Newbie here with a few questions!!

[becka_pecka]

Hi all,

I'm Rebecca from the UK, I'm very new to soap making; in that I am yet to make my first batch! Let me first tell you what has made me decide to make my own soap...

For quite a few months now I had started to notice my skin becoming irritable, particularly my legs. It got pretty bad and I was sure I had an allergy of some sort. I went away for a week in which time the irritation seemed to calm down, until I was back at home and it all flared up again.
So it made me think, what had I done differently that made it calm down when I was away. I realized I hadn't taken my usual imperial leather (shop bought) soap with me, which I used to use for shaving. My legs had gotten to a point where they were so painful and itchy, I wasn't getting much sleep.

So, I decided to buy myself some homemade soap online. I made sure the ingredients were all natural, and I bought a nice mild bar of goats milk and chamomile soap.

The difference of my skin after the first use was amazing! Straight away the irritation and inflammation on my legs reduced a lot! (I KNEW it was that nasty shop bought stuff)
Ever since I have been buying homemade soap and my skin is just lovely, I don't get the flare ups and it's so soft! Then I thought, why not make my own?

So these past few weeks I have researched a lot on cold process soap making, ordered myself a highly reviewed book and have started buying soap making equipment. I'm getting excited about making my first batch, however there are some things I need answers on.

1. The container for mixing the lye/caustic soda solution: I've read on many different places conflicting advice on this. Some people swear by pyrex glass measuring jugs, but I've also read that after some time the glass can develop cracks and end up shattering (the last thing I want to happen), so is it safe to use a plastic measuring jug? One that is labeled as heat resistant?

2. Soap moulds: I know that many things can be used as a soap mould, but I want something that will give me a nice even loaf/block that I could get 10-15 bars out of. I have found one on ebay that is cheap (I'm on a budget) but it is made from a hard plastic, is this ok to use? I know you can line your mould but I imagined that using a hard plastic would make it very difficult in releasing the soap. I've looked at silicone moulds but these can be pricey, especially for a decent sized one. And the wooden moulds are very pricey! Any advice on this is appreciated or if anyone knows of any UK suppliers who sell moulds at a good price.

3. Thermometers: Is a brewing thermometer, the thing long type ok to use for both the oils & the lye? I've looked for cooking thermometers but always find the small/short versions that don't seem appropriate.

4. Utensils: I have already purchased some utensils to be used just for my soap making, and have stuck to either silicone (silicone spatula) and stainless steel (long handled stainless steel spoons for the lye)... Are both of these acceptable and safe?



I think that is all for now! Very sorry for the immense introduction and many questions, I just want to make sure I know what I'm doing and stay as safe as possible.
Any info is very welcome

Rebecca

 

[soapbuddy]

Do NOT use glass to mix or measure your lye in. It will crack!!!
You can line a hard plastic container with wax paper or a small trash bag.
Silicone or stainless steel will be fine.

 

[Hazel]

Hi Rebecca,

Welcome to the forum! You don't have to apologize for a long intro. I think it's great that you're safety conscious. It sounds like you're very organized and ready to go. I'm glad you found something to help your skin problem.

To answer your questions:

1. Plastic and heat resistant is fine. I use an tall plastic pitcher which has a lid. I use the lid when I want to soap at room temp. I just put it on for safety and leave it sit until the lye cools. I've also heard of people who have used glass and the glass has cracked so you shouldn't use it.

2. Hard plastic is fine as long as you line the mold. I use freezer paper. You could also use a cardboard box. Just line it like you would a regular mold and it would work great. It would be even better if it had a lid because that would help to hold in the heat.

3. I don't know what a brewing thermometer is but as long as it has a glass or stainless steel shank then it should work.

4. Silicone and stainless steel utensils are great. You want to avoid wood because over time the lye eats into the wood and you could get splinters in your soap.

 

[AmyW]

They covered your questions perfectly I think, so I'll just say welcome!!

 

[becka_pecka]

Thank you ever so much!!

