... Like I need another hole in my head..

[blacktieaffair]

Ok, I swore up and down, sideways and backwards for years, that I'd never do CP. I'm just too clutzy and math gives me hives.

But, I've read and read this forum, and two other boards trying to get at least a tiny bit of knowledge so I could make an informed decision on whether I wanted to do this or not.

Thing is, yall are confusing the living you know what out of me ! LOL

Can you guys and gals give me some suggestions, on REALLY detailed yet easy to follow ( is that an oxymoron? ) book(s) that explain this stuff? I mean all of it from %'s to discounts to trace to ash to .. yeah yall know what Im talking about!

I dont mind buying five or so books and reading til my eyes cross. I just think I MIGHT like doing this , but Im so confused , that no matter how much yall explain something in your posts.. the terminology that is second nature to you, is total Greek to me!

Any book ideas? Suggestions? Tutorials? Can I hire yall ? LOL

TIA !

[ChrisR]

This site should answer pretty much all your questions, it's a great tool for beginners!!

http://www.millersoap.com/#Soap

[MoonShadow]

As a newbie myself, I can relate. It took me about three months of "mental preparation..." :embarasse

I read and read and read the threads here, especially the Abbreviations and INCI information for Soaping/B&B.

Then I read it again. I read some other boards as well, but, IMO, this one is the best.

I scoured in internet, Google automatically searches for COLD PROCESS SOAP MAKING every time I open my browser.

Then I bought The Soapmaker's Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch, and The Everything Soapmaking Book by Alicia Grosso.

I watched a ton of Youtube videos. Bathmisstress has some GREAT ones to learn from.

Then I started playing with Soap Calc found the View or Print Recipe button after you've plugged in the recipe to be particularly helpful for me as it gives you the properties of the soap.

Then I just DID IT. Bought me some safety gear, choose a fragrance I knew not to accelerate trace, and just DID IT. And it wasn't NEARLY as scary as I expected.

That's just how I began. I'm sure it's different for different people. But this place right here is a wonderful resource. :highfive:

[ChandlerWicks]

Not so scary & really, really fun! Even fugly soap is great!

[MoonShadow]

Not so scary & really, really fun! Even fugly soap is great!

Really, really fun and really, really addictive!

[ChandlerWicks]

:bliss:Yep, Yep, Yep!

[Candybee]

Hey girl! Once you start you will kick yourself for not doing this earlier! Like others I read a lot too until I was confused and couldn't retain one more factoid. So I just jumped in as I am a hands on learner. I used Miller's handmade soap at www.millersoap.com as the beginning of my journey. It has some great basic soapmaking info. Also, go to www.thesage.com and read their site, soaping instructions, and play around with their calculator. What I like about using their calculator is when you print out your recipe you can get the basic instructions on the recipe sheet. Thats what I did and found having the instruction right there on the recipe sheet helped me enormously on my very first batch.

But now my fav soap calculator is www.soapcalc.com. I love all the info you get on your soap.

The recipe I used for my first batch of soapwas from this forum; AJ's Basic Recipe in the recipe section. I just love the soap and its still my fav soap.

Once I made my first batch then I wasn't nervous anymore. You just have to jump in at some point and give it a try. Make sure you read the safety info for handling lye and print out the instructions if it makes you feel better.

[Stella1952]

BlackTie, I found that reading all of the above and more helped, then I started playing with SoapCalc. I save and print out the formulas to hang in front of my nose while soaping. Because I have saved the different formulas, I can go back and compare what I *thought* would happen and what DID happen. Soap Calc is a GREAT study tool for me!!! I am able to see how the percentages affect the other numbers, etc. then later compare with how the soap actually comes out.

Some things, like controlling the consistency, I learned by experience and am still learning! Normally, I only use 33% water ('cause it's so freakin' humid here all the time) but if I want those wonderful showy swirls like a column swirl, etc., I have to use a larger percentage of water or it's gonna be too thick to flow easily. It took me several tries to get the consistency right for a column swirl. It's so sad what happens when the stuff gets too thick, but you try anyway... The soap hangs slumped on top of the column and just dies right there... When I finally DID get it right, it was AMAZING!! I was so busy watching the pretty colors, I didn't notice when I overflowed the mold at the back on my unlevel stovetop!! Oops!! The first one bombed because the colors morphed a little and the soap darkened. What started out bright and vibrant turned murky and dim... so I learned not to use the components that caused the darkening in the next attempt. The fugly swirl, BTW, was a favorite of my customers despite its appearance.

