The Natural Soap Book: Making
Herbal and Vegetable-Based Soaps
by Susan Miller Cavitch
A Great Soapmaking Reference For Creative, Teachable Spirits!
An inspiring exploration of the goodness of chemical- and additive-free
soap. 102,000 copies in print.
Personal Review: The Natural Soap Book: Making Herbal and
Vegetable-Based Soaps by Susan Miller Cavitch
I began making my own soap about 15 years ago. I learned the basics
from another soapmaker in her shop in Colorado. This was before all the
many books and resources on soapmaking became readily available.
I bought this book as soon as it came out. It, along with several others,
were great resources for expanding my knowledge and technique with
soapmaking.
I see so many reviews that make these types of books "all or nothing"
propositions. These books were never intended to present "the ONLY
way" to do anything!

NOTE: I don't superfat my soaps and I don't use GSE. I don't do much
of anything EXACTLY the way anyone else does. I do keep a huge
database of information (the science of soapmaking, essential and base oil
information, additive information, etc.) that I've compiled from many, many
sources. THAT database is my soapmaking "Bible."
That's the beauty of getting a good knowledge base from many, many
sources along with actually experimenting on your own! Completely
uneducated, very poor people throughout the ages have been able to
make perfectly servicable, even magnificent soap without reading a single
book on the subject, much less having the wealth of knowledge we can get
on the internet. While the science of soapmaking is fascinating to me, and
you can certainly make soapmaking into rocket science if you want...it
really isn't rocket science!
Go make some soap! Keep notes on what went great and what didn't.
Grate your failures and use them for laundry or household soap. Blaze
new trails! One of your experiments may turn out to be infinitely better
than any soap you could have copied from anyone else!
Build yourself a nice library about ANY topic you are passionate about.
Read a variety of authors, enjoy the contradictions! Then GO...GO and
create your own way, your own dream, your own method. Experiment.
Learn from success and failure!
If you don't have the money to buy more than one book before you start a
new craft or hobby, go to the library and borrow them!
Stand on the shoulders of giants and the wee little people who gave you
even a hint of help in achieving your goals and dreams. Write your own
book and share what YOU'VE learned!
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