Hello from Finland.

[leke]

Hello from Finland!

I've never never made a single bar of soap before, but I'm keen to learn. I'm kind of a nerd and see this skill as satisfying the chemist within me
I'm also looking at it as a possible business venture. If what I make is awesome, I might try and sell it on a stall or something. I'm currently unemployed so I have tons of time on my hands.

 

[Chay]

Hello and welcome the forum!

 

[Hazel]

Hello leke -

Welcome to the forum!

Have you gotten any supplies for soap making yet?

 

[morrainewoods]

Welcome leke!

 

[leke]

Hello leke -

Welcome to the forum!

Have you gotten any supplies for soap making yet?

I've been researching them.
The basics I guess are:
Vapour resistant face mask.
Safety goggles (Swimming goggles are probably good because they are vapour resistant).
Chemical resistant cloves.
Sodium Hydroxide (for hard soap).
Potassium Hydroxide (for liquid soap, or shampoo).
Some kind of mould (I was going to make this out of wood).
Some kind of fat (was going to start with olive oil).
A big ceramic bowl and mixer.

Most of these I can pick up at a local hardware store I think. I'm not sure if there are different kinds of Sodium Hydroxide, but I was going to pick up something that said just Sodium Hydroxide on the label.

How am I doing?

 

[Hazel]

Too funny! When I said supplies, I meant items like oils, butters and additives. I think you're doing great! You sound organized and safety conscious so I think you'll do really well with soap making.

As long as the container says 100% sodium hydroxide, I'm sure it will work fine.

Someone posted awhile back that she had been using a glass pitcher to mix her lye. She said one day she heard a loud cracking sound while she was stirring and it was her glass pitcher. The heat from the lye caused it to break. I didn't see a reference to a container to mix the lye although you might have something already. I just wanted to suggest either plastic or stainless steel. I use an old juice pitcher.

Good luck and don't forget to post pics of your soaps. We love soap pics.

 

[leke]

Too funny! When I said supplies, I meant items like oils, butters and additives.

Ah,...well, I'm not really to up-to-date on the recipes yet, but I'm guessing those essential oils from the new age shops like cinnamon, orange, peppermint. My personal favourite is t-tree. It smells so good!

I'm also a fan of tree tar. They have the flavour/aroma in a lot of products here in Finland, but I'm not sure if it is actually tar from the trees, or something artificial.
Last summer I leached some oil of betula (I think that's what they call it) from paper birch bark. It's the same part of the tree they use to get the tar from, but for the tar you kind of burn the bark in a container and catch the run-off.
After using the oil as a mosquito repellent (which worked great btw), I read somewhere that it was quite dangerous for people to be in contact with The same goes for the tar as well. So, if I want to make tar soap, I have to be careful what I use.

 

[Hazel]

I don't know what tree tar is but I've heard of pine tar. If you search the forum, there's been discussions about using it. I've never used it so I can't tell you anything about it.

Good luck with your soaps. I'm sure they'll turn out fine.

 

[frieda]

Hello Ieke,

Welcome!
I am also from Europe and new to soapmaking and this site.
I was wondering weather you have any idea about the European regulations a soapmaker should keep in mind when he want to commercialise his soap or where to get that information?
Hope you have a lot of fun in this site and making soap!
Frieda

 

[leke]

Hello Ieke,

Welcome!
I am also from Europe and new to soapmaking and this site.
I was wondering weather you have any idea about the European regulations a soapmaker should keep in mind when he want to commercialise his soap or where to get that information?
Hope you have a lot of fun in this site and making soap!
Frieda

Hi Frieda, That's a good question. Done incorrectly, your soap could harm a person so it would be logical to think there would be regulations in place for distribution. I think it would be easiest to check with a supplier in your home country and find out what they needed. I would think injury insurance would be a minimal requirement.