Soap Making

LEMONGRASS & TEA TREE SOAP

If my High School chemistry teacher had introduced the subject by making a batch of soap, I would have been hooked for life. I've found it to be one of the most fascinating processes and I enjoy it immensely. I'm still amazed at how the oil and lye mixture comes together to make something that produces a creamy, bubbly lather!

I've had a number of people ask me how soap is made, so I've put together a series of photographs of my soap making process.

Soap is made with caustic soda, or lye. As the name suggests, it's highly caustic and will burn if it comes into contact with skin. Protective wear is a must. I wear thick rubber gloves and glasses. Once the crystals are mixed with water, the lye solution is especially dangerous as it can splash onto skin or into eyes. Children, pets and soap making do not mix!
All equipment and ingredients need to be collected and kept close at hand. A basic equipment list includes:

Plastic jug for lye mixture, wooden spoon, plastic wrap, stainless steel stockpot, oils, butters etc., additives such as colours & fragrances, stick blender, mould, protective clothing, towels and blankets.

1. Measure out water in plastic jug and place in sink.
2. Measure out lye crystals.
3. Slowly add lye crystals to water and stir to dissolve, making sure you keep your face away from the fumes. I just take a deep breath and hold it!


The mixture will become extremely hot. The picture shows the thermometer reaching almost 90 degrees C:


4. When completely dissolved, cover with plastic wrap. I then leave the mixture to cool for about 8 hours or until it reaches room temperature.
5. Measure oils into stockpot. Gently heat to melt. Stir occasionally. Allow to cool to room temperature. Below is my blend of olive, palm kernel and castor oils:
6. Collect additives, mould and stick blender. Have vinegar and cold water on hand in case of any splashes. Raw soap is caustic.
7. Lay butchers paper or newspaper down on bench. Place pot of oils on bench and insert stick blender. Slowly pour in the lye mixture while continuing to blend:



Once the mixture becomes thicker, stir with the stick blender off. Continue blending and stirring in this way until the soap becomes like thick custard. To test, lift the blender out of the mixture. Blend in essential or fragrant oils and colour.
If the dribbles from the blender stay as a distinct mark in the mixture, it's ready. This is called 'trace'. It's like a thick custard:

8. Pour into mould.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and lay it in and cover with a bed of towels and blankets. Allow soap to stay in it's insulated mould for 18 to 24 hours. It will go through a process called gelling, where it heats up and becomes almost transparent. I don't gel my soap as I like it to look creamy. Gelling can make the soap look more translucent.
11. Remove insulating materials and unmould. Cut into slices if soap is hard. If it's still soft, leave for another 24 hours before cutting. (I will post pictures of my soap once it's read to unmould)
12. Store on paper towel covered wire or wooden racks allowing room for air to circulate. Soap must cure for at least 4 weeks to allow the lye to totally dissipate.
13. When you use soap, place it on a wooden rack to dry in between use. This will stop it from dissolving too quickly. Home made soap has a high glycerine content, which is why it's so nice on your skin when compared to supermarket soaps where the glycerine has been removed.