Customer Reviews

Good Gifts from the Home: Soaps, Shampoos & Other Suds: Make Beautiful Gifts to Give (or Keep)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

From the eyes of a beginner this book is great because most of the recipes don't cost a bundle or contain harmful chemicals like lye. (I dont think I want to experiment with lye just yet). This book also has ideas that are inexpensive and easy to follow. "Die-hard" soap makers that believe in only absolutly made-from-scratch recipes will most definatly not apprieciate this book. Many of the recipes start from store bought soap and shampoo which in my opinion does not reduce the quality of the end results. The things in this book are great for presents. I've actually have been asked by one of my friends if I would sell some of the things I make at her store!

So far everything that I've made hasn't reached my satisfaction. Whatever you do don't try any of the recipes for hair conditioners because you'll just end up with greasy hair. The lady at the aromatherapy store laughed at some of Reno's concoctions because they weren't made from scratch ,some of the measurements were not calculated correctly and that some of the fragrances didn't exist in essential oil form (i.e. green apple). Using unscented shampoo for shower gels doesn't work very well (and is also very hard to find). For one thing it doesn't foam up and the gel isn't thick, although the directions said it would thicken up- I don't think so! I think I'll try some of the bar soaps because I don't think anyone can mess those up. So far the Honey and Rose Water Face Wash is the only recipe that actually produced positive results. Go ahead and give this book a whirl, just avoid the hair conditioners!!!

Kelly Reno's book is great for beginners. It has simpler recipes where one doesn't have to buy all types of exotic ingredients. I especially liked the section on melt and pour soap recipes using glycerin soap. This is a great project for kids and for those who are a little hesitant to work with lye!

Both the title and jacket-end descriptions are misleading to the point of seeming dishonest. This is not a book of "ori ginal recipes" for "handmade/homemade" anything - the concoc tions rely on purchased soaps, shampoo & conditioner con centrates and the like, which are then shredded/mixed/blen ded with other purchased ingredients such as scents. A waste of money, in my humble opinion.

I was excited when I read this book I quickly started looking for the ingredients to make my first soap. It was easy to make and very nice.

I am, although, having a hard time locating shampoo concentrate for the shampoo recipes.

You can really be creative by using Kelly's base recipes and customizing them to your exact tastes for color and fragrance. We made all our Christmas gifts to rave reviews and the all natural ingredients are safe for the kids to use.

This book is a waste of money for the serious soaper as the recipes involve melting down premade soaps or using unscented store bought shampoos, bath gels, etc. Might be a good book for a teenager wanting to make some cute, inexpensive gifts for their friends. Even the lotion recipes are nothing more than a rehash of what is already in the very excellent book, "Natural Cosmetics for all seasons" by Janice Cox

Kelly Reno's recipes are unusual and very creative. She even has a recipe for coffee soap in her book. Of the recipes I've made so far, everything has turned out wonderful and her instructions are easy to follow. Great gift ideas

The beauty of this little book is that the projects don't require you to start out with 10 pounds of animal fat and a bucket of lye. The projects are all geared to allow novice crafters to transform readily available ingredients into pleasing gifts while adding their own unique personal touches. Especially nice are the recommendations for creating attractive gift packaging and presentation. Another nice touch is that all the recipes can be crafted on the kitchen and are "child-safe." We found the "flavor your own shampoo & bath gel" section a delightful source of rainy day activities for mother-daughter teams

This book is great for kids, or for those who enjoy "remilling" soaps. It wasn't what I was expecting, but still a good book. It is good for those that don't want to measure out lye, but I would recommend you look elsewhere if you are looking to make soap from scratch.