Newbie help

[rebeccajo99]

I am thinking about buying some M&P base and give it a try (somebody told me that I didn't need to get my products tested by the state before selling- bad person ). I just started reading yesterday, but have done quite a bit in the past. I decided to start with M&P because of my 2 small boys that I don't want the lye in my house just yet and it seems like you can make cool decoritive soaps with M&P

However, I am getting really confused on additives. One place I read to add Olive Oil or Steric to make the soap harder. I'm thinking, that if I go with an all natural base, I would want to add Olive oil right??? Also, do I need to get just plain olive oil or is that extra virgin olive oil?

Also, I am thinking about starting with a Shea Butter Soap. Would it be better to buy a shea butter base or buy a white soap base and add the shea butter.

Thanks in advance for all of your help

[prairieannie]

I am thinking about buying some M&P base and give it a try (somebody told me that I didn't need to get my products tested by the state before selling- bad person ). I just started reading yesterday, but have done quite a bit in the past. I decided to start with M&P because of my 2 small boys that I don't want the lye in my house just yet and it seems like you can make cool decoritive soaps with M&P

However, I am getting really confused on additives. One place I read to add Olive Oil or Steric to make the soap harder. I'm thinking, that if I go with an all natural base, I would want to add Olive oil right??? Also, do I need to get just plain olive oil or is that extra virgin olive oil?

Also, I am thinking about starting with a Shea Butter Soap. Would it be better to buy a shea butter base or buy a white soap base and add the shea butter.

Thanks in advance for all of your help

Hi rebeccajo!

I'm not familiar with the laws in your state, but I'm reasonably certain that you don't have to have your products tested by the state before you can sell them.

Olive oil is a good thing to use to give your soap a little hardening quality, but in my opinion, a little beeswax goes further, and would be a great natural additive for your natural soap. It IS hard to melt, but it really works well. If you do get olive oil, it's not necessary to buy Extra Virgin... any olive oil will be just fine.

I'm always one to suggest buying white base and add your additives. I think you get better quality, and probably more of the good stuff when you add your own! But that's just me.

There is a really good additive thread in this section that should give you some fantastic ideas for other additives to make your soap even more fabulous! Be sure to read up on that and there's always someone around to answer questions if you have them.

Have fun!

[rebeccajo99]

Hi rebeccajo!

I'm not familiar with the laws in your state, but I'm reasonably certain that you don't have to have your products tested by the state before you can sell them. Do you know where I can find this information for sure. I tried to do a google search, but could not find anything

Olive oil is a good thing to use to give your soap a little hardening quality, but in my opinion, a little beeswax goes further, and would be a great natural additive for your natural soap. It IS hard to melt, but it really works well. If you do get olive oil, it's not necessary to buy Extra Virgin... any olive oil will be just fine. I'm willing to try a little beeswax. I found the additive forum you mentioned and it said 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons per pound of base depending on what you add. How would I know if I added to much? Also, do you melt the beeswax before putting it in to make sure it is completly melted?

I'm always one to suggest buying white base and add your additives. I think you get better quality, and probably more of the good stuff when you add your own! But that's just me. I was leaning toward the white base instead of the pre-made stuff. I also found a clear base, so now my brain is really going. If I use a clear base and add the shea butter, will that make it white or will it still have a clearish color to it. In the additive site it also said about 2 tablespoons per lb of base. That seems so little, how do I know if I added too little or too much?

There is a really good additive thread in this section that should give you some fantastic ideas for other additives to make your soap even more fabulous! Be sure to read up on that and there's always someone around to answer questions if you have them.

Have fun!

Couple of more questions I came up with. (sorry, want to make sure I do this right)

I was looking at and watching some video's on soap making. One of the video's that I watched was on wholesale supplies plus. It talked about an aquamarine coloring. I could not find it on their website for sale. Is that a good coloring method or is there a better one (in your opionion obviously). I liked how they mentioned the clear will have a bright color and white bases will give it a pastel color and will not bleed between layers. I also liked that it was natural.

Lastly, testing. I'm sure soap testing is just like candle testing... test, test and test some more. What are the things that I should all test for.

How long the bar lasts

How strong is the scent

Does the coloring turn the bubbles color or keep them white

Does it moisturize the skin or dry it out

Does it leave a film on the skin

Anything I'm missing???

I am almost out of body wash, so I thought now would be a good time to start playing around with it since I obviously have to take a shower:laugh2:

[prairieannie]

Couple of more questions I came up with. (sorry, want to make sure I do this right)

I was looking at and watching some video's on soap making. One of the video's that I watched was on wholesale supplies plus. It talked about an aquamarine coloring. I could not find it on their website for sale. Is that a good coloring method or is there a better one (in your opionion obviously). I liked how they mentioned the clear will have a bright color and white bases will give it a pastel color and will not bleed between layers. I also liked that it was natural.

Not sure on the aquamarine coloring. There are some other threads in this section on colors that people use. I suggest reading those because I rarely color my soap! It either stays natural in color or I use natural colorants for it (like paprika, cocoa, cinnamon, and other herby type things) On the rare occasions when I have used colorants, I bought liquid body safe colorants from Peaks and they work really well.

Lastly, testing. I'm sure soap testing is just like candle testing... test, test and test some more. What are the things that I should all test for.

How long the bar lasts

How strong is the scent

Does the coloring turn the bubbles color or keep them white

Does it moisturize the skin or dry it out

Does it leave a film on the skin

Anything I'm missing???

Does it have enough bubbles and is the lather as creamy as you would like it? These will both be big things for MP soap.. and probably the reason that you will start using other additives.. to increase the bubbles and cream up the lather!

I am almost out of body wash, so I thought now would be a good time to start playing around with it since I obviously have to take a shower:laugh2:

I'm hoping someone else will come along and chime in on the state testing stuff, but most of the states in the US don't have that requirement. Florida has some more stringent laws on stuff, but to my knowledge that's the only one. I certainly could be wrong though..

On your additives.. if you add too much of anything your soap will probably diminish in bubbles. That's why making a fabulous bar of MP soap is so much more than just Melt, and Pour!

Normally you won't get enough bubbles in a base anyway... so you will want to play around with different things eventually to see what you can do. The additive forum has good rules of thumb to follow!

I definitely suggest melting beeswax before adding to the melted soap.. it's melting point is super high.. it takes a good while to get it liquified!!

Adding anything to a clear base will cloud it up!

2T per pound of base for additives is a good starting point, but you will find after experimentation that a good base will hold a LOT of additives, and you will also find what combinations of additives work the best for you!!

It's a learning process, but a FUN one! Enjoy!

[Candybee]

When I first started making M&P soaps I bought the sample kit with all the different type bases in it. They came in 2 lb blocks and I got about a dozen or so of all the bases. It was fun trying them all out and seeing which ones I liked.

After working with different additives and different bases, I finally started making my own soap recipes for each kind of soap I make.

Its lots of fun to try different additives out in your M&P. But I think it helps a lot to pick your base first after trying out a few. See who has the bases you like best and then decide which base or bases you want to use.