There are two things that always frustrate me as a soap maker and seller. The first is when people assume that anything natural is automatically safe and anything synthetic is automatically bad. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people say they prefer essential oils because they are "safe and natural" whereas fragrance oils are "synthetic and toxic". This is such a misguided viewpoint as if used in the incorrect amounts essential oils can be just as harmful (if not more so) than fragrance oils. Just because something is natural does not make it safe - and this is coming from someone who does tend to use more essential oils in her products than fragrance oils! The second thing that is a bit of a bug bear for me is when I see people stating their soaps are "free of chemicals". I realise that they generally mean they are free of synthetic ingredients, but their choice of words is so wrong here. Nothing is "free of chemicals", even water is a chemical. To be honest, seeing someone using "free of chemicals" to advertise their soaps puts me right off buying from them as it makes me question how much they actually know about the products they are creating. Possibly I am being harsh, but it is just how it makes me feel!

I have had potential customers ask me point blank if one of my soaps will take care of acne, or eczema. I always tell them the same thing: The only claim that I make about my soap is that it will clean you. Period.

"Essential oil is not medicine! " Preach, king 👏👏👏

Absolutely perfect I loved everything about this video . When people ask me what does your soap help do I say CLEAN YOUR SKIN 😂

I’ve been watching other soap makers for almost 3 years. Last summer my daughter and I started to make soap also. On some of the Facebook groups I’m unfortunately reminded that people don’t have common sense or don’t bother doing enough research. So glad I came across your channel so I can learn more.

years ago, I took abut 4 soap making classes to learn how to make soap. They gave me so many RULES that had to be followed or the world would end . I tried to make soap at home and it was always an expensive disaster and I gave up. Still had all the stuff that I never touched for about 5 years -- so one night I thought I'd try again. I broke every rule - I used old oils, old lye, i didnt use a thermometer, I didnt use a stick blender -- i just basically threw everything together any old how. And I got fabulous soap !!! i find it very strange that a lot of soapers seem to like to over complicate soap making.

As someone with quite dry and sensetive skin, I find that a lot of the additives people claim to be "healing" or "purifying" are actually just harsh and stripping. Especially with essential oils. It's a bit taking a laxative to loose weight. Perhaps not quite that bad, but it comes from the same mindset that any form of "cleansing" that gets things out of your body is good for you.... when that's not always true

Love this video uncle Jon! Truer words have not been spoken about making soap. I started breaking all of the so called rules after my first year and never looked back. Greetings from Vancouver Island,British Columbia 😊😊

My soap cured my depression. Oh, wait, boredom, it cured my boredom.

Began my Soap Journey 9 months ago and really enjoy it! I was just going to make the switch to fragrance oil. So much confusing information in my head ABOUT EVERYTHING . . You remind me of the guys I grew up with in Boston!!! Wicked Cool & right to the point, NO NONSENSE OR FRILL!!!!!! Glad I found your channel. Thank You!!

Omg, right!?! As a retired trauma burn nurse, you are 100% right about **NOT** using vinegar on your skin if you get lye water/soap batter on you! The first time heard that I was, wait, what now!?! Nope!!!

"Yeah couldn't do that angle anymore, that hurts my neck" lol 🤣

I sometimes will add dried herbs in my soaps. Just for a little fragrance and color. I don't like E-oils or fragrance oils. Just good soap! And thankyou for all your common sense advice. I ran across one of your videos awhile back, and watched it. Sparked my interest! So I started making soap. And I'm darn good at it too! Thank you.

Yep, been having problems with those little blue bottles myself so I changed companies

ahh I love the soap is not medicine. I don't know how many times I see this posted on websites lol

Dear Uncle Jon, after a few years I’m back to binging your video’s. Because I’ve run out of my soaps and I was a bit insecure if I really knew how to do it again. Well yes, I do. And with every video from you that I watch, I’m just totally with you. So funny, the reason that I started soapmaking in the first place, is because I do have psoriasis. And no, my soap doesn’t cure it, BUT neither did all the things the hospital described. I threw all that stuff out many years ago, as well as shampoo/conditioners and what not. There are some people who buy my soaps on a regular base and they do claim that it really helps them with rocasea and making skin and hair overall feel better. Well, isn’t that just nice? 😃 I always use herb infused oils, CBD oils etc. Also, I love how you help me be less afraid of the lye. 😂 In general, I just love your attitude and approach. 💪💪🫶

Preach! I get fifty questions about what my soap does at farmer’s markets. Duh, clean!

