Soap Making Part 1 of 2
TarotLadyLissa asked:
This is the first of 2 vdeos where i show how to make soap. I do not list my exact recipe. **WARNING** If you are working with lye, PLEASE use EXTREME caution! —– http://tarotladylissa.chipin.com/soap-making-supplies
Danny
The Evolution of Soap
Iris Fuchs asked:
Have you ever wondered what soap is, what ingredients it is made out of and how it is made? How do you think our ancient ancestors got clean? Did they use soap at all? How has soap evolved over the centuries to be the conventional soap we know of today. In modern day, there are so many types of soap available in virtually all shapes, colors and scents.
Prehistory
It is believed that prehistoric man used only water as a cleanser and purifier.
Ancient Babylon
In ancient Babylon (2800 B.C.), wood ashes were burned with animal and vegetable fats and this substance was used to cleanse and treat skin disease. It was also used for a shiny hair look and as hair nourishment.
The Greeks
The Greeks were known to wash themselves with clay pumice and sand which stimulated the blood circulation in the body as well as removed dirt.
The Romans
Soap got its name when the Romans at ‘Mount Sapo’, a popular location for animal sacrifices, discovered it. Rain mixed the animal fat residue (tallow from cattle) with the burned wood on the clay and a chemical reaction occurred. Women living on the banks of the Tiber river discovered that clothes which they washed using this substance were much cleaner and cleaned with much less effort.
The Early Americans
The early Americans made soap using a process known as ‘Cold Process’, which yielded soap comprised of animal fat and lye extracted from wood ashes (potassium hydroxide). The substances were mixed in the right concentrations and animal fat would be added along with steady stirring. Because of the time it took the soap to cure, soap makers would commonly repeat this process twice a year.
Modern Day
Today, natural soap is most commonly made using the Cold Process method where lye (a base) is added to a vegetable alkali (an acid) such as palm oil, coconut oil, or olive oil, which causes the chemical reaction known as ‘saponification’. When the mixture becomes the desired consistency, it is poured into a mold. The bars are then removed from the mold after setting (approximately 24 to 48 hours). They are restacked, covered and left to cure. As in the old days, the curing process can take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks depending on the formula. In modern times, animal fats are typically no longer used in this process since vegetable oil based soaps were found to be chemically superior and can be of higher quality than soaps made with animal fats. Vegetable oils are more readily absorbed by the skin, while animal oils have been found to clog pores and aggravate certain skin conditions, such as eczema.
Summary
It is remarkable that the basics of the soap making process are essentially unchanged over the course of the past 2000 years. Of course, the advent of modern day technological advancement, along with our understanding of chemistry has made the soap making process much more accurate and a refined science and art.
Remington
Have you ever wondered what soap is, what ingredients it is made out of and how it is made? How do you think our ancient ancestors got clean? Did they use soap at all? How has soap evolved over the centuries to be the conventional soap we know of today. In modern day, there are so many types of soap available in virtually all shapes, colors and scents.
Prehistory
It is believed that prehistoric man used only water as a cleanser and purifier.
Ancient Babylon
In ancient Babylon (2800 B.C.), wood ashes were burned with animal and vegetable fats and this substance was used to cleanse and treat skin disease. It was also used for a shiny hair look and as hair nourishment.
The Greeks
The Greeks were known to wash themselves with clay pumice and sand which stimulated the blood circulation in the body as well as removed dirt.
The Romans
Soap got its name when the Romans at ‘Mount Sapo’, a popular location for animal sacrifices, discovered it. Rain mixed the animal fat residue (tallow from cattle) with the burned wood on the clay and a chemical reaction occurred. Women living on the banks of the Tiber river discovered that clothes which they washed using this substance were much cleaner and cleaned with much less effort.
The Early Americans
The early Americans made soap using a process known as ‘Cold Process’, which yielded soap comprised of animal fat and lye extracted from wood ashes (potassium hydroxide). The substances were mixed in the right concentrations and animal fat would be added along with steady stirring. Because of the time it took the soap to cure, soap makers would commonly repeat this process twice a year.
Modern Day
Today, natural soap is most commonly made using the Cold Process method where lye (a base) is added to a vegetable alkali (an acid) such as palm oil, coconut oil, or olive oil, which causes the chemical reaction known as ‘saponification’. When the mixture becomes the desired consistency, it is poured into a mold. The bars are then removed from the mold after setting (approximately 24 to 48 hours). They are restacked, covered and left to cure. As in the old days, the curing process can take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks depending on the formula. In modern times, animal fats are typically no longer used in this process since vegetable oil based soaps were found to be chemically superior and can be of higher quality than soaps made with animal fats. Vegetable oils are more readily absorbed by the skin, while animal oils have been found to clog pores and aggravate certain skin conditions, such as eczema.
