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“Provides detailed instructions and recipes for basic lye soaps made with animal or vegetable fats, and for hand-milled and specialty soaps using almond meal, chamomile, glycerin, and milk....Shampoo and liquid are covered as well.”—Library Journal. “You’ll also learn a little something about the history and origins of soap and soap making, fragrance, herbs and natural dyes.”—Woman’s Day Crafts & Needlework.
partnersincrime
Posted December 20, 2010
I adore this book, it is the best I have found on the subject. I bought this years ago when it first was published and enclosed was a note from the publisher about the error with the lye that readers have mentioned. ..it does state it wrong in the book, due to an editing error. It is a shame because it is such a wonderful book...if you simply reverse the lye directions your soap will be fine...
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 30, 2002
This book is nice, although, there are inconsistencies in some recipes. In my opinion this book provides inspiration, in that capacity it gets five stars. However, some of the instructions have much left to be desired. The instructions on Lye are alarming, you never add water to lye; you add lye to water, this book would be a hazard to a novice unless they are melt and pour exclusive. I wonder if the publisher is aware and has plans to correct it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 10, 2000
This book has great photos and easy to follow instructions for soap making. I have made several batches of soap from this book. However, the amount of ingredients listed in the rebatching receipes was excessive. For instance when I made the lavender soap I ended up with a hideous looking soap that I wouldn't give anyone. If I make it again I will use less than a quarter of the recomended amount of lavender. The same for the kelp soap and the apricot soap. I also disagree with the need for benzoin. I made a batch with and one without the benzoin and prefered the batch without because the benzoin leaves sharp specks in the soap which are unpleasant. And then there is the issue of adding water to lye instead of lye to the water. Very dangerous. I did enjoy the rest of the book and got many good ideas from it. This book combined with the information from the internet has been very helpful and it encouraged me to experiment with my own receipes.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 27, 1999
While this book is a nice introduction to soapmaking, and especially good for those soapmakers who want to try rebatching, please be aware that there is a glaring and dangerous error in it about making the lye water. NEVER ADD WATER TO LYE; ALWAYS ADD LYE TO WATER (and pour the lye in slowly). If you add water to the lye, you run the risk of creating a scalding, caustic volcano in your pitcher. I do not know why Coney is so emphatic about adding lye to water, but among soapmakers it is unheard of because it is so dangerous. The error was not corrected in the softcover version of this book.
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Posted August 4, 2009
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Overview
“Provides detailed instructions and recipes for basic lye soaps made with animal or vegetable fats, and for hand-milled and specialty soaps using almond meal, chamomile, glycerin, and milk....Shampoo and liquid are covered as well.”—Library Journal. “You’ll also learn a little something about the history and origins of soap and soap making, fragrance, herbs and natural dyes.”—Woman’s Day Crafts & Needlework.