Best soap making supplies according to redditors

Actually what he used was one of these http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Acrylic-Fillable-Ornament/dp/B00AKF8U8O

I recognized it immediately since I use them for cosplay. But hey, responding to things with ignorant sarcasm is always a fun outlook on life.

Edit: They do come in larger sizes and I posted the first size I found while on mobile.

Hello all, thanks for looking!

These are the first batch of Dugout One Hitters that my dad and I are making in our garage. We used Amazing Cast Clear epoxy resin. The blue one is dyed with a liquid coloring and the green one is a powder with some metallic flake. We wet sanded them up to 3000 and then used 3M buffing compound for the final finish.

Here are some more pictures.

Resin Used

Liquid Coloring

Powder Coloring

Buffing Compound

We made custom molds out of HDPE and used Smooth On releasing agent.

Any feedback or questions would be appreciated! Check out more on my Instagram

There was a link in the youtube video description another commenter posted. This is the mold.

Edit: This is just the mold from the link the youtube video provided; /u/Morningxafter pointed out that this is likely the mold that was actually used.

This same scent (based on the 'notes' she gives) has been around in soap/candle/bath bomb making ingredients for years, it's just named Monkey Farts usually.

www.amazon.com/dp/B07H29M1GS

The kit isn't bad, however, I'm not crazy about the scale, it can only hold 3kg. I'd much rather see you get a scale that will hold 5kg. (they're not expensive).


Also not crazy about the "blend of oils". You'll get much more for your money if you choose a recipe that has some common oils used and buy them separately (olive, coconut, shea butter, palm/castor).

Also you will certainly want a stick blender, which is $15-20. This is a must have, not sure why the kit doesn't include it.

Anyway, if you think this is something that you will stick with and want to make more, I suggest buying your own quality stuff.

Stick Blender - $15 (Proctor silex at Walmart)

Digital scale $12 (linked above)

Digital Thermometer - $9 (Taylor waterproof - look on Amazon)

Goggles - $2 (amazon)

Isopropyl Alcohol - $3 (Walmart)

Spoons/silicone spatulas/bowls/cups - Dollar store - maybe $7?

Gloves (box of disposables) $4 (Walmart)

Mold $12 (Amazon)

Lye $10


Distilled water $1 (Walmart)


Oil will cost you less per oz if you buy in quantity, but even "regular" sizes of olive/coconut/shea butter/palm (Palm oil is a bit controversial because of sustainability concerns, all you can really do besides avoiding it altogether is buy from reputable companies that state that their Palm oil is RSPO certified) will cost you around $50 (Walmart and Amazon).


All told you're still under $100 and you've got a great kit that's got a lot more in it (more oil, blender, thermometer, bowls, etc).

It doesn't come with fragrance or lavender buds, but you can add some essential oil for a few dollars more and for what it's worth, I strongly suggest your first batch should be scent-free and color-free. Get your basic soap recipe the way you want it, then add scent, color, etc.

I used:

Faux Rizzle’s Art Resin UV (this is not a UV resin, it’s just more resistant to UV rays).

https://artresinfauxrizzle.com/faux-rizzle-art-resin-uv/?aff=10

Faux Rizzle’s Solar Flare pigment in Strawberry Milkshake (this is the color changing part!)

https://artresinfauxrizzle.com/solar-flare/?aff=10

Black Mixol #1 for the black resin

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036AYXLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_XFIPDbEQ31B70

Crystal cluster mold from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Molds-Silicone-Cluster-Decoration/dp/B07RW2BC7F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=crystal+mold&qid=1571169696&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMlYwUk1RQlM1TDlLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjAyNjEzMVVXUEUzWTFQOE5ZMCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDE2OTYwMUJLV0FIQU5JVjBNRiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Actually the one he used didn't look like that. You don't have to spend $30 on the mold for it. It looked like he used this instead. They're crazy cheap and work just as well.

I molded most of them in plain, rectangle individual molds because of the challenges in cutting salt bars. Here is the 6 plain bar rectangle molds I used. With the extra soap I had, I put the rest into some individual molds that have an impression on them. Here is the 6 bar impression molds I used.

The marbling technique I used was an in-the-pot swirl. 3/4 of my batter was colored with rose clay, 1/4 with titanium dioxide. I poured the white mix into the pink batter in equalish amounts at 12, 4, and 8 as spots on the clock, so to speak. At one spot, I poured high at about 6" above the batter, the next I poured medium at about 3" above, and the final I poured as close to the batter as possible; this makes it so the white gets dispersed at different depths of the pot and doesn't just float all at one level.

