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Author Topic: Soap Making  (Read 7854 times)

Offline blckoakbees

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Soap Making
« on: June 19, 2008, 07:33:53 am »
 :?

Does any one have a good recipe for making soap with the beeswax and honey.  I thought that might be a fun project.

Thanks,

JA
California

Offline eri

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2008, 10:51:24 am »
Brushy Mountain sells soap-making kits for the beginner. Has lye in it, though. I've looked at poured soaps (no lye). I'm interested, too, in hearing from folks who've made soap. I had a bar with honey in it and it smelled great!
On Pleasure
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And to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving of pleasure is a need and an ecstasy.
People of Orphalese, be in your pleasures like the flowers and the bees.

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2008, 03:49:04 am »
lye is great in soap.  It really cuts through grease and oil. 

Offline dpence

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2008, 01:14:59 am »
Actually by definition soap has lye in it.  Anything else is called a detergent bar.  Just ask my wife.

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Offline marlena

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2008, 01:49:05 am »
That's right, just ask me!  ;)  My husband is right. All true "soap" is made with lye.  That's why what you buy at the store will say "bath bar" or "beauty bar" on the label.

JA.....I make a really nice Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey soap that has both beeswax and honey in it. If you truly want to try your hand at making soap, I'd be happy to help you with a recipe. Lye is really not bad to work with as long as you use the proper safety gear and handling procedures. How big of a batch would you like to make?


~Marlena






Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2008, 03:52:45 am »
This may be a little off topic, but it seems like today's soaps have more fillers in them than soap.  Used to be a bar of soap was rock hard, but you could get a good lather out of it twice a day every day for 3 months... but I'm lucky to get a week out of a bar today... it's all the moisturizers and stuff they add now.  I kinda wish I could get that old fashoned just plain old soap.  It always washed away clean (no soap scum buildup), too.  Sure my skin would get dry, but I'm a guy.  My skin isn't supposed to be buttery smooth. 

Offline chefbb

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2008, 03:53:15 pm »
Marlena,
I would love your recipe...to make say, a gallon of soap???  My son did a chemistry project on soapmaking and it was really amazing!! I think I had more fun than he did! I think the hardest thing was to find the lye...But, now I have lots and need to make some soap!
Thanks for any information you can share!
Bonnie
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Offline deejaycee

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2008, 06:24:01 pm »
Marlena, could I trouble you for a copy of that recipe too please?  I've been thinking about getting into soaps and such for a wee while, but would love to be able to start with a proven recipe. 

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2008, 08:47:12 pm »
 All I know is, Soap burns my eyes!!!
 But you know whats really coool??
 depence and Marlena!!!
 They're kinda like together here..in the same place but not in the same place..Sorta like a conference call!
 When depence was talking about "ask my wife" and she just appears, sort of like a guest on the Oprah show, coming out from behind a curtain, to everybodys amazement!!!
 THAT was COOOOOLLL!!!!


your friend,
john

Offline marlena

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2008, 02:56:33 am »
Normally a soap recipe is by weight. I'm not sure what a gallon of soap would weigh. I have several really good recipes depending on the oils you want to use and how mild you want the soap to be. When adding honey, the norm is about 1 TBS ppo (per pound of oil).

For the beginner....I would suggest the following recipe:

42 oz Olive oil
2.5 TBS honey (optional)
2 oz fragrance or essential oil (optional)
5.3 oz lye
5.7 oz water (use distilled)

That recipe makes what is known as a castile soap. Many believe it to be the gentlest soap you can make. And I tend to agree. If you want to include beeswax in this recipe, just sub 2 ozs beeswax for 2 ozs of the olive oil. You will have to heat the olive oil in order to blend the beeswax into it. Just allow to cool down before adding lye solution.

And PLEASE.....don't forget to wear safety gear when messing with lye.

If anyone is wanting a more complex recipe, just holler.

SgtMaj......my husband remembers his grandmothers soap darn near stripping his hide off but he says he was squeaky clean and a chunk of that soap lasted forever.  He wants me to make some plain soap with no moisturizing qualities. Maybe I'll have to send you a sample to try out when I get it made.  :-D



~Marlena

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2008, 08:16:48 pm »
 I always thought that people here were using beeswax to make soap from.

your friend,
john

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2008, 06:30:38 am »
SgtMaj......my husband remembers his grandmothers soap darn near stripping his hide off but he says he was squeaky clean and a chunk of that soap lasted forever.  He wants me to make some plain soap with no moisturizing qualities. Maybe I'll have to send you a sample to try out when I get it made.  :-D



~Marlena


Marlena, I'd absolutely love that!  Wouldn't mind having the recipe either.

