Baby Steps on my soap-making journey

[Guest guest]

Well, again, thank you all, who have helped me understand more about tallow

and it's use in soap. the more I read about making soap, the MORE I

REALLY WANT TO DO THIS!!!

 

As I've said, it's taken me literally 3 years to get to this point and

actually consider doing it.

 

So, my first baby-steps are underway. I have a book! Wonderful

information, and wonderful, simple, basic recipes. Then, more elaborate

recipes as I get more comfortable with the basics.

 

I have a thermometer....two, in fact! One for the lye mixture, and one

for the vege oil mixture.

 

I have a brand new (chip free) enamal stock pot. Around $8.00 at

Walmart.

 

I have two heavy-duty long-handled wooden spoons.

 

I have a heavy-duty plastic pitcher for mixing up the lye concoction.

 

I have rubber spatulas for scraping every bit of the soap out.

 

I have a stick blender.

 

I have plastic gloves. Can't wear latex due to allergic reaction to it.

 

I need goggles, I guess. I wear reading (magnifying) glasses for seeing

things close-up. I plan on wearing these while making soap. Would this

be adequate? Otherwise, I'll head to Home Depot for the goggles.....oh,

and the lye, can't forget that.

 

I have paper to spread on floor/counters, etc.

 

I have molds. What else, what else?? Oh, my OILS! I've decided on

Palm, Pomace, and 76 coconut. And some kind of butter. Shea, mango,

cocoa. Now I just need to decide on a supplier. Oils are

cheap....shipping is not!

 

I have a sweet 11-year old girl in the neighborhood who can come over and

play Mommy's Helper and play w/my kidlets so I can concoct undisturbed.

 

I'm almost there. I've heard of first batches failing. Happen to any of

you guy's?

 

 

 

 

 

Christy

BOTANICAL AROMATICS

My Company in the Making

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Christy

 

I think I missed your original post on this subject otherwise I would

have replied

 

 

> Well, again, thank you all, who have helped me understand

> more about tallow

> and it's use in soap. the more I read about making soap,

> the MORE I

> REALLY WANT TO DO THIS!!!

 

Oh it is really fun! Definitely worth taking those first steps, BUT I

MUST warn you!!!!! It becomes really REALLY addicting *lol*

 

 

>

> As I've said, it's taken me literally 3 years to get to this

> point and

> actually consider doing it.

 

I think its seems a lot more intimidating that it is. Its really not so

bad. And working with lye is about as dangerous as working with boiling

water, just gotta be a little careful and its not a big deal.

 

 

>

> So, my first baby-steps are underway.

 

Yay!

 

> I have a book!

 

Good.

 

> Wonderful

> information, and wonderful, simple, basic recipes. Then,

> more elaborate

> recipes as I get more comfortable with the basics.

 

That is the way to do. Don't do quite like me - my first batch was an 8

lb batch *lol* It came out kind of messed up, but I learned ALL about

rebatching soap too. And I ended up with 8 beautiful 1 lb batches of

soap in the end

 

>

> I have a thermometer....two, in fact! One for the lye

> mixture, and one

> for the vege oil mixture.

 

Good tool to start with, but to be honest at this point I don't even use

a thermometer. I just make sure that the lye water and oil are about the

same temp and not too hot at that.

 

>

> I have a brand new (chip free) enamel stock pot. Around $8.00 at

> Walmart.

 

Good deal!

 

>

> I have two heavy-duty long-handled wooden spoons.

 

Good!

 

>

> I have a heavy-duty plastic pitcher for mixing up the lye concoction.

 

Good, I use a bucket. Just be sure to mix that stuff outside and upwind

of it

 

 

>

> I have rubber spatulas for scraping every bit of the soap out.

 

And don't be surprised that you need more of those sooner than later if

you do CP

 

 

>

> I have a stick blender.

 

A SAVIOR! *lol*

 

 

>

> I have plastic gloves. Can't wear latex due to allergic

> reaction to it.

 

Yes wear those *:: whistling as I walk away not promoting my LACK of

safety secret that I don't use gloves now except when I teach classes

::*

>

> I need goggles, I guess.

 

Goggles, same response as above, but yes, do wear them, lye in the eye

isn't good

 

> I wear reading (magnifying)

> glasses for seeing

> things close-up. I plan on wearing these while making soap.

> Would this

> be adequate?

 

All you're trying to do is keep a bit of lye water from accidentally

splashing up in your eye.

 

 

Otherwise, I'll head to Home Depot for the

> goggles.....

 

You might want to get the safety goggles, makes for a better effect when

you're covered in neoprene and wearing safety goggles - very mad

scientist-ish <grinz>

 

oh,

> and the lye, can't forget that.

