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| Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How (Natural Body Series - The Natural Way to Enhance Your Life) | 
 enlarge | Author: Susan Miller Cavitch
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy New: $8.62
You Save: $10.33 (55%)
New (38) Used (30) Collectible (2) from $8.31
Avg. Customer Rating:  65 reviews
Sales Rank: 5569
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8 x 7.8 x 0.9
ISBN: 0882669656
Dewey Decimal Number: 668.124
UPC: 037038009651
EAN: 9780882669656
ASIN: 0882669656
Publication Date: January 7, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Book has some problems August 24, 2005
26 out of 26 found this review helpful
Many of the recipes Cavitch gives call for a lot of hard to find and expensive oils, which can discourage new soapmakers.
She also superfats too much, and I also think that can misinform newbies.
Her descriptions of oils and their properties are really helpful, but she doesn't describe using a stick blender at all (only a regular blender).
Good for reference, but definitely should not be used as a soap making bible. I found Kathy Miller's site much more helpful, more informative, and much more realistic for today's soapmaker.
Should be called "Soapmaking for the Independently Wealthy" January 28, 2001
25 out of 27 found this review helpful
This book is interesting, but it was low on recipes and high on information overload. If you and some soapmaking friends want to go in together on this book to share among you it would probably be worth it as an additional resource. She does have a good discussion of why you should label soaps when you make cosmetic-type claims, and whether it's worth it to be in business. But--I can't see too many hobbyists trying out her ideas, because most of them would land you in the poorhouse pretty quickly, even if you're bulk-buying with friends. There are cheaper recipes in other books and on the internet. Also, I'm somewhat leery of claims concerning most of the expensive oils. I mean, we're talking about something (soap) that is washed down the drain, not worn like creams or perfumes. I'd rather save the expensive stuff for other cosmetics, so as to really get my money's worth. The last complaint I have is that almost all of the measurements are in grams, and while it is probably more accurate, it is not practical for many of us to own two scales, which she recommends. I will say that if you have to choose between this and her other book, choose this one, as the recipes are much more manageable for the home soapmaker, size-wise, than in the first book.
Good reading for beginners October 25, 1999
24 out of 26 found this review helpful
The information and techniques of cold process soap making are clearly and thoroughly covered in this book. This is definitely a good book to learn the process of soapmaking. The lack of pictures, makes the book slightly less enjoyable. Several recipes include expensive oils or butters that most soapmakers may not be able to find locally, which in my opinion don't belong in a beginners soap making book. It is however a great book, maybe not for beginner's recipes, but the information is well worth reading this book.
 A must have for the serious soapmaker. April 14, 2002
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
This book is the staple of so many soapmakers. It covers many aspects of soapmaking. I particularly like the trouble shooting guide, in case I come up with something that looks unfamiliar. I just look it up and find out what I should do with the soap.I like her recipes too. Her Hempsters Delight is a favorite of my customers. One point though. As a seasoned soapmaker, you must do your own lye calculations. There are several good lye calculators on the web. There's always a chance for a misprint in a book or anothers recipe. Just type "lye calulator" into a search engine. This book is the standard Bible to most soapmakers. I refer to my copy often.
Great, but not for absolute beginners November 17, 2002
18 out of 19 found this review helpful
I bought this book right after I took a class in cold process soapmaking, so I was a beginner, but not an absolute beginner. As of this writing, I've made about 6 batches of soap, and this book has been a big help. I've used The Soapmaker's Companion as a reference for things like properties of various oils and herbs. There are a couple of charts that I constantly refer to when creating new recipes. I have not, however, used any of the author's recipes, and I doubt I ever will. They tend to be rather detailed as well as sometimes refer to ingredients in grams - sometimes listing an ounce equivalent, sometimes not. I wish the book had a hard cover, too, for the spine isn't holding up well. My other complaint is with the ink and printing process. Two colors are used throughout the book: an evergreen color, and a salmon color. The intensity of the colors vary throughout my book. In places where the headings are in the salmon color, some pages the print is so light that I have trouble seeing the headings, yet I can turn a few more pages, and it's nice and dark. This may just be a fluke with the printing of my book. All in all, The Soapmaker's Companion has been a wonderful resource for me. I've only had two questions that I couldn't find the answers to in the book: (1) The SAP value of monoi oil, and (2) Guidelines, a rough range, or any discussion whatsoever on how much essential oil to add per pound of soap. I recommend absolute beginners don't buy this book with thoughts that it will teach the soapmaking process. Either take a class first or find a better first book, and then buy this one once you've learned the basics.
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