As always great advice! Thanks Uncle Jon for taking your time to enlighten us

I love how experimental you have been with soap so you can relay this invaluable information to us. THANK YOU for trying soap recipes every which way, because I am not brave enough. My anxiety would NOT let me figure that out for myself. I'm so afraid of wasting ingredients and screwing up my soap, I'm broke. You are the real MVP sir. lol

This was such a great video! Thank you!

I have to say, you always make the conversation humorous! I love the way you tackle the issue at hand! You have a way of saying things, even if they're serious, you make me laugh! Sorry if that offended you, but it's so true. Jill Gross

This video is so great. Thanks for posting. And your soap studio is fabulous!

Thank you for another great video!! So glad to have you telling it like it is .. some of the soaping groups I am in can get to be a bit nasty when they are questioned on something .. keep up the good work!!

Thanks so much for the information, you just answered all of my questions related to soap making 👏👏👏

Thank you so much for the knowledge on soap!

😂😂😂 I love watching uncle Jon very informative funny and I have learned a lot . Thank you 🙏🏼

Great video!!

Super useful. Love this.

Most informative video about soap making...ever. Thank you for the help with my oils and trace. Love your videos.

Loved this!

I always love your videos because you speak the truth and then give reasons for what you say. I always learn something from your videos. Thankyou for sharing on Utube.

Love your honesty, #1 is so true. Anyway great video.

Good attitude! Clear words! 👍

Awesome Jon 👍👍

You are awesome!! Thank you for this video!

I tried vinegar when I got a little lye water on me and wow!!!! It caused a lot more pain than when I just used water . So that from my experience is sooooo true!

Great video, thanks for sharing.🌸

I think the vinegar and lye theory came from the movie Fight Club.

For me a doctors never have had any cure for my skin issues, but after I switched to do my own lotions and use hand made soap that have not been ruined like they do in big factories, my skin started to heal and honestly didn’t even expect it ever be this beautiful. They remove the glycerin from “soaps” and put it in lotions because the so called soaps the big factories sell ruins your skin. I mean that shouldn’t be legal even. Now I have started to do my own soaps and yes I don’t claim they do anything else but clean, I do tell the truth that there are no synthetic bs in the soaps and nothing good in it have not taken away like in most of the soaps on the store. + I’ve made them, no child in China.

Just discovered this channel and I’m already hooked. All these myths being destroyed are ones that I’m so excited that I’ve been ignoring all of them 😂 (Especially that vinegar one)

I have been missing your videos. Please make more

The healing properties of natural soap don't come from what's in the soap, but from what's NOT in the soap. If a homemade "natural" soap helps a skin condition, it's most likely because the person has stopped using whatever irritant they were using and started using a soap that doesn't contain the offending ingredient. In that way, natural soaps made with pure products can help skin conditions.

Thank you so much!

Loving this glad I found it 🙌❤💕

Heylooooo Jon I hope you and your family is doing wonderful ❤🙏 you guys are in my prayers ❤

omg when I worked for a cosmetics company, we were at a convention/show one year and there was a cool small skincare business there, so I checked it out. One of the owners was trying so hard to convince myself and my coworker that frankincense oil, if pure enough, could kill cancer cells and ultimately cure people. TOPICALLY. I thanked her for showing us her lovely products, but I left feeling very uncomfortable. Even if you think that, or have seen seemingly "compelling" evidence of something holistic, you cannot go around preaching those kinds of claims to sell products. That really threw me for a loop.

Loved the video. Couldn’t agree with you more!

You are awesome really helped alot.

