INCI Name: Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Germaben II is a convenient, ready to-use complete antimicrobial preservative system with a broad spectrum of activity. It is a clear viscous liquid with a characteristic mild odor.

It is readily soluble at a level of 1.0% in both aqueous solutions and oil/water emulsions. Germaben II can be used without additional co-preservatives and is compatible with essentially all cosmetic ingredients, including surfactants and proteins.

Germaben II is recommended to be used at a level of up to 1.0%. This level provides to the product: 0.30% Germall II, 0.11% methylparaben, 0.03% propylparaben and 0.56% propylene glycol. Shampoos and liquid soaps generally require less than 1.0% Germaben II. Although Germaben II provides excellent antimicrobial preservation, every developed or modified product should be challenge tested to assure preservative efficacy.

INCI name: Citric Acid
A necessary ingredient for bath bombs, citric acid is a colorless, crystalline organic compound belonging to the family of carboxylic acids, present in practically all plants and in many animal tissues and fluids.

by Ann Bramson
softcover, 119 pp.

How to make beautiful gift soaps at home with instructions for coloring, scenting, molding, and carving. This quaint book contains the basics for home soapmaking, and includes a central chapter on the history of soap in America, with many illustrations.

White HDPE plastic with white LDPE lid. Shipping weight 4 oz.

A single-bar wire cutter that will make quick work of a loaf of soap made in any of our wooden molds. Handmade with poplar hardwood, and complete with strong guitar wire, a twist peg to keep the wire tight, and extra wire in case the original wire breaks (although it should last for years).

Will handle any soap loaf up to 3.5 inches wide. By default this cutter will cut 1-inch bars, but when ordering you can specify a different bar thickness -- 3/4 in., 7/8 in., or any other number.

To cut soap, you just work your way down the loaf, much like slicing from a loaf of bread. Hang the end of the soap loaf over the edge of a table, and slice downward with the cutter. With a little practice you will get even, straight bars. The wire will require a little 'break-in' period at first, when it will need to be tightened frequently.

Cutter's weight: 9 oz

This sturdy mold is handmade by John at Symphony Scents. It is made from 1/2 in. poplar hardwood. It will work for batch sizes up to 4 pounds and a little over. Both long sides are hinged to swing apart, for easy removal of the soap slab. For a 4 lb batch, the soap bar dimensions will be 2.5" x 3.5", with a thickness determined by your cutter.

The cativity dimensions are:
length: 15 in.
width: 3.5 in.
height: 3.5 in. (includes roughly 1 inch margin for a 4 lb batch).

The mold's base measures 17 inches by 5.5 inches.
Mold's weight: 2 lb 3 oz

The mold must be lined with paper before using. We recommend freezer paper, which you can buy at your local supermarket. See our How to line a mold page.