Soap Making: Recipes, Tips & Tricks

[dara]

Hey there. Has anyone ever make their own bar soap before? I am wondering if all soap, even the really natrual, gentle ones, are made with lye? I want to try making bar soap, and found recipes online, but am wondering if anyone has any tips to share.  I especially want tips for altering soap recipes- different oils, etc... Thank you!

[healthyinOhio]

Dara,

I have yet to make my own soap, yet, but I can offer you  a little advice on deciphering the ingredients in all natural soap.  Lye is in most, but they will be listed under the following:

Soapanified oils(this is lye and some sort of fat)
Sodium Hydroxide(this is the technical name for lye)
Sodium palmatate

I can't use soap with lye in it either, so I have to use something with a glycerin base in it.  There are a few brands out there if you need reccommendations before you make your own, but I would start with a glycerin base soap to buy and make!    Good luck on soap making!

[healthybratt]

I haven't done this yet, but found a really thorough website while researching it.

http://waltonfeed.com/old/soaphome.html

[yanceysemdj]

Hi, I've been reading for some time but have had nothing to offer until now. I make lye soap at home. It's really not that hard. If your are using soap that still has lye in it, meaning that it's still caustic, then either it was made incorrectly or it hasn't cured long enough. It can take anywhere from 4-10 weeks to properly cure depending on the recipe used.

[healthybratt]

Hi, I've been reading for some time but have had nothing to offer until now. I make lye soap at home. It's really not that hard. If your are using soap that still has lye in it, meaning that it's still caustic, then either it was made incorrectly or it hasn't cured long enough. It can take anywhere from 4-10 weeks to properly cure depending on the recipe used.

I would love to know more as would many of our other members I'm sure.  Would you be willing to share your recipes and/or methods in making soap?  Maybe offer tips in finding supplies/suppliers.  Tips on rendering fats or purchasing them?  Which fats you prefer and why?  Natural fragrances, colors, emulsifiers, etc.  Do you have web links that would be of help?   

[Tina]

I love making soap, too!
Basically you need fats(oils) and lye in the right proportions and when at the right temperature you mix them until they trace. Pour into your soap mold, cut when it's like cold butter and store for a month. There are sooo many books on soapmaking available now. The library is a great source. I only bought the ones I use all the time. I'll have to bring a recipe from home, I email at the library, when I get a chance (more like when I remember). The internet is an overwhelming source of information. My favorite oils are Olive oil, Coconut oil & vegetable shortening. I add essential oils, oats and herbs when it's traced (when you stir the batch and drizzle some on top it remains for a second, like cake batter.) Sometimes I use  goat, cow or buttermilk. I mix it with the lye when it's half way to the desired temperature. If the fats are cooled before the lye I heat them just a little. If the lye is cooled first I put the pan of fats in ice water in the sink. I like to use a beverage blender to achieve trace quicker.
I can go on all day on this subject, but I'll spare you;) ~Tina

[Tina]

Lye based soap has glycerin in it. Big soap companies extract the glycerin out and sell it to other companies. So, many store bought soaps no longer contain gycerin. But home made soaps do. I've always been sensitive to store soap and I began making my own in 1999 and have never gone back. ~Tina

[dara]

Does anyone have a recipe for a soap without lard or shortning? I'd like one with olive oil, or coconut oil, or that kind of thing.

[healthybratt]

Does anyone have a recipe for a soap without lard or shortning? I'd like one with olive oil, or coconut oil, or that kind of thing.

Check the weblink below.  It has tons of soapmaking info and links.  Here's one of the links I found on that page for a few vegetable oil recipes.

[dara]

Thanks, HB. I also found some good ones at pvsoap.com

[dara]

I just made my first batch of bar soap last night, and it worked beautifully! Of course I can't try it for a month until it cures,   , but it looks  great! I made a Castile Soap with goat milk and olive oil, and infused it with Chi tea, because EOs are so expensive. I tried smelling it to see if it retained it's spicy smell, and got a nose full of uncured soap fumes, so I'll have to wait and see if it still smells delicious when it finishes curing. I got the recipe from the library book, "the handmade soap book", by melinda coss. I would highly recommend it! I hope to buy it eventually. The recipes and advise, as well as basic chemistry explanations are great, plus she has a formula for altering recipes successfully if you want to use different ingredients (you can't alter a soap recipe unless you make sure the fat/lye ratio is exactly right). Do you guys in the country have good inter-library loan services, or is it hard to get books your lib. doesn't have? That fact could affect whether I want to move to the country or not!    If you can't get the book, I can post the recipe I used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580170846/qid=1148687420/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-4965006-7400125?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

[3boysmyjoys]

I'd like a simple soap recipe that uses cocnut oil and no lye.

