Tell me about making soap?

[LaTrucha]

Just that really.

How much would it cost to get going? How good would the results be etc

I have been trying to find animal soaps for stocking fillers but can't find DSs favourite animal. I have seen a mould though. Then I thought maybe it's a good idea for all the fundraisy things I get roped into. Is this something I want to get into?

Off for now. Back later!

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To make it from scratch (cold process) means that you need to leave 6 weeks for curing ie. won't be able to make it in time for christmas.

It's messy, fiddly and dangerous (handling lye) especially around children. You need quite a bit of kit, ingredients and have to study up to get the quantities right. And its dangerous. You need to have thermoters, seperate containers, heaters, special spoons, v.accurate scales. And its dangerous.

Remember that scene in fight club with the powder on the guys hand? Thats lye. And that is exactly what will happen if you get it on your skin.

Your best bet will be melt and pour soap which you can buy kits for at HobbyCraft or eBay and you should find moulds there too. Think jelly moulds and resin moulds, not just soap moulds.

Thanks for that. I guess that means it will be expensive to do it quickly too. I'll have a look on hobbycraft.

The quick way is the melt and pour way and it basically involves melting down ready made soaps adding stuff like colour and glitter and setting it in moulds.

Cold process has its own bonuses - complete control over the ingredients for example - but needs to be taken on as a complete hobby and have a lot of time dedicated to it as well as a fair bit of money