Soapmaking???

[anyothername]

LIke the fancy looking stuff. Every year I make my extended family and my boyfriends huge extended family something for christmas because I can't afford to buy everybody something. I was thinking about making soap this year. Which I ofcourse have never done. Can anybody give me and idea on how difficult this might be and how expensive it might be.

Thanks

[Kristen.C]

They have kits at Michael's & Jo Ann's type of places...I would try to go in every week with a 40% off coupon and buy everything individually rather than in a kit so you can save more money off of it. Just use the kit to figure out what you need to get.

I've never made soap, but DH made me scented oil bath salts one year for Valentine's Day and those turned out nice too. I know it didn't cost him much either. (And DH is not skilled at all in the crafty area so it definitely was super easy)

[MOM2SNOX]

I have a friend up East who makes her own soaps... amongst other natural cleansers and fragrances. I'll pop her an e-mail and see if she'll give me some information to post!

[BzyBee]

I don't make soap, but I saw something on TV once that looked like a great gift. They took a large loofa sponge...tall with the holes in it, and put it in a tall soap mold. Then added the soap and when it was dry/cool (I really have no idea what I am talking about :rolleyes: ) they laid it down and sliced it...like a can of cranberry sauce. It was really neat because each slice of soap came with a loofa in it, no need for a washcloth or scrunchy.

If I was going to make soap, I would make these as you only need one mold and you could do all kinds of flavors. And each one comes with it's own loofa!! (Did I mention how much I like that part?) :Nod:

[Kristen.C]

Originally Posted by BzyBee I don't make soap, but I saw something on TV once that looked like a great gift. They took a large loofa sponge...tall with the holes in it, and put it in a tall soap mold. Then added the soap and when it was dry/cool (I really have no idea what I am talking about :rolleyes: ) they laid it down and sliced it...like a can of cranberry sauce. It was really neat because each slice of soap came with a loofa in it, no need for a washcloth or scrunchy. If I was going to make soap, I would make these as you only need one mold and you could do all kinds of flavors. And each one comes with it's own loofa!! (Did I mention how much I like that part?) :Nod:

Now that sounds cool! I'm adding that in my mental list of things I can make for people!

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by Kristen.C Now that sounds cool! I'm adding that in my mental list of things I can make for people!

It DOES sound cool! Of course, my long mental list usually stays in my ment! (lol) ;)

[MrsPinecone]

http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...ead.php?t=6286

QOTH posted a link to a candle site that has soap making info on it, too.

HTH

[amerline]

I have made my own soap in the past. There is an important distinction to know here. Some people make their own soap from oil and lye and water. That is called "cold process" soapmaking (that's me). Other people buy premade soap from craft stores, melt it, add scents or colors then mould it.

I'm not sure which one you want to do.

The really cheap way is to do cold process. The Majestic Mountain Sage website has very detailed advice on this. Use generic crisco, red devil lye, and the cheapest gallon of olive oil you can find.

I don't know were you live. I'm about to move and ready to part w. some of my soapmaking stuff, so if you live in Michigan LMK.

I also make Lye soap and have been known to dabble in the artsy fartsy soap too. I suggest using coconut or castor oil along with your olive/crisco if you want any sort of bubbles at all. Otherwise, the soap just doesn't lather well.

[amerline]

Another soap idea. If you want an exfoliating soap, add oatmeal to it! I'm guessing that if you are like most of us, you have plenty of oatmeal around.

Oatmeal is cheap (free) and makes a good exfoliant that is also good for your skin. When I made oatmeal soap my BIL loved it.