[dara]

Lye is the catalyst that causes the fats (oils) to become chemically altered and become soap. No lye, no soap.   I can post a recipe later (when I have a minute), but there aren't any without lye (that I know of). I may be wrong.....

[healthybratt]

I'd like a simple soap recipe that uses cocnut oil and no lye.

....unless you want to use glycerine, but if I understand correctly it's extracted from lye soap.

[4myhoonie]

have any of you gals looked at theses soap bars?  i think they look great, they say glycerine base or sopanified oils of olive.....etc.  is that good?  good quality?  seems good to me.....

http://chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/index.html

[dara]

Yes, I look at Ida's soaps for inspiration in my experiments. I am blessed with a teeny tiny grocery budget, so I get to try making everything (really- I wouldn't be creative if I didn't have to be... my Mr. Visionary and I get along very well trying everything ourselves!) Thank you for directing us to that site!

[ALittleMore]

When I joined and said I had a bath product business, I had no idea so many people were wanting to make soap! Well for everyone who has asked me, I'll post some recipes in this thread:

Use a Melt and Pour Glycerine base made w/ Coconut Oil for best results.  These bases are available online all over, just google and decide which kind you like the sound of best. If you're having trouble finding any of the oils or other ingredients in smaller quantities online, I offer most of them thru my business. If you need to or would like to, you can contact me at [email protected]

Melt your glycerine base with your colorant in a double boiler (or on very low heat in the micro-wave.) You DO NOT want to boil your base. Only melt it and then take off of the heat. Then add whatever oils and herbs and such you like. Whatever your melting method, stir your base frequently as it melts. Once you've made your soap, pour into molds and let harden, then just pop them out of the molds. You don't want your soap to be too hot when you pour it or else you will melt your molds (this is one reason for not boiling your base.) Sometimes it's a good idea to lightly coat your molds with olive oil so that your soaps will pop out more easily when they've hardened. Whatever soaps you are not going to use right away, wrap them in plastic wrap and tape closed to keep fresh.

Here are some Recipes:


Lavender and Rose Soap - yields three 3 oz. bars
9 oz. M&P Glycerine
9 drops Lavender Essential Oil
18 drops Rosewater (2% pure Rose ess. oil in pure Grapeseed Oil carrier)
1 tbs. dried rose petals
1/8 tsp. Alkanet Root powder (optional for color)


Eucalyptus and Peppermint Soap - yields three 3 oz. bars
9 oz. M&P Glycerine
5 drops Eualyptus essential oil
4 drops Peppermint essential oil
1/8 tsp. Parsley powder (optional for color)


Chamomile Flower Soap - yields three 3 oz. bars
9 oz. M&P Glycerine
9 drops Chamomile essential oil
1 tbs. Chamomile Flowers
1/8 tsp. powdered Turmeric (optional for color)


Bergamot & Lemon Soap - yields three 3 oz. bars
9 oz. M&P Glycerine
9 drops Bergamot essential oil
9 drops Lemon essential oil
1/8 tsp. powdered Turmeric (optional for color)


Sweet Almond Soap (no scent, moisturizing) - yields three 3 oz. bars
9 oz. M&P Glycerine
1 TBS Pure Sweet Almond Oil


Have fun! I find soap-making to be very relaxing, and the little ones love to help!

[MadeAUTurn]

Hi ALittleMore

I'm wondering about the recipe for the Almond Soap.

I noticed that the recipe for the Almond Soap says it has no scent. I have always loved the smell of a product from Jafra called Almond Oil it smells wonderful  It smells simular to the Jergens lotion (Almond) but so much better!!!

Do you make a soap that smells simular?
What is the oil if Almond has no scent?

Thanks so much!!!

