Different types of soap to make list?

[Sonya is soaping]

Hi all, I was just reading Jan Berrys book 'Simple and natural Soapmaking' (excellent by the way) and was wondering is there a list here or anywhere that has all the different soaps you can make.
For example:
castille soap
exfoliating foot soap
gardeners hand soap
Laundry soap
Gentle baby soap
Beard soap
Etc etc etc.
I'm always looking for different ideas and thought it would be great to have access to a list of possible soaps to make.
just an idea...

 

[BattleGnome]

If you can dream it, you can soap it. (Or at least try to)

If that’s too broad of an idea, the monthly challenges are a great place to look. You can always search thread titles to see what has been done. Any blog that’s associated with your favorite supplier is another good place to look. SoapQueen is Brambleberry’s blog and I think Magestic Mountain Sage also has one (those are the two that come to mind). Just keep in mind that the blogs are as focused on selling as they are on sharing recipes/info, so you’ll come across strange ingredients that might be expensive or are no longer carried by the supplier.

 

[Dennis]

There is no end to the possible combinations of ingredients people will use to make or attempt to make soap. Sometimes I wonder "why would you do that?" but then realize the answer is because you can. Enjoy the exploration.

 

[earlene]

It's an interesting question, but open to interpretation, because 'type' is rather a broad term. I used the words 'types of soaps' to do a Google search and found lists with what I would consider completely unrelated categories within each of the lists I found.

For example, the HandCrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild has this listing: https://www.soapguild.org/consumers/types-of-soap.php

The Soap History website (not the only website dedicated to soap history, btw) has this listing: http://www.soaphistory.net/soap-facts/soap-types/

If you compare the two listings, I'd say it's like comparing apples to oranges.

Greenyards list types of soap by two different criteria; the first the process by which they are made and the second by usage: http://greenyards.com.my/2017/02/25/types-of-soaps/

So apparently there are lists out there, but not lists that seem to really be what you are looking for from your OP and it would seem your list is not solely based on usage, nor on process either.

To make a list of soaps that have been made, I think you best bet is to look perhaps at a site such as Millers to see hundreds of different recipes and soaps that have been made. The purpose of each soap may or may not be listed along with the recipe, but they sure do have a large variety of recipes. http://www.millersoap.com/

Other than that, if I were on the search, I would first determine what my criteria was or meaning of 'types of soap' and after I defined that, then I'd go looking for listings using the most definitive words in my searches. Sometimes honing our search parameters really helps to find what we are looking for, and without a bit of that, the results are too broad and unsatisfying.

Another place to look might be in various soap making books and that might give you an idea of different types of soaps that can be made. There are many many many soap making books, and once you've read several and made several batches of soap, you may discover that they aren't all excellent, but that's another topic for another thread (there are threads here with soap making book recommendations, btw.)

 

[cinnamon1916]

It's an interesting question, but open to interpretation, because 'type' is rather a broad term. I used the words 'types of soaps' to do a Google search and found lists with what I would consider completely unrelated categories within each of the lists I found.

For example, the HandCrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild has this listing: https://www.soapguild.org/consumers/types-of-soap.php

The Soap History website (not the only website dedicated to soap history, btw) has this listing: http://www.soaphistory.net/soap-facts/soap-types/

If you compare the two listings, I'd say it's like comparing apples to oranges.

Greenyards list types of soap by two different criteria; the first the process by which they are made and the second by usage: http://greenyards.com.my/2017/02/25/types-of-soaps/

So apparently there are lists out there, but not lists that seem to really be what you are looking for from your OP and it would seem your list is not solely based on usage, nor on process either.

To make a list of soaps that have been made, I think you best bet is to look perhaps at a site such as Millers to see hundreds of different recipes and soaps that have been made. The purpose of each soap may or may not be listed along with the recipe, but they sure do have a large variety of recipes. http://www.millersoap.com/

Other than that, if I were on the search, I would first determine what my criteria was or meaning of 'types of soap' and after I defined that, then I'd go looking for listings using the most definitive words in my searches. Sometimes honing our search parameters really helps to find what we are looking for, and without a bit of that, the results are too broad and unsatisfying.

Another place to look might be in various soap making books and that might give you an idea of different types of soaps that can be made. There are many many many soap making books, and once you've read several and made several batches of soap, you may discover that they aren't all excellent, but that's another topic for another thread (there are threads here with soap making book recommendations, btw.)

The link for millersoap did not work for me. Is there another way to that site?

 

[DeeAnna]

I honestly think a lot of the "different" kinds of soap that people make are variations on a basic theme. IMO, the ones you list fall into 2 of 3 general groups based on how the soap is used -- bath/toilet soaps, household soaps, and specialty soaps. To take your list as an example --

Bath soap using a single oil recipe --
castille soap

Bath soap with specific additives. Scrubby additives in these examples --
exfoliating foot soap
gardeners hand soap

Bath soap given alternative names --
Gentle baby soap
Beard soap

Household soap--
Laundry soap

 

[lsg]

The link for millersoap did not work for me. Is there another way to that site?

Here is a workable link: http://www.millersoap.com/

 

[Zany_in_CO]

...I was wondering is there a list here or anywhere that has all the different soaps you can make.

Sonya, I love your enthusiasm! As others mentioned, the list is endless! LOL Here are some links to sites I enjoy visiting to give you an idea of the variety available:

David Fisher's Site - Soap Making Recipes Directory

SMF Beginner's Learn to Soap Online

Soap Making 101
Soap Queen TV - Cold Process Soap

 

[earlene]

The link for millersoap did not work for me. Is there another way to that site?

That's odd. It works for me. And it's the same link lsg gives, too. Have you tried again, or on another browser? If that doesn't work, perhaps you could use a search engine to search "Millersoap.com website" and link to it from your results. It should come up.

 

[redhead1226]

IMHO I truly believe that it comes down to what you are going to do with the soap you make. Is it for your personal use only? Or are you going to sell them? Because to me those are entirely different lists. I will also say that in almost 11 years of making soap I have narrowed my favorites to approx 10 recipes out of possibly hundreds I have made. Everyone likes something different. Personally I'm a lard girl myself at high %'s.

 

[cinnamon1916]

That's odd. It works for me. And it's the same link lsg gives, too. Have you tried again, or on another browser? If that doesn't work, perhaps you could use a search engine to search "Millersoap.com website" and link to it from your results. It should come up.

Thank you. I will try again.