Hello from Jakarta, Indonesia

[beshaved]

Hi !

I am Arief.

I got here because of my wet shaving hobby. It frustrated me. LOL.

I wanted to try different shaving soaps and creams. So I got friends that sent me samples of them.

Guess what? My government has a regulation that doesn't allow cosmetics to be imported (if you are not a proper importer). That includes soaps and creams.

So I have to return all the sample to the good guys from the shaving forum.

I have to find ways to have better shaving soaps and creams. That is the reason why I'm here. I want to create my own shaving soaps.

But.. I am a complete newbie. I have no idea about anything soap making.

So please guide me.

What gears that I should buy? What recipe that I should use?

I really have so many questions. But I guess, I have to stick to those two questions first.

-Arief

 

[Steve85569]

Welcome to the forum!
I am not a shaving soap maker so I cannot help you much. There are several that can and will be along before long though.

Steve

 

[beshaved]

Welcome to the forum!
I am not a shaving soap maker so I cannot help you much. There are several that can and will be along before long though.

Steve

Thank you for the welcome, Steve!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

There is currently a thread on the first page or second page of the lye-based section of the forum called "my first shaving soap is a success" - it's a very long one, but worth the investment in time to get a great background on what makes a shaving soap work

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and welcome. I agree with TEG that thread is a great read with a lot of information and recipes. I think many of us started there and moved forward.

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum. I agree with the others, research research research and then start with small test batches.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome Arief! :wave:

How sad that you had to send your samples back!

What gears that I should buy?

Here is a link to a great site that shows you all the gear you'll need: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/toolsandequipment/tp/Important-Soap-Making-Equipment.htm

And here are my own personal essentials:

- Digital scale that can weigh at least as low as 1g accurately.
- Goggles to protect the eyes
- Rubber or latex or nitrile gloves to protect the hands
- Stainless steel or polyproplylene #5 mixing pitcher for mixing your lye solution
- Stainless steel or rubber or silicone stirring utensils (spoons and spatulas)
-Stickblender (optional, but I don't like soaping without one)
- A soap mold of some sort, either made of wood or silicone or heavy-duty plastic or acrylic
- Mold liners to help unmolding go smoothly.
- Rubber or silicone-coated stainless steel racks to use for curing your soap, or plastic or wood racks.
- A mask of some sort to hold over your nose and mouth when initially mixing your lye solution to prevent you from breathing in the fumes (no longer needed once the lye has cooled).
-Stainless steel pot or plastic bucket or pot for mixing your soap batter. If making your soap via the Hot Process method (the method by which many shave soaps are made), I would go with a stainless steel pot, or a crockpot (with fitted cover).
-Assorted plastic measuring cups designed for measuring liquids.
-Lye - many soapers use just KOH to make their shave soap, but some like using a combination of KOH (potassium hydroxide) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide). I'm one of the latter, so I keep both on hand.
-Soaping oils of choice.

Here's some other important/basic soapmaking info that you'll need to know :

Tips on Soapmaking Safety: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapmakingsafety/a/soapsafety.htm

How to make lye solution: http://candleandsoap.about.com/video/Safely-Make-Lye-Solution.htm

Basic soapmaking instructions: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/ss/sscpsoap.htm

What recipe that I should use?

Here are at least 2 threads with shave soap recipes to get you started:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53981&highlight=make

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=34264&highlight=success


IrishLass

 

[MySoapyHeart]

Hi!
Just giving you a welcome, but leave the advice to all the guys that actually know what they are talking about. as I have never made a shaving soap yet : D

Sorry you had to send the samples back!

 

[Kamahido]

Greetings and welcome to the addiction that is soap making.

 

[Saponomancer]

Welcome to the forum! I wish you luck on your adventure into shaving soap, I had a fun time making my first one

 

[beshaved]

There is currently a thread on the first page or second page of the lye-based section of the forum called "my first shaving soap is a success" - it's a very long one, but worth the investment in time to get a great background on what makes a shaving soap work

I am reading it now. Thank you.

 

[beshaved]

Hello and welcome. I agree with TEG that thread is a great read with a lot of information and recipes. I think many of us started there and moved forward.

Yes. And a bit overwhelming for a newbie like me.:mrgreen:

Welcome to the forum. I agree with the others, research research research and then start with small test batches.

Small batches it will be.

 

[beshaved]

Welcome Arief! :wave:

How sad that you had to send your samples back!




Here is a link to a great site that shows you all the gear you'll need: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/toolsandequipment/tp/Important-Soap-Making-Equipment.htm

And here are my own personal essentials:

- Digital scale that can weigh at least as low as 1g accurately.
- Goggles to protect the eyes
- Rubber or latex or nitrile gloves to protect the hands
- Stainless steel or polyproplylene #5 mixing pitcher for mixing your lye solution
- Stainless steel or rubber or silicone stirring utensils (spoons and spatulas)
-Stickblender (optional, but I don't like soaping without one)
- A soap mold of some sort, either made of wood or silicone or heavy-duty plastic or acrylic
- Mold liners to help unmolding go smoothly.
- Rubber or silicone-coated stainless steel racks to use for curing your soap, or plastic or wood racks.
- A mask of some sort to hold over your nose and mouth when initially mixing your lye solution to prevent you from breathing in the fumes (no longer needed once the lye has cooled).
-Stainless steel pot or plastic bucket or pot for mixing your soap batter. If making your soap via the Hot Process method (the method by which many shave soaps are made), I would go with a stainless steel pot, or a crockpot (with fitted cover).
-Assorted plastic measuring cups designed for measuring liquids.
-Lye - many soapers use just KOH to make their shave soap, but some like using a combination of KOH (potassium hydroxide) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide). I'm one of the latter, so I keep both on hand.
-Soaping oils of choice.

Here's some other important/basic soapmaking info that you'll need to know :

Tips on Soapmaking Safety: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapmakingsafety/a/soapsafety.htm

How to make lye solution: http://candleandsoap.about.com/video/Safely-Make-Lye-Solution.htm

Basic soapmaking instructions: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/ss/sscpsoap.htm





Here are at least 2 threads with shave soap recipes to get you started:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53981&highlight=make

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=34264&highlight=success


IrishLass

Thank you for all the links. This will lead me to a great path.

 

[beshaved]

Hi!
Just giving you a welcome, but leave the advice to all the guys that actually know what they are talking about. as I have never made a shaving soap yet : D

Sorry you had to send the samples back!

Yeah, it was a bummer.

Greetings and welcome to the addiction that is soap making.

I know. It will be another thing that I will indulge.

Welcome to the forum! I wish you luck on your adventure into shaving soap, I had a fun time making my first one

I will be heading to the hardware store to buy all the gears.