The Potting Shed

Aqui · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:18 pm Post subject: other soap recipe books

Are there any books, other than the coss one, you'd recommend for making soap?

(preferably one that doesn't rely on so many recipes with animal fat!)
_________________
Aqui, T and Baby Jack!

Oh my giddy aunt!

Cabbagepatch · Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject:

I have the coss gourmet soaps made easy version. i have checked the ingredients, there doesn't seem to many animal fats apart from beeswax included unless i'm missing something.

if you give me some examples, i'll have a look and see if they appear in this book too.

I'm always careful when sourcing glycerine for my products, it needs to be plant-derived not a cheap by-product from petroleum.

I have yet to pluck up the courage to mess about with caustic soda Shocked

Lizzie · 5 Star Club Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 2990

I've got a Melinda Coss book too. I thought you could exchange the animal fat for a vegetable fat so long as you did the calculations with the fat/soda chart thingy....

Cabbagepatch · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:17 am Post subject:

Good idea JC, the January Newbie Soap Challenge!

Aqui · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 11:27 am Post subject:

i was scared of using it, but it is fine really! i splashed a bit on my face and it didn't hurt much at all!

doing the calculations worries me! and i wouldn't know what the finished soap would be like - t gets through a bar of soft soap in one shower!
_________________
Aqui, T and Baby Jack!

Oh my giddy aunt!

Kathy · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:05 pm Post subject:

In the Melinda book there are no calculations. As long as you use a fat with the same value it'll work, I used Pura the block for mine.

A new year soap challenge sounds a good idea I've not made any for over a year and really want to get back to it.