Soap Makers Help!

[mnferalkitty]

I can't get through all 5000 posts so I was wondering if people could please post there favorite recipes. I am a beginner soap maker and would love your tried and true recipes to try myself especialy goat milk soap

Thanks a bunch. I will begin making my first soap in a couple of weeks. If you don't want to post your recipes feel free to PM them to me

 

[bockbock2008]

I understand not being able to get through all 5000+ posts but if you have never made any soap before, I would strongly advise you to just read part of it. Start at the beginning and just read for however long you can. With never having gone through the motions, there are sooooo many things you probably aren't thinking of right now and will have to stumble your way through it while you are making your first batch. Most of the time, there is not time to run to your computer to ask a question in the midde of soap making. Gather as much knowledge on it as you can or risk ruining your first batch. There are no "cliff notes" to soap making.

 

[CC1892]

I understand not being able to get through all 5000+ posts but if you have never made any soap before, I would strongly advise you to just read part of it. Start at the beginning and just read for however long you can. With never having gone through the motions, there are sooooo many things you probably aren't thinking of right now and will have to stumble your way through it while you are making your first batch. Most of the time, there is not time to run to your computer to ask a question in the midde of soap making. Gather as much knowledge on it as you can or risk ruining your first batch. There are no "cliff notes" to soap making.

I couldn't agree more. I read this entire thread, then another soaper's thread on BYC, then researched the Internet and looked at books etc. I was not in a hurry to make a major mistake resulting in
wasted ingredients or hurting myself. Inside of a year, I collected my materials and continued reading, finding new forums on line etc.

I decided to take the plunge early this month, and made 3 batches using a simple; moderate; advanced recipes, and to my delight they all turned out beautifully.
For me, it seemed the more I knew about soaping, the more I needed to learn....the process is fascinating!
Take some time, enjoy the reading and have fun collecting materials first, it helped me.
Good Luck!

 

[mnferalkitty]

I understand not being able to get through all 5000+ posts but if you have never made any soap before, I would strongly advise you to just read part of it. Start at the beginning and just read for however long you can. With never having gone through the motions, there are sooooo many things you probably aren't thinking of right now and will have to stumble your way through it while you are making your first batch. Most of the time, there is not time to run to your computer to ask a question in the midde of soap making. Gather as much knowledge on it as you can or risk ruining your first batch. There are no "cliff notes" to soap making.

I guess I should of explained myself better, I have read/scanned about 2000 posts, I have been researching/reading/watching videos about soap making for about 9 months. I should of asked for favorie recipes for beginners

 

[bockbock2008]

http://www.soapcalc.net/calc/SoapCalcWP.asp

I guess I should of explained myself better, I have read/scanned about 2000 posts, I have been researching/reading/watching videos about soap making for about 9 months. I should of asked for favorie recipes for beginners

Familiarize yourself with this lye calculator first, if you haven't already. Do you already have your oils and your lye or do you still have to get them? Some can be tricky to find. Do you already have a mold? If so, what is its capacity (how much soap you makin)?

This is a recipe I created and pretty much stick with most of the time.


coconut oil 26% 12.48
Palm oil 26% 12.48
Olive oil Pomace 29% 13.92
Castor oil 6% 2.88
Grapeseed oil 8% 3.84
Walnut oil 5% 2.4

water 18.24
Lye 6.614

The first number behind the oils is the percentage they are of the recipe. The second column is the number of ounces of each ingredient to use. This recips is for a 48oz batch. I don't use certain temps as I have been converted to room temp method. I mix several batches of oil at a time and then when I'm ready to make soap, I pull out a bucket of oil, mix VERY well, put it in the enamel pan, mix the lye and then add the lye immediately.

 

[mnferalkitty]

http://www.soapcalc.net/calc/SoapCalcWP.asp
Quote: Thank you

I have gotten most of my supplies just waiting on a couple of things to come. I have not gotten any molds, I was just going to use the box method, I didn't want to invest in molds until I know I like making soap, If I like this new hobby I think I will have my hubby make me some molds

 

[Renee']

This is my second season of soap making and I'm have a problem with seizing. I'm going to try not ramble so please stick with me!

I mix my oils on the stove and set on low to warm/dissolve/mix. The temp ends up between 90-100. Mean while, I mix my lye and frozen goats milk. The final temp of my lye/milk mix is between 90-100.

I pour the milk/lye mix into the oil mix and hit it with the stick blender until I get just a hint of trace.

Here is where the problem starts. After I get a hint of trace I add the essential oils and hit it with the stick blender to blend in the essential oil. Yeee Haw, that stuff seizes up in a heart beat!

Is this common?

Should I mix-in the EO with a spatula or will it still seize at the same pace as-well-as not blend in the EO very well?

I read in another gal's post that she mixed her EO with her other oils before adding the lye mix. I thought this was a no-no?

Would the premix of the EO with the other oils cause a false trace?

I would like to fix this problem because I typically use a Pringle can mold and due to the shape of the can, that seized up stuff is nearly impossible to pour into the can as well as causing a ton of air pockets that make my soap super ugly.

Thanks in advance.

 

[swirler]

This is my second season of soap making and I'm have a problem with seizing. I'm going to try not ramble so please stick with me!

I mix my oils on the stove and set on low to warm/dissolve/mix. The temp ends up between 90-100. Mean while, I mix my lye and frozen goats milk. The final temp of my lye/milk mix is between 90-100.

I pour the milk/lye mix into the oil mix and hit it with the stick blender until I get just a hint of trace.

Here is where the problem starts. After I get a hint of trace I add the essential oils and hit it with the stick blender to blend in the essential oil. Yeee Haw, that stuff seizes up in a heart beat!

What is your exact recipe and quantities, including EOs? It's impossible to help troubleshoot effectively without a full recipe.

 

[Renee']

31 g castor oil
155 g coconut oil
434 g olive oil
195 g goat's milk
86 g lye
0.50 fl oz or 14.6 mL of EO

 

[swirler]

31 g castor oil
155 g coconut oil
434 g olive oil
195 g goat's milk
86 g lye
0.50 fl oz or 14.6 mL of EO

Which EOs, and where did you buy them, and which kind of olive oil? Also just to doublecheck as an aside - is your lye at least 97% sodium hydroxide?