Here Here!

i like the way you're honest snd straight forward.. after seeing so many people saying temperatures have to be within 5 degrees of each other and exactly 110 degrees and trace has to be heavy exactly at the time of the blue moon i thought this is too much trouble.. then i followed what you said and it is actually easy

Thank you so much

love your videos

Love your “myth busting”! The only times I’ve EVER had issues was 1: soaping a 100% coconut oil soap w/0% sf, too hot on a hot day (it was around 140 +😂) and it did a baby volcano. Ended up with an awesome shape though....as in I may do it on purpose from now on. And 2: if I have my lye solution 20+ degrees hotter than my oils it moves quicker. The other way around....slow trace. But that’s with my recipe (75% hard oils). And thank you for the NO NO on vinegar!!

Thanks your videos made me a lot more comfortable to start an not worry as much

Great video. Glad I never invested much in the blue bottle stuff. Been hearing not so great things from a few people.

I laughed out loud when you said to stop thinking using microwaves is witchcraft. So far my favorite Soaps to make are my coconut oil soap at 25% superfat. You are correct about how hard it gets. Now, the soap is softer longer on the mold when I use a fragrance. I end up having to use sodium lactate for those. It reaches emulsion insanely quick. If I can figure out how to make a soap that cures personality disorder, I'm going to be a Billionaire! Prozac soap that slowly seeps through the skin barrier. 😆

Nice video. You rock. Have a awesome day and take care. 🤘😃🤘

"Im old.... losing my eyesight "loool

Too much honey definitely created a fun explosion for me. That was my first attempt, it took me days to clean that up, it was all over the ceiling lolz. Great video Jon!

Great video - I seriously LOL'd when Zuckerberg popped up on screen. I have seen do many of those myths spoken as Gospel in groups, I just roll my eyes and scroll on by. Those blue bottles do not show up to me anymore either - too many times without notification they canceled items on me as out of stock when sending orders - and other goings on. Unfortunately they bought out a few of my other suppliers for my non soap products. SO, I have to go and find ingredients other places.

I am so broken with laughter......my GOSH!!!! Your comment on @Microwaves are BAD"!!! Greetings from Pretoria, South Africa

I really love this video! It's refreshing to see this big bearded dude instead of the crazy cupcake soap lady talking about soap.

I’m in agreement with you on having less “blue bottles” on your shelf. I have been slowly switching the last year. My issue has been the usage rates. The companies I have been switching to have a straight IFRA rates. I have found the blue ones tend to have rates from 3.6%-100%. It’s a PIA for me personally. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks unc for debunking the bull. Great vid. I’ve been a subscriber for a while now. From Florida

I love adding my EO before the lye .. in cp.. I grew up in a small island watching soap made for coconut and ash.... now i hear so many things.. i just started and my soaps are ok... i just use childhood technics... thanks for your videos.. just reminds me of how i know its done... hav you read kevin dunn book?

Hi uncle Jon. Thank you for sharing your videos with us. I'm new to soap making do you have any advice for me

Jon this is one of your best videos. We all can use a good laugh during these times. Guess if you get tired of the soap thing you might consider stand up comedy. Maybe not. Thx again

Rock on dude

“Your soap does not cure Multi personality disorder” lol I completely agree so many people say their soap cures this or that, so I appreciate you’re view on it.

Love your vids. Thankyou so much for your commitment to helping us Noobs. I cant stop laughing at the lizard comment and pic.

OMG I LOVE YOU!

No.11: „Natural“ soaps are better (aka, only made with essential oils, only natural colorants etc).

Someone I follow on instagram claims that her soap and lotion cures eczema 🤦‍♀️

Jon, thank you for he shaving soap puks and charcoal soap bar. Again I'm extremely pleased and will order again. Hows this sound for my new advertisement? "I sell the finest miracle Soap! Just wash with it and people will start sending you money, you'll marry a Super Model and Live for Eternity Pain Free. Just send me $3000 in cash and we'll get that right out to you. Limited time offer (before I get sent to jail)". Thank you. LOL

I make soaps for my family and i only care if they clean our skin and don't make it dry !!!!! I use lemon or orange zest or dry levander for better smell and life goes on 😁😁😁😁

Confession time.. I could not get to trace until I began watching you. I relaxed. And it happened

I have been so angry with the blue bottle company concerning my most recent order placed about 4 weeks ago that I have yet to receive. I was wondering if other soap makers were having issues as well. This will be the last order I place with them. Yes, I have debunked some of those myths along my soap making journey over the years, but enjoyed your spin on them.😂

All true!! LOL! Yep, those blue bottles are on their way out here too.

