Make Handcrafted Soap Like A Pro

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The perfect soap recipe that gives you easy step-by-step instructions on how to make a successful batch of soap. A great recipe for a first time soaper.

This Easy Soap Recipe Will Be Your All-Time Favorite!

You’ll be pleased with this easy soap recipe. This recipe will produce a firm bar of soap that provides great lather, it’s non-drying and will leave your skin feeling clean, soft and silky.

Making soap is truly an easy process. Finding a recipe that suits your needs may be a bit intimidating.

This recipe will guide you in the right direction to making a successful batch of soap. You’ll never need another recipe. Ever!

Soap Lingo

If you’re going to make soap you mine-as-well learn some of the soap lingo like a few of the following: What is sodium hydroxide? What is saponification? Why you should use a lye calculator? What is superfatting? And what are the different phases of soap making like “trace” and gel phase?

What is Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) and It’s Safety Measures:

Sodium hydroxide, aka lye, is a caustic product that is used when making soap. It can cause harm and damage if not handled with care.

It is very important to wear safety goggles when working with lye because if it gets into your eyes it could cause blindness. Also wear gloves, a long sleeved shirt, pants, closed-toe shoes and maybe even an apron for safety measures. Make sure children and pets are not around when you are working with lye.

Another tip is when working with lye make sure the area you are working in is well ventilated. A mask would be a great idea because when mixing the lye into the distilled water fumes are produced and you really should not inhale the fumes.

If you should happen to get lye on your skin or in your eyes, flush immediately for about 15 minutes with water and seek medical attention. And if you should inhale the fumes get yourself into some fresh air and if necessary seek medical attention immediately.

What is Cold Saponification:

Saponification is a chemical reaction between fats, oils and lye that when combined together makes soap.

You see, each oil has it’s own saponification value (SAP) or the amount of lye it takes to turn 1 gram of oil into 1 gram of soap.

Saponification begins to take place the moment the lye and oils meet and usually takes place 24 – 48 hours after the liquids have been mixed together and placed in the mold.

Why Use A Lye Calculator:

If you are making your own recipe for soap you should use a lye calculator to make sure you are using the right amount of lye.

When the proper amount of oil combined with the exact amount of lye the end result will be a lye free bar of soap.

If you’re using someone else’s recipe it’s probably a good idea to double check to make sure you are using the proper amount of lye.

When using the lye calculator you’ll need to enter the type of soap making (solid or liquid), measurements (ounces or grams) and desired superfatting level.

What is Superfatting:

Superfatting is the extra oil that did not turn into soap. I like to figure mine at 5% so that my soap is moisturizing and has a good lather. If you figure a superfatting at 10% the soap will be too oily, soft and it won’t lather and if you use a 1% there will be no moisturizing properties to the bar.

Different Phases of Soap

Trace Phase:

Reaching trace means the oil and lye have successfully mixed together and are the consistency of pudding like. This process can occur quickly (in as little as 2 minutes) when using an immersion or stick blender.

Gel Phase:

Gel phase happens within just a few hours after pouring the wax into the mold. This is part of the saponification process where the soap gets hot. This phase does not affect the quality of the soap but it can can leave the soap with a brighter color and shine. Soap that did not achieve the gel phase may have a dull appearance. Also, gelled soap hardens up quicker and makes it easier to remove from the mold.

Cure Soap:

It’s necessary to cure soap after removing from the molds. The curing process allows water to slowly evaporate from the soap which causes the bar to harden. A hardened bar will last longer. Soap cure time is usually 4 to 6 weeks.

Soap Making Supplies:

It is best to designate utensils and supplies strictly for soap making. Reason so is since the supplies may come into contact with Sodium Hydroxide, also known as lye, every day kitchen utensils or supplies should not be reused in the kitchen.

Why not take the below list and head to your local Thrift shop. You may find some if not all of the supplies needed for making cold process soap.

