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What I wish I would have known…
The following comments come from soapers, both veteran and beginners, who have been kind enough to share with you their thoughts and experiences on soaping. This is from a handout that we commonly include in our beginner classes at Otion.
I wish I had kept more accurate records on my first few batches. They were actually some of my best, believe it or not.
Not to be afraid of lye..if you respect it..all is well. It took me months before I got the nerve to make soap...and the only reason I did was cuz I had a wonderful woman on another board kinda hold my hand. I couldn't believe I was so scared!
I wish I had known that a failed batch is very seldom a lost batch! Crying into a curdled batch at one o’ clock in the morning is no fun! Rebatching & I have become firm friends.
Another thing I think newbies should know is how to experiment and practice cheaply. Cheap recipes, what can be used for moulds, cheap colorings (natural colorings like things in your pantry) etc etc.
Use a light hand when adding herbs/oatmeal, etc. Don’t ask how I know!
MOST IMPORTANT - Newbies need this forum!! I have found so much info and more importantly, support here and would never have been going onto my 8th batch in my second week, if you guys weren’t there to encourage and support me with advice and ideas and of course, ((((((hugs))))). (Handcraftedsoap.org)
I had been afraid of using lye but she (teacher) taught us to mix the lye in the kitchen sink so that if the glass broke or if you added something that made it bubble over it would simply clean your drains instead of damaging your house or family (or yourself) I have since had both those things happen and was glad for that advice.
What I have discovered on my own is not to try more than one new thing at a time- like don't try new FO, new mold and new coloring all at the same time.
Do not pour your water into your lye, do not use rit dye or crayons to color your soap, etc.
You don't have to start out spending tons of money on expensive oils and molds. Simple household items like Pringles cans and glad containers make wonderful molds. And for your 1st few batches, the simpler the better. Don’t bother with scents and colors until you get the hang of recognizing trace, and have a few batches under your belt.
I wish I knew about EOs that fade (citrus, especially!), and had a better understanding of how much EO or FO was necessary to scent a batch to my liking! I'm still trying to figure this out, since I've found that the amount I need varies from scent to scent. If anyone has the magic answer, please shout!
I wish that I embraced lard earlier in my soaping experiments. At first I was convinced that I'd be a "veggie oil only" kinda soaper, but I tried lard once and I've never looked back. Lard is particularly nice for newbies because it's readily available, inexpensive, and when used in combination with other oils, it makes a perfectly wonderful bar of soap!
I wish I knew that goatsmilk is not the only kind of milk that adds nice properties to soap! After participating in the milk swap, I have become a convert to coconut milk...I love that it does not discolor, and that it enhances the lather of my bars. It's shelf stable too - so I can always have some on hand for whenever the mood to make soap strikes!
I wish I knew that EOs are not the only way to beautifully scent soaps, and that it's generally much cheaper to use high quality FOs. I was a total snob at first and spent big bucks on EOs...some of which I love, others I will probably never use up...before discovering fabulous, reliable, and affordable scents from vendors like Sweetcakes and Brambleberry. (note: Bramble Berry is the parent company to Otion.)
Making a huge batch (9# in my world) is not a good test size! LOL
I was shocked when I first realized how much heat came out when mixing my lye solution. I'd read about it, but still... when not prepared for it, almost dropped the glass container on the floor the first time I soaped.
How important it is to wear eye protection...My sister had a horrible eye injury and it was a tough lesson to learn, but needless to say we always remember to wear those goofy goggles!!
_________________ Happy Soaping!
Anne-Marie
blog: www.soap-queen.blogspot.com
supplies: www.brambleberry.com
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