Hello, this is my first post on Soapmaking Friend.

[kimberlyk202100]

Hello,
I thought I would introduce myself before asking any questions. My name is Kim, and very interested in soapmaking. I have read many books on this fun project but have yet to create my own.
This week I started gathering supplies that I will need. This supply gathering will take me a month to be able to attempt making any soap.
Is there a certain book or internet video that you might suggest on getting started?
This coming week, I have SCI in my amazon order. I didn't really notice too many posts on this ingredient for extra lather. Do any of you pro-craft soap makers use this product? Maybe I will wait till I have a few batches made before using this. Any thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

I learned quite a bit from Soap Queen on youtube and a ton of real-life help from soapmakingforum.com

SCI? What does that stand for?

 

[Sar]

I learned quite a bit from Soap Queen on youtube and a ton of real-life help from soapmakingforum.m

SCI? What does that stand for?

SCI is Sodium Cocyl Isethionate. Generally used in shampoo and syndet bars.
I've been wanting to experiment with it but never got around to it. It can make a lower ph soap.

Hello,
I thought I would introduce myself before asking any questions. My name is Kim, and very interested in soapmaking. I have read many books on this fun project but have yet to create my own.
This week I started gathering supplies that I will need. This supply gathering will take me a month to be able to attempt making any soap.
Is there a certain book or internet video that you might suggest on getting started?
This coming week, I have SCI in my amazon order. I didn't really notice too many posts on this ingredient for extra lather. Do any of you pro-craft soap makers use this product? Maybe I will wait till I have a few batches made before using this. Any thoughts?

Hello!
There is a lot one great information on the soapmakingforum. And definitely check out Classic Bells website and Modern Soapmaking website as well.

 

[Greg Bastiansz]

Hello,
I thought I would introduce myself before asking any questions. My name is Kim, and very interested in soapmaking. I have read many books on this fun project but have yet to create my own.
This week I started gathering supplies that I will need. This supply gathering will take me a month to be able to attempt making any soap.
Is there a certain book or internet video that you might suggest on getting started?
This coming week, I have SCI in my amazon order. I didn't really notice too many posts on this ingredient for extra lather. Do any of you pro-craft soap makers use this product? Maybe I will wait till I have a few batches made before using this. Any thoughts?

Hi Kim

I too started Soapmaking a little over two weeks ago. Prior to commencing soap making I watched a lot of videos on soap making through YouTube and also read a lot of information through the Internet. I followed a free course offered by Alison through their platform. Also purchased a few ebooks from Amazon on soap making.
There is a lot of information if only one search the internet. You can check the following sites Scribd, Academia, Loving soap, and a plethora of other websites.

My first attempt at soapmaking was a flop. Excess stick blending. Didn't know when trace occured. Second attempt made a Neem and Tumeric batch. Result was okay but could have been better. My third batch was a pink Himalayan salt soap which was quite satisfactory. Only problem was that this batch of soap " sweating". There are plenty to learn. Tomorrow will be making a carbolic soap as today's batch failed and traced immediately lye solution was incorporated to the oils. No recipe just going blind and on trial and error method.
Once you start making soap, you may not get it right the first time. Do not use any fragrances or EO ( essential oil) just do some unscented soap till you get the hang out of it. Once you master and know your soap inside out, then you can start producing soap with fragrances and EOs and play with your soaps making swirls, fancy designs etc. I am just doing small batches until I master the trade.

Also the soap needs to be cured for at least 4-6 weeks . So your results of your soap will be known four weeks after unmolding the soap. You can also test the batch with a pH test but that is only to check if saponification is complete.
Hope this helps.
Wishing you all success.

 

[Wheatress]

Hi Kim

I too started Soapmaking a little over two weeks ago. Prior to commencing soap making I watched a lot of videos on soap making through YouTube and also read a lot of information through the Internet. I followed a free course offered by Alison through their platform. Also purchased a few ebooks from Amazon on soap making.
There is a lot of information if only one search the internet. You can check the following sites Scribd, Academia, Loving soap, and a plethora of other websites.

