One more thing...

[EggsForIHOP]

I was wondering...

Is it really cheaper in the long run to make your own soap? Like for example....

I have gone to Suave pretty much completely - suave shampoo, body wash, hair spray. It's cheap. But I can make soap I think, I'm pretty clever at times...but if it is going to cost more in the long run then why? As a gift - it's a quality gift to give at a fraction of the Bath and Body works price I bet...is it also just better quality also? I was just curious...looking for one more project on my long list I guess...

 

[~gd]

I was wondering...

Is it really cheaper in the long run to make your own soap? Like for example....

I have gone to Suave pretty much completely - suave shampoo, body wash, hair spray. It's cheap. But I can make soap I think, I'm pretty clever at times...but if it is going to cost more in the long run then why? As a gift - it's a quality gift to give at a fraction of the Bath and Body works price I bet...is it also just better quality also? I was just curious...looking for one more project on my long list I guess...

In my opinion it is NOT cost effective unless you have your own sources for ingredents. If a few pounds of fat is left from processing your own animals, well lye is cheap. If you buy your ingredients from a soap making site you would be better off buying what they call 'melt and pour' which is available in many basic formulations and they will sell you scents, colorants and molds to form it in to suit your fancy. If you love a scent in soap that is only available in top of the line products or want to be sure that the scent won't make your skin break out it makes sense to try melt and pour. Or if you like a certain size and shape, or color...
I am an older male and like to shave the old fashioned way with a mug of shaving soap and a brush. If I can even find shaving soap in a store the price is very expensive. When I traveled a lot I used to take those tiny hotel/motel bars and throw them in my mug after I had used them. Later I found a woman that made goats milk soap. It worked very well but it smelled of goat! Talking to her I learned that she bought basic soap and added her own goat's milk. Got on her suppliers site, Bought a 2 pound tub for about the same as I was paying for a 2 oz cake of soap and a small vial of Sandlewood. Now I just carefully melt the soap in my mug in the microwave just before it sets up I mix in a couple of drops of scent and I am good to go. I hope this was some help.

 

[valmom]

It depends!

I started making soap because my SO was always buying the nice hand made soaps at $5 a bar, and they didn't last long! I figured I could keep the supply up myself- and I also love knowing how to do things and am always looking for a new project to learn. I kept a cost log- it isn't particularly cost effective, but the soap is so much superior to store bought, it doesn't compare! I use olive oil and canola oil from the store, Crisco (the new formulation is mostly palm oil) and buy coconut oil online. The oils for scents run about $5 for 2 pounds of soap (I use Southern Scents one ounce sampler bottles for each 2 pounds). I make big bars and get 8 or 9 bars from 2 pounds.

I really enjoy the experimental part of soaping!

 

[EggsForIHOP]

This is kind of what I figured would be the case. It's hard to do the math when you are looking at supplies and such on line for something like this because you never know how many tries it will really take to get it right - so there is always the potential of having a whole batch of funky soap.

I figure it will be a fun little project to utilize as a holiday gift - instead of shopping and trying to be fair and spend equally on everyone and all that drama - and any mistakes or less than perfect product can be used here at home I don't mind trying something that is more of a break even thing than a spend less thing at times - so if it costs about the same but makes a great gift, well, that would work just fine Just as long as it doesn't turn out to be a waste of money then I am olay with it.

 

[Blackbird]

For ME, it is VERY cost effective, because I sell my goat milk soap, $5 a bar.. Now.. Anyone want to buy some off me??


Even when I still bought all organic oils online I was still making money back after my sales. If I remember correctly, buying in bulk, all the oils and lye (minus the milk) was around $75, and even then they were in gallon containers, so they could be used for several batches. My average batch produces 30 bars, so that's about $75 income per batch. NOW, however, I use local non-organic oils so I'm spending even less on oils.

 

[Farmfresh]

I wouldn't do it if it wasn't cost effective! Too darned cheap for that!!

I think anyone who doesn't think soaping is/or can be cost effective REALLY knows what they are talking about.

Sure you could use pre-made beginner kits and spend a lot of money. Sure you COULD spend a freaking fortune on tropical oils and special scents, but you do not have to!

I have been making our own soap for many years now. I have a few basic recipes that I use a lot. All of them are QUITE cost effective.

First lets deal with basic tools for soap making.

Stainless steel stock pot ($12.00 at Big Lots AND the one I use for soaping is a reject from cooking that developed a split along the top edge!)

Rubbermaid 1/2 gallon pitcher ($6.00 and worth every penny)

Nylon spoon ($2.00)

250 degree thermometer ($6.00)

Personal protection = goggles and gloves $8.00 (I got the good goggles)

I also have a couple 18 inch hunk of PVC pipe with a couple of fittings that I use for a soap mold but since you can use lots of items, even recycled "trash" items like old mouthwash bottles, old Gladware type containers etc for soap molds I am not going to even give the molds a cost.

So that brings my total up to around $35.00. Now figure that I have been using the same equipment to make my families soap for the last 6 years... that is pretty cheap start up.

My easiest soap recipe is for a 100% olive oil Castile.

I buy the lye from a Soap Supply on line Summer Bee Meadow It costs $8.73 for 35 oz. I use about 7 oz of lye for a batch of soap so that means I spend $1.75 on lye for each batch of soap.

The Castile soap is BEST when made with LOW grade olive oil. The fat in the low grade oil is better and there is less scent. I buy my olive oil by the gallon at Sam's Club warehouse store. 101 ounces of oil is $13.88 and a batch of soap takes 52 ounces which is $6.94 cents a batch.

Now review what I have spent.

$35.00 set up supplies
$ 6.94 olive oil
$ 1.75 lye
-------------
$43.69 for the first batch IF I never make another batch again (of course my tools will last a LONG time to come and can be used for other stuff as well)

For my investment I will make approximately 75 ounces of wonderful for your skin very mild unscented soap. This is NOT your on sale cheapo detergent bar this is high quality soap so you HAVE to compare apples to apples.

100% Olive Oil Castile soap sells for between $1.00 and $1.50 per ounce!

soap 1
soap 2
soap 3

So on my FIRST batch of soap I have made approximately $75.00 worth of soap for my family AND not only REPAID my ENTIRE investment I earned $31.31 for my time and effort!

This is just ONE of many recipes I make. Sure I sometimes spend a little extra for a special oil or some fragrance, but by in large I make MY soap using natural tallow, lard, easily and cheaply acquired oils, herbs and botanicals that I GROW etc. Just as ANY one could.

Yes I would say soaping is VERY cost effective.

 

[Blackbird]