Step by Step Soap Making: Material - Techniques - Recipes

76 Pages·2016·1.38 MB·English

by  Josephine Simon

Step by Step Soap Making

Material • Techniques • Recipes
Josephine

Simon
Disclaimer and Copyright
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any
form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without
prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Effort has been made to ensure that the
information in this book is accurate and complete. However, the author and the
publisher do not warrant the accuracy of the information, text, and graphics
contained within the book due to the rapidly changing nature of science,
research, known and unknown facts, and internet. The author and the publisher
do not hold any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of
the subject matter herein. This book is presented solely for motivational and
informational purposes only. The publisher and author of this book does not
control or direct users’ actions and are not responsible for the information or
content shared, harm and/or action of the book readers.

The information herein is offered for informational purposes solely, and is
universal as so. The presentation of the information is without contract or any
type of guarantee assurance.

The information provided in this book is designed to provide helpful information
on the subjects discussed. This book is not meant to be used, nor should it be
used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of
any medical problem, consult your own physician. The publisher and author are
not responsible for any specific health or allergy needs that may require medical
supervision and are not liable for any damages or negative consequences from
any treatment, action, application or preparation, to any person reading or
following the information in this book. References, if any, are provided for
informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites
or other sources. Readers should be aware that the websites listed in this book, if
any, may change.
Avant Propos

How many times have you brought a bar of artisan or home-crafted soap to your
nose and inhaled the scent and lightly traced your finger over the texture of the
bar, thinking to yourself how wonderful it would be if you were only able to
make soaps like that yourself at home. If you are anything like me, that exact
scenario has happened, but I always backed away from soap making thinking it
was just too difficult. That was until I learned just how easy and enjoyable home
soap making can be. All you need to get started is a little guidance from a trusted
friend, and that is exactly what you will find in this book.

Soap making is an age-old craft, one that allows you creative expression and a
sense of satisfaction. Within this book, the beginning soap maker will find
everything that they need to start their crafting journey. From an introduction to
commonly used terms to understanding and simplifying the process of creating
your very own soap recipes, this book will help you along every step of the way,
with clear and simple advice that isn’t clouded with overly technical talk or
chemistry lessons. You can now craft all of the beautiful, pure soaps that you
have imagined with ease and pleasure.

Let’s get started, Josephine
Contents
Avant Propos
Introduction
A Little Lingo: Terms to Know for Soap Making
Types of Soap Making
Materials
Equipment
Oils and Fats
Lye
Colorants and Fragrances
Safety First: Simple Precautions for Keeping Your Craft a Safe and
Enjoyable Experience
The Techniques
How to Make Cold Processed Soaps
How to Make Melt and Pour Soaps
How to Make Hand Milled, or Rebatched Soap
The Recipes
Cold Processed Soaps
Basic Formula #1: Basic Vegetable Soap
Basic Formula #2: No Palm Vegetable Soap
Basic Formula #3: Basic Animal Fat Soap
Kitchen and Bath Hand Soap
Soothing Face Soap
All Purpose Shower and Bath Bar
Basic Face and Shave Bar
Masculine Face and Shave Bar
Country Pantry Soap
City Pantry Soap
Winter Facial Bar
Summer Lime Bar
Herbal Shampoo Bar
Invigorating Foot Soap
Her Shave Soap
Melt and Pour Soaps
Simple Exfoliating Bar
Melt and Pour Tropical Oasis Bar
Garden Mint Bar
Chocolate-Covered Fruit Bar
Spicy Shower Bar
Sweet Honey Bar
Creating Your Own Recipes
Conclusion
More Books from Josephine Simon
Review
Introduction

Soap is one of the most basic products in our lives. For most of us in the western
world, we depend on soap daily. We use it cleanse our bodies, our homes, and
our clothes, and when the soap is exceptional, it can cleanse and purify on an
emotional or even spiritual level as well. How many times have you wandered
the aisles of a store pondering over bars of soaps and bottles of body washes,
wishing you could find one that was truly unique and suited just for you? Or,
maybe you have visited smaller, artisan markets where soap crafters displayed
their beautifully wholesome-looking soap, and you wondered if it were possible
to make soap yourself. The truth is that yes, you can make those soaps yourself,
and you can tailor them to your wants and needs, and the process really isn’t
complicated at all. Many people feel slightly intimidated by soap making,
feeling that the equipment, chemicals and time involved make it something that
they are better off avoiding. The reality is that soap making is actually quite
simple, and people have safely and effectively been making soap throughout
history.

