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how to make soap at home
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How To Make Soap

This recipe is made for beginners and ideal for learning.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 30 minutes
Servings 1 pound
Author Jill Nystul
Cost $15

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls (tempered glass or stainless-steel)
  • Mixing Spoon (silicone for best results)
  • Molds
  • Canning Jar
  • Newspaper
  • Old Towel
  • Safety Google
  • Gloves

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup other oil canola, almond grapeseed or sunflower oil all work well
  • 1/4 cup lye
  • 3/4 cup distilled water

Instructions

  • Cover all surfaces with newspaper before you start, and make sure there are no kids or pets around while you work with lye. You should wear gloves and protective eyewear as well.
    put on safety goggles and gloves
  • Add your oils to the glass container and microwave to liquify them. This can take a minute or more, depending on your microwave. Oils need to be liquid and at room temperature to make soap.  Let the oils cool in the container or bowl as you move on to the next step.
    add oils to a glass container
  • Add your water to the glass container, then sprinkle on the lye you measured out. Never add water to lye – doing this can cause a volcano effect or a spill. Stir the mixture for a moment, then let it sit, it will get hot; this is the chemical reaction between the lye and the water that creates the lye solution.
    add lye to water
  • Pour the lye water into the bowl with the oils and stir gently to combine. Use a stick blender or immersion blender to blend the oils and water together. As you blend, they will come to trace, which is essential for soapmaking. Trace refers to the texture of the mixture. It will look like a thick pudding when you’ve mixed it enough.
    homemade soap
  • Add your fragrance and any additives. Be prepared to work quickly. Some fragrance oils accelerate trace and firm the mixture up too much to pour.
  • Pour the prepared mixture into your mold. Cover the mold with plastic wrap, then insulate with a towel or blanket. Leave covered and undisturbed for 24 hours. This will also create glycerin for moisturizing.
    pour soap mixture into mold
  • Remove the soap from the mold and slice into bars.
    slice soap into bars

Notes

Soapmaking Additives
Add about a tablespoon of additives per pound of soap for best results.
  • Dried herbs (lavender, chamomile, lemongrass and more)
  • Clays (bentonite, French Green Clay and more)
  • Colorants (cocoa powder, turmeric, and colors specifically designed for soap – food coloring won’t work for soap making.
  • Essential Oils (Skin-safe essential oils add long-lasting fragrance)
  • Misc. additives: Goat milk powder (can accelerate trace), ground oatmeal, salt, ground coffee, etc.