Info is great and has made me feel better about what I'm buying. I will defiantly stick to heat resistant plastic for the lye... although searching on google, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a plastic heat resistant measuring jug! I am thinking it will be better if I go to a supermarket and I can really see what I'm buying, I'll take a look next time I go shopping.

As for the thermometer, I was trying to find ones that were the same as I'd seen other people using, I searched for a brewing thermometer and it came up with the same type. I have seen the glass ones but was worried that it wouldn't be safe? Again, probably something I am better buying when I'm out and about.

Again thank you for the welcomes and advice, hopefully I can share my experiences with my first batch soon!

 

[becka_pecka]

Just to show you, this is the brewing thermometer I was talking about:

http://www.biggerjugs.co.uk/brewing-the ... html?ref=6

It may be one that I shouldn't be looking at, but like I say I'm new to this & not 100% sure.

Could anyone possibly show me the type they use? Just to give me an idea. Thank you.

 

[soapbuddy]

I have a laser thermometer from Harbour Freight. I like that fact that it doesn't have to touch anything.

 

[Hazel]

That thermometer looks like it would work great. Is there something you don't like about it?

I believe most of the experience soapers don't even use thermometers. They've all been doing it so long that they can tell just by touching a pitcher or bowl if it's ready to blend together.

I do recommend a stick blender just because it doesn't take as long to reach trace.

 

[becka_pecka]

Thank you Hazel...

There is nothing about it that I dislike, I just wanted to make sure I was looking at the right thing.

I do have a stick blender (I've also bought a balloon whisk for soaping) but I can convert my stick blender to a soaping blender if need be.

 

[Hazel]

Thank you Hazel...

There is nothing about it that I dislike, I just wanted to make sure I was looking at the right thing.

I do have a stick blender (I've also bought a balloon whisk for soaping) but I can convert my stick blender to a soaping blender if need be.

You're welcome.

Is your stick blender an immersion blender? You don't want to use a whisk when soaping because I think it would add too much air into your batch.

I use one that looks like this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-2-Speed-250 ... B0000AZUW9

Also, I have found items at thrift stores which I use for soaping. My sister found a silicone mini loaf pan at a Goodwill. I use it a lot because it makes nice sized bars. Is there any stores like this near you?

 

[Microdot]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[becka_pecka]

You're welcome.

Is your stick blender an immersion blender? You don't want to use a whisk when soaping because I think it would add too much air into your batch.

I use one that looks like this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-2-Speed-250 ... B0000AZUW9

Also, I have found items at thrift stores which I use for soaping. My sister found a silicone mini loaf pan at a Goodwill. I use it a lot because it makes nice sized bars. Is there any stores like this near you?

Here is a pic to one very similar to the hand blender I have

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-HB605-B ... 72&sr=8-13

It isn't reviewed very highly, but I've never had trouble with mine it has always done the job nicely.

Yes, we do have thrift stores near us so I will take a look and see if I can pick up anything handy for soaping at a good price. Thanks for the tip

My soaping book also came today, so I am going to read that from cover to cover and see what more advice I can get from it.

 

[Hazel]

I like the look of your blender. The way the shank is a continuous piece and tapers down makes it look like it would be a lot easier to scrape the soap off and clean.

The SB I have isn't reviewed very highly either but I'm happy with it. I also can't complain because I found it on sale. It was such a good price that I bought two in case the motor of the first one would burn out. I just wanted to make sure that if I was in the middle of a batch, I wouldn't have to end up stirring by hand. I'm just lazy that way.

What soaping book did you get?

 

[becka_pecka]

I bought 'The natural soap book - making herbal and vegetable-based soaps' by Susan Miller Cavitch, I looked at many and read many reviews, this one was highly rated.
I found a couple where it instructed to add the water to the lye, and I have heard that is something you really don't want to do. Just because of that it deterred me from those books.

