Soap Art - Materials and Equipment

It does not seem to be too difficult to make your own soap, it does take patience though. What you need is lye. This used to be derived from ashes which was left over, but we don't have to go through all that trouble. Nowadays it is a lot easier to buy it in the stores or online.

Another thing that was used was animal fat, but all types of oils will do just as well: olive oil, coconut oil, etc. for instance. Instead of using water, you can replace it by milk. Fragrances are usually added and it is up to you which one you prefer. Those too are easily to come by as well.

The choice in molds is great; I found this one for only $7.79 online, which I consider to be rather cheap since it is reusable. Of course you are free to try and shape, cut, or mold it in any fashion or form your imagination can come up with.

There are several methods for make soap:
Melt and Pour:
This means that you melt pre-made blocks of soap to which you add your own fragrance.
Cold Process:
You make your own soap using oils and lye
Hot Process:
This is the same as the cold process method, only you really cook the soap.
Re-batching:
Re-blending left over soaps which you grind up and add milk or water to.

There are lots of instructions for each of these methods online, but in case you rather by a book and have it handy, you will have no problem finding those either.

Should you want to try this hobby, you know you will always start out with a squeaky clean slate. :-)