The Soaping Diaries - Book Review One

The Everything Soapmaking Book: 3rd Edition

I purchased two books when I decided I wanted to learn how to make natural soap, and this was one of them.  It took me some time between getting my books and actually making soap - but I am addicted to it now!

This book is the one I reference most.  Yes, it lacks nice images.  However, the other book I purchased is loaded with professional images and lacks a lot of content that I need.  This book is more comprehensive on topics such as cure time for varying processes, tools, and clean up procedures to considerations like how to package, putting together gift baskets, and why/when to consider selling product.  It even goes into using the knowledge you learn from the book to create your own recipes!

I by no means read this in order from chapter to chapter, though I did skim through it in order upon first receiving the book.  It is overwhelming that way!  I skip around to where the information I want is - there is a complete Table of Contents so you can easily find the information you want when you need it. 

I started out making cold process soap from a kit I purchased through Bramble Berry (which is the first supplier listed in the appendix for resources).  Then I moved on to Shower Steamers and Melt & Pour Soap.  I am getting ready to make more CP.  However, I am so happy for the Hot Process and Liquid Soap sections in this book since I really want to create liquid hand soap and body washes.  This book really does have everything you need to get started and stay going in the soaping hobby/business.

I'd say this is a must have for anyone interested in learning how to get started the right way.  The author even says to start small on your budget so that if it turns out you never want to make a second soap, you didn't end up investing a lot of money on something you won't ever do again.  Sage advice!

The Soaping Diaries

     Entry One : Monday, January 22, 2018

It was nearing the end of 2016 when my curiosity was piqued about the idea of making my own soap.  John and I had started veering towards a more natural lifestyle for a number of reasons that year.  Mainly due to how drastically we had to rethink the items we used in our home after bringing our boys into our family.

Let me elaborate.  Our boys are birds.  We are the proud parronts to a Platinum Lutino Cockatiel who we renamed Astraeus, and a Congo African Grey named Smokey.  Both of our boys are rescues.  

What most people are unaware of, is how highly sensitive birds are to toxins in the air.  Hence, taking a canary into the coal mines.  They breathe differently than mammals.  More efficiently than mammals.  But it leaves them more susceptible to dangerous inhalants.   Most aerosol items can kill a bird the size of Astraeus.  A single scratch in Teflon cookware can leach enough toxin into the air to kill a bird.  

We started to realize most, if not all, things that are dangerous to our boys are dangerous to us as well.  We just tolerate it slightly better than the typical family pets of dogs and cats.  (People are now coming to understand the dangers of some common household products around mans best friend.)  So I replaced cookware and I started making my own household cleaners as well as buying natural items that I could not make myself, like dish soap.  I also learned how to make my own laundry soap.  

I research and research.  I want to rid our life of all unnecessary chemicals and additives and hormones.  It's not only possible, it typically saves us money as well.

Soap.  We all need it and use it.  

It was when I started making laundry soap that I began to ruminate on soap in general.  To make laundry soap, you need soap.  And all the recipes I found and read about talked about what kind of soaps you would want to use.  Because, if you aren't looking to make laundry soap as an effort to rid your laundry of unnecessary chemicals, you probably were not looking into finding recipes on making it yourself.  So obviously, you would want to use soap that doesn't contain a lot of the things you are looking to rid your wash of!  Well, if I can buy soap that is pretty basic and without unwanted chemicals, then can't I just make it myself?  Then it would be more natural as well as handmade.  

So I bought a couple books on Amazon.  When they arrived, I was overwhelmed with what I read.  I needed to take so many things into consideration!  I needed to have the proper tools and space to make soap.  Can I do this in my home as a parront?  I set the books aside.  Time went by.  Substantial amounts of time.

I'm a creative.  This whole soap making thing sounded too fun to pass over.  It was nagging at me daily; this idea that I could be a natural chemist and make something good.  (Alright, I really fancied the term alchemist over chemist!  But lets consider the outcome and the century....no, maybe alchemist is realistic.  Handmade natural soap could be considered gold!)  I get giddy at the mere thought of the words apothecary and alchemy.  And in a way, the chemical reactions, even though explainable, seem to be magical all the same.  

So I started more research into soap making.  As longs as I took the proper precautions, I could make soap in my home.  So I started collecting the necessary tools and ingredients.   It took too much time for someone as impatient as myself.  But I'm proud to say that I did it.  

I made a two pound recipe of cold process soap on October 31, 2017.  It took five weeks to cure.  I tested its pH in secret.  What if I'd failed?

I was ecstatic and elated and every other positive word in the dictionary.  I was full of pride.  My soap was pH neutral and perfect for use!  I did it.  And I needed to do it again.  I was hooked.

I gave away bars of my soap as holiday gifts.  Then I decided I needed to make shower steamers.  You can make them and use them the next day.  I tried melt and pour soap, also able to use the next day.  After a few batches of shower steamers and another batch of the same cold process recipe, I am waiting on the final shipment of supplies/ingredients to make bath bombs.  They are going to be decedent.  

Since I am 100% passionate about this hobby, I am starting The Soaping Diaries.  I will share this journey and the knowledge I gain along the way.  I hope you'll follow along!