Next, I took a spatula and pushed into spot with the closest drop, pushed the spatula to the bottom on the bowl, and swirled once clockwise thru all the dots, meeting back at the center of the original spot, and pulled straight back out. That's it.

From there, I just poured my mix directly into the center of each individual mold, filling them slightly over full. I overfill slightly because I take one of those spatula frosters used for cakes and use it as a squeegee or a trowel, and level the soaps with a clean pass across each soap top. Any extra soap that comes off, I will use to fill an extra small mold so I don't waste soap. Spray with alcohol every 15 minutes for the first hour, and I also forced these thru gel phase to get the colors to pop more!

Voila!

There are plastic ones!

But I kinda like the idea to just having individual meeples hanging around the tree... even if they're small.

/u/TrashyTripod & /u/gotsmile, you guys are going to laugh at how easy this is.

There are recipes online. Do a little googling about what soap ingredients have different effects, like I did a rose oil (omg, the scent!) and rose clay soap, which is good for skin, or honey and oatmeal which is more exfoliation. Some are better for dry skin, oily skin, or just neutral.

I buy everything from Amazon:

• Molds: gems, bars, fun small shapes
  
  
• Melt and pour soap base: honey, goat's milk. I'm picky and I only buy the organic stuff. Buy it sooner rather than later, it will sell out by the holidays! Learned that the hard way, last year.
  
  
• Mix-ins: oatmeal, activated charcoal. You want everything to be food-grade.
  
  ------------
  
  How To
  
  The soap base breaks apart into 1 inch cubes. In a microwave safe measuring cup, microwave 2-4 cubes in 30 second increments until melted. Stir in any oils, perfumes, or colorants (although I avoid coloring soap, personally; I like the 'natural' stuff). Pour the appropriate amount into your mold. Working quickly, in the soap-filled mold, stir in any large add-ins, like charcoal or oatmeal. Wipe down the measuring cup, repeat as necessary.
  
  Leave the mold out at room temperature to set. Give it time (6-24 hours). Gently remove from the mold and wrap in cling wrap to avoid moisture beads from forming. Later, put the plastic-wrapped soaps in a little goody bag with a piece of colorful tissue paper. FYI, the tissue paper will stick to the soap if they touch.
  
  --------
  
  Tips:
  
  
• Learn from my mistake: when you're done, wash the measuring cup and molds by hand. If you put them in a dishwasher, it will become coated in soap. This kills the dishwasher.
  
  
• Buy 2 molds. Make a batch in the morning and again in the evening. If you use the bar mold, that gives you 12 bars per mold x 2 molds x 2 times in a day, or 48 bars for ~3 hours of work on a Saturday. You'll get faster as you get the hang of it.
  
  
• How much soap base you need depends on the size of your molds and how many soaps you're making. I found that 2 lbs of soap base was enough for about 16 bars using this mold. But I didn't really like the shape of the soap in that mold because it was too deep.
  
  
• If you're using heavy or large add-ins, it pays to let the soap solidify for a second before mixing them in, or it'll all sink to the bottom.
  
  
• It's fun to combine with other homemade cosmetics gifts, like DIY lip balm or something, but that requires a whole other set of materials, so increases your costs.
  
  
• More tips on how to avoid "weeping." This site is SUPER helpful!

I actually have about 20 of those things at home. They're glass balls that some people make christmas ornaments out of. http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Acrylic-Fillable-Ornament/dp/B00AKF8U8O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452280201&sr=8-3&keywords=acrylic+ball

DIY no, but there are silicone baking molds you can buy.

how's this?

Best glitter I found is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P6M929L

Lots of glitter weights too much and sinks in resin. This stuff is more a powder and stays in all levels of resin, and has a white sparkle instead of the usual green. Great for non-flat castings

I found these that are much cheaper. Just need to put two together to be just shy of 1 cup.

Ozera 6 Cavities Rectangle Silicone Soap Molds, Baking Mold Cake Pan, Biscuit Chocolate Mold, Ice Cube Tray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OCG7GVO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i9I6BbD977ZRM


2pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q7T5H38/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_l.I6BbH07EQJ9


Edit:

This one is a bit more then 1 cup

Kasian House Extra Large Ice Cube Tray, 2.5" Cube, Silicone and BPA Free, For Whiskey Drinks, Food Freezing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079483FHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BeJ6BbBAD9N4B

Mica powders for petri? I don’t think that is possible. But, I agree. Mica powder do look a lot better than alcohol inks, they have a glittery effect which I really like. Have some “Artisan Mica Powder “ (brand on amazon) mica powder in my cart.

