Aimless Tangents

For years I’ve been fascinated with the idea of making my own soap. I never attempted it because the websites/blogs/books all seemed more determined to scare you rather than help you. When I turned 30 last month I decided that my birthday money would be spent on soap supplies so that I could try out the process. And if I didn’t like it, enjoy it, or couldn’t make soap then it wasn’t a big deal.

I made two batches and have to say that I enjoyed it. This likely won’t be anything that I try to make a career out of as I’m so new at it and there are so many amazing soapers out there already. Examples can be found all over Etsy.

I made two batches. One was Hot Process in a Crock Pot and the other was Room Temp Cold Process. Neither batch had scent nor color as I wanted to try out the process and see what I thought of the final product. I didn’t want to chance some additive changing the final soap and leaving me scratching my head wondering what happened.

There are plenty of books out there, each with their backers. I bought a book, Smart Soapmaking by Anne L. Watson, and read lots and lots and lots of websites. Since I was going to be working with a caustic chemical I wanted to be as prepared as possible.

In the end, the buildup of all the books and websites paled in comparison with actually mixing the lye. I expected huge clouds of sickly green poison to billow up thanks to all of the precautions “They” tell you to take.

The reality is that lye is a caustic material. It can react with the moisture on your skin (sweaty hands, much?), moisture in your eye (goggles are a good thing, glasses are not enough coverage), and any spare moisture that has gotten splashed around. The reaction is not smokey or expoldy, it is heat. Lye reacts with large amounts of heat. I wore yellow kitchen gloves and goggles and took the lye and water outside to mix it. I was barefoot and in shorts with short sleeves.

The Hot Process Crock Pot method was used with a recipe from the Smart Soapmaking book. My mold was a silicone bakeware loafpan purchased that week from Bed Bath and Beyond. I accidentally let the bar get to dry when I was trying to scoop it all into the mold. It turned out a rustic bar that won’t win any beauty contests but I’m on my second bar in the shower and am enjoying it.

The Room Temp Cold Process method was my own recipe done with oils that are all liquid at room temp. The mold was a silicone bakeware square pan, also purchased from Bed Bath and Beyond. This bar definately has a much smoother texture. There was more time to work with the soap so if I had wanted to swirl in another color or additives this would be the method to use. I’m waiting for these bars to harden up a bit more before I use them.

Both methods were relatively easy. And in the end I accomplished what I wanted. I made soap! I also learned how each method could be truly useful depending on what outcome I desire for that particular batch. I’m looking forward to making more soap, though next time I’m going to experiment with scents and maybe some color.

This post is not in any way, shape, or form meant to be an all inclusive guide on how to make soap. Please do as I did and read, read, read, and read some more to adequately prepare yourself. Also, take all safety precautions that are necessary.