Don't know where to start!

[Rah]

hiiii. I'm not new on here, I just haven't been on for a very long time. Uni has kept me busy, also I am in rented accomodation so I am slightly wary of bringing lye and stuff into it in case I set off the fire alarm or damage anything, so I haven't made any soap for a LONG time.
So far I have only made CP soap twice, the first was a coffee soap which worked AMAZINGLY and I really want to try it again. The second was a lemony shampoo bar which... well lets not talk about that... haha!

I really want to get into making soap properly, but currently I am only at the recipe following stage - I do not have enough knowledge to make up my own. So I thought I would ask... I want to remake my coffee soap, but the original recipe had tallow in it. Are there any vegetarian fats I could use as a replacement that would have similar properties? Unfortunately I do not have the recipe right now (terribly useful, aren't I?) but I do recall it having coconut oil and olive oil as well as the tallow.

Also, I was wondering if there was any way I could recycle my failed lemon shampoo bar into a new soap that wasn't as rubbish? The problem at the moment is it's really hard, doesn't lather hardly at ALL, and also makes your hands and hair feel all... squeaky... it's hard to explain but it's horrible!

Finally, are crayons any good at colouring soap?

Thanks in advance!
Rah
x

 

[dandelion]

try soapcalc.net for working out a good recipe

check out a soap supply seller like brambleberry for appropriate colorants

 

[Rah]

I don't understand the soap calculators at all. Last time I used one I came out with the horrible lemon soap.

Also, I was just wondering if crayons in particular worked

 

[IanT]

I don't understand the soap calculators at all. Last time I used one I came out with the horrible lemon soap.

Also, I was just wondering if crayons in particular worked

What dont you understand about them? If I know what is perplexing you I can try to help explain it or walk you through the process...

As far as crayons, I have heard that they do work in coloring soap

 

[ohsoap]

Palm is called the vegetarian Tallow. It has almost the same properties.

I've never used crayons, but I think Kathy Millers site has talked about them. She also has a ton of great recipes to try.
http://www.millersoap.com/

 

[Sunny]

I don't know about the soaps but maybe I can make you feel a little better about the soap calculators... I have a terrible time with them too (the way everyone talks, it should be the easiest thing in the world .. I think practice will help a lot)

BUT the one I use is very, very easy compared to the one at www.soapcalc.net

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

that is the one for Majestic Mountain Sage (MMS) and it basically says

what's your unit of weight measurement (WEIGHT, not volume)

what type of lye are you using (NaOH usually)

and then you just skip down directly to enter how many ounces (BY WEIGHT!!) of each soap you want to use for each type...

then hit "calculate lye"

On the left side of the page it will tell you how much liquid to add

on the very right side of the page, in the GREEN area, it will tell you how much lye to add (values for 5-8% superfat - I usually choose the value for 6 or 7)

so then you just make your soap using those numbers!

I hope this makes sense and if I can help in any other way please let me know!

 

[Rah]

Thank you kindly for the replies and help, I realised after I posted it I should have just looked around a bit harder. Sorry for wasting your time!

But the soap calculators tended to confuse me because I just couldn't figure out how much I would be making or what any of the properties I wanted were... I'll just mess around a bit! Thank you for the link tasha.

As for the palm oil instead of tallow... would I literally just use exactly the same amount as it says in the recipe for tallow? Or do I have to put it all into the soap calculator just in case?

Thaaaannkss x

 

[IanT]

Thank you kindly for the replies and help, I realised after I posted it I should have just looked around a bit harder. Sorry for wasting your time!

But the soap calculators tended to confuse me because I just couldn't figure out how much I would be making or what any of the properties I wanted were... I'll just mess around a bit! Thank you for the link tasha.

As for the palm oil instead of tallow... would I literally just use exactly the same amount as it says in the recipe for tallow? Or do I have to put it all into the soap calculator just in case?

Thaaaannkss x

lol I do that alot too...dont feel bad... the "Submit" button for me somehow activates my brain to find out the info that Im asking about... 2 friggin seconds after pressing it!! lol... cant tell you how many times I ve had a DOH! moment like that lol ...


so dont apologize! we all do it!

 

[RockinRodeoChick]

You'd still use the same amount of palm as you would tallow, but the lye amount may be different. I would run it through a calculator. The properties of palm and tallow may be similar, but the sap values may not be. If you don't, you may end up with really greasy or lye heavy soap.

 

[honor435]

I didnt like soap calc at first, now wouldnt live without it. Try it. Palm is great in soap. I can give ya recipes if you want?tell me what oils you want to use.
K

 

[knine]

years ago when I first started out, I too was Soapcalc challenged I found that Summerbeemeadow had a much easier one to use:

http://www.summerbeemeadow.com/content/ ... pe-resizer


I have gone back to soapcalc as it is more thorough but this one works as a great starter.

good luck!