Be sure to read the post on Soap Safety as well.
In 2004, I came across a website talking about making your own soap. It wasnt even the main point of the article. They had just mentioned soap in passing. But it caught my attention. I thought it sounded like fun. So after some research, I attempted my first batch of soap. It didnt turn out well. So, I learned how to rebatch it. And although it came out as probably the world’s ugliest bars of soap, but I had successfully made soap, and I was hooked.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot. A lot of my research has gone into learning how to design my own recipes. Although I’ve never had a recipe completely fail, I have had problems such as minimal lather, or a really strong soap that dried your skin out. This was one of my first successes. In fact, I still use this recipe on occasion.
16.8oz olive oil
19.2oz lard
5.75oz corn oil
6.25oz coconut oil
6.5oz NaOH (lye)
13oz water
ground rose
1/3 cup honey
Choose an area that you are not likely to be interrupted and is away from pets and children. Since it was late when I made soap tonight, I figured the kitchen was as safe as anywhere. When I make soap during the day, I like to use my entryway with the baby gate up so I am completely out of the way.
Measure out your lye and your water and carefully and slowly pour the lye into the water while stirring. Never do this part the other way around, it could cause a volcano. It is best to do this in a well ventilated area as the fumes can be very irritating.
The mixture will also get very hot (over 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Set it aside to allow it to cool. While the lye water is cooling, measure out and heat up your oils.
You will want the lye and the oils to both be about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
While you are waiting, this is a good time to prepare your molds. For molds, you can use anything from a shoe box lined with wax paper, to the more expensive soap molds. To prepare the molds, I rub them down with some oil.
Once you are at your desired temperature, slowly add the lye water to the oils and stir.
I always first pour my oils into a separate container first. Next start stirring. If you are stirring by hand, you have to stir fairly vigorously. You can also employ the use of an immersion blender.
Continue stirring until you start to get a trace. A trace occurs when you dribble a little bit of the soap mixture on top of the rest and it sits on top before being absorbed back into the mixture. You have to look carefully, but in the picture there is a ring in the soap next to the blender
At this point, you can add in the honey and the ground rose. Mix the honey and rose in well, and check the trace again.
Now you are ready to pour into the molds. I already had the soap in the decorative molds, so what was left I put in my shoebox mold.
Be sure to tap your molds to get all the air bubbles out. Then cover your molds and put them someplace they wont get disturbed.
Leave them there for 24 hours.
All of the dishes you used can be washed in hot soapy water. I usually wash the lye bowl in running water…just in case
