The Handbook of Soap Manufacture - The Original Classic Edition

Ive been an artisian soaper for over seven years. I found this book wonderful! Very well written with up-to-date information. The essential oil section is especially useful for knowing which essential oils that come through in cold process or hot process soap. I had to learn most of this the hard way through trial and error, and spending alot of money on research.

There is so much information in this book that was very well researched and a great benefit to the soap maker at any level. There are several techniques that are simplified from other books and information on the internet such as liquid soapmaking in a slow cooker.

There are discussions of soap casting, making geodes, swirling, gemstones, hand milling, and so much more to make this a VERY complete discussion of soap making.

When I started making soap, I got my education off of internet tutorials and forums as well as this book. Its perfect for beginners. It answers most the questions a beginner has, without getting complicated or overloading with confusing information. When I made my first batches I used it as a reference. Once you master everything it talks about, then you can go on into advanced techniques.

This is a well written guide to soap-making for the hobbyist as well as someone who may be considering taking their interest in soap-making to another level. The book describes how one might go about making soap with the ash and animal fats in the manner available a few generations ago, for the curious minded. If one is considering a commercial venture into selling their handmade soaps, this book describes some aspects one may wish to take into consideration.