The Soap Book: Simple Herbal Recipes
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Consumer Rating: 
By: Sandy Maine
Format: Paperback
From: Interweave Press
Pub. Date: August 1995
From: Interweave Press
Pub. Date: August 1995
Product Details:
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 1995-09-01
Media: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 96
Ean: 9781883010140
Isbn: 1883010144
Catalog: Book
Release Date: 1995-09-01
Media: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 96
Ean: 9781883010140
Isbn: 1883010144
ABOUT THE BOOK
EDITORIAL REVIEW
Fire Light, Forest Garden, Gentlemen Farmer, Lemon Verbena, Oat and Wheat Bran—this is but a sampling of the thirty wonderful recipes you'll find in this guide to making soap. History, chemistry, equipment, plants, and oils—everything you need to know to create your own all-natural, handcrafted, herbal, aromatherapy, and floral soaps.
USER REVIEWS
"This was my first soap making book. That said, it turned me off to soap making for a good 7 years until my excess of goat milk motivated me to find a better resource for learning to make soap. Sandy Maine includes only 1 recipe in this book, which is difficult to get to work, with no discussion about lye calculators, stirring with a blender, proper superfatting, etc. The approach to mixing the lye and oils is antiquated- never do you need to mix at EXACTLY the same temperature as her book states. You might learn how to follow a recipe from this book, but if you really want to learn how to make and formulate your own soaps, research the web and communicate with others in the business."
~ Written on 2008-01-04
~ Written on 2008-01-04
"Not tons of info and the recipes are pretty basic but if your just starting with soap making its a nice lil book and doesnt take up a ton of room. I would pair this with the book by Anne Watson called "Smart Soapmaking" and a good aromatherapy book to help figure out scenting and what goes well and what each oils properties are."
~ Written on 2007-10-27
~ Written on 2007-10-27
"I bought this book several years ago--and just got around to making soap for Christmas presents this year. This book was inspiring since it was short, simple, straight-forward . . . recipe was same--just different blends of essential oils.
DON'T USE 4 OUNCES OF ESSENTIAL OILS per batch--WAY TOO MUCH: 1) pool of excess essential oils sits on top of soap, 2) soap never hardens up quite right (according to Cavitch's book), 3) Essential oils are EXPENSIVE, 4) Scent is TOO STRONG, 5) Some essential oils (like cinnamon) used in called-for amounts actually too concentrated for skin (read other reviews!)
This book is a great starter for novices if you do the following: 1) cut the recipes by 1/4 to learn on smaller batches since the ingredients can be costly--in case your batch does not turn out during your learning stage; 2) invest in a good digital scale that allows you to "zero out" after adding each successive ingredient to the same container (accurate to 1/4 ounce and much faster--many initial mistakes attributed to measuring errors); 3) buy coconut oil at Walmart (under $3 for 31.5 oz); 4) obtain reasonably priced essential oils via internet at A Garden Eastward (http://addy.com/brinkley/); 5) Buy one of Susan Cavitch's soapmaking books next to learn from your mistakes and/or take your soapmaking to the next level--by then, you'll be motivated to absorb more complex information that seemed overwhelming/initimidating at first--which will make so much more sense once you've made a couple of batches."
~ Written on 2004-12-23
DON'T USE 4 OUNCES OF ESSENTIAL OILS per batch--WAY TOO MUCH: 1) pool of excess essential oils sits on top of soap, 2) soap never hardens up quite right (according to Cavitch's book), 3) Essential oils are EXPENSIVE, 4) Scent is TOO STRONG, 5) Some essential oils (like cinnamon) used in called-for amounts actually too concentrated for skin (read other reviews!)
This book is a great starter for novices if you do the following: 1) cut the recipes by 1/4 to learn on smaller batches since the ingredients can be costly--in case your batch does not turn out during your learning stage; 2) invest in a good digital scale that allows you to "zero out" after adding each successive ingredient to the same container (accurate to 1/4 ounce and much faster--many initial mistakes attributed to measuring errors); 3) buy coconut oil at Walmart (under $3 for 31.5 oz); 4) obtain reasonably priced essential oils via internet at A Garden Eastward (http://addy.com/brinkley/); 5) Buy one of Susan Cavitch's soapmaking books next to learn from your mistakes and/or take your soapmaking to the next level--by then, you'll be motivated to absorb more complex information that seemed overwhelming/initimidating at first--which will make so much more sense once you've made a couple of batches."
~ Written on 2004-12-23
"The photos are wonderful. The recipes are only varied according to the eo's that are used. The amounts of eo's would not apply for pure eo's. Soapmakers beware! Start with a small amount of eo, find out how it effects your skin and those using your soap, you can always adjust.
non tallow soap is too soft to make for everyday use. I use my soap for everything, including the laundry. I would not be able to do this with a vegetable soap. Tallow also cuts the cost, and last a lot longer."
~ Written on 2004-12-20
non tallow soap is too soft to make for everyday use. I use my soap for everything, including the laundry. I would not be able to do this with a vegetable soap. Tallow also cuts the cost, and last a lot longer."
~ Written on 2004-12-20
"This is a really beautiful book -- the photography is gorgeous and I like Sandy Maine's style of writing. She is very readable.
But...
There is one recipe in this book, dressed up with different fragrance/essential oils and "fillers". I think this shows a total and complete lack of imagination, considering the WORLD full of God's beautiful, healing oils He put here for us to enjoy. But all it is is olive oil, coconut oil, Crisco...olive oil, coconut oil, Crisco...olive oil, coconu-- well, you get the picture.
I also think that adding 3 ounces of lavender to that baby soap is going to just about knock the baby across the room. That is an awful lot of scent for a baby soap.
I'm not sorry I bought the book. The pictures alone gave me some great ideas for packaging and displays. But buy another book if you want some REAL recipes. Save the money you would have spent on buying the enormous quantities of essential oils for these soaps and spend it on a gorgeous bottle of avocado oil. Let your imagination soar. Soapmaking is, in my opinion, an art form. It doesn't have to be as plodding and pedestrian as this book makes it seem."
~ Written on 2004-07-02
But...
There is one recipe in this book, dressed up with different fragrance/essential oils and "fillers". I think this shows a total and complete lack of imagination, considering the WORLD full of God's beautiful, healing oils He put here for us to enjoy. But all it is is olive oil, coconut oil, Crisco...olive oil, coconut oil, Crisco...olive oil, coconu-- well, you get the picture.
I also think that adding 3 ounces of lavender to that baby soap is going to just about knock the baby across the room. That is an awful lot of scent for a baby soap.
I'm not sorry I bought the book. The pictures alone gave me some great ideas for packaging and displays. But buy another book if you want some REAL recipes. Save the money you would have spent on buying the enormous quantities of essential oils for these soaps and spend it on a gorgeous bottle of avocado oil. Let your imagination soar. Soapmaking is, in my opinion, an art form. It doesn't have to be as plodding and pedestrian as this book makes it seem."
~ Written on 2004-07-02