Safety First!
Caution, lye is a strong, caustic chemical, please ensure safety gear is always worn when making soap! Everything that you use in making soap must be kept as such, and never be used for any other purposes.
To start making soap you do not require all these items first hand, but they do come in handy.
* Marks essential items, and at lowest price, so perfect for making a first batch of soap.
This is what we use, apart from the stick blender, we started off with a Kmart one then purchased a secondhand Kenwood Triblade (which I absolutely love).
Misc
* Safety goggles – local hardware store
* Chux Disposable Gloves Extra Grip – from most supermarkets
Bamboo chopstick – assists pouring essential oils – see our Tricks of the trade page
750 ml – 1 litre Preserving Jar – macerating oils (used for Kawakawa soap etc)
Soap molds/moulds
Rectangular Silicone Loaf Soap Mold with Wood Box – all soap recipes bar the household soap are formulated to fit this mold, makes 8 – 10 bars of soap depending on thickness. This can be purchased from the following online stores Boowan Nicole (free shipping), Pure Nature, or BeautyQuip
OR
Any array of silicone Soap Molds – though they do require a tray or a board underneath to make handling easier, they do not require cutting, so perfect for quick and easy soap making.
New Zealand Candle Supplies
* Stainless Steel Pouring Jug 1L – used for mixing lye mix in.
Kmart
* Stainless Steel Milk Jug – used for measuring lye.
* Slimline Kitchen Scale – essential for weighing all manner of soap ingredients.
* Stick Mixer – essential for mixing soap batter to come to trace (like cream soup).
Briscoes – (purchase when on sale)
* Wiltshire Baking Mat x 2 or more (or paper sheet) – protects surfaces from lye damage.
* Wiltshire Silicone Corner Scraper x 2 – mixing lye and water, and the second for mixing oils.
* O Cuisine Borosilicate Measuring Jug 0.25L – to measure liquid oils.
* O Cuisine Borosilicate Measuring Jug 1L – to measure liquid oils into combining, before adding into melted solid oils.
O Cuisine Borosilicate Expert Bowl 30cm 4.2 – perfect for mixing soap batters, made from Borosilicate glass means it is safe to use (ideal for the more serious soapmaker).
E Hayes & Sons
* 2.5L Microwave Jug – for mixing soap batters.
Trademe
* Digital Pocket Scale Mini / Jeweller scale 1kg – for accurate weighing of small quantities ie Sodium Lactate, essential oils, and Steric Acid.
Save barn
AVANTI Silicone Ice Cube Tray with Carrier 32 Cup – for freezing lemon juice and milks etc (these pop out so easy).
Labgeek – for the advanced soap maker (who likes to be a little geeky)
Low-Form Glass Beaker
500ml – measuring and weighing large quantity of oils into
100ml – weighing small quantity oils, Sodium Lactate and essential oils