace and gel look like, etc., before moving on to milk. Milk just adds a degree of difficulty because it brings so much more heat into the recipe, and that extra heat can burn your soap.

 

[momoftwinsinwi]

Ninja - I would love to see a video!! I want to start and have everything I need except a digital scale, which I will pick up this weekend....but first batch, turned out terrible, I would love a simple recipe if you have one also....I purchased the buckets of mixed oils on line, bought a couple of them, have the lye, some fragrance and colors. Just need a recipe that is simple to start with!! Thanks for the offer!!!

 

[ninjapoodles]

I could do a pictorial fairly easily, and maybe a video if I could get someone to film for me, but my Flip doesn't have great resolution.

Probably the easiest combo to start with would be olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil. Simple and reliable. Let me dig out my recipe cards and try and find some lye--Lowe's is supposed to carry one brand last I checked.

A good scale is a MUST, and the higher it goes the better.

Supplies I must have (your mileage may vary):

Heavy pot for melting solid oils
accurate scale that measures small increments
large plastic pitchers for mixing lye solution
STICK BLENDER--cheap one, dedicated to soaping only
mold, lid and liner--can be anything from tupperware to a Pringles can
large bowl or plastic bucket for blending soap to trace
tons of paper towels
rubber gloves & safety goggles
towel for wrapping/insulating mold
at least a gallon of white vinegar in case of lye spills

Be prepared for a good spell of waiting once the lye is mixed--you won't be soaping all at once. You'll mix your lye and water first, and it will get REALLY hot. You'll have to wait for the lye water to cool down before you can add it to your oils, otherwise your soap could asplode.

It takes a long time for the lye/water to cool down, and you'll need a very safe place to keep it while you wait. This is the most dangerous part of the entire process, IMO.

 

[MissPrissy]

The best piece of advice you will ever get about soaping -

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

NEVER ever NEVER add the water to the lye. This will cause an explosion that could severely injure you. Lye is caustic. You will cause extreme burns instantly if it gets on your skin.

Always where eye protection and gloves when pouring the lye into the water.

Did I mention ALWAYS add the lye to the water??

ALWAYS add the lye to the water.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
Heck ya! I've been wanting to do this for some time and have been reading up on the whole process (including online, watching a video, plus two books), but a proven recipe would be even better! I'm determined to start this as soon as you provide the instructions!

 

[susancoyotesfan]

Quote:
Hmmm....do you need a Hawaiian medicine man? Or Cojones?