Mould confusion

[harshaa25]

Hi Guys,

I have just started making soaps.. Done with 4 batches of them - mainly goat milk based

For selling soaps to my circle of friends, I am thinking if I should go for readymade 100 gm - 6 soaps mould (rectangular) or use silicone loaf mould, and then hand cut them for artisanal look?

These would be my measurements :

22.925 fl oz or 676 ml coconut oil
3.53 fl oz or 104 ml sunflower oil
1.75 fl oz or 50 ml castor oil

Would a mould suit here?

Also, do you always spray rubbing alcohol on soap as the soda ash is very annoying.

 

[shunt2011]

You can use whatever kind of mold you choose. That’s a personal decision. Individual molds can be tricky and more time consuming. I do spray all my soaps with alcohol before covering to get them to gel. Getting individual molds to gel can be a challenge. However you are no where near being ready to sell. It takes up to a year of making and testing to make sure you have a good quality product.

 

[AliOop]

I agree that you should not sell yet. Try giving some away as testers to get feedback over the next few months. You want to ask:

How well does it lather?
How long does it last?
Does it cause dry skin, itching, burning?
Is the scent pleasant, strong, weak?
Does is cause a lot of scum?

One of the things you will learn is that your first soaps seem so amazing bc they are so much better than the bars from the store. But as you gain experience, you will learn how to make really great soap. Then your first soaps will seem not so great after all. They also need to have a good long cure so that they become milder and longer-lasting, and for you to confirm that they don’t go rancid. That’s esp important with goat milk soap!

Enjoy the learning process, and be sure to post some of your soap pictures in the Photo Gallery!

 

[harshaa25]

Thank you soo much for sharing your thoughts, very helpful. I shall definitely post once they are cured for 4-5 weeks