What equipment do I need?
Short answer
A few precise tools: an accurate scale, a thermometer and the right protective gear matter most.
Explanation
For soap, the recipes rely on a digital scale accurate to 0.1 g, heat-resistant containers, a stick blender, a thermometer, pH strips and molds. Protective gear comes first: splash-proof goggles, nitrile gloves, a particulate respirator when weighing powders, a long-sleeved lab coat or apron and closed-toe shoes.
Skincare uses the same precision tools, plus a mixer for emulsions and a way to sterilize everything that touches the product: a pressure cooker, a dry-heat oven or 70% isopropyl alcohol.
For candles, the book's projects use a double boiler (a saucepan with a melting container), a kitchen thermometer, kitchen scales, wicks with holders and double-sided stickers, glasses or silicone molds, and a heat gun for finishing surfaces.
What to do
- Buy a scale that reads to 0.1 g: lye and actives are weighed that precisely.
- Keep dedicated tools for making products, separate from your kitchen.
- A heat gun is worth having for candles; a hair dryer is only a stopgap.
Source: The Big Book of Homemade Soap, The Big Book of Homemade Skin Care, The Big Book of Sweet Dessert Candles — The Non-Negotiable Protocol (skincare and soap) · Necessary Tools (candles)