Review of Making Natural Liquid Soaps, by Catherine Failor ISBN: 1-58017-243-1Are we ready for something completely new in soap making? I think so. :)
Catherine Failor's new book is with the times. She has apparently been hard at work in her kitchen coming up with fun new ways to play with soap!
The focus here is making liquid soap, shampoo, dog shampoo, shower gels, and bubble bath. Yep, everything people have been asking me for lately.
This is NOT a cake mix type of book. It is complete instructions from making these items from scratch. One word of warning though, you WILL have to get POTASSIUM hydroxide to use this book. ....................
Ms Failor goes into great detail to explain her hot process method. There are lots of pictures to help! The friendly layout of this book will remind you of a magazine article. A very LONG magazine article, haahaa.
I just finished reading this and I have to tell ya, I have learned a lot about fats and soaps and hot process and liquid soaps, and so much more! There are little charts to help you help yourself in making your own recipes, although there are enough recipes in this book to keep you chained to the stove creating for a long time!
It is obvious that the author has been working with these recipes in her book for quite some time and has discovered the pitfalls before hand and already advised you how to handle them in the trouble shooting section.
There is a healthy section on blending scents, both fragrances and essential oils. And I can't even do my usual complaint about over usage of essential oils, haahaa, she uses the 'by the part' method of blending so it fits everyone's needs. ;)
Being alcohol sensitive myself, I really appreciate that she has two different methods in the book. There is a method that works without using alcohol to clarify the soap. She even gives properties of the various fats and oils that you use based on clarity of the finished products.
If you are the type of person who just won't follow complete instructions, this book is not for you. I think it is written well enough for a beginner to use, but I don't know that a beginner is so hooked on soap making that they will want to take this on. It is complicated as far as soap making goes. Liquid soap making and shampoo making require a lot more effort than cold process soap making. But, if you are a seasoned soap maker who has become a bit bored with doing the same ol' thing, this is definitely for you.
I'm excited to try out these shampoos and shower gels. :) ..............................................it is rare to find such a new topic that you can really sink your teeth in to. Also, it is rare to find such a complete book that isn't the same old thing with a different cover. :) I'm impressed and the book got me excited!
I highly recommend this book. :)...................
Just finished reading the book. I can understand how some can get confused. Log onto [yahoo] and check out groups and look for the soap forums which will help you understand more. The people on the soap forums will lead you to links and books for additional help for liquid soaps.
I understood the book. It actually make me want to hop online and start purchasing additional supplies to making liquid soap.
Pictures and recipes were delightful.
The only problem was that the author used coconut oil as part of her recipes and I use only palm kernel oil. However, there are other web sites that I can calculate the palm kernel oil.
You must read carefully and if you don't understand, stop and hop online and start surfing the net for help in regards to making liquid soaps.
This book was referred to me and I do not regret the purchase.
It has helped tremendously!!!!!
