Make Handcrafted Soap Like A Pro
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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, 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!
Soaper Lingo
If you’re going to make soap you mine-as-well learn some of the soap lingo.
Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) Safety Measures:
Lye is used in the process of making soap. It is very caustic and can cause harm and damage if not handled with care.
It is very important to wear safety goggles because if lye gets into your eye it could cause blindness. Wear gloves, long sleeved shirt, pants, shoes and maybe even an apron for safety measures.
Make sure children and pets are not around when working with lye.
Also, 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 briefly if you inhale the fumes get yourself into some fresh air and if necessary seek medical attention immediately.
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.
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.
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.
Trace:
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. The cure time is usually 4 to 6 weeks.
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 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)
- 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:
Water/Lye
Measure distilled water and place in a large heat tolerant bowl. I place a piece of newspaper in the kitchen sink and put the water bowl on top of the paper.
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 distilled water slowly stirring until the lye is 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.
Oils
Measure exact amounts of oil and place in a stainless steel pot and melt oils completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool to around 100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
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 a few seconds to combine. If using fragrance oil and or mica colorant add that now. Continue blending until trace is reached.
Pour Into Molds
Pour mixture into mold. If using both molds fill up the six cavity mold first and then the 10″.
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 and Cut
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!
Jett’s Kitchen is a cooking blog where I usually share food recipes. But, making soap is something I do in my kitchen and figured I should share this recipe as well. I do hope you enjoy!
PRODUCTS WE USED OR RECOMMEND FOR THIS RECIPE
25 Comments
Sydney Delong
Great instructions and advice! Making soap would be very cool, something I think I would like to try!
Maggie | Leavemetodream.com
These soaps look amazing! I can really appreciate now the hard work that goes into making them.
Debbie
Sound wonderful. And so pretty!!
Beth Shields
These look absolutely beautiful and what a gorgeous gift for someone. I didn’t realize all the steps but a great outline of what you need to do. Thanks!
Holly
Thank you so much for sharing these great tips for soap making.. I have had all the ingredients for awhile but afraid to try.. can’t wait to try your formula!!
Megan
Not only are these so good for your skin, but they look so beautiful! I even have many of the supplies, so I’ll have to finish up the shopping list and give these a try!
Bonnie
These soaps always look too pretty to use.
Kristin
I love to give & receive homemade soaps as gifts. I’m not sure I’m ready to branch out and make my own, but this makes it look very doable.
Christina Siwik
Thank you for sharing. I love that you have included all the supplies needed and the steps.
Chelsea
These are so beautiful! I can almost smell them through the screen! I have been looking for a soap recipe! Thanks for the detailed instructions!
Sandi Barrett
Your bars look beautiful, like little cakes!
Tiffany Smith
I remember my mom making soap when I was little. I would love to try this some day!
Elaina Mogren
These are so beautiful! I’ve only went as far as bath bombs, I’m nervous about working with Lye but this tutorial makes me feel more ready to explore.
Tricia Snow
I have been interested in making my own soap. I am going to try this one! Thanks!
Sabrina DeWalt
When we finally decide to settle down, I plan to begin making soap. I enjoyed your post.
kate
This looks very cool!
Alyssa
This sounds like fun! Thank you for sharing!
Lisa Manderino
This looks awesome! I would love to learn to make soap!
Danielle Ardizzone
Such a cool project! And great information too (I would have had no idea about calculating the percentage of lye, superfatting, or any of this!
Barbara
This is such a beautiful idea for gifts! I’m very intrigued!
Suzan | It's My Sustainable Life
Soap making is something I’ve yet to give a try. Your tutorial is easy to follow, maybe now’s the time 🙂
Marianne
Wow! I definitely learned a lot from reading this article! I have not tried making my own soaps, so had no idea about the process! Yours look soooo pretty!
Ayesha Siddiqui
You made making soaps and balms look so easy, and beautiful to make homemade gifts. Love it!
Melissa Jones
How neat! I’ve never even considered making soap before.
Cindy Moore
Soap making would be such a fun project! And they look gorgeous.