My first attempt at soapmaking was a flop. Excess stick blending. Didn't know when trace occured. Second attempt made a Neem and Tumeric batch. Result was okay but could have been better. My third batch was a pink Himalayan salt soap which was quite satisfactory. Only problem was that this batch of soap " sweating". There are plenty to learn. Tomorrow will be making a carbolic soap as today's batch failed and traced immediately lye solution was incorporated to the oils. No recipe just going blind and on trial and error method.
Once you start making soap, you may not get it right the first time. Do not use any fragrances or EO ( essential oil) just do some unscented soap till you get the hang out of it. Once you master and know your soap inside out, then you can start producing soap with fragrances and EOs and play with your soaps making swirls, fancy designs etc. I am just doing small batches until I master the trade.

Also the soap needs to be cured for at least 4-6 weeks . So your results of your soap will be known four weeks after unmolding the soap. You can also test the batch with a pH test but that is only to check if saponification is complete.
Hope this helps.
Wishing you all success.

I sincerely hope that “no recipe just going blind” doesn’t mean you have skipped using a lye calculator, which is a must in order to make useable soap.

 

[Greg Bastiansz]

I sincerely hope that “no recipe just going blind” doesn’t mean you have skipped using a lye calculator, which is a must in order to make useable soap.

No haven't used a soap calculator since glycerin, liquid wax, carbolic acid not included in the list of oils and fats of SoapCal.

I have schedule to do another trial tomorrow with carbolic, glycerin and liquid wax. Planning on doing 3 test trials as follows:
First - Incorporating glycerin, liquid wax and carbolic acid

Second - Incorporating glycerin and carbolic acid.

Third - Incorporating carbolic acid and liquid wax

Other ingredients that would be used are oils of coconut, palm/palmolien, sunflower along with additives to reduce acidity.

Will post outcome in this forum for fellow mbers.

I sincerely hope that “no recipe just going blind” doesn’t mean you have skipped using a lye calculator, which is a must in order to make useable soap.

 

[Yooper]

If you only have two weeks experience with no finished soaps, and don’t use the soap calculator at all, please refrain in giving expert advice.

Carbolic acid and liquid wax are uncommon ingredients, but you can easily add the under ‘custom’ additives to use the calculator.

Since you are experimenting, which is great, please do not encourage others to do so, or to tell them they are wrong. Thank you.

 

[kimberlyk202100]

I learned quite a bit from Soap Queen on youtube and a ton of real-life help from soapmakingforum.com

SCI? What does that stand for?

Thank you, I will look for the videos.

 

[kimberlyk202100]

Hi Kim

I too started Soapmaking a little over two weeks ago. Prior to commencing soap making I watched a lot of videos on soap making through YouTube and also read a lot of information through the Internet. I followed a free course offered by Alison through their platform. Also purchased a few ebooks from Amazon on soap making.
There is a lot of information if only one search the internet. You can check the following sites Scribd, Academia, Loving soap, and a plethora of other websites.

My first attempt at soapmaking was a flop. Excess stick blending. Didn't know when trace occured. Second attempt made a Neem and Tumeric batch. Result was okay but could have been better. My third batch was a pink Himalayan salt soap which was quite satisfactory. Only problem was that this batch of soap " sweating". There are plenty to learn. Tomorrow will be making a carbolic soap as today's batch failed and traced immediately lye solution was incorporated to the oils. No recipe just going blind and on trial and error method.
Once you start making soap, you may not get it right the first time. Do not use any fragrances or EO ( essential oil) just do some unscented soap till you get the hang out of it. Once you master and know your soap inside out, then you can start producing soap with fragrances and EOs and play with your soaps making swirls, fancy designs etc. I am just doing small batches until I master the trade.

Also the soap needs to be cured for at least 4-6 weeks . So your results of your soap will be known four weeks after unmolding the soap. You can also test the batch with a pH test but that is only to check if saponification is complete.
Hope this helps.
Wishing you all success. I'm still thinking things through. I don't want to be too drying on the skin; I was thinking of adding olive and grapeseed oil to the coconut.

Good thought on not adding colors and fragrance for the first few batches.
I'm still thinking this through and fiddling with the numbers.
Thank you for your recent adventure and much appreciated mistakes. That's how I learn, and probably many other people.

 

[kimberlyk202100]

SCI is Sodium Cocyl Isethionate. Generally used in shampoo and syndet bars.
I've been wanting to experiment with it but never got around to it. It can make a lower ph soap.



Hello!
There is a lot one great information on the soapmakingforum. And definitely check out Classic Bells website and Modern Soapmaking website as well.

Thanks, I bookmarked classic bells. She answered questions I had about the soap calc...hardiness and cleansing not what a beginner might think this means.