Make Modern Soap With Herbs, Beeswax And Vegetable Oils

Hi

Here's a great article about soap making. It also tells ,with great detail, all the safety measures you will have to take when dealing with lye. Most articles don't do that.

Lye hazards from the article:

Keep lye tightly capped. Upon opening a container of lye, the lye crystals absorb water from the air, which can weaken the strength of the lye and cause it to form a solid lump. When not in use, keep lye closely capped.

Lye reacts with some metals: aluminum, zinc, and tin. Safe containers include heatproof stoneware, glass, enamel, stainless steel and plastic.

Lye can remove paint. If lye, lye/water or freshly-made soap splatters onto a painted surface, wipe it off immediately. Wash the area with water and detergent; wash it with clear water, then wipe it dry. Use old rags, because lye weakens cloth fiber.

Lye, lye/water and freshly-made soap can burn and irritate skin. You'll notice itching before burning. Lye/water on skin is first noticed by a slippery feeling. Rinse your hands with vinegar and immediately rinse them with running water.

Since lye can burn skin, you can imagine what it does to eyes! Always wear eye protection! Wear sunglasses if you have to!

Lye can be fatal if swallowed. If you have small children, keep lye (and essential oils) in a locked cabinet. Lye/water sitting at the edge of a counter can easily be reached by children and even swallowed. Drinking lye/water is like drinking liquid fire. If someone ingests lye/water, do not induce vomiting or otherwise try to treat them. Take them to an emergency room immediately.

Fumes from lye/water. Some people are extremely sensitive to fumes that come from the lye/water. Fumes also come from the stirring container. Fumes from small batches (1 pound) usually isn't enough to cause a problem.

Be aware than larger amounts of lye (larger batches of soap) create more fumes. With prolonged contact, fumes can burn the eyes and skin of sensitive people. If you make soap in large amounts and afterward feel as if your face is "sun burned," chances are it was caused by fumes.

Read the rest here:

Soaps and Soap Making Instructions

technorati tags:lye, soap, making, make, beeswax, handmade, homemade

Starting a Home-Based Soapmaking Business

OK, so your soapmaking hobby has gotten out of control. Your significant other (or maybe just that little voice inside your head) has told you to stop spending so much money on soaps you just give away... it may be time to start thinking about starting a business.

Here's a comprehensive article that will set you off inthe right foot:

http://www.naturalimpulse.com/biz2.html

technorati tags:soap, moulds, business, make, money, pour, making, home, momemade, handmade

Creative use of soap additives - not what you thought

Ever thought about adding all kinds of additives to your soap making process? Sure, almost everyone does, but most of us stick to what we know.

Here's a nice article about different types of additives.

First, a few tips on how to use them:

Tips for Using Additives in Soaps
* Having your additives just on the tops of your soaps gives them a unique look. To do this, simply place your additives in the mold before you pour your soap.

* To get your additives suspended throughout your soaps you'll have to work a little harder. Naturally your additives will want to sink to the bottom of your soaps. To get them suspended, add your additives to your soap base before you pour into the mold. Gently stir your soap allowing it to cool and get thicker. When you notice your soap starting to thicken, you can pour it into the mold. This takes a little practice. If your soap base gets too thick on you, you can always remelt it and start over again.

* You can avoid clumping by separating out a small amount of your soap base into a small dish. Mix the additive into this soap base until you get an even paste. Then stir it all back into the rest of your soap.

Read the rest here:

Crafter's Touch - Natural Soap Making Additives

technorati tags:soap, make, additives, making, homemade, lye, handmade