20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring and Easy to Do Too!, January 21, 2002
This review is from: Melt & Mold Soap Crafting (Paperback)
This is my favorite melt and craft soap book, despite my four star rating. The instructions are easy to follow and the numerous photos are great to look at. Even the book's covers are attractive. My favorite projects are the 2 color swirled soaps with a marblized appearance, the faux french milled soap, a bath salts box, and fruit cane citrus slice soap.
The author's great instructions on layering and cane building have been most useful in turning my ideas into workable soap pictures. The faux milled soap is also great because I know people that don't consider translucent soap to be "real" soap, no matter how pretty. I absolutely adore the bath salts box, made with a chocolate box mold, because it can be used to hold smaller sized soaps or as a utilitarian air freshner. It's less of a hassle to keep one of these on my desk at work than a bar of soap--very cool! Beginners will really appreciate the troublshooting sections and tips so that you can correct problems and learn how to decrease/increase ingredient to achieve certain effects, like making a soap clearer in appearance.
I gave the book four stars because it doesn't contain a lot of information about fragrance mixing or which kinds of plant materials can be safely included in a soap. This is a minor quibble as the breadth of projects are more than enough to keep someone busy for quite some time. I would have given the book 4.5 stars I could. Whether you're thinking of crafting soap for your own enjoyment or to start a business, you can't do much better than this book.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Starting Place for Melt and Pour, June 1, 2005
This review is from: Melt & Mold Soap Crafting (Paperback)
Although this has a slick commercial look about it (I tend to doubt the usefulness of commercial stuff!), this is a great beginner's book for learning and doing Melt and Pour soapmaking.
This was the first book I bought, so perhaps there is some sentimental value for me. But it has clear written and graphic instructions on melt and pour soaping, along with useful information such as a guide to additives, basic information about setting up your work area, selecting and preparing your molds, determining the right temperature (thermometers are not so necessary in melt and pour, so you're going by 'behavior' and look of the glycerin). A troubleshooting page is included -- even with melt and pour, there will be problems! She has small sections (sometimes just a page) on mastering fragances, color theories, and other useful bits throughout the book.
Please note that in my reviews, recipes are very secondary to me. In looking at and using soapmaking books, I'm looking for information on how to (create swirls, mix colors or scents in better, use additives, package, wrap, sell). Recipes give me ideas for recipes to make on my own.
I like the variety she offers -- very brief bits on all kinds of soap making - loaf, french milled soaps, commemorative soaps, tube (cane) soaps, leftover soaps (she calls this shelter soap, which makes me wince a bit), soaps with small toys in them, bath salts, soap tassels (invented by Sandy Maine, see my review of one of her books), gemstoneskitchen soap and more).
Her recipes are written as instructions, telling you what you will learn. About 30 recipes, ranging in level of difficulty from one (moldless soap, saving face soap, tropical indulgence soap are examples) to five (Kaila's happy to be bar). She has a recipes for a Victorian bridesmade cake soap (difficulty level four) that looks good enough to eat. Most are in the one to three difficulty level.
Four stars, though, not five. This book is missing some information, and its sources in the back are incomplete. You will need a lot more detailed information for learning how to develop your own recipes. And I wasn't impressed by the picture, on the rainbow loaf soap page, of food coloring bottles -- food coloring is inexpensive, handy and can be used, but it will not last. No note is made of that in this section, though it really should be noted for beginners.
A basic book for beginners -- and fun recipes to try and to add to your own collection.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great resource from the queen of M&P, January 24, 2001
This review is from: Melt & Mold Soap Crafting (Paperback)
Without question, Kaila Westerman is the guru of all things "Melt and Pour." Her knowledge of the basics of soap crafting is as extensive as her knack for the details. If you're looking for a GREAT book to get you started, this is the one. If you're already involved in soaping and want some great new tricks, you won't be dissapointed.
In so far as the references in the back, yes, many of the suppliers listed are associated with Westerman, but frankly, there aren't a lot of reputable suppliers out there and Westerman and the others listed provide only the cream of the crop in the way of soap supplies.
Buy this book today, dive in and get soapy!
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