[ALittleMore]

Hi ALittleMore

I'm wondering about the recipe for the Almond Soap.

I noticed that the recipe for the Almond Soap says it has no scent. I have always loved the smell of a product from Jafra called Almond Oil it smells wonderful  It smells simular to the Jergens lotion (Almond) but so much better!!!

Do you make a soap that smells simular?
What is the oil if Almond has no scent?

Thanks so much!!!

Honestly, if the almond you like is sort of that cherry almond amaretto type scent, I would suggest just going to the baking isle of Wal Mart and getting a bottle of Pure Almond Extract. It shouldn't take much to scent your soap. Now, Jafra most likely has it's own formulated fragrance that it puts in its product, so it likely won't be identical. But I'd give it a go and see what you think. 

[momofmany]

Hey DARA if you cold-processed your soap, then wrapped it to speed up the gel, then you can use it within 24-48 hours.  I always try out one of my new bars that soon.  To test for saponifacation, just lightly touch it to the tip of your tongue.  If there is no "zap" (stinging sensation) then the lye has been altered and it is safe to use.  The "cureing" time is to allow the soap to dry out so that it can last longer.  I LOVE MY SOAP!  And will never go back to using store-bought again- which is good b/c I have about 150-200 bars sitting in a closet!

Whoever said "no lye, no soap" is right.  Store bought soap uses chemicals which we have no access too, or if we did I wouldn't use them.. I have been using my soap on my baby since he was born and he has sensitive skin.

momofmany

[ALittleMore]

If you're wanting to make lye soaps as opposed to glycerin, I recommend The Soapmaker's Companion by Cavitch. A friend of mine lent me this book a little over a year ago and it's very, very good. It explains pretty much any question you would have.

[yanceysemdj]

Some of my favorite soap books are The Natural Soap Book and The Soapmaker's Companion both by Susan Miller Cavitch and Country Living's handmade soap recipies for crafting soap at home. There are many, many, many resources on line for recipies and supplies for making your own cold process (lye) soap. Also lye calculators which tell you how to adjust the amount of lye you use if you want to play around with recipies or try your own recipies. We really love our soap and have a great time trying out new things.

[mishy]

ALittleMore,
I looked for the melt and pour and there are a couple sites that listed the ingredients and it had the ingredient we are trying to avoid!!! 
Here is the list from one website: 

Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide and Distilled Water

So do you have a site to buy from that does not have the sodium laureth sulfate in it?  I'm a guessin' if we don't do it the old fashioned way, we are going to end up with the undesireable chemicals.    These sound easy and fun so if you know a site that has just regular good ingredients, please share!

[ALittleMore]

ALittleMore,
I looked for the melt and pour and there are a couple sites that listed the ingredients and it had the ingredient we are trying to avoid!!! 
Here is the list from one website: 

Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide and Distilled Water

So do you have a site to buy from that does not have the sodium laureth sulfate in it?  I'm a guessin' if we don't do it the old fashioned way, we are going to end up with the undesireable chemicals.    These sound easy and fun so if you know a site that has just regular good ingredients, please share!

I know this is not a popular belief, however I don't buy into the Sodium Laureth Sulfate scare, because I've yet to read or find anything from a source that I find reliable enough to cause me to back away from it, and I've researched it several times. Also, I don't buy the myth (yes, myth) that lye (the old fashioned way) is bad for your skin, because it isn't! I have very sensitive skin and I've yet to have any irritations from the soaps I've made. While I understand that there is a concern about both lye and SLS irritating the eyes, I would say no one in their right mind puts soap into their eyes!

The most harmful ingredient you're going to find in the soaps and shampoos you buy (in my opinion) is synthetic dyes, which are terrible for your body.

This is my standpoint. However, if you know of a source that is reliable that could give me a sensible report on the matter of SLS, one which is based on well-reasearched studies, please post the link here so I (and everyone else!) can learn more about it.

[healthybratt]

I know this is not a popular belief, however I don't buy into the Sodium Laureth Sulfate scare, because I've yet to read or find anything from a source that I find reliable enough to cause me to back away from it, and I've researched it several times.

