Soap Makers Help!

[ninjapoodles]

Here was a custom batch I made one Valentine's Day. The hearts were made from rebatched castile, and they go all the way through the entire bar.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

How big is that mold? You guys are making me really want to get started doing this stuff. Hubby is going to come to find out I was making soap after telling me not to work with lye lol. I could get all my stuff together and maybe one of you could help me through it cuz I'll be real nervous that it won't turn out right.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

Quote:
OK I think i sorta figured this whole scale calculator thing out.. I think it would work with
4 Cups Lard
4 oz Lye
2 Cups Goat Milk
2 tsp honey

Does that sound more like it? I just dont know the amount of Oatmeal to use. Thanks for yalls help.

 

[peapatch]

You can do it either way. Personally, I use all milk for my liquid when making milk soap--no water. If you go slow, and keep the temp down, it does not have to turn brown...but it takes practice. Plan on a few brown batches while you learn how to work the properties of milk in soap.

Some people, to avoid messing with the volatile nature of all-milk soap, do what you're describing, and add the milk in at trace. That will decrease the browning factor, but it also decreases the amount of milk in your soap. Personally, I prefer the milk being the total liquid in the soap formula, no water. For a really low-risk way to add milk to soap, you could add powdered milk at trace, also.

If enough people would be interested, I'd be happy to do a couple of picture tutorials posted here. People could follow along? It would just be a very basic recipe, and it would probably be better to start with plain water, and then move on to working with milk.

How about a fresh cucumber soap lesson?
______________________________________________

NINjAPOODLE,
YOU COULD DO A VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE SOAPS
that would be great!!!!

 

[hoosier]

That sounds great, peapatch. I am trying to work up the nerve to try this.

I was just thinking that someone needed to hold a class for those of us that are wanting to learn.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks Cheeptrick, for the lye info! If I can't get it locally, I'll definitely go that route.

I'll check with Lowe's again, Ninja. Or, perhaps I'll order it from my local Ace Hardware since it's closer than the Lowes is.

I'm not sure why they don't have it here. This isn't exactly a big Meth area, although perhaps that's why!

To all: I'm building my list to purchase my supplies. For you guys who've been doing this for a while, what oils are your "must haves"?

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
OK I think i sorta figured this whole scale calculator thing out.. I think it would work with
4 Cups Lard
4 oz Lye
2 Cups Goat Milk
2 tsp honey

Does that sound more like it? I just dont know the amount of Oatmeal to use. Thanks for yalls help.

I can't stress this strongly enough: Do yourself a favor, and WEIGH all your ingredients! Measure them out by cups if you must, but THEN weigh them, and run all the numbers through an online lye calculator BEFORE mixing your lye solution. The only exception would be the honey--you don't have to weigh that.

peapatch, I'll try to do a batch next weekend, and post step-by-step pictures. My mom is having surgery on Tuesday, so I'm running ragged trying to get everything ready for the time I'll be away from home.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

I picked up a stick blender and a scale this weekend at a roadside fleamarket for $3.00 a peice. I was super stoked. I will weigh it in the cup form to see what it weighs and ck it out first.

 

[ninjapoodles]

I forgot to add--for a small recipe like that, I would probably use no more than 1/4 cup or so of oats. That soap is going to be soft as it is, so you don't want too much oatmeal.

 

[peapatch]

THANKS NINJA, hope all goes well.