What is daunting me is all the business with oils/essential oils and amounts. I'm really not good with numbers at all and it all seems a little complicated; knowing what amounts to use, depending on the size of your batch/mould. I'm sure that's something that gets better with experience, I plan to stick to the easier recipes to begin with. To be honest, I do prefer the simpler recipes like avocado soap, goats milk soap, olive oil soap etc etc... A lot more than the ones with exotic oils and fancy shapes. And I do love the smell of the natural scents you get with them so I guess I'll be ok to start with

 

[Hazel]

I bought that book years ago, felt intimidated, set it aside and never tried soap making until after I read Anne Watson's "Smart Soapmaking". This is the book that got me motivated to make my own soaps. Of course, now I spend out more money on supplies than if I had just stuck to buying handmade soaps. To be fair, I'm making a lot more soap for what I spend and friends and family are happy to take the excess soaps.

I've seen some instructions that said to pour the water into the lye. Yikes! :shock: Although I wouldn't let that refrain you from reading the books. You're knowledgeable enough to recognize if something's not correct and you might gain some helpful info from the books.

Have you seen Kathy Miller's site? There's a lot of good info on it. Her tutorial on crockpot soap is how I learned to HP.

http://www.millersoap.com/

What lye calculator do you use? I use soapcalc.net which figures up the amount for fragrance. Then I weigh out the FOs/EOs to whatever it says on the calculation. Although, sometimes I use less than what it recommends. It depends on the strength of the fragrance. However, unscented soaps are nice, too. One of my sisters and a friend prefer unscented.

Once you've done a few batches you won't find it so daunting. It's like learning any new skill. I still have problems figuring out how much oils for a mold so I keep a small mold near so I can pour in the extra. There's a post about figuring quanities for molds. Here's the link if you haven't seen it yet.

http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3461

When I first started soaping, I wanted to try the exotic oils and butters. :roll: But over time, I found myself using preferring ordinary oils (olive, coconut, castor) and pretty much eliminating most butters from my recipes. It really comes down to personal preference. Although, I love avocado oil in soaps. It might be my imagination but I think it gives a silkier feel to the lather.

I hope to see pics of your batches soon.

 

[becka_pecka]

I must admit that it has made me feel a little more scared.. To me the book is more about the chemistry part of it, not that that is a bad thing. There is a lot of info on oils and ingredients, but I was hoping there would be more recipes, although I know you can find recipes easily. Anne Watson's book is the other one I was looking at, it was a toss up between Anne Watson's book and Susan Cavitch's, maybe I will have to purchase Watson's book next.

I haven't looked at Kathy Miller's site, but I will

I have only just started playing around with the calculators.. I will take a look at soapcalc.net. To be honest at the moment I am a little lost on amounts in that I'm not sure where to start & also is it a case of the size of the mould? Do you have to check the volume of the mould first and then calculate your lye/oils etc depending on that? (Sorry for the silly question) As you say that you keep a small mould for any excess, I am guessing that it's ok if you measure too much and it's ok to pour the excess into another mould.
I have just spotted that you posted a link for figuring out quantities for moulds, so going to take a peek at that.

One oil I really want to use is coconut oil, I'm a sucker for coconut in any product, I think it does wonders for the skin.

I have bought a soaping kit to get me started, heres the link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004 ... ss_product
the ingredients are already measured out, so I thought it's perfect for my first ever try and will give me the confidence to go it completely alone.

 

[Hazel]

This is just a suggestion but if money is tight check your local library. It might have a lot of soaping books that you can borrow. Then you can decide if you like a book enough to buy it.

Don’t be scared…just be cautious. I was very intimidated by the idea of working with lye until I did several batches. A kit is a good way to get started but I’d still take all the ingredients and run them through a lye calculator. Never trust a recipe that you find anywhere whether in a book or online. It’s too easy to make a typo. It is easy to find recipes but it's more fun to formulate your own. I'm sure once you've tried several batches, you'll be coming up with your own recipes. There's recipes on this forum, too.

