Best Tip for a Newbie

[Carly B]

I've only been doing CP for a couple months (last week hubby and I got to try soap from my first couple batches ) and it's amazing how much I've learned from the people on this forum. So thank you all. I was thinking about it the other day, and I think the best tip I read (and I apologize that I can't remember who said it) is that when making small batches, which is all I make since it's just for fun and family and friends, you need minimal, if any, stick blending. Before that I couldn't understand why the batter was getting so thick so fast I couldn't do any real swirls. I actually did a recipe yesterday where I only used a whisk to blend to emulsion, and only used the stick blender in the white base for a couple seconds to mix the TD. Took it out of the 6" square slab mold this morning, I just need to figure out the best way to cut it, but that's another story.

Anyway, I'm wondering for both the newbie and the experienced soaper, what was the best tip you ever got?
Sometimes the things that don't seem like a big deal at the time end up being the most helpful.

 

[shunt2011]

There are several posts with tips for beginners. Unfortunately I can’t link from my iPad.

 

[Stephanie Pendleton]

These are my personal - wish someone would have told me ideas

Cover your workstation with wax paper, or my favorite a dollar store tablecloth, the clean up is super easy and fast. I have to use my kitchen because I don't have any other space to work with. This prevents lye water splashes, etc from getting on my counters.
Once you are done, just wrap all of your stuff up and then toss away.

Set your utensils, buckets, containers aside until a few days after soaping, then clean, the new soap makes things so much easier to clean.

Use dollar store condiment containers to mix your colorants (depending on your batch sizes) you can cover with the lids and then toss when you are done. I like to mix ahead a few days (I have read you can actually keep the mixed colors for the length of the time your oil is good for) I haven't done this though.

I shrink wrap my soaps after curing, it will extend the fragrance life of your soap. I will leave a little hole open in the bottom for air flow.

Working with beeswax and honey is not as scary as it sounds. I don't color my beeswax/honey soaps but that is my personal preference. I encourage everyone to try it. Make sure you keep it in a cool area, or put it on ice packs, it gets hot and will crack if not.

 

[Relle]

We have previous threads on this -
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/tips-for-total-noobs.60151/#post-600072
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/single-best-piece-of-advice-for-a-newbies-soaper.28550/

 

[Relle]

Here's another I found
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ou-give-to-your-beginning-soaping-self.62916/