soapmaking

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

"I have been making our soap for over 20 years and in the beginning we got some of the materials from raising our own beef." -- this is quite cool, and reminded me of when I spent a year as an exchange student on a farm in very-rural Australia, and my host mother made her own soap of lye, ashes from our fire, and fat from our own sheep. However, it was a very harsh soap. We used "store-bough" in the regular bathroom, and, because it was such effective soap, though harsh, the home-made soap in the back bathroom where the men washed when they came in from working with animals or farm equipment.

I'd like to make soap, but can't even stand store-bought castile on my own skin. I usually use a very mild glycerin. Are any of these recipes good for very sensitive and/or dry skin? Can you recommend some?