Definitely check out the link on how to figure volume of a mold. I’m terrible about calculating mold volume. I pour water into a new mold and then weigh it out to get an approximate weight. I deduct about 33% from the total weight to get the amount of oils I’ll need for the batch. It’s not a great way of doing it but it generally works out okay. This is why I keep an extra mold near me. :wink:

Yes, it’s definitely okay to pour off an extra soap into a smaller mold. Just remember that the smaller amount may not heat up as much as a larger amount. So, it would take longer to saponify. I’ve noticed that my larger batch is fine but the smaller one will still zap me when I test it.

Coconut oil is great in soap. It gives it lots of bubbles. Just remember that the lye alters the properties of the coconut oil so it can be drying. When I first started formulating recipes, I used 30% CO and found it was too drying for my skin. (I have dry skin, anyways.) So now I use it at about 20%-25% except for in a whipping cream soap. Whipping cream has so much fat content that it offsets the dryness of the CO. You can also up your superfat which would help offset the dryness.

Another suggestion - make a castile soap as one of your first batches. I wish now that I had made a castile soap when I first started soaping. But I thought that I didn’t want to wait a year to use it! Now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t. I just recently made a castile and I used buttermilk/aloe juice for the liquid. It looks beautiful although I’m still frustrated by the idea of having to wait months before I can try it. Anyway, castile is probably the simplest batch you will ever make so it might be a good one to try for experience.

For my buttermilk castile, I used the aloe juice to mix my lye in, added this to the olive oil and then added the buttermilk. I'm rather lazy about soap making so I put the mold into a bread wrapper and set it on the back porch. It was so cold that I knew it wouldn't gel. Most people set soaps they don't want to gel in the frig or freezer.

Just ask if you have any questions. Let me know if you get adventurous and want to try whipping cream as a liquid. I'll post my recipe and you can decide if you'd like to try it.

 

[becka_pecka]

Hi Hazel,

You've been great with giving me advice and gave me the confidence to go ahead and make my first batch

I'm sorry I hadn't replied in a while... I had a lot on (mainly uni work, I was behind and needed to write up 2 essays within a few days!)

Anyways I got all that done and got the last few bits of equipment I needed to make my soap. I think I need to make a few more batches before I start looking at other ways of making soap (whipping cream).. although that sounds very tempting

You've been so helpful Hazel, I'm glad I came to this forum and got some more advice.

 

[Hazel]

Hi Rebecca,

You don't have to apologize for not replying. I understand about having a busy life. School work is definitely more important than being on a forum. I'm glad you have your priorities straight and completed your essays. What are you taking at school?

That's smart of you to decide you need to get a few batches done before using milk based liquids. But once you get comfortable with working with lye, I'm sure you won't have a problem using liquids other than water. There's a lot of info on this board and very helpful people to answer questions when you get to that point.

I'm glad I was able to help. I received so much help from the people on this forum that I like to return the favor if I can. I don't think I would have started soap making if it hadn't been for people on this forum.

I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your batches.

 

[becka_pecka]

Hiya Hazel

I'm taking an English lit degree, I'm only in my first year, so I'm still all over the place and stressing about getting my essays done and whether what I am writing is worth while etc... Been a little stressful lately, but things have smoothed out recently.

I just wrote a post about how my first batch went, I'm so happy with it. I was convinced something would go horribly wrong... but nothing did! I was also sure that my lye & oil temps would be completely different, but I managed to get them at the same temperature. At one point my hard oils were ready to go and my lye was still a little too hot (I had the jug of lye in the sink) so I turned the cold tap on to let the cold water run against the jug and it brought down the temperature to the same of the oils, I was then ready to mix them.

I was then also worried that about my essential oils... I found that with essential oils it all depends on what oils you are using and/or how fragranced you want it. I used an essential oil calculator and adapted with the size of my batch. My soap still smells lemony/orangey I was afraid that the gelling stage would eradicate the scent of the essential oils. Can this still happen during the curing stage?