Rating: 
Summary: Lousy Recipes, Good Advice
Review: Buy this book if you're planning on starting a store and selling soap. Otherwise, avoid it.The recipes are uninspired and uncreative. They're not bad, they're just not creative enough to grab someone who's enthusiastic about making their own soap. For that, I recommend the Susan Miller Cavitch book, "The Soapmaker's Companion". The business advice, however, is great. I really recommend it if you're interested in starting a craft business. And that, really, is the only reason to buy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!!!
Review: I became interested in soapmaking not too long ago and have been avidly reading anything I can on the process of soapmaking and on opening a business to sell my creations. This is, by far, the best book I've read that covers both subjects. The recipes are great for a beginner, such as myself, and the author provides other tips for creating your own recipes and designs. The best section of the book, however, discusses developing a soapmaking business. The chapters are well placed and flow easily. The instructions are easy to understand. In fact, the entire section can actually be applied to ANY crafting industry. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!!
Review: I became interested in soapmaking not too long ago and have been avidly reading anything I can on the process of soapmaking and on opening a business to sell my creations. This is, by far, the best book I've read that covers both subjects. The recipes are great for a beginner, such as myself, and the author provides other tips for creating your own recipes and designs. The best section of the book, however, discusses developing a soapmaking business. The chapters are well placed and flow easily. The instructions are easy to understand. In fact, the entire section can actually be applied to ANY crafting industry. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Rating:
Summary: Thinking of starting a business...THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!
Review: I couldn't have found this book at a better time if I had tried! I have been crafting soaps, and other goodies for a while. I recently made a decision that I am going to start my own business, selling my products. Upon my finding this book, it helped me answer so many questions that I have thought of (and even didn't realize I would need to know.) I hightly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books on the market about soap making!
Review: I have many books on soap making and they are pretty much all the same.... all someone else's recipes. I have been searching for one that would give me the "base" formula and I found that in this book. You get a short history in how soap began, and thorough explanations on the different oils, fats, butters, and scents.... how each is used and what they do for your soap. It even explains the different aromatherapy characteristics of the fragrance and essential oils. There is a wonderful explanation on how to calculate the saponification values that even an 8 year old could understand. Yes there are a few recipes to get you started in each type of soap making (melt & pour, hand milled, rebatched, and cold processed), but mostly you are encouraged to create you own recipes. The business part is also one of the most thorough I have found. It covers licenses and permits, copy right laws rights and wrongs, FDA labeling rules, taxes laws, and so much more. This book is a must have for beginners and experienced soap crafters alike!
Rating:
Summary: Great for newbies:o)
Review: I ordered several books and am new to making soap. I found this one so much easier to understand. The information is very clear with lots of easy tips, in terms a new person to soap making can understand. Soap making ratios, tables, etc can be so confusing, she makes it more enjoyable reading. Not really any photos here, but I am less concerned about pictures of soap then I am learning how to make them. I highly recomend this book for everyone, especially those new to soap making.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for business info, not top choice for recipes
Review: This book covers the how-to in setting up the for-profit side of soapmaking really well, but the "for fun" side is better covered in other books with more recipes and more photos. If you are looking to sell soaps, GET THIS. Otherwise, try some of the other books for more fun ideas and recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Great for business info, not top choice for recipes
Review: This book covers the how-to in setting up the for-profit side of soapmaking really well, but the "for fun" side is better covered in other books with more recipes and more photos. If you are looking to sell soaps, GET THIS. Otherwise, try some of the other books for more fun ideas and recipes.
Rating:
Summary: For the Intermediate SoapMaker
Review: This book has something for everyone. However, it excells in helping the budding soap crafter turn their hobby into a for-fun-and-profit enterprise. I bought this book after turning my hobby into a business...So you may be wondering - "Why did she need this book, then?" It helped me think about some ways to expend my markets, returning to some creativity on how to wrap and label the soap and just a refresher. Some books I have sold. This is a keeper. Look for my other reviews as I give you a professional soapmaker's insight into the books of the trade!
Rating:
Summary: It's a good book that you'll outgrown quickly.
Review: This book is geared more toward hobby soapmakers than serious small businesses but it's a nice place to start. The chemistry is OK but not great. It DOES have a few nice pictures and the friendly, chatty style fits the author well. If you've never been in business before and you're really not looking to go into serious manufacturing this is a good get-your-feet-wet book. If you're an experienced business person who's just looking for a good lesson on soapmaking, pass this one up.
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