Making Transparent Soap: The Art Of Crafting, Molding, Scenting & Coloring

by Catherine Failor

Book Overview

With basic ingredients and standard kitchen tools you can craft your own transparent soaps that are milder, richer, and creamier than any commercial product. Eschewing complex methods and expensive... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 158017244X
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.9" x 0.5" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Great resource for intermediate soapmakers

I found the first version of this book in my public library and fell in love with it when they got in the second I scrambled to be the first on the holds list and after perusing it and not wanting to give it up, purchased my own. The pictures in this book are amazing and extremely helpful. Using them as a guide I have made some beautiful bars of transparent soap that feel as good as they look. My soaps were clearer than any purchased glycerin soap or transparent melt and pour soap I have ever worked with. Additionally, the bars were harder and longer lasting than any other transparent bar (and many regular CP or HP) bars I have ever used. Failor's book offers more than just recipes and instructions for soap, but also information on how to cut, color, and shape your soap, nifty machines you can make to cut labor down, and other odds and ends that are especially helpful if you plan to manufacture larger amounts of soap. With that said, this is not a book for beginners. I cannot stress this enough. Get a firm grasp of cold or hot process soapmaking, including getting a few successful batches under your belt, before you endeavor to make transparent soap. Additionally, transparent soap is not the same thing as melt and pour soap. Melt and pour soap is a completely different process and requires specially manufactured soap bases that have a low melting point enabling creative soapers to do very creative things that may not be possible with cold, hot, or one of the many other soap making processes. Throw your transparent soap into the microwave to melt it and you'll end up with one very bubbly mess.

Great Book!

Great book and easy to use! I can't wait until I actually do a recipe out of the book! It will be great for my business KLEAN Bath & Body.

Making Transparent Soap

A truly generous teacher who doesn`t keep little secrets to herself. Sometimes you`ll have to re-read things more than once ( the secret parts other authors don`t want to teach us) but this is because she really has done her research on every single item and can teach you to do everything she says. She`s one of my heroes.

very good explanations

Ever read a soap box label? Ever wondered what all that stuff in soap does, why it's there? This book is very good at explaining what the components do, how they contribute to lather, if they dry or moisturize skin, etc. I found the information helpful even if I don't ever actually make my own soap (but I think now I want to try).

Highly recommended, everything you need to know & more

This is an essential guide for anyone wishing to make transparent soap. The author guides you seamlessly through the complex soap making process with step-by-step instructions color photos & a very helpful troubleshooting section.The book starts out detailing the properties, advantages & disadvantages of each soap ingredient. Then safety precautions & equipment selection are outlined, including selecting a mold. Two methods for making the soap & 8 vegetable-based soap recipes follow. Conveniently, complete instructions for modifying these & formulating your own original recipes are included as well. Adding dyes & fragrances is also discussed. Several essential oil fragrance formulas are included. I was very impressed that the book included both instructions & complete plans in for making labor-saving tools including a square wooden soap mold, an adjustable-wire bar cutter & drill mixer. The extensive resource list including websites was also invaluable.