• Stainless steel pot for melting oils (NEVER ALUMINUM)
• Large heat tolerant glass bowl
• plastic measuring spoons
• plastic measuring cups
• rubber Spatula
• Scale for candle and or soap making (this is a must)
• Protective eyewear and gloves for when working with lye
• 10″ durable silicone soap mold
• 6 cavity silicone circle mold (This mold is optional. I use the 10″ and the 6 cavity mold when I make soaps. If you can only get one mold get the 10″)
• Old large stainless steel spoon for stirring lye – one you don’t care about
• Soap Cutters (crinkle and straight edge)
• Immersion blender or stick blender (you could stir by hand but you’d have to stir a gazillion times…like 45+ minutes straight). What the heck did they do in the olden days!?
• newspapers to protect work surface
• fragrance oil for cold processed soap (optional but recommended)
• mica powder for coloring or tinting soap (optional but recommended). I use these for my lip balms and soaps and have had no problems.
• baking pan
• 2-3 towels
• infrared thermometer

Let’s Get To This Easy Soap Recipe:

There are seven different main oils/butter ingredients. Below are a few perks of what they will add to this bar of soap:

• Coconut oil for cleansing and lathering properties.
• Pure Olive Oil is known for its moisturizing properties.
• Palm Oil is solid and helps produce a firm bar and when paired with coconut oil adds additional lather.
• Castor Oil draws moisture to the skin. Great for creating lather.
• Sweet Almond Oil is full of fatty acids making it good for moisturizing.
• Avocado Oil is moisturizing and leaves skin feeling silky. Good for skin and hair.
• Mango Butter provides additional moisturizing properties.

Be sure to purchase your oils from a company that specializes in soap making supplies. I recommend checking out a few soap supply companies just to compare prices and products. I often end up purchasing my supplies from at least three different providers; Amazon, Nuture Soap and Bramble Berry.

Easy Soap Recipe Ingredients:

• 12.97 ounces distilled water (do not use tap water because it contains minerals and containments and may have a negative reaction with your soap making process)
• 5.80 ounces sodium hydroxide flakes (lye)
• 11 ounces coconut oil
• 9 ounce pure olive oil
• 9 ounce palm oil
• 4 ounces castor oil
• 4 ounces avocado oil
• 2 ounce sweet almond oil
• 2 ounces mango butter
• fragrance oil (optional): light scent: 1.5 oz. / mild scent 2.0 oz. / Strong scent 3.0 oz.) This soap I used Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil (FO) from Brambleberry
• 3 teaspoons Sodium lactate (helps to make removing soap from mold easier)
• Get this: I used TEA for decorating this soap (totally optional)

Easy Soap Recipe Directions:

Combine Water and Lye

Measure distilled water and place in a large heat tolerant glass bowl. I place a piece of newspaper in the kitchen sink and put the water bowl on top of the paper for precaution purposes in case there are any splashes.

For safety measures gown and glove up because this next step is working with lye. Measure the correct amount of sodium hydroxide and pour into the distilled water slowly stirring with a non corrosive or wooden spoon until the lye has dissolved. Be careful not to splash the liquid out of the bowl.

The reaction of water and lye will lead to high temperatures. Leave bowl in sink and allow to cool to about 100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit. In the meantime move on to the next step.

Note: Once the lye water has cooled add the sodium lactate and stir to combine.

Combine Oils

Measure exact amounts of oils and place in a stainless steel pot and melt completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool to around 100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine Oils and Lye Water

When both, the oils and lye water, have reached temperatures of around 100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit pour the lye water into the oil mixture.

Using the immersion or stick blender pulse and stir a few times to combine. If using fragrance oil and or mica colorant add that now. Continue blending until trace is reached (slight pudding consistency).

Pour Soap Into Molds

Pour soap mixture into mold. If using both molds fill up the six cavity mold first and then the 10″. For a thicker bar fill the 10″ mold first then pour the remaining mixture into the round molds.

Using a knife or spatula smooth the tops of the round molds. Sprinkle with tea and gently press down a bit so the flower buds stick. Place mold on a baking sheet and set aside.

Smooth out the top of the 10″ mold and make some swirl designs on top if desired and sprinkle flowered tea down the middle of the mold. Place mold on baking sheet and set aside.

Gently wrap each mold with a towel and then place a towel over both and set in a draft free area for 24 hours.

Unmold Soap and Cut

Invert molds and gently remove soap from molds. Place round soaps on their side on a baking sheet to cure.

Take the 10″ bar of soap and turn it on it’s side. Using a knife or crinkle cutter cut soap into desired bar sizes.

Cure

Allow soap to cure for 4 to 6 weeks. Reposition soap weekly. Enjoy!

I AM EXCITED YOU ARE VIEWING JETT’S EASY SOAP RECIPE AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOURS TURNS OUT SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO MAKE SOME!

***Please come back and share your comments and tell my readers how you like this soap recipe.***

Making soap has been something I have wanted to do my entire life! Finally, I did it and I’m sharing my recipe with you!

Jett’s Kitchen is a cooking blog where I usually share food recipes. But, making soap is something I do in my kitchen once in a while and figured I should share this recipe as well. I do hope you enjoy!

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