The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch (1995, Paperback)

I know many soapers absolutely love this book, but I am not quite as impressed. I've found websites that contain MUCH better info than this. First of all the title is misleading. Not ALL of the recipes in here are all vegetable, there are a few that contain tallow, goats milk, ect. The recipes are also way too large for any beginner, 12 pound batches are just not practical for the first timer, or anyone really. Unless you have a HUGE demand for your soap. I mean a 12 pound batch is 48 4oz sized bars! Do you really want 48 bars of soap with the exact same scent???

Another issue is with the suggested equipment. I have found that an 8 qt stock pot is way too large for my 4 lb batches and air bubbles form in my soap when I use it. When making 2 pound batches I have used a simple 2 qt thick glass pitcher for mixing the oil and lye together in, it works perfect for mixing and pouring into molds without spills. Wax paper should NOT be used to line molds, only FREEZER paper. Wax paper will dissolve into the soap! A paring knife is useless and dangerous to trim soap with unless you have a perfectly steady hand, use a vegetable peeler instead. Also forget hand-stirring, use a stick blender, I got mine for $8.00 at the local Wal-Mart, it's worth every penny! Also not mentioned is that you need LOTS of little plastic containers such as old cool-whip bowls or butter bowls for measuring out the ingredients in. Old glass jars work good too. Also after ruining one wooden spoon and one rubber spatula mixing the lye with them, I have learned that you need a STAINLESS STEEL spoon to mix it. It's the only material that will hold up to the lye.

I must say that this book is a great reference for someone who is looking for a brief description of the possible ingredients in soap.

I think this book is excellent. Take into account that I have not made my first batch yet but it seems Susan has covered all bases for making soap. I am convinced that Susan has done her research. She even touches on attention given to detail in wrapping individual bars and has included interviews or stories of successful businesses.

This book was copywrited in 1995 and contact information of listed resources is out of date. I had hoped to arrange a visit, for example, to Copra Soaps in Portland, Oregon but their not coming up on the web, neither is Susan Miller's business, Soap Essentials Inc. These business were thriving at time of writing, have they closed their doors or maybe changed their names?

I would like to follow up with Susan to see if she would add anything new or different to her original advice in The Natural Soap Book, before I take to making my first batch of soap.

I am leaving my email address for response. hunt@wvi.com