Holy freaking soap!!!

[Rebbetzin]

I used some star shaped cupcake silcone molds that I had hanging around here for soap molds. They do work great. I think I will get some other silicone shapes to use.

 

[Bettacreek]

The silicone molds are nice for sure, but I prefer my loaf mold. Less mess and fuss when pouring. Cheaper too, since I don't have to buy 50 pans/molds to make a batch. I just tape wax paper around each side and then slowly pull the hinged sides down, then slide a butter knife down the other sides and the bottom, it comes right up. I'm thinking about making the next one with all four sides hinged, but I'm just not sure yet, might be hard to keep it straight.

 

[Kim's chix]

Hey y'all! I'm new here, so please forgive me for being ignorant. I've been making those melt and pour glycerin soaps. they sell ok, and they are easy to do. I'd like to make the 'real' kind though. But I'm a little scared. All I know is what I've read. Is it hard to do?

 

[Bettacreek]

Not in the least. It's going to be a little more "involved" than melt and pour, but it's not hard. Look online for a basic, easy recipe, and start from there. Then do some research on the different properties that the different oils bring to the soap, and tweak the recipe to your liking. An easy recipe would be 1/4 coconut oil and 3/4 olive oil. Punch that into soapcalc.net (the soap calculator there) and go from there. Start off with unscented batches until you're comfortable, then start adding fragrance, then add whatever other oils you need.

 

[valmom]

There is also a whole long thread on soaping somewhere on here (I am hopeless on searching- I really have to save that thread so I can find it!)

I am now making knitted washcloths to put with my soaps for the craft fair at work- my MIL's idea. I think I am going to draft her to help out!