Operating from a single base recipe.

[boyago]

since most books have that format of general information about soapmaking, possibly some history stuff, oil information, EO information then a ton of recipes followed by some useful charts. The typical way I've taken to reading soap books is to go ahead and read all the how to stuff and miscelaneus information to tease out the stuff I haven't read before. Then I go through reading all the descriptions of the soaps in the recipe section and then dig into the recipes if I find something interesting.
One of the parts of making soaps the most is thinking about what ingredients should do what and what effect they will have on the soap. Recently I read a book and after checking out a few of the recipes I realized that the base was the exact same in every single soap in the book. The only thing that changes was the additives. Just curious if that is common for the home soaper to nail down a good base and then just tweek it per soap?

 

[kikajess]

That's what I've been doing. I want to come up with a go-to recipe that makes me moan with delight in the shower at how good it feels on my skin. Then I will use that recipe most all the time, just changing up the scents, colors, or additives. My latest formula is named Base G. So I guess it's my seventh attempt at my base formula. This is something I can personalize for myself and make it just the way I like it. When I do finally create the perfect recipe for myself, I can't imagine wanting to use any other recipe.

 

[boyago]

You remind me of that risque herbal essence commercial, or the calgon theme "base G take me away..."

 

[savonierre]

It took me nearly 2 yrs to get my base recipe exactly as I wanted. I use it for 95% of my soap.

 

[boyago]

So if you decide you want to make a kitchen bar instead of a bath bar do you just throw in coffee grinds and Rosemary EO to your regular recipe (or similar) or so you tweak your base oils, more CO, pull the avocado oil ect.?

 

[SoapMakingTommy]

I will admit the idea of creating a perfect base for all your soap recipes are dreamy.
From the soaps that have decided to make and want to make i realized that most of the bars will be a very similar if not the exact same base recipe, But there will be a few that are completely different for example, I know that my salt soap bars and my glycerin bar will be made of 2 completely different recipes. And im sure theres plenty of bars that you can market such as 100% olive for the connoisseur soaper or the pure coconut or pure avocado.....
Depends what kind of soap you want to make.

 

[soap_rat]

Yes, I use the same base recipe for everything but salt bars (and shampoo bars if I ever get around to making another). I've altered it twice in the last year, though, trying to use less palm (due to sustainability, and price of sustainable palm!)

 

[new12soap]

I know that my salt soap bars and my glycerin bar will be made of 2 completely different recipes.

What do you mean by glycerin bar?

I have narrowed down my favorite base recipe, but I tweak it here and there almost every time. Maybe for this soap I will use tallow, but for that soap I will use lard. Maybe cocoa butter here, HO sunflower there. But what is perfect for me isn't perfect my DH, and neither of us like the soaps the kids prefer... And I haven't even started on my nephew w cystic acne or my friends faves...

 

[SoapMakingTommy]

What do you mean by glycerin bar?

Transparent soap

 

[grayceworks]

Hmm. I have 4 recipes, which all have a totally different feel but all are wonderful, and then I vary the additives on two of them. Like others have said, that's aside from specialty bars. I have one that's got a ton of shea, one that's olive-mango, a lard or tallow, and an oatmeal soap with RBO. My friends all have their favorites, pretty evenly between the 4 recipes, so that's what I've narrowed it down to (from 8 initially). Time will tell if I add or subtract from those 4, but I think they're keepers for now...

 

[Ruthie]

I have 2 main recipes that I use over and over, just changing the additives that I put in. I have tweaked the base recipes a bit, but they are pretty much the same each time I use one. (Actually, there are 3 including my salt bar.)

 

[Candybee]

I have been tweaking on my base recipe for at least a year now. That is the one I want for my basic bath soap. I already have my fav castile & bastile recipes. I am now concurrently tweaking on my newest facial bar and my black soap. I have my shave soap recipe the way I want it but need to work on the consistency. I want a cream shave soap version and a puck version and its somewhere inbetween. So, back to tweaking...

 

[fuzz-juzz]

I almost always use same recipe. I did try to tweak it a bit but always come back to the original. I tried to make few batches with less CO to be used during wintertime. We still haven't used that soap but after we do I will know if this recipe will be the keeper.
I also only have one recipe for facial bar.

 

[Benjamin]

I have a base recipe that I really like for a standard shower bar. It's a very simple recipe that uses castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and lard. I still try new recipes, and fancy oils, but I haven't found anything I like better. Recently I decided I should stop messing around and stick with what I like--but there's always a new oil or additive that sounds fun or interesting, so we'll see how long I last.

 

[kazmi]

After making 2 bastille soaps (both hp) I did a lot of research on oil/butter properties and after a little tweeking I've settled on a base recipe. Only the additives are changed based on what I want the soap to be used for and who it is for (dry or oily skin, hand soap versus body or face, etc). It helps keep some of the costs down.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I'm going for a number of base recipes, as I don't think that there is one recipe that would be perfect for all of the categories that I'm looking at -

Male shower bar
Male face bar
Female shower bar
female face bar
"Kitchen" bar (for cleaning grubby hands)

Plus then any special bars like Pine Tar and salt bars.

I know, I could use the same recipe for male and female and just change the scents, but I don't just want to assume that it is the acceptable option before trying things out.

To the OP, I think that books often use 1 recipe because a) it works, b) you become familier with it as you work through the book and c) they can then sell more books at a later date!

 

[shunt2011]

I have two base recipes I use for my body bars and facial bars, a salt bar, kitchen/gardners soap and a shaving soap. That's enough to keep it pretty simple and keeps pricing reasonable as well.

 

[seven]

i have a few base recipes based on what parts of the body the soap is for (body, face). if i'm in the mood, i also like to throw in a dash of the more expensive/exotic oils here and there, purely for market appeal. ppl in my country love it when they see an oil that is unfamiliar to them but have been hearing good things about it. and i will gladly cash in on that, lol

 

[DeannaM]

I have a base recipe that I really like for a standard shower bar. It's a very simple recipe that uses castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and lard. I still try new recipes, and fancy oils, but I haven't found anything I like better. Recently I decided I should stop messing around and stick with what I like--but there's always a new oil or additive that sounds fun or interesting, so we'll see how long I last.

Benjamin I was wondering if you'd be willing to share your base recipe? I'm very new to soap making but I'm pretty sure I like the olive, coconut, castor, and lard combo the best mostly because it's all supplies that I can pick up at Walmart (the shipping from a couple of online suppliers I've ordered from is killing me). Mine is about 38% olive, 31% coconut, and 31% lard with just a little castor thrown in. Thanks!

 

[Bex1982]

I've narrowed down my oils. I used to buy all different kinds and have different oils in every soap but the cost of buying a bunch of oils is steep. So I did sort of pick out two of my favorite recipes and tweaked all my other recipes so I could use the same oilsin them too just at dif %. So on my labels it probably looks like I have one base recipe but I don't really feel like it is since some are more cleansing more moisturizing etc.
I did all my oil playing in the first 2 years and then narrowed down what I liked and what was also cost effective.