Can anyone give me a good easy homemade soap recipe?

[Harley's Girl]

I have searched on line and they all call for lye. And from the sounds of lye it is nothing to mess around with. So I am looking for a nice and easy soap recipe. Thank you in advance! :bouquet

 

[Beekissed]

Are you looking for made from scratch type of recipes or just something by which you can create some snazzy soaps?

As far as I know all handcrafted soaps use lye in the recipe. Now, if you just want to create some good, homemade soap and get creative, you can buy bulk melt and pour soap to rebatch into bars. You can do alot with these and there are so many options. Safe to make with kids also and they seem to love it...even my boys! There is so much out there but you have to shop around to get the best deals. This is one site I think I've bought from previously.

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/melt_and_pour.html

 

[Harley's Girl]

Thanks Beekissed, I am on my way to check out that link now!

 

[Farmfresh]

Don't let them freak you out about the lye.

Yes you have to be careful and use some common sense, but nuclear weapon it is not.

I have been soaping for several years now and LOVE IT!

Try my favorite link.

They even sell beginner kits!

http://www.summerbeemeadow.com/

 

[Wifezilla]

Melt and Pours are fun and easy. I add olive oil to mine to get a very inexpensive castille type soap.

To get a great deal on melt and pour ingredients, save those Micheal's, Joanne's, and Hobby Lobby 40% off coupons and just pick up a bag here and there.

 

[freemotion]

I agree, lye is not for children to play with, but it is no worse than many chemicals we have in everyday life. OK, it is worse than bleach, but you will handle it in basicly the same way as you would bleach.

The big difference is that it will heat up when added to water, so you have to use very cold water. I put my goat's milk in icecube trays yesterday so I can make my first batch of goat's milk soap without burning the milk when it is mixed with the lye.

Lye was sold right in the grocery store up until very recently, as a drain opener. That is where I used to buy it for my soap making adventures. I plan to get serious with the soapmaking again, so I ordered a case of 12 through my local hardware store, for $36. That will make a LOT of soap!

Just have the proper equipment...rubber gloves, a pitcher marked "lye only, don't use!" and a silicone spoon to mix with. Plastic works just fine for the pitcher and the soap mold I use is a plastic storage tote with a smooth bottom and sides. You can even use a sturdy cardboard box if you line it.

Seriously, it is not that difficult or dangerous if you use common sense and read the precautions. We'll talk ya through it if you choose to make your own right from scratch. Making soap just consists of measuring accurately and stir-stir-stir until your arm falls off, then pour into a mold, throw a blanket over it, and the cut the bars the next day and set them on a mat (I use needlepoint plastic mesh) with a little space between them to cure for 2-4 weeks. That is it. Oh, and simple temp control, keeping the temp down to the minimum to melt the fats, usually somewhere around 80-90 or so. Easy-peasy!

Melt and pour works, too, but not much profit if you are wanting to sell it. Depends, really, on what your reasons and goal are with the soapmaking.

 

[me&thegals]

This is something I would like to learn next winter. Maybe I can actually remember to dry and save a pile of herbs from the garden for it Does anybody use bee's wax for soap, or is it just for candles and lip balms? If I manage to get bees ordered and top bar hives built ASAP, the top bar hives produce a LOT of bee's wax. It would sure be fun to use it for soap or other home products!

 

[hennypenny9]

To get a great deal on melt and pour ingredients, save those Micheal's, Joanne's, and Hobby Lobby 40% off coupons and just pick up a bag here and there.

Right now there is a 50% off coupon at JoAnn's!

And many things are dangerous if used for the wrong purposes... I may go watch Fight Club now, lol.

 

[Farmfresh]

First I highly recommend Rubbermaid brand pitchers for mixing the lye in. They can get hot (lye will get over 220 degrees F when mixed with cold water) and still stay solid and safe.

I also recommend buying a "stick blender" like you use to make shakes - I think Emeril calls them motor boats - just for the purpose. They really help the soap to "trace" (a soap term) faster.

As far as the bee's wax - there are some recipes that use bee's wax, but I use it a lot more often when making body lotions or moisturizers.

 

[freemotion]

This is something I would like to learn next winter. Maybe I can actually remember to dry and save a pile of herbs from the garden for it Does anybody use bee's wax for soap, or is it just for candles and lip balms? If I manage to get bees ordered and top bar hives built ASAP, the top bar hives produce a LOT of bee's wax. It would sure be fun to use it for soap or other home products!

Be sure to let us know here if and when you have beeswax to sell. If I ever go through the brick I bought at Joann's.....with a coupon!!! I would prefer to use home-grown. I am learning to make lotions and creams and will make some for my massage practice and for gifts, so maybe I will make it through that brick sooner rather than later!

It is so similar in many ways to making mayo!