Hobby & Craft Forums

Hi everyone
Just like to say hello to you all. I'm new to soaping and I'M ADDICTED.
I made my first batch at the end of January and so far I have made 10 batches. Not very good at it at the moment but I have created a few nice soaps and used several different techniques. Would love to give up my job (by the way I am a nurse and I manage a nursing home) to do this full time. Looking forward to talking to you all.
regards from Sue

Hi Sue and welcome to the forum- I'm an aspring soap maker myself although I've not got around to making anything but bath bombs and bath melts yet. Like you, I work with the elderly full time but got out of management about 5 years ago now- far too stressful! What have you made so far? Is it cold process or melt and pour?

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suebennett

Hi Nicki nice to meet you
The job is way too stressful just glad I've found something I enjoy doing so much. The batches have all been cold process (I've got the burns to prove it LOL). So far I have experimented with layering, imbeds ( balls of left over soap, sheets of soap cut from a block, blocks of soap with 'scrubbies' in like coconut, coffee grounds) I've managed to make curls and rolls and embed them. Last night I made a pink and white CP with dessicated coconut in and used 2/3 coconut milk in the lye. I managed to keep to lye solution under 110*f by freezing the coconut milk but the batch got really hot in the mould so no insulation. It looks pretty good this morning LOL. Sorry to go on but as I said I'm addicted. Looking for more ideas and recipes
Regards Sue

Hi and welcome!!

I like soap making too, not tried cold process yet - bit worried about giving the whole family and pets 1st degree burns, so best I stick to M&p for the time being. Bath bombs are relatively harmless, unless you are trying to buy citric acid from the chemist of course
Anyway - looking forward to hearing about your soap making exploits and getting to know you.

Hi here nice to meet you,
Tried buying citric acid from the winemaking shop and when I asked for a kilo the man almost fell off his chair LOL. Had a dabble with bath bombs and a little dissapointed as I almost expected them to wiz around the bath and explode (now I know). Anyway, I have got to confess that it was that awful 'Allsop' woman that got me interested in CP soap making and I have been turning them out ever since. You would have laughed with my first batch, I went into the kitchen dressed like I was about to difuse a bomb. Goggles, gloves, a scarf round my mouth, three layers of clothing, well anyway you get the picture. Now I'm over the scared stiff bit, a few minor burns later, but wearing long sleeves, goggles, platic apron and gloves. I've spent so much time researching on the net my husband thinks I've left home. I suppose he will have to get used to being a soap widower. Going to make a honey and oatmeal soap later today. My spare room is full, I have 110 bars of soap so far, maybe I can send you some to try once cured, I would love some feedback.

Ooooooooo, that'd be lovely Sue and a great way to get some feedback! And jeepers! be careful with that lye stuff. I don't tend to worry about burning my skin with it, it's more my eyes! Can you imagine getting that stuff in your eyes- it doesn't bear thinking about! I bought a really brill book by Ann Watson called Smart Soapmaking a few weeks back, it's got really great reviews and is a great read for beginners like us and dispells many of the myths such as insulating your soap and lye temperatures etc. Highly recommended!

I wear goggles all the time and keep white vinegar close by. My husband has been given first aid instructions in case I need it (once a nurse, always a nurse) but yeah, its scary. If I spash it on my skin I use white vinegar spray to neutralize it which works most of the time. Thanks for the tip on the book, I will get that one as I need all the help I can get. Mainly finding out what works (and what does not) by experiementing. I tend to troubleshoot my problems with searching the net. It will be nice to actually talk to you all about your experiences

all sounds very heath Robinson (not that there's anything wrong with that..!) - I like the fact you just give it a go and experiement too! - I guess you havent really tried all your soaps if you are leaving them a few weeks to "cure".. but do you have a favorite so far???

Hi there nice to meet you,
Well I would not say Heath Robinson, I have done a lot of research into the properties of oils, working out the ideal combinations for the qualities I wan't and yes, I have tried all the soaps. pH generally has been around 7-8, and although they still need the curing time they have all totally amazed me. The lather is very rich and creamy and I have been superfatting with shea butter so they are quite moisturing too. I run all the recipes through the SoapCalc Lye calculator. My favourite is the coconut soap, I used coconut milk in the lye (put it in the freezer first to keep the temp down) added desicated coconut to make it a 'scrubbie' and coloured it to look like coconut ice (layered pink and white). I used titanium dioxide to whiten the mixture first. Used a coconut fragrance oil although I would like to make some all natural soaps at some time. I made a honey an oatmeal soap a little earlier and I am watching it closely as its getting a little hot (got the fan blowing on it LOL) I also made one that looks like a chocolate trifle, just having some fun making some unusual designs. Next project is to make a black and white zebra stripe soap for my daughter (her house is all black and white). Anyway, what have you been making? Do you do cold process or melt and pour.

Hello Sue and welcome to the forum