Review: ✔ I'll have some Gentle and Minty Goat Milk Soap, Please
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 26, 2014
✔ This is a fun little book, with lots of good information and tips to create your own soap.▲ Early in the book, the author includes a list of safety equipment such as chemical resistant goggles, appropriate clothing, and appropriate shoes. She also includes definition of some types of key oils and butters-- for example castor oil, coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and many others.▲ In the section called the "Soap making process," the author lists all the steps in the process:Step 1: PreparationStep 2: Accurate measurement of the products such as light liquids oils and buttersStep 3: Heating oils and butters over the stove stove topStep 4: Careful--some of this stuff is dangerous; you have to be extremely careful with this stepStep 5: Blend the lye liquid with the oil or butterStep 6: This what the author calls the real excitement stage in this part you pour yourself into the mold processStep 7: You place your soap mold in the refrigeratorStep 8: This what the author calls unmolding your soapStep 9: This when you cut the soap into bars wellStep 10: CuringStep 11: This was a little confusing to me because the author says its just a big pat on the back.Step 12: Just a summary (I think)▲ In the section called "Basic Soap Recipes," the author provides quite a few different recipes. There's one called "lush luscious lavish olive soap bar."  There's another one called "shea butter soap," one called "gentle and goat milk soap" (that one sounds exciting) and a real good one called "wild orange ultimate energizing soap."  Remember--don't eat it!▲ The author lists the various methods to create your own soap:  One is called melt and pour, another one is called "re-batching," another one is called the "cold process" another one is called the "hot process."  The author again emphasizes the caution that you need to do here just to make sure that no one gets hurt.▲ There's also a helpful section on definitions related to soap making such as, "trace curing."  I've never heard of most of these terms. Te author also provides a nice soap making tool kit of various liquids and ingredients that you should have. Perhaps most importantly the book also provides some safety precautions to protect you and your family and your pets.✔ All in all, a really well-done book. The author is obviously well-versed in the soap-making process, and I appreciate her passing on her wisdom.  Recommend!♫ A Review by Chris Lawson