You might want to rethink this one.  I itched for nearly 10 years.  The doctor couldn't figure out what it was and I took drug after drug to try to make it stop.  He finally diagnosed me with neurodermitis (fancy word for "it's all in your head").  After some time, I started experimenting with products and finally figured out, that shampoo was the culprit.  But not just any shampoo, ALL of them.  What did they all have in common?  SLS and ALS.  I stopped using them.  Itching gone.  Personal experience, not research.

[SC]

I don't make my own soap, but I purchase homemade soap and recommend it to anyone with allergies or skin conditions. Of course, I always hear the objection that "I just couldn't use anything with lye in it!"

Time for a quick chemistry lesson: There is no such thing as soap without lye as an ingredient. Saponification is "a process by which triglycerides are reacted with sodium or potassium hydroxide to produce glycerol and a fatty acid salt, called 'soap'." If the process is done correctly and the finished product cured properly, the lye will have been chemically changed from its original form. Otherwise, it is a skin irritant.

I don't make my own because it is an art form that requires attention to detail and much care for safety. With little ones underfoot, it just isn't my season for soapmaking. Be careful of the big ones, too. I read of a soapmaker that left her lye out to cool in a mason jar with water. Her DH came in from working outdoors and took a swig before she could stop him. Lye is a caustic chemical and can kill if ingested.

Instead, I purchase my soap from the Farmer's Shed. This is an odorless soap that is made from vegetable oils. I've been to the woman's house that makes this and seen her setup. She calls the product: GrandMothers Finest Lye Soap. It is an all natural and hand crafted product based on an old family recipe. She used to make it with her father and has continued since his death.

Everyone that I know that has tried her soap is hooked because of the results. This stuff takes care of jock itch and athlete's foot along with a lot of other itchy and/or painful skin conditions. I use her laundry powder. It comes in quart containers that only use 1 to 2 Tbsp per load. It's all soap and no fillers.

I cannot find a web site listed for her, so I am guessing that she is only retailing through the Farmer's Shed now, so you'll have to call them and ask if they ship. The prices are $4.50 for a bar of soap and $11 for the washing powder. I'm not connected with her or the Farmer's Shed except that I am a customer, so this is not a way for me to make money. I just wanted anyone that is interested to know that there is a VERY high quality homemade soap with no fillers, perfumes or dyes in it made from a vegetable source.

And, if you are concerned about the price, just buy one bar and cut it in half. Don't put it in the kids bathroom. Keep the bar dry. A single bar lasts me around 8 weeks or more. If you are using anything commercially produced, I think you will be amazed by the difference in your skin.

[SHERRI REEL]

My MIL used to make oak ash lye soap with her g-mother and I'm trying to get her to make it again she's good at everything under the sun,and I'm blessed to have her.
I was looking on a web site for traditional lye and it said that there is a soft liquid soap process is any one familiar with this how to do it ,is this castile soap, could it be used for laundry ,dishes ,hand or body,what about shampoo?
Sherri

[lovingmomof2]

I think this is where I need to ask this question.  I have been wanting to make my own soap, but since I have young children I was looking into a glycerin base instead of the lye.  I can only find glycerin bases with SLS.  Does anyone know where I can find a glycerin base without the SLS or have any other  recommendations for me?  Thanks.

[ALittleMore]

I think this is where I need to ask this question.  I have been wanting to make my own soap, but since I have young children I was looking into a glycerin base instead of the lye.  I can only find glycerin bases with SLS.  Does anyone know where I can find a glycerin base without the SLS or have any other  recommendations for me?  Thanks.

Can anyone provide us with a reliable source for why SLS is truly even a threat? I've searched it several times and I've yet to find anything helpful. All the scientific studies I've read say that SLS is NOT truly a threat to the majority of people. All of my soaps contain SLS, all of the bases I've seen on wholesale and retail websites alike contain SLS, and all of the natural soaps I've ever bought contain lye or glycerine w/ SLS. I've never had a problem. I realize it's possible that some people are allergic to it, but so far healthybratt seems to be the only one who actually has a REASON to avoid SLS, and no one has any real sources. So if anyone has an article or study which would be helpful and that doesn't just state w/o any backup that it's a bad ingredient, PLEASE share.

Thanks!!! 

[healthybratt]

Material Data Safety Sheet on SLS