Summary
It is remarkable that the basics of the soap making process are essentially unchanged over the course of the past 2000 years. Of course, the advent of modern day technological advancement, along with our understanding of chemistry has made the soap making process much more accurate and a refined science and art.
Remington
HP Soap Making Part 1 of 3
Organic Soap Making
VermontSoap asked:
This is how we make USDA Certified Organic soap. From start to finish, we hand make each bar from the finest ingredients possible. We believe this is the mildest soap available!
Stephanie
Making Soap is Now Made Easy
andrew asked:
How to Make Soap: The Two Popular Methods
If you are not aware yet, there are actually two widely-used methods of making soap. This includes the Melt and Pour Soap Making Method and the Cold Process Soap Making Method. What difference is there between the two and which should I use? Let us take a good look at each of them.
Melt and Pour Method for Soap Making
The melt and pour process of making soap is ideal for soap crafting beginners. All you need is a melt and pour soap base. You simply melt your soap base, put in additives such as fragrance and essential oils, then put inside a soap molder. Once hardened, simply take it out of the mold then start using it.
Cold Process Soap Making Method
The cold process method for soap making is the method of making soap from its actual raw materials. With the cold process method, you combine sodium hydroxide or lye with cold water then allow it to settle at room temperature. On another mixing pot, combine the oils and fats then heat the mixture at 120 degress Fahrenheit while stirring occasionally.
You then combine both solutions then thoroughly mix until the texture even out and the solution becomes thick. When it is thick enough, you can put in fragrance, colorants and other additives then stir thoroughly once again. Finally, put the soap into soap molders then allow to solidify within about 24 hours.
For an excellent outcome, it you will find it best to follow soap recipes which can be bought in in local and online craft stores. These recipes contain ingredients and tools list, together with a detailed instruction on how to make soap.
The character of the soap you make will depend on the additives you put into your formulation. For instance, you can put in tea tree essential oil to give it an anti-bacterial property, or you can add organic oats for exfoliating effect. You may also feel free to play around with soap making recipes for you to come up with a formulation that best suits your preferences.
While making soap can be as easy as 1-2-3 as long as you follow the right steps, it doesn’t mean that problems can not happen when making soap. Remember that soap making, as in all kinds of crafts will need time and experimentation to perfect.
Jimmy
How to Make Soap: The Two Popular Methods
If you are not aware yet, there are actually two widely-used methods of making soap. This includes the Melt and Pour Soap Making Method and the Cold Process Soap Making Method. What difference is there between the two and which should I use? Let us take a good look at each of them.
Melt and Pour Method for Soap Making
The melt and pour process of making soap is ideal for soap crafting beginners. All you need is a melt and pour soap base. You simply melt your soap base, put in additives such as fragrance and essential oils, then put inside a soap molder. Once hardened, simply take it out of the mold then start using it.
Cold Process Soap Making Method
The cold process method for soap making is the method of making soap from its actual raw materials. With the cold process method, you combine sodium hydroxide or lye with cold water then allow it to settle at room temperature. On another mixing pot, combine the oils and fats then heat the mixture at 120 degress Fahrenheit while stirring occasionally.
You then combine both solutions then thoroughly mix until the texture even out and the solution becomes thick. When it is thick enough, you can put in fragrance, colorants and other additives then stir thoroughly once again. Finally, put the soap into soap molders then allow to solidify within about 24 hours.
For an excellent outcome, it you will find it best to follow soap recipes which can be bought in in local and online craft stores. These recipes contain ingredients and tools list, together with a detailed instruction on how to make soap.
The character of the soap you make will depend on the additives you put into your formulation. For instance, you can put in tea tree essential oil to give it an anti-bacterial property, or you can add organic oats for exfoliating effect. You may also feel free to play around with soap making recipes for you to come up with a formulation that best suits your preferences.
While making soap can be as easy as 1-2-3 as long as you follow the right steps, it doesn’t mean that problems can not happen when making soap. Remember that soap making, as in all kinds of crafts will need time and experimentation to perfect.
Jimmy
How to Make Soap
Robert asked:
Soap is a salt of fatty acid and it is formed out of a simple chemical reaction between fatty acids and an alkali. It is only the ingredients that separate a harsh soap from luxury premium soap just as there is a difference between a normal chocolate and a fruit and nut chocolate. With a prudent choice of oils and adding quality perfumes and an elegant color, you soap becomes a lovely piece competing with probably the one that is shown in your favorite soap commercial. Although, soap is a product of simple chemistry there are 4 methods of soap preparation at home namely:
. Cold Process method
. Melt and Pour method
. Re-batching or re-blending method
. Hot Process method
Amongst the 4 methods, the cold process is the most common method adopted. Cold Process Soap Making: The method involves taking calculated amount of oils, heating and melting the oils in a soap pot. Then add alkali to it. Thoroughly mix oils and alkali. Add perfume or choice of fragrance. Mix again. It is optional to add colors and other additives. Then the soap mixture is ready. It can be poured into molds and allow some time to set.
Use rubber gloves because dealing with alkali can damage ***** skin. Also alkali solution can be simple water dissolved or dissolved in other solvents such as beer, milk. They make soaps softer and can give added moisturizing quality to your soap. Soap making can be fun and messy as well. So organize the workspace and keep all ingredients ready before you start making soap.
Sawyer
Soap is a salt of fatty acid and it is formed out of a simple chemical reaction between fatty acids and an alkali. It is only the ingredients that separate a harsh soap from luxury premium soap just as there is a difference between a normal chocolate and a fruit and nut chocolate. With a prudent choice of oils and adding quality perfumes and an elegant color, you soap becomes a lovely piece competing with probably the one that is shown in your favorite soap commercial. Although, soap is a product of simple chemistry there are 4 methods of soap preparation at home namely:
. Cold Process method
. Melt and Pour method
. Re-batching or re-blending method
. Hot Process method
Amongst the 4 methods, the cold process is the most common method adopted. Cold Process Soap Making: The method involves taking calculated amount of oils, heating and melting the oils in a soap pot. Then add alkali to it. Thoroughly mix oils and alkali. Add perfume or choice of fragrance. Mix again. It is optional to add colors and other additives. Then the soap mixture is ready. It can be poured into molds and allow some time to set.
Use rubber gloves because dealing with alkali can damage ***** skin. Also alkali solution can be simple water dissolved or dissolved in other solvents such as beer, milk. They make soaps softer and can give added moisturizing quality to your soap. Soap making can be fun and messy as well. So organize the workspace and keep all ingredients ready before you start making soap.
Sawyer
Soap Making Can Be Fun And Profitable
Ralph Ruckman asked:
If you have ever made soap from scratch or are thinking about it, you should probably know that it can be one of the most frustrating things you will ever do. After learning the process though, a lot of people find it to be one of the best hobbies or crafts they have ever done. Soap making can be a hobby for people, but it can also turn out to be a very profitable business. Before you go rushing into thinking that you are going to just create this beautiful and profitable soap making business, you had better look at some the important features regarding this business.
The most important feature of a soap making business is going to be the legal disclaimers. You had better know what you are doing when you create your handmade soap. People can not just go out and buy the necessary materials, whip out a batch of soap, and then proceed to marketing or selling it. You have a lot of disclaimers and in some states, laws that you have to abide be. Each state, region, and country is different, so it is up to you to do your proper research on the matter and to complete all the paperwork necessary for you to proceed with your soap making business.
After you have cleared all of the legal necessities out of the way, it is all systems go for your business. Now you will have to think about your time planning. Time planning will be crucial to your business, as everyone that has made soap knows that it is a tedious process. Set yourself a schedule up and follow it. If you have soap curing, take the time to start mixing yourself another batch. By having a continuing process, you will be able to produce more soap and not fall behind, which will only lead to confusion and frustration.
Now that you have gotten all the legal stuff out of the way, and you have a good amount of soap made, it is time for you to sell your soap. People who sell soap are only limited by their imagination. Craft fairs are huge for soap sellers. Travel to a craft show and set up a booth to present and sell your soap. Not only can you make good money from this, but you can also get tons of ideas for more soap. People stopping by your booth will critique your soap. They will tell you what they do or do not like about it. Always accept the compliments, even if they seem rude. This is “critique” and it can either “make” or break” you.
Bath and Body work shops are a huge fan of soaps. Some of these store will allow a person to present their soaps inside their stores. This is where the legal disclaimers come in. You will not even get a blink from the manager if you do not have your legal paperwork. Also, this may cost you a fee to present your soaps in the bath shops. Always research and think the deal over before making your decision. If you do present your soaps in these shops, this can be huge. Try to provide some type of business card, or a website address about your soaps. Word of mouth is an enormous tool, and in bath shops it can be a viral one. You may not be able to sell your soaps in the store, but a nice presentation can yield results overnight that you never would have thought of.
