I started doing HP soaps earlier this year and couldn't get my recipe right, everything I did was just so DRYING on the skin *ICK*. I tried again with quietgirl's recipe that I found here a few weeks ago, tweaked it just a tiny bit and am having a BLAST with it. Though I do have to agree that 25lbs of lye right off the bat is A LOT. I've been buying small containers of it from my local ACE Hardware stores relatively cheap. I've had about a dozen successful batches under my belt and might consider larger batches in the near future but I still don't think I'm ready or comfortable sinking that much in money and materials (containers, bags, etc...) into my lye yet. Remember too that this might be something that you don't enjoy doing or find is such a PITA that you don't want to do it that often. Having that much lye on hand would really suck if that were the case. Crisco, Lard, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Coconut Oil are all things you should be able to find at your local grocery store/Walmart and are great in soap. On your first few batches, not only would I go somewhat small, I would go somewhat cheap on the oils so that you can get a feel for it and if you have any "OPPS" batches they don't hit your wallet quite so hard. It is LOTS of fun though and I do hope you enjoy it!