October 2023 | Basic Soapmaking Tools and Supplies | KCK Soapery

    I used to be an Amazon affiliate but stopped actively posting when I already took a full time job.  Now that it has been a few years and I am closing in to my retirement, I thought of getting it back up.  So I have applied to both Amazon and NurtureSoap for now.

    Soapmaking is a very addicting craft.  Once you try it and end up liking the process, there is no stopping.  In this post, I will share with you the basic products and tools you need as a beginner.

    First off, you will need a bowl to mix your oils in.  When I was just trying to see if I will like making soap, I started out with the melt and pour technique using pyrex glass measuring cups to microwave the soap. Then, I moved on to cold process soap making.  My first bowl was a gallon of ice cream container.  It held its shape for a few batches then I invested on a plastic mixing/baking bowl.   For diluting my mica and pouring soap batter, I used 4 cup capacity plastic measuring cups.  I just bought these funnel pitchers for a pouring technique I planned to do soon.  I am thinking on investing on a glass bowl just because it looks nicer on videos and watching the oils reacting with the lye solution looked mesmerizing on a glass bowl.  I also used another microwavable bowl for melting solid oils and butters.  But some soapmakers recommend against it since the blender can etch the glass and eventually break it.

    Next, you will need an immersion blender. I now use a cuisinart brand blender, but the first one I used was a Bella hand blender and it was good while it lasted.

    You will also need a weighing scale to weigh your oils and lye.  This is what I have been using for a while now.  You will need a measuring cup as well.  I use the metal ones you see in stores.  But I like the color of this Amazon measuring cup, mica powder scoops and plastic teaspoons to mix the mica powder with the oils.  I used to use a mini mixer but it did not last long.  You might get a longer-lasting mixer.

    Most of my learning was done on youtube but I bought a book as well.  A few I have on hand are: Soap Crafting and Milk Soapmaking.  Check out my youtube channel kcksoapery to see how I make my soap.  There are a lot of tutorials you can check out too!

Here is a link to nurturesoap for most soapmaking supplies.  Here is a starter kit for melt and pour and a starter kit for cold process soap.  I recommend doing the melt and pour for first timers since you won't be dealing with lye right away and you can still make it look colorful and there are lots of mold designs you can use for it.  If you want to jump right into cold process soap making, make sure you use gloves and some protective goggles (just to be on the safe side when dealing with sodium hydroxide).

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Here are the links in with the images of what they look like:

 

Enjoy your new soaping adventure!

Glynith

When you buy from any of the affiliate links I posted.

I may get a little commission from the sale of qualified products.

Thank you so much for your support.

August 2023 | "S" Grand Babies' Shower | KCK Soapery

    My friend "S" is having three grandbabies soon.  She asked if I was still making soaps. Although not in huge quantities as before, I do sporadically make mostly "melt and pour" soap and occasionally handcrafted soaps from scratch for loyal users of my soap. Then I said I would be honored to make her grandbabies' giveaways.

    I had my daughter's friend take some pictures of the different batches of soap made for her:

I sure hope everybody who received one of these would love them as much as I did making them.

Thank you for stopping by!

Glynith

June 2023 | Camouflage Soap 2023 | KCK Soapery

 

    Thank you to my friend "S" for remembering my handmade soap.  She ordered for a baby shower soap which made me decide to make some artisan soap for my hubby who is running low on his supply.

    The hubby likes my camouflage soap so I made a small batch for him for my first "made from scratch" soap for this year.

    This batch of soap is made with olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, and scented with "shave and a haircut" fragrance oil.  Colors used were white pigment, activated charcoal for black, brown and green mica.

    You will notice that in the video, I did not pour any fragrance oil to the white soap batter, that is because I used some of the white for my friend who wants a sample of another scent.

Thank you for dropping by!

Glynith

October 2022 | Baby Shower | KCK Soapery

These baby shower giveaways were made using melt and pour technique.

I used mica for color and they are scented with Cool Water fragrance oil.

I hope that everybody who receives them will love them.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

Glynith

March 2022 | Tea Party Bridal Shower Cupcake Soap Giveaways | KCK Soapery

 

Thank you to my friend "S" for remembering my soap for a bridal shower party she is helping organize.  These soaps were made with Olive oil, Palm oil, Coconut oil, Castor oil, and scented with "Mother's Love".  

Mother's Love is a slightly sweet and innocent scent that includes a blend of peonies, hyacinth, day lilies, apple blossoms, and soft bergamot.  The red bowl above contains the melted coconut oil and palm oil.  The white bowl contains olive oil and castor oil.  The metal measuring cup contains the fragrance oil and the plastic beaker contains the lye water.

Colors used were white, pink and blue.

I made the little teapots a few weeks ago.

I hope the party guests will like these cupcake soap giveaways.

Thank you for visiting!

January 2022 | Lemon Whipped Body Butter | KCK Soapery

Here is the first for 2022 and hopefully will continue!

Thank you so much "M" for the order.

It has been a while since I made any body products. Covid cancelled the craft shows I usually joined which are mostly hosted by friends locally.

This batch is made of shea butter, avocado oil, mango butter, coconut oil, and olive oil. Skin-loving additives used were arrowroot powder and goat's milk.  Scented with lemon essential oil.  Then, I added some yellow mica for color.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

March 2021 | Kentish Rain | KCK Soapery

This batch was made for a friend who now works at a private medical laboratory. She decided to use my handmade soap for laboratory week this coming April.  Their logo colors are teal and black .  I sure hope I got the color motifs right!

I made the soap using a recipe from the book "Milk Soapmaking" by Anne Watson.  It includes coconut oil, cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, olive oil, and rice bran oil.  The process was saponification provided by goat's milk and lye (sodium hydroxide solution).  Colors used were blue mica, activated charcoal for black ,and titianium dioxide for white.

 Fragrance oil used is called "Kentish Rain" which is described as a fresh and earthy mix of basil, green leaf, lily, rose, violet, sandalwood, and tonka bean from Brambleberry.

Here is a video of this batch:

Thank you for stopping by!