The wonderful thing is that when something DOES go wrong (and it will), you can save the soap in-progress by throwing it into a crock pot or you can rebatch it the next day. I've never (yet!) had to throw out a failed batch of soap, although some were butt ugly. Even fugly soap can be rebatched and made more beautiful and it still works in the shower (or on the dogs).

I also found at first that I needed to make at least a 2 pound batch because the small batches are more sensitive to the slightest little thing. Larger batches have been more forgiving of my incompetence. Now that I have a little experience under my belt, I can go back to favorite formulas and make them in smaller 1 pound batches and not screw them up too badly.

Candlemaking is a big love of mine, but making CP soap is pulling alongside it because it's so fascinating! AND when you have a bad soaping day you can always go soak your troubles away in a nice bath with candles and one of your soapies that DID come out well!! All I have to do now is learn how to make homemade wine to go along with the candles and soap and I won't ever have to come out of the bathtub! ROTFLMAO

Go for it!! You'll have fun!! :-)

Edited March 3, 2012 by Stella1952

[Oceangazer1]

Goggles, Gloves, and an apron is what I wear from start to finish. Don't fear lye, but never become complacent.

[powderblueboutique]

Ok, I swore up and down, sideways and backwards for years, that I'd never do CP. I'm just too clutzy and math gives me hives.

But, I've read and read this forum, and two other boards trying to get at least a tiny bit of knowledge so I could make an informed decision on whether I wanted to do this or not.

Thing is, yall are confusing the living you know what out of me ! LOL

Can you guys and gals give me some suggestions, on REALLY detailed yet easy to follow ( is that an oxymoron? ) book(s) that explain this stuff? I mean all of it from %'s to discounts to trace to ash to .. yeah yall know what Im talking about!

I dont mind buying five or so books and reading til my eyes cross. I just think I MIGHT like doing this , but Im so confused , that no matter how much yall explain something in your posts.. the terminology that is second nature to you, is total Greek to me!

Any book ideas? Suggestions? Tutorials? Can I hire yall ? LOL

TIA !

Kathy millers site is amazing!

So girl, We are going to start small......PICK A RECIPE, now make a mold or buy one that can hold the volume of your recipe. You do not want your soap to be at the rim, nor do you want it to be 1/2 way down. Think of making a really GOOD cake.

Purchase your oils, and in the meantime buy all of your safety gear. All utensils should be plastic, stainless steel, or silicone.

At once, you have everything you need!

Why buy so many books? I have only purchased 1 in 12 years.

Don't worry about abreviations, terms or discounts, right now. Ash is the least of your worries. Trace... when you start making cp or hp, for that matter, you will recognize it

I will be happy to help you more as I am sure many will...

good luck lady B

Edited March 4, 2012 by powderblueboutique

[Kitn]

I read about soap making for about 4 months before I dared to try it. First batch was a charm and a thousand batches later, I still love/have to make soap. Take your time, when you are ready to make your first batch you will know.

[ChandlerWicks]

Watch the Bathmistress on youtube if you can. I had bought a SS huge pot & a SS huge mixing bowl to use. After seeing her vid's, I bought a 2 gallon empty paint bucket at Lowe's that I love much better. It's so sturdy & no splashes. $3.97 too. The stickblender doesn't tip it over either.

[Candybee]

I second the bathmistress videos on youtube. Great stuff! Also, like Chandlerwicks, I found plain old flat bottom cheap plastic buckets are a godsend for soaping. I also use an old plastic pitcher dedicated to my lye water. Got it for a $1 at the local Goodwill store. Also, plastic spoons, spatulas, and a whisk for $ .50 cents each at the local Goodwill. Use them every time I soap. Don't throw away your old towels or blankets, repurpose them for wrapping your mold to gel your batch.

[jackie]

I read one book (Smart Soapmaking by Anne L. Watson), picked a recipe from this forum, bought oils at the grocery and gloves/goggles and just tried it. It seems alot more scary before you do it. I've only made a few batches now but I feel like I learn more each time. Soapcalc confused me at first but I'm more comfortable with it now too (it does the math for you but you do need good scales). Some sites just have too much info and it's confusing to a newbie. I'd say give it a try. It's lots of fun. I did not scent or color the first batch to keep it simple. Stuff gets easier to understand when you're actually working with it rather than just reading.