It's a cake pan actually. Like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/PONECA-Silicone-Christmas-Chocolate-Silicone/dp/B07G3C9KQX/ref=pd_aw_lpo_79_tr_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DK2ADDF2MG1NJFPVQQAT

The cakes come out so cute! Except for all those air bubbles!

This is from the guy above: http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Plastic-Acrylic-Fillable-Ornament/dp/B00AKF8U8O

Said that's what the dude in the video used.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07QHMFPM9?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

2 Pcs SJ Silicone Soap Molds, Rectangle & Oval, 6-Cavity Silicone Molds for Pudding, Muffin, Loaf, Brownie, Cornbread, and Cheesecake, Loaf Soap Molds, Nonstick & BPA free (Pink) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MPZCJCC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FeTlDbWFJF064

homEdge 6-Cavity Oval Silicone Mold, 3 Packs Oval Molds for Making Handmade Soap, Chocolate, Soap Candles and Jelly-Brown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M77FC2J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uzuzDb489G4ZC

Here’s a link for some oval molds. As for the top, just fill it so that it’s heaping, then you can kinda smoothen it lightly so that’s there’s no bumps or anything.

I used this Slime Powder, DIY Mica Powder,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JF89516?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Yes, you can tint whitewash using dry pigments. A little goes a long way, measure everything by weight. If you want a little sparkle (like you'd see with quartz or granite), you can also add a little mica powder for a pearlescent effect.

Remember: you want true lime whitewash for this, not just thinned out paint. Simple to mix up, plenty of recipes online.

Use a chemical stripper, Scotch Brite pad, and elbow grease. Avoid acids for stripping - they'll eat the limestone. Power washer is too harsh. After it's stripped, you'll wanna do a light etch to ensure good adhesion of your coating. Use that product in a 1:3 ratio of etch to water.

One of these!

https://www.amazon.com/Oggibox-3-Cavity-Silicone-Custard-Coaster/dp/B07DWRJKXG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=FSBGDPO39B09&keywords=resin+coaster+molds&qid=1574347332&sprefix=resin+coaster+mo%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQjFJUkJSOUJWSFVFJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTk4Nzk0MTJHS0RXVEpDS0ZFWCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDM1MDU3MU04S0pQN0g5NFBDQSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

​

But you can find all kinds of cool molds on amazon.

https://smile.amazon.com/Crystal-Clear-Table-Coating-Tabletop/dp/B01LYK2NAG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2PGLVZYV5O35O&keywords=bar+top+epoxy+resin&qid=1556287104&s=gateway&sprefix=bar+top+%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-3

​

https://smile.amazon.com/Colorant-0-36oz-Cosmetic-Natural-Pigment/dp/B07DH8QDJN/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2VA4LC6AZZO6M&keywords=epoxy+resin+color+pigment&qid=1556287213&s=gateway&sprefix=epoxy+%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-4

Like I said, I take the Better Shea out of the bag and store it in a glass container instead.

It looks like the Viva Naturals I ordered is out of stock, but here is the link to the product if you want to watch for stock.

I use Slice of Nature Nilotica organic Shea butter. Nilotica shea is grown in East Africa, usually Uganda or East Africa It's raw, not processed, yet has a beautifully soft consistency and a very faint natural smell. It also sinks nicely into skin. I used to get it on Amazon, but it doesn't seem to be available there. I'm going to buy it on eBay from this 100% seller. Most shea butter is grown in West Africa. It's harder and doesn't have the healing properties of Nilotica.

If you want an alternative, this product looks pretty good. It's also from Uganda so it's the right kind of shea butter, and it's organic. I've never used this brand but looks good. The price seems low for Nilotica. Viva Naturals

Thanks for your input. I figured the craft store base would be garbage but I wanted to try it out since I was able to use a coupon on it. Didn't expect it to smell so bad :( What MP base would you recommend from Amazon? I currently have the goat's milk base from here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019M7XCA6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I agree with pp who said that it mostly depends on your washing skills - and good reminders about the saponification process using up the lye. Think about the material of your tools as well- a glass bowl is much easier to clean for safe food use than a plastic bowl would be.

That being said I personally did buy a separate set of tools mostly because it's not that expensive. I bought a $27 Cuisinart Hand Blender in pink so there is no confusion and bought the rest of my tools from the dollar store like mixing bowls and spatulas (I confess I did also buy 3 nice pour spout containers off Amazon when I ordered my mold :))

Good luck! edit: forgot a word

https://www.nasa.gov/content/monkey-farts/ETI