Teach Soap

Hello I am new to the Teach Soap forum and I have been making MP soap for a couple of years and now that I have watched enough videos of how to safely use lye, I feel ready to try my first batch of CP soap. My ? is does FO & EO have a shelf life I have quite a bit of it and I have kept it in a cool dark place for the last few years. Do you think it is still ok ?

Second ? What would be the best oils and butters to start out with as a beginner. I want good bubbles lather moisturizing and cleansing.

3 ? I have heard that red devil lye is no longer available if so what is my alternative for a local hardware store?

4? what size soap form should I use and what is preferred by most ... wood or poly and what size for beginning , I would like a loaf !

I will apologize in advance for being so verbose, I am so excited to start this process. I have so many more questions but I thought I would let you breathe in between my rants I have ordered 3 books everything soap making and 2 others. Thank You for helping me

Welcome!
Essential oils definitely have a shelf life. Orange oil, for example, has a shelf life of about 6 months. After that it starts to oxidize. You will need to research each one as they are not all the same. For some helpful hints and tips, read this sticky that I posted some time ago.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3800
Fro fragrance oils, I would ask or email the vendor. Soap doesn't moisturize; it cleanses the skin without stripping. Coconut oil will give you bubbles, but some people find that over 20% it can be drying. Castor will also help with bubbles. I believe that Rooto lye is still pure. You will need to check your local store to make sure. Otherwise, you can buy it online in small amounts and it usually costs less.
I would start with a 1 pound recipe, converted to grams. Make a unscented, uncolored batch so you can learn what trace is. That way if you mess up a batch, you haven't wasted a lot of expensive ingredients.

For books, I like Alicia Grosso Everything Soapmaking book. Good luck!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I would get ! It has a lot of great info and a lot of great recipes and tutorials too!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist