Have a Soap Making Question?

Big Batch 
My family fell in love with the Shea butter and Coconut milk soap recipe. I was wondering what would be the measurements in making a 10lbs batch for this ...

Dead Sea Mud Soap 
Hi,

I've been using your recipes for quite a while now. I love them! Almost always a perfect batch! I recently have been hearing a lot of great things ...

Lasting Scents 
I was wondering what's the best way to store and preserve the scents in cold process soap until it's time to be sold?

Answer:

The best thing you ...

Shrink wrapper for soap 
I am looking for a good shrink wrap for my soaps. I want something that give a bit of protection but allows the smell to come through - can anyone point ...

Recipe for Raspberry and almond soap please?? 
Hello,

My fiancé and I would like to make soap for favours at our wedding in May. We are new to soap making and have researched the cold process method....

Does Lard Smell Bad? 
I have only made one batch of soap so far and can't wait to have another go! But this time I wondered about making it with Lard because its so inexpensive ...

Sour smell of goats milk 
Hi!
I'm quite new at soap making. I made my very first batch two days ago :-) I used goats milk instead of water and now, when I touch the soap bars, I ...

Soap Painting 
I have been using Black Iron Oxide to paint on my soaps (i.e. tiger stripes on an orange tiger).

I find that, even after a day, the pigment wants ...

Do small home businesses actually have all their products lab tested? 
Hi,

I am starting a small business (nearly ready to open my site!) and the more that I learn the more I hear about the darn FDA!

I understand about ...

Natural Sunscreen 
First of all - your site is wonderful! I am new to the soap making world and am trying to start a small business. I have gotten such great advice from ...

Separating (Cold Process Method) 
This is first soap attempt, used the following recipe

The five main ingredients are 900ml water, 295g caustic soda (make sure you buy pure sodium hydroxide ...

Colouring soaps naturally 
I want to colour my soaps naturally. what type of clays can i use and what amount must i add to my soap batch. e.g. if the soap batch is 2 pounds, how ...

EQUIPMENT FOR LOTION MAKING 
I am trying to find any information on equipment for making lotions and body butters using extruders and large floor model mixers like the ones that are ...

M&P Swirling 
I haven't been able to get really nice swirls with melt and pour soaps.

I've tried a few different methods but I find one of two things usually happen:...

Soap Swirling 
I'm not a newbie at making soap, however I don't know how to make the beautiful swirls in the soap. I've tried searching for a video but couldn't find ...

Question about fixatives 
Hi,

First off, AWESOME site you've got here!

My question is.. how much fixative do you use? say your total EO's are 20ml, how much of that should ...

how can remove the smell of shea butter or other dirty oils 
i have a small quantity of shea butter (around 10 kgm) they have a bad smell . how can i remove this smell before using them in soAP MAKING

Answer:...

Peanut Oil 
Hello, I am loving the site, one of the best I have found( admittedly I've only been making soap a few months) but one of my favorites. I got one of the ...

Salt Soap Bar  
Hi, I tried to do your Salt Soap Bar recipe. I've been making soap for a while now...no problems. But this recipe has me stumped. I made it exactly as ...

Some of your recipe links don't work 
Hi, I found your site at random and thinks its such a neat site. Very helpful!!! I am interested in trying some of your recipes. I am writing because I ...

Purchaseing EO 
Can you tell me the best place to buy good quality essential and natural oils to use in cold process soap making?

Answer:

Hi Rebecca,

I don'...

Since you said silly questions were okay.... 
If I'm using a pre-made Melt and Pour soap base and only adding in exfoliants, fragrances and colors, do I need to worry about the Lye factor?

Answer:...

Room Temperature method 
I am new to the soap making business and have experimented with the various methods. Needless to say that the room temperature method appeals to me. I ...

Soap Molds and Goat's Milk Soap 
Your soap mold formula says to "calculate the OIL" amounts. What about the other ingredients, such as lye, water, EO's, etc. The oils may total 48 oz,...

Percents in Lye 
Hello there :o)
I am a first time soaper and for the life of me I cannot figure out the lye calculators. It gives me different percents of lye to ...

" Room temperature method" 
I have recently made a batch of "room temp soap" I followed your instructions to a tee. seemed to turned out wonderful but found when I cut the soap the ...

Making B&B Quality Soap 
Is it more cost effective for me to make personalized soap for our new B&B in Mexico, or to buy it? I am very interested in making soap, but not sure ...

Sodium Hydroxide can be switched to Potassium? 
Hi again. This is my question #2 for you...
I'd like to make shampoo more than bar soap because I'm having a hard time finding good shampoo that also ...

dehydrated lemon peel additive 
Can I add dehydrated lemon(citrus) peel to my cold process soaps?

Will it raise the PH?

Will it turn brown or shorten the shelf life of the bar?...

How can I make soap base? 
It says I can use soap base to make soaps, it got glycerin to moisturize your skin. My understanding is that homemade soaps minus fragrance/color is base ...

adding soap curls, ribbons, etc. 
If I want to add curls, ribbons, etc. to my soap, should these items be cured before they are used?

Answer:

Dennise,

Fresh soap is better to ...

using Kokum butter 
Can I switch Kokum butter for Palm oil in any recipe? This is my first time making soap and I dont want to mess it up or waste the ingredients. Thanks,...

what is a conditioning emulsifyer 
one of your recipes calls for incroquat behenyl TMS-50. What can be used in its place in lotion recipes or where can I find this ingredient.

Answer:...

Stuck in pvc pipe mold 
I'm having trouble removing the soap from the 3" pvc mold. Any tricks to make the soap release?

Answer:
Try putting the mold in the freezer for a ...

Is warming the mold necessary? If so, why? 
Hi there,

Just wondering....in the tutorials for embedded soap curls and checkerboard soap you mention that the mold with the embedded objects should ...

Goats Milk Soap  Not rated yet
I made a goats milk soap recipe using olive, palm, grapeseed, sweet almond and castor oils.

The soap feels great and is very conditioning when you wash ...

Soap Packaging   Not rated yet
I wanted to first compliment your soap packaging they are breath taking ideas...and I wanted to ask how did you make the flower embellish soap wraps?

Answer:...

Cure Soap  Not rated yet
Why does it take so long to cure soap?

Answer:

Hi Grace,

The cure time for cold process soap making is usually around 4 - 6 weeks. This is because ...

Colouring Soap  Not rated yet

I just want to find out the following about colouring soap:

1. At which stage do you add the colour, e.g. infuse in oil or add at trace.

2. Has ...

Colouring Soap and Lip Balms  Not rated yet
Which of the following are better for coloring soaps and which are better for adding just a hint of color to lip balms? Micas, Oxides or ultramarines?...

Preservatives  Not rated yet
I am looking for a preservative for use in solid lotion bars. I currently use Vitamin E in my soaps and lip balms and lotion bars but it doesn't seem ...

Very Fast Soap Trace  Not rated yet
I made a small test batch of soap that firmed up very fast, even before adding the EO blend and about 20 seconds after adding the Coconut Milk and Lye ...

Giving your soap a whipped top  Not rated yet
Hi Cathy,

I have been making soap for a while now but can't seem to get the whipped topping look to my soaps. I've used a plastic bag filled with soap ...

White soap bars  Not rated yet
Am trying to get my bars of soap to come out white. I don't know if using titanium dioxide would work or maybe using either goat's milk,coconut milk pretty ...

Olive oil  Not rated yet
I am a new soap maker. I have made two batches of soap and I don't really like the way they look. They have a brown discolor to them. Is this because ...

Colorants  Not rated yet
Hello, I am just starting to make cold processed soap (room temp my favorite too). I am wondering how you get your soaps such awesome colors. I am experimenting ...

Camellia Oil  Not rated yet
Hello,
I love your website. Your recipes sound great! I want to try the Camellia Oil Coconut Milk Soap, but I am having a hard time finding Camellia ...

different lye calculators give indicate differant amount of fluids  Not rated yet
Hi Cathy

Thanks very much for helping me with structuring my recipes. I have already made the soap and I am waiting for it to cure and to test.

I ...

I got mold growing on top of my soap!  Not rated yet
Hi There,
I just made a batch of soap with ground calendula petals inside the bars and whole calendula petals sprinkled on top. Well, it has been ...

Trying to locate bulk Camellia oil  Not rated yet
Cathy,
I've been mostly everywhere I can think of on the web to find bulk camellia oil. I've found Camelina oil..but looking for Camellia. Do you have ...

goat milk soap recipe  Not rated yet
Hi Cathy

Thank you so much for all your information and advice. It is much appreciated. I hope you could help me. I am currently making goat milk soap ...

Switching Oils in a recipe  Not rated yet
Hello I'm wanting to make my FIRST EVER BATCH of soap and I'm sooo excited! Your website has really inspired me!

I've read so much without actually ...

E.O. Percentages  Not rated yet
Cathy,
I recently noted in one of your answers that you made soap using 20% Patchouli, 10% Cinnamon, 20% Rosewood, and 50% orange to make a scent blend....

How to get Blue  Not rated yet
I have been asked to make soap favors for my nieces wedding, would love if you would share with me how to get the blue you achieved in the Eucalyptus Tea ...

Soap for Teeth...?  Not rated yet
Hello,

I hope it's okay to post this question here, as it isn't a question relating to soap making.

I recently came across some American businesses ...

Dry skin vs Oily skin recipes  Not rated yet
I see lots of bar soap recipes on the Internet, but I haven't found recipes that are designed specifically for dry skin, normal skin and oily skin. My ...

Making whipped cream soap  Not rated yet
Are there any other substitutes for Shea Butter and Castor oil in the whipped cream soap recipe? Shea Butter and castor oil is rather hard to find, and ...

Aluminum near mold  Not rated yet
Hi, I love your site, and I was wondering if you can help me with a concern?

I recently did a studpid thing with my cold-process soap, and I was wondering ...

Vanilla Infusion  Not rated yet
I want to use Vanilla in one of my soaps, but don't want to use fragrance
oils. How do I make a vanilla infusion?

Answer:

Hi Susan,

Using ...

Problem with Cocoa Butter  Not rated yet

Hi Cathy,

I am wondering if you can help me. I have been making soap for a few years and only now have I created a recipe that I Love! Needless ...

decorating hot process soap  Not rated yet
Is it possible to get that whipped cream look on top of a hot process loaf like they do on cold processed soap, and HOW? Can you mix the hot process method ...

how to make baby soap  Not rated yet
I would like to make a gentle soap for my son (he is almost 2) that is similar to the burt's baby bee buttermilk soap. Bar form would be best - he has ...

What is the difference between the regular Optiphen and the Optiphen Plus you suggest?  Not rated yet
I'm wanting to try my luck at lotions and whips. I saw your recipe and wanted to know if you could tell me the difference and why Optiphen Plus is best....

Fruit Soap :)  Not rated yet
Hi,

I'm doing a science fair project about soap and the different fruits in it.
Is it alright if I just add fruit juice and fruit dices into the basic ...

using vanilla or almond extract in soap, lotion or lip balm. does it work?  Not rated yet
That pretty much sums it up, have you used Almond or Vanilla extract...the type you buy at the grocery store and have you had any success with either of ...

Teaching  Not rated yet
I've been asked to teach a M & P class (my first one). There will be 10-12 adult students. I plan to factor into the class fee the cost of supplies, but ...

Where do you get your mica colors from?  Not rated yet
Hello,

First I would like to thank you for putting up the recipe for your seagrass soap I was eager to try! I can't wait to make it! It sounds lovely....

Soap is too greasy  Not rated yet
Tried a new receipt using my home rendered beef tallow and canola oil. Calculated the weights with a chart. But my scale is not digital. My small batch ...

Powdered Sugar in Soap Recipe  Not rated yet
I've seen recipes with like 1 t. powdered sugar in it. What is the purpose of using the powdered sugar?

Answer:

Generally sugar is used to increase ...

How to use Titanium Dioxide  Not rated yet
When I use olive oil in my soap recipe, my soap ends up tan in color. This happens even when I use colorants. I haven't used Titanium Dioxide (TD) yet,...

Question About Beer Soap  Not rated yet
Hello:

I recently made a beer soap using your recipe. The soap came out beautifully - the color and texture, so far, is perfect.

The soap is about ...

Using fresh herbs or flowers in soaps  Not rated yet
I have the most lovely roses as well as fresh herbs and such in my garden. How can I take advantage of these things rather than buy essential oils? or ...

What oil can be safely substituted for olive oil in a soap recipe  Not rated yet
If a recipe calls for olive oil and I need to substitute which oil would we use.

Answer:

Many oils can easily be substituted for Olive Oil in a ...

Coloring  Not rated yet
I'm having a little trouble getting my colors to look the way they want. Sometimes it seems like my soap is totally eating the colors I put in -- it turns ...