Teach Soap

If you could go back in time and tell your newbie, soap making self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Practice makes perfect is a super annoyingly correct saying. I got frustrated when I would see what soaps other people turned out, and then got frustrated when I couldn't do the same myself. Over time however, as I understood everything more, I knew how to replicate what I wanted to do.

And patience. The amount of times I poked something thinking it was ready, only to leave a finger indent made me cry lol

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Patience is key. Coolah and I learned that the hard way LOL We suck at it. But it is important to wait for the right time (like waiting a couple days to unmold ungelled soap).

Also, don't use a stick blender with florals. That got me the first time!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

What happens if you stick blend florals? I used mine on a Rosehip Jasmine and it worked great! I haven't done other florals yet so it'd be good to be forewarned!!
-Sherri

A lot of florals tend to accelerate trace or can make the soap seize. You got one of the ones that don't momsoap.

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

That patience is key and mistakes are not actually mistakes. They are great learning experiences. I usually get excited now when I make a mistake as long as it doesn't completely ruin the batch. I take detailed notes and think it's a wonderful learning experience!

Mine would be 'give it time' in long-term sence. I mean, not only wait for 24 hours (or more) to unmold but after you cut it just leave it alone for a month, two or three and only then let the judgment begin

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I am Lora

To do very simple and small batches at first. You don't need to make a goat milk, honey, 8 color swirl, 4 lb batch for your first attempt.

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Genny

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I have only been soaping for about a month and I think I may be addicted, I think about it all the time, read everything on the forum and have already made 4CP batches and 2 HP batches. I am really lovin it, but I keep reading to take notes and I'm not sure why or what to write down. Is this for someone creating their own recipe because I have only made soap from the recipes in my book or on the web. I dont think I could ever create my own recipe I'm still lost about the oil blends and espically what Super fattening means. But for now I am enjoying other soapers creative juices and really appreciate their talents.

Write down the batch name, the recipe used, the scent and/or colours used. Did it accelerate? Discolour? Did it heat up? What temperature did you soap at? And any other observations about the batch, even down to was it humid that day, or super hot. ANYTHING about the batch! I've made 2 exact batches with only difference being the temperature/humidity and had completely different experiences.

For an example you can google laboratory notes and see how those are taken, you literally record everything. This is good to do with soap too! You never know when you'll want to repeat a soap or find the tiny change that caused a problem soap.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I now have a template I print out before I make every batch. It has my recipe on it, but also a spot to mark if I went over a gram, etc... And yeah, lye temp, oil temp, FO/EO used and amount, did it affect trace and how, the colours I used, etc, etc. I print it out, then just write in the spaces provided as I go or as soon as I finish.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Start sooner and don't wait for ever to give it a go

All this time I have been terrified of working with lye, afraid I would blow up the house or something...I COULD HAVE BEEN MAKING SOAP! What was wrong with me? Why was I so scared of it? (possibly my over protective mother? who knows?)

But really, I've been at it less than a month and I LOVE IT! I wish I would have started sooner (like years ago after the first goat kidded and came into milk) instead of spending ages fretting over the lye and being scared, and can only say don't hold back - you won't ever know if you like it if you sit around in shadows THINKING about it...

And be sure you are using mentors and info that is current, UTD and CORRECT! There is so much "junk" out there - in real life and the internet - learn to filter that FAST and move on to info that is useful and true!

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

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Genius is 1 % inspiration and 99 % perspiration

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!