Online advertising for your soap business is not vital, but it could be if you are not quite cutting it in the “real world”. Just think of the possible number of people you could reach with your soaps. The numbers are endless. Have a nice little website set up showing all of your soaps. A first impression of your site is the critical part of advertising online. This will decide if a single person will ever return. It is good to have a description along with your soap pictures. You could explain what ingredients are in the soap, what fragrances are in them, etc…
These are only a few things you could do for a soap making business. This is assuming that either you know how to make soap or that you take the necessary steps to successful soap making. Once you have reached that point of success it will be time for you to think about broadening your horizons. A soap making business can be a very lucrative field for anyone to get into. Types of soap to make are endless, and the amount of money to earn is only limited to your willingness to make the soap and put it in front of the eyes of people.
Donald
If you have ever made soap from scratch or are thinking about it, you should probably know that it can be one of the most frustrating things you will ever do. After learning the process though, a lot of people find it to be one of the best hobbies or crafts they have ever done. Soap making can be a hobby for people, but it can also turn out to be a very profitable business. Before you go rushing into thinking that you are going to just create this beautiful and profitable soap making business, you had better look at some the important features regarding this business.
The most important feature of a soap making business is going to be the legal disclaimers. You had better know what you are doing when you create your handmade soap. People can not just go out and buy the necessary materials, whip out a batch of soap, and then proceed to marketing or selling it. You have a lot of disclaimers and in some states, laws that you have to abide be. Each state, region, and country is different, so it is up to you to do your proper research on the matter and to complete all the paperwork necessary for you to proceed with your soap making business.
After you have cleared all of the legal necessities out of the way, it is all systems go for your business. Now you will have to think about your time planning. Time planning will be crucial to your business, as everyone that has made soap knows that it is a tedious process. Set yourself a schedule up and follow it. If you have soap curing, take the time to start mixing yourself another batch. By having a continuing process, you will be able to produce more soap and not fall behind, which will only lead to confusion and frustration.
Now that you have gotten all the legal stuff out of the way, and you have a good amount of soap made, it is time for you to sell your soap. People who sell soap are only limited by their imagination. Craft fairs are huge for soap sellers. Travel to a craft show and set up a booth to present and sell your soap. Not only can you make good money from this, but you can also get tons of ideas for more soap. People stopping by your booth will critique your soap. They will tell you what they do or do not like about it. Always accept the compliments, even if they seem rude. This is “critique” and it can either “make” or break” you.
Bath and Body work shops are a huge fan of soaps. Some of these store will allow a person to present their soaps inside their stores. This is where the legal disclaimers come in. You will not even get a blink from the manager if you do not have your legal paperwork. Also, this may cost you a fee to present your soaps in the bath shops. Always research and think the deal over before making your decision. If you do present your soaps in these shops, this can be huge. Try to provide some type of business card, or a website address about your soaps. Word of mouth is an enormous tool, and in bath shops it can be a viral one. You may not be able to sell your soaps in the store, but a nice presentation can yield results overnight that you never would have thought of.
Online advertising for your soap business is not vital, but it could be if you are not quite cutting it in the “real world”. Just think of the possible number of people you could reach with your soaps. The numbers are endless. Have a nice little website set up showing all of your soaps. A first impression of your site is the critical part of advertising online. This will decide if a single person will ever return. It is good to have a description along with your soap pictures. You could explain what ingredients are in the soap, what fragrances are in them, etc…
These are only a few things you could do for a soap making business. This is assuming that either you know how to make soap or that you take the necessary steps to successful soap making. Once you have reached that point of success it will be time for you to think about broadening your horizons. A soap making business can be a very lucrative field for anyone to get into. Types of soap to make are endless, and the amount of money to earn is only limited to your willingness to make the soap and put it in front of the eyes of people.
Donald
How to make Lye Soap : How to Stir Soap Mixture to a Trace for Homemade Soap Making
expertvillage asked:
Learn how to stir your soap mixture until a trace forms in this free video on homemade soap making.
Ana
Making handmade soap from natural and organic ingredients (soap making process)
HandmadeSoaps asked:
http://www.ThingsFromHomeinc.com Here is the “part 2″ video to my first video about “making” all natural and organic “soap”. I hope that you watch both back to back so you get the full “soap making” process that I use when I create my “all natural” and “organic” handmade (soaps), right in my own kitchen!! The first video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RjehTbgwXQ The guy interviewing me in the video is “Robert Bankston” of The Method Reports, llc, he is an “internet …
Nelson
Soap Making Beginners, Do You Need To Purchase Molds?