Offline blckoakbees

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2008, 07:22:10 am »
Marlene,

Thank you for the recipe.  I am wondering if there is a book you would recommend to help me get started.  I have never done this before.

I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you.  I just started a new job last month and while I really like the work, work gets in the way of life.

Thank you for any advice you can give me would you recommend buying the bushy beginning kit?

JA
California foothills

Offline marlena

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2008, 01:30:10 am »
JA.......I learned by doing alot of reading on the internet. There are several websites that give step by step instructions with pictures on making cold process soap. I believe I'm not allowed to post links yet so I'll PM it to you along with the link to a soapmaking forum that has a wealth of information. I must warn you......one batch of soap made and you'll be hooked!



SgtMaj......You got it! I'll let you know when I get it made. I'll even send the recipe that I use with it. I believe David's grandmother use animal fats (tallow & lard) to make her soap. I'm planning to do the same. Do you have any reservations about using a soap made from those two oils?


~Marlena

Offline greenismycolor

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2008, 03:30:56 pm »
Marlena

Thank you for posting the recipe. It seems nice and simple opposed to some that seem so complicated, I've read so many I have confused myself.. :-\  Anyway, I have been thinking of making soap for a while now and I will try yours.  My question is, can I cut this recipe in half? and, do I mix everything together cold, heated, if so what temp? is there any particular material in a pan, pot or bowl that I should use? Do you mold yours individualy or make one big block and cut it? if so, what do you use to cut it with? Do you or can you add color?  I hope you don't mind all the questions. I appreciate any information.

Green
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Offline derrick1p1

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2008, 05:58:21 pm »
I was looking into making soap last year and gave up because I couldn't find lye and was under the impression you couldn't get it anymore.

Where on Earth can you purchase lye???

I won't let grass grow under my feet, there will be plenty of time to push up daisies.

Offline greenismycolor

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #16 on: July 16, 2008, 12:20:13 am »
Derrick

You can order it online at brushymountain.com and betterbee.com.  Look in their soap making section.

green
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Offline greenismycolor

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #17 on: July 16, 2008, 12:26:18 am »
Marlena

If it's not to much bother, I would really like the recipe you have for the Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey soap that has both beeswax and honey in it. I have a friend who's daughter was born with a chronic skin condition, and I read somewhere that this would be a great soap for her.

green
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Offline marlena

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2008, 01:37:14 am »
Green,

No problem.....I'll share me OMH recipe with you. And I'm happy to answer you questions the best I can.

Olive oil  -  41 oz
Beeswax  -  1 oz
Fragrance oil  -  2 oz (optional)
Honey  -  2.5 Tbs
Ground oatmeal  -  2.5 Tbs  (I grind in coffee grinder)
Goat's milk  -  12 oz
Lye  -  5.3 oz

Due to the chance of overheating the milk with the lye, I freeze the milk before adding the lye. Allow the lye solution to cool. Add the beeswax to the olive oil and warm the oil till beeswax is melted. If using fragrance, add to olive & beeswax. Allow olive & beeswax mixture to cool. I usually wait for everything to reach room temp or at least pretty close to that. Once all is cool, add lye solution to oils. Hand stir only. Do not use a stickblender. Stir till soap begins to lightly thicken then add ground oatmeal. Stir till soap reaches trace (pudding consistancy). Pour into mold. Unmold and cut after about 24 hrs.

I've had several people claim that this soap is great for skin problems so your friend's daughter may find that this soap helps her. Everyone is differant and it is certainly worth a try. I would recommend that you NOT add the fragrance when making this soap for anyone with skin problems. I mix my soap in a plastic paint bucket (got at Wal-mart). I pour into a loaf mold. The above recipe makes a loaf of soap that measures 12.5 long x 3.5 wide x 2.5 high. DH got me a soap cutter this year so I cut my soap using it but before that I used a drywall blade and a miter box to cut my soaps. I usually cut 1 inch bars from the loaf. That should give you about 12 bars of soap. I don't add color to this soap because the milk and honey cause the soap to turn tan. It's best to allow this soap to cure at least 8 weeks before using but you should be able to safely use the soap at 2 weeks.

If you would rather make a smaller batch of soap let me know. I can post the revised recipe for a smaller batch.

Hopefully I made this clear as mud.  :-D   

~Marlena

Offline deejaycee

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Re: Soap Making
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2008, 07:05:23 pm »
Marlena, thanks so much for all your input here.  It'll be a couple of months before I probably get to give this a go (got some study that I have to dedicate to in the interim), but I'm really looking forward to it.

One question - where you give a weight for lye... is that 'dry' lye flakes or crystals or however it comes... or a solution?  I've seen reference to lye solutions in some sites and am a bit confused.