# first time soap making



## katmike (Apr 29, 2005)

I've been trying to get my wife interested in soap making... what does she use for molds? What soapers forum is this?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

katmike said:


> I've been trying to get my wife interested in soap making... what does she use for molds? What soapers forum is this?


The molds are soap boxes I made myself. The soap forum that was recommended is www.soapdishforum.com Seems like a nice crowd of very helpful people.


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## LusciousHoney (Jan 8, 2008)

Beautiful soaps! I especially like the one with orange spots.
How do you color your soaps?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

LusciousHoney said:


> Beautiful soaps! I especially like the one with orange spots.
> How do you color your soaps?


Thank you!
So far, were just using craft store bought soap dyes. When the mixture is about mixed to the right point, we separate some in a small bowl, add half the small dye bottle to that, and the other half to the main pot. Then layer or mix in as we poured the molds.

The first batch we did (orange soap), we hand stirred (never again), and it never did thicken. So we poured the rather runny mix into the main mixture that was already in the mold. It just settled that way. Of course, we'll never be able to duplicate that again if we tried...  The soap did harden and it looks like it turned out ok.

We really want to go with natural colors and not mix in dyes and chemicals. But this was the easiest way to learn the fastest. We'll start messing with natural clays, and other colorants as soon as we know what that involves.


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## arjay (Jun 8, 2007)

i just ran out of most of my trial-order supplies, and last night i placed my big order, which hopefully will tide me over at least until the bees start flying and i can return my obsessions... uh, i mean, attentions, to my first love.


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

So Bjorn, how's the soap? It looks nice, but if it takes your skin off... 

In the old days when soap making was relatively new, you were just as likely to end up with paint remover as usable hand soap. With today's recipes, SAP calculators, etc., you're much more likely to end up with satisfactory soap. I'm pretty new at soap making but true to form, I've already departed the beaten path. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Whatcha got for ingredients in that soap?


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Hey George,
The lower right soap is beeswax and tallow.
The lower left is a olive, palm, almond, coconut, and Shae butter beauty bar with no scent or dyes.
The rest are a mixture of palm, coconut, almond and olive oil soaps with rose, lavender, and jasmine scents.


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

BjornBee said:


> Hey George,
> The lower right soap is beeswax and tallow.
> The lower left is a olive, palm, almond, coconut, and Shae butter beauty bar with no scent or dyes.
> The rest are a mixture of palm, coconut, almond and olive oil soaps with rose, lavender, and jasmine scents.


Hey nice! I've been concentrating on honey/beeswax/propolis soap so far, some hot process, some cold process. I rendered 15 pounds of tallow and 12 pounds of lard- that was a whole process in itself! Been mixing it with mostly olive oil and coconut oil. Having more fun than a beekeeper ought to have, in the winter time..


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

looks very good, so how big are the bars? if that paper towels they are sitting on take a few pics after you cut them and use your hand in the pic to show us some size comparison if you would, I would like to try that one day, did you use Lie in them? I really like the bars on the bottom left with the lumps on top, adds to them I think, nice job!!


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