It is suspected that the very first soap makers were the Babylonians, with
evidence of the very first soaps being crafted as early as 2800 B.C. Those early
soaps were created from rich oils combined with ashes. A little later in history,
the Egyptians cherished soaps crafted from animal fats and alkaline salts that
they used to cleanse their bodies. From there, different cultures and civilizations
developed unique soap formulas that were used for a variety of purposes from
spiritual ritual practices to the cleansing of wool and textiles. They were even
used medicinally as we move closer to modern times. What is interesting about
soaps, like so many other things in history, is that these individual cultures each
managed to discover that mixing oils and fats with substance such as ash,
alkaline salts, and other ingredients produced a substance that had value in
cleansing our bodies, possessions, and even souls.

A little history of soap making is important to understanding not only the need
for soap throughout time, but to point out that even more primitive civilizations,
those without the scientific knowledge that we have today, those without the
protective gear, those without the internet to offer literally hundreds of soap
making ideas, somehow managed to not only produce soap, but also develop it
into the substance that we are familiar with today. By embracing this ancient
craft of soap making, you are connecting yourself to history and to your
ancestors, and you are learning a skill that is not only valuable, but also purely
enjoyable.

In this book you will find everything that you need to get started making soaps.
We have aimed to simplify the process to help you see just how easy and
accessible home soap making is. It’s true that there is some chemistry and
science with soap making, and if you are at all interested in that aspect, I
encourage you to explore it more. However, if you don’t care about anything
related to chemistry, this book is created for you to jump right in. The
fundamentals are set out for you, along with a great set of beginning soap-
making formulas that you, yes you, can build off of when you are ready. Soap
making is a time-honored and enjoyable craft, one that can become addictive
once you get started. Now that you have everything you need, there is no reason
to wait any longer. Put on your rubber gloves, dive in, and experience the
pleasure of home soap making.
A Little Lingo: Terms to Know for Soap Making

As you start your home soap making journey, there are a number of terms that
you will come across time and time again. Some of these terms are very basic
and self-explanatory, while others have meanings specific to the art of soap
making. Here is a list, with definitions of some of the most common soap
making terms that you will see.

Ash: Refers to the soda ash that is on the soap as a result of the lye interacting
with oxygen during the saponification process. Any soap has a chance of
developing ash. Covering and insulating your soap once it is in the mold will
reduce the amount of ash that develops on your soap. To remove the ash from
your soaps surface, you can either steam the soap gently or simply rub it off.
You may also choose to just leave the ash on your soap, as it poses to harm to
your skin.

Cold Process: The act of making soap through combining fats, oils, and lye
without actively adding heat to the process. All of the heat is provided by the
chemical reaction that occurs with the addition of lye.

Curing: The period of time after a soap is molded and saponified where you let
the soap sit so that excess water can evaporate, producing a harder, longer
lasting bar of soap.

Lye: The common name for sodium hydroxide. Lye is an important component
is soap making. It is the reaction of lye with oils and water that causes the
chemical reactions that create soap.

Lye Discount: When you use less lye that what is normally required to saponify
all of the oil in your formula. This leaves a portion of the oil remaining in its
natural state that can be absorbed by the skin. This process is also called “super
fatting.”

Molding: Pouring your soap mixture after it has traced into molds that represent
the desired final shape of the soap.
Orange Spot: An indication that your soap has oxidized and basically gone bad.
Orange spots are common signs of rancidity.

pH: The measurement of how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH of your soap
will change during the saponification process. You want your soap to have a pH
that is in a neutral range of 7 to 10.

Rebatching: The process of creating a new soap through grating or shredding a
previously crafted soap, adding a bit of liquid, and then heating until it is smooth
enough to pour into molds. Can be used to save a batch of soap that there was a
problem with or a batch that didn’t turn out to look as you had planned.

Rendering: The process of melting beef suet or tallow and removing all of the
meat, other impurities, and adding a small amount of baking soda to purify the
fat. This process is usually done several times to assure purity. You can buy beef
tallow that is already rendered.

Saponification: The chemical reaction between lye and oils that creates glycerin
and soap.