Soapmaking

Concocting homemade bar soap has been a hobby of mine since my undergraduate days in college.  At that time I had a streak of making my own bath products, including bar soaps, body scrubs, lotion bars, herb-infused hair rinses, and fizzy bath bombs.  Bar soap was always a favorite!

For the past several years goat’s milk has been my liquid of choice, which results in a creamy, moisturizing bar.  Branched out to coconut milk in this latest batch and had smashing results.  Other milks such as almond or hemp would likely work just as well. 

Utilizing the cold-process soap method does come with a risk—handling caustic lye.  Should you take the soapmaking plunge, keep a bottle of white vinegar handy in case of accidents, and always use goggles and rubber gloves when handling this substance.  Take it from the girl who foolishly spilled concentrated nitric acid on her sandaled feet in college chemistry lab, and has some small scars to prove it!

A few years ago a 3-pound wooden mold and cutter from Creekside Soaps came into my life.  Love these and would highly recommend them to anyone interested in making their own bars.

Making your own soap is very gratifying, which I am reminded of each day after sudsing up with a bar in the shower.  This soap can also be used as an ingredient in homemade laundry soap, and makes a thoughtful gift :)

Megan’s Milk Soap

Equipment:
Protective mask and gloves
2 Plastic stirring spoons
Candy thermometer
Electric hand blender
Spatula
Large bowl
Pitcher
Soap mold, lined with freezer paper
1-2 cookie racks

Ingredients:
12 ounces partially-frozen coconut or goat’s milk (freeze half ahead of time in ice cube tray)
4 2/3 ounces lye
12 ounces olive oil
12 ounces coconut oil
8 ounces palm oil
1-2 oz. essential oil of choice (or, infuse oils with fresh herbs as I did for this batch)

Melt the olive, coconut, and palm oils together in a pot over low heat.  Remove pot from heat, and place in a cold water bath to bring the temperature down to 100 degrees.

Wearing goggles and gloves, place frozen and liquid milk into large bowl and slowly add lye. Stir until the mixture is smooth and without lumps. An exothermic reaction will result, bringing the temperature of the milk up and melting the frozen milk. Cool mixture to around 100 degrees, if it is above that level.

Next, slowly add the milk mixture to the oils, using a hand blender to combine until "tracing" occurs–- when drips from the blender leave a noticeable path in the concoction.  This usually takes no longer than 5 minutes (without the hand-blender, it can take all day-- I know!)

If desired, add essential oils or additives such as cinnamon, turmeric, cocoa powder, ground oatmeal, poppyseeds, or dried herbs using a plastic spoon or spatula.  This will also remove bubbles. 

Pour the mixture into prepared soap mold, cover, and leave alone for 24 hours.  Then remove soap from mold, cut, and cure on cookie racks for 3-4 weeks.

Finally, pat yourself on the back and enjoy your homemade goodness!

~Linking up at Tatertots and Jello, Serenity Now, Under the Table and Dreaming, The Shabby Nest, Skip to my Lou~

Comments

[Alison]

So cool!

[Sonnet]

This is so fascinating! I've never thought about making my own soap until now, but this is such a wonderful idea and you make it look so easy! Thanks for the great post! :)

[Alison]

those look lovely! just looking at the ingredients makes me want to lather up with it!

[Dennis Hicks]

I LOVE THIS! I've been wanting to try making my own soap for years! Just thought it was more difficult than this. I'll be collecting the needed supplies!

[Erin]

Do you use the same hand blender for food prep (basically, do I need a hand blender JUST for soap-making?)

[Megan]

I have always used a hand blender designated solely for soapmaking. But honestly, I don't think it matters as long as it is clean.

[Gay Anderson]

would you have a hemp soap recipe ? i just order some hemp oil,my friends love the hemp cream sp thought i would try to make them some soap ,ty

[Megan]

I haven't tried hemp oil, but it is definitely a possibility! Check out Snowdrift Farm's soap calculator: http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/soapcalculator.htm. Best of luck! :)

[A Facebook User]

How much does each batch cost you? Is this cheaper than buying?

[Megan]

It is definitely cheaper than buying comparable homemade soaps from local/small vendors. I usually buy the cheapest olive oil, and get coconut oil & palm oil (I use 100% palm oil shortening) when it is on sale. A container of 100% lye will last for several batches, and is inexpensive. I can spend upwards of $20 for all of the ingredients for a single batch of soap. But I get about 12 bars from my mold, so each bar is pretty cheap!

[Twyla Dill]

Hi Megan,
I ran into this soap recipe on Craftgawker and then happened to notice your blog title is Life of a Dill.
And because you are the first person with the last name Dill that I know of (besides my family of course) I wanted to send a message. And we both happen to be crafty. :)
Love the soap recipe.
Greetings to a fellow Dill,
Twyla Dill

[Lebenslustiger]

Found this on Pinterest - very crafty indeed! Does the soap smell like the main oil ingredient? so when you would add rosemary oil it would take on that smell?

[Sharon Faul]

where do you purchase lye? I dont usually buy much online, wasnt sure if walmart or a local store would carry this? Im not good with waiting on shipments. lol

[Megan]

The soap doesn't really smell like anything unless you add fragrance or essential oil. I've used peppermint and lavender EO recently with great results. I'd like to make a rosemary mint one soon :)

[Megan]

Lye is very hard to find in stores now, due to it's role in making homemade meth :( I have luck finding it at the local hardware store (it is either Ace or True Value, can't remember). They have a small canister of 100% lye in the plumbing section.

[Songberries2]

I would love to try making soap! What size is your mold?
songberries2(at)gmail(dot)com

[Autumnsky1999]

This may seem like a dumb question, but how many bars does this recipe make?