Good video 😊 My biggest bug-a-boo is people that say soap can be made without lye. Now I will grant there are bars of stuff you can wash with, that water and a rubbing action will remove dirt from your hands. And there are melt soaps where the saponification process has already been done. If you have the knowledge, it's even possible to break lye down into its basic elements to make soap. But, in my opinion and my opinion only I stress, I think lye is necessary to make soap.

A note about microwave cooking vs stove cooking: there are actually some foods that keep more intact nutrients when cooked in the microwave (spinach is one) where steaming or boiling on the stove would destroy more of the nutrients.

🦎 people skin…insert zuckerbuck…that had me cracking up! He is truly a reptilian! Great video btw!! You have a new subscriber!😊 God bless🙏

Hi may you please do a batch log video, how to log your batches ?

I agree with everything you said except that essential oils aren't medicine. Herbalist knowledge type stuff. Thanks for another informative and entertaining video. :)

Great video! I have a myth...people who say they make no-lye soap.

👍

I have one question on what oil can I substitute the coconut oil with? I am allergic to coconut it is used in so many products from health and beauty to food. now. I would like to start making soap for our use and to sale. I was happy to find y'all's channel so many others made it seem hard to make soap with the lye temperature and oil temperature rules.

Haha drops the cheat sheet note paper

Far too much rubbish being spread in groups. The chemikills is tiresome 👍🏻 Oh I did like the zucc lizard shot 😂

I've found my DOS were caused by me using what I thought was distilled water but when I looked at the label later it was "drinking water." Oops! The minerals did me in

I have found that any botanicals I add just rots the soap. Is that true for all dried botanical ingredients (plants and flowers) Ive only been soaping for a year or so

You can make some statements if you label as a cosmetic and not a soap. But be careful and check the FDA for details. Thank you for your videos they are entertaining and full of information. Much appreciated!

Ok Uncle John, this is such a great video and so much sensible information. I cringe when people make silly medical claims, say to use vinegar and all the other silliness. I think the only point I am a little confused on, and perhaps you could help me understand why. It is in hot processed soap at Vaseline stage (which is saponified then) that the super fat is not guaranteed to be the fat/oil/butter you put in at that stage? I have asked 2 chemists who are experienced soap makers who have told me that yes, once the hot processed soap is saponified at Vaseline stage and all the lye is “used up”, then the super fat is pretty exact with what you used. They said whatever fat/oil/butter you use at that stage is the super fat you get. But I would love to hear your thoughts on why this is not so in your opinion. Just trying to learn and understand. And thanks for the great videos you make!

Thanks! I've had 100% coconut oil with 5% sf and it's been fine. Not sure I'd go 30%, wouldn't that leave oil around the shower?

Is it okay to use soap that has DOS, or should you discard it?

Does DOS relate more to very high levels of linoleic acid (above around 15%)?

Oh... I have a good one.... TERAPEUTIC SOAP!!!! 😂 😂 😂

What's the difference between cold process and hot process soap in performance?

Super video! Liked and Sub'd! I need to ask you something as I am NEW to all this...... When you talk about Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils for soap making are you talking about the same stuff as in the candle oils and fragrances? Are candle oils compatible with soap making?

Appreciate this video; thank you! But, what is the deal with the "blue bottles"? I've purchased from the company before, and have never had a problem with them. Then again, everyone's different... Hopefully, the company will correct whatever issues it was having with some of their customers, so they will keep coming back. I'm hoping I don't have any bad experiences with the blue bottle company, and I hope for the ones who HAVE had issues, that they either get resolved, or have been resolved.

What about the shelf life of oils