 

*lol* Yeah, that is a pretty important ingredient

 

 

>

> I have paper to spread on floor/counters, etc.

 

I never do that - just measure your lye on a scale in the sink - and

wipe up any small splatters immediately (and be careful not to splatter

 

>

> I have molds.

 

They help if you don't want a blob of soap

 

What else, what else?? Oh, my OILS! I've

> decided on

> Palm, Pomace, and 76 coconut. And some kind of butter.

> Shea, mango,

> cocoa. Now I just need to decide on a supplier. Oils are

> cheap....shipping is not!

 

Ok - here you might want to start with just a few of the oils mentioned

above, literally. I'd STRONGLY suggest you do a mix of just coconut,

palm and olive to start with. Then you can get more exotic from there.

The simpler you start, the easier you can determine what actually worked

and what didn't if something doesn't turn out right. The more oils you

have in there, the more you have to figure out if there was anything you

didn't like about it - KWIM? Also, another tip, pomace traces FAST!!!! I

mean like instantly fast! But other Olive oils, like virgin, trace VERY

slowly, so maybe consider using 1/2 pomace and 1/2 virgin olive as your

olive oil portion to start with, cause you do not want to deal with an

instant trace on your first batch. It won't give you a good feel for

soap making and the batch may turn out not as good and it may even scare

you (as me how I know this .

 

After you've made a few batches, then try adding stuff like the shea

butter/ Oh shea butter makes SUCH a nice soap

 

Oh yeah, and see what oils you can get at your local Sam's Club (or

Costco). At the very least you should be able to acquire olive oil

there. You might also want to check the yellow pages for local bakery

suppliers for the palm and coconut oils .. Just an idea ....

 

 

 

>

> I have a sweet 11-year old girl in the neighborhood who can

> come over and

> play Mommy's Helper and play w/my kidlets so I can concoct

> undisturbed.

 

That is a BIG plus

 

 

>

> I'm almost there.

 

Don't let it intimidate you so much. After you've made several batches

you'll laugh and wonder why you didn't try it long ago, AND why you

prepped so hard for it :-D

 

I've heard of first batches failing.

> Happen to any of

> you guy's?

 

Yep! And I've had other batches come out not quite right too, but you

know what I've learned ... I personally haven't come across a failed

batch of soap that can't be saved or made into a really nice batch of

soap - and I've made thousands of pounds of various kinds of soap (bar

and liquid) to date!

 

> Christy

> BOTANICAL AROMATICS

> My Company in the Making

 

Good luck! And if you have ANY questions post them and they will get

answered!!!!!

 

One more tip - you do NOT have to stand there and stir constantly for

what seems like ages! Stir for a few minutes then walk away for a few

minutes. Repeat until you hit a real trace. Let the chemical reaction

work for you! :-D

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

[Guest guest]

I have another neat piece of equipment I'll pass on. Instead of goggles, pay a

little more at Home Depot or similar store, and get the full face shield thing

that can flip up. It doesn't steam up as bad, or if you wear glasses, it isn't

a pain to try and find a pair of goggles that fit over the glasses. It protects

not only your eyes, but your mouth and the rest of your face as well. However,

like Chris, I don't always practice what I preach

Re stirring til trace. You know, in my five + years of making soap, I have

never had to stir more than 5 minutes, and usually less, to get to trace. I

have always used a stick blender though. It really has amazed me, that people

say they have to stir and stir. I guess using a whisk or spoon, that might be

the case though.

Happy Saponifying~

Anita in TX

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I had failures in the beginning but that is because: 1) I did not know any

other soapers (before I was on the internet), 2) I did not know about stick

blenders 3) I did not know about lye calculators. You have all three issues

handled so I doubt you will have any problems. If you need help, just

holler.

Peggy

www.splendidsoap.com

 

 

 

>

> I'm almost there. I've heard of first batches failing. Happen to any

of

> you guy's?

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Christy,

 

I tried mixing my lye in a heavy plastic pitcher, and the lye eat the inside

terribly! I had plastic bits floating in my lye water. I would recommend

mixing your lye in a glass pitcher. =o)

 

And the wooden spoons I used barely made it through the first batch! UGH!

I use a stainless steel spoon to mix my lye water and to scrape the inside

of my stainless steel stock pot, to get all of the soap out.

 

HTH a bit!

Candy in AL

[Guest guest]

My wooden spoon has lasted for five years now. Maybe depends on the wood. I

mix my lye in a nalgene plastic container specifically for chemicals. The lye

did eat right through one plastic pitcher though...not a very safe

situation!!!!!

Peggy

The Lowell McNaughton Soap Co.

" Soap, is a lot like faith. It doesn't

reach its full potential, until you use it. "

Peggy Lowell

1-715-426-0261

peggy

www.splendidsoap.com