Jeffrey Dorrian asked:
The first soap mold I ever used was a drawer from an old dresser that was taking up space in my basement. Most soap makers start with some type of rectangular container. It should be at least 3.5 inches high as this will give you a little room for errors. Pvc piping is also popular for making round soap and is available at any hardware store for a nominal cost and you may have in your garage or basement.
Most cardboard boxes will work well as soap molds. Save a few and see which one works best for your volume of soap. You can easily line them with a plastic garbage bag that you have cut along the seams and laid across the box and tucked into the corners. Your soap will slide easily from the mold and you can then peal the bag right off the soap.
If you use a large flat box you can then pour your soap about 1.5 inches thick across the entire surface of the box. When you do it this way, please be sure and give some extra layers of insulation when curing as the large flat surface will dissipate the heat much more quickly than a thicker batch. After 24 hours you can then use cookie cutters to stamp out cute shapes of soap. If the soap is still too moist leave it uncovered for a few hours and it should harden up just enough to allow a nice cut with your cookie cutters.
Triangle bars are great looking bars that are easy to make. Take your block of soap out of the mold after 24 hours and cut lenghth wise into strips approximately 2.5 inches wide. Start at the end of each strip and make a 45 degree cut from the corner. Next, make another cut in the opposite direction, again at 45 degrees. This makes nice wedges of soap that are very attractive and easy to sell.
If you would like to make soap balls pour your block of soap more than 2 inches thick. Then after 24 hours take you soap out the mold and get an ice scream scoop and start making soap balls. Be sure to wear protective gloves to smooth out the edges. If you have two different soaps available you can scoop large chunks of each and use the contrasting colors to make a truly unique soap ball.
For specialty soap, you can use any extra candy molds you might have in your kitchen. Be sure and use only those that you have no intention of making candy with anymore. I sometimes would use old dessert cups that have a very nice round shape and make a very attractive bar of soap. Examine any and all baking utensils and molds that you aren’t using, these make great improvised molds for soap.
If you have any trouble extracting your soap from molds, let the soap stand in the freezer overnight. The soap will pop out of the mold the next morning. Some soap makers put a thin layer of petroleum jelly into molds that have nooks and crannies. Don’t use shortening as it will start to saponify along with your soap mix.
Santos
The first soap mold I ever used was a drawer from an old dresser that was taking up space in my basement. Most soap makers start with some type of rectangular container. It should be at least 3.5 inches high as this will give you a little room for errors. Pvc piping is also popular for making round soap and is available at any hardware store for a nominal cost and you may have in your garage or basement.
Most cardboard boxes will work well as soap molds. Save a few and see which one works best for your volume of soap. You can easily line them with a plastic garbage bag that you have cut along the seams and laid across the box and tucked into the corners. Your soap will slide easily from the mold and you can then peal the bag right off the soap.
If you use a large flat box you can then pour your soap about 1.5 inches thick across the entire surface of the box. When you do it this way, please be sure and give some extra layers of insulation when curing as the large flat surface will dissipate the heat much more quickly than a thicker batch. After 24 hours you can then use cookie cutters to stamp out cute shapes of soap. If the soap is still too moist leave it uncovered for a few hours and it should harden up just enough to allow a nice cut with your cookie cutters.
Triangle bars are great looking bars that are easy to make. Take your block of soap out of the mold after 24 hours and cut lenghth wise into strips approximately 2.5 inches wide. Start at the end of each strip and make a 45 degree cut from the corner. Next, make another cut in the opposite direction, again at 45 degrees. This makes nice wedges of soap that are very attractive and easy to sell.
If you would like to make soap balls pour your block of soap more than 2 inches thick. Then after 24 hours take you soap out the mold and get an ice scream scoop and start making soap balls. Be sure to wear protective gloves to smooth out the edges. If you have two different soaps available you can scoop large chunks of each and use the contrasting colors to make a truly unique soap ball.
For specialty soap, you can use any extra candy molds you might have in your kitchen. Be sure and use only those that you have no intention of making candy with anymore. I sometimes would use old dessert cups that have a very nice round shape and make a very attractive bar of soap. Examine any and all baking utensils and molds that you aren’t using, these make great improvised molds for soap.
If you have any trouble extracting your soap from molds, let the soap stand in the freezer overnight. The soap will pop out of the mold the next morning. Some soap makers put a thin layer of petroleum jelly into molds that have nooks and crannies. Don’t use shortening as it will start to saponify along with your soap mix.
Santos