Making soap without lye
- Thread starter sudzilla
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You can't make soap without lye. Soap is the end product of the chemical reaction between lye and fats.
Some people will talk about Melt and Pour as lye free soap but they are mistaken. The soap was made with lye before it got to the person who is melting and pouring it.
I hope that helps you out!
Some people will talk about Melt and Pour as lye free soap but they are mistaken. The soap was made with lye before it got to the person who is melting and pouring it.
I hope that helps you out!
BattleGnome
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You want to start with melt and pour soap. Glycerin soap began as "lye soap" that someone else formulated to be easy to re-melt/pour. If you haven't already looked into supplies there are lots of wonderful kits out there to get you started.
Basics you'll need:
Soap base - a block of soap formulated for m&p, there are many varieties
Heat safe container - do you want to microwave your base or use a double boiler
Mold - just about anything works as long as it's not too rigid
90% rubbing alcohol or higher - it helps to decrease bubbles after pouring
Other highly useful things:
Gloves/safety gear - you don't need as much as for other soaping methods, it's just good idea to have them
Thermometer - soap base can burn, you'll have to check your specific base for manufacturers recommendations
Scent/color/extra oils/additives - world's your oyster here, do a bit of research for personal preferences.
Soap Queen and Soap Fantasy are the only two YouTube channels with m&p that I watch, but there are tons more for examples on safety and methodology. I would recommend getting a kit to start out with, just about everything is included. Brambleberry has some good kits (and videos to go with some of them). wholesale supplies plus has a good selection. Michaels has some cheap kits to figure things out, they're by candle making at my local store (coupons and sales are your friends).
Even though I suggest Michaels I'd take it with a grain of salt. The kit instructions aren't very thorough and the extra supplies they sell are not the best.
Do some research. just about every soap supplier offers m&p options, find one that suits your goals
Hi sudzilla and welcome! :wave: If you want to avoid mixing the lye to make soap from scratch, your only option is to try your hand at melt and pour. It's still made with lye but someone else has done that part of the work for you. Plus, there's instant gratification with melt and pour because it doesn't require a 4-6 week cure. You can use it once it's cool and set which is only a few hours.
If you take a look through the Melt & Pour section of this forum you should get some ideas on where to purchase the supplies, design, etc. There are also a lot of videos on You Tube that show how to make melt and pour soap ~ Soap Queen is one. Good luck!
If you take a look through the Melt & Pour section of this forum you should get some ideas on where to purchase the supplies, design, etc. There are also a lot of videos on You Tube that show how to make melt and pour soap ~ Soap Queen is one. Good luck!
Battle Gnome i adore u
Krysta y thank u sooo much.this is so exciting to embark on. Cant wait til tomorrow to go to michaels and even if i screw it all up at first I'll have taken that first step.Thank u awesome lady im about to make some soap!!#
Krysta y thank u sooo much.this is so exciting to embark on. Cant wait til tomorrow to go to michaels and even if i screw it all up at first I'll have taken that first step.Thank u awesome lady im about to make some soap!!#
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No, you're not going to make soap. The soap is already made - you buy the soap to melt it down and add things in.
Using melt and pour allows you to make decorative bars from already made soap. No lye needed for that process.
The other option is to purchase soap base for rebatching. Brambleberry sells a rebatch kit. https://www.brambleberry.com/A-Rebatch-Soap-Making-Kit-P3298.aspx. Rebatch is cold process soap (cp) lye soap that has been shredded so you can melt it down. It will make a rustic looking soap but some people like the rustic look.
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You can get really artistic with melt and pour soap. Some people learn to make amazing designs. It's a different craft from making soap from scratch like many of us do, but can be very impressive in its own way. Have fun.
