Instructions for Hot Process Lye Soap
- Start with a clean kitchen and all the supplies laid out and ready to use, including prepping the molds for pouring the soap into when it is done. If using paper or metal molds, line them with the butcher and freezer paper; do not use wax paper as it is not thick enough. If using plastic or silicon molds, simply make sure they are clean and dry.
- Weigh the olive and castor oils out and pour them into the slow cooker.
- Weigh the coconut oil, palm oil, and shea butter into a glass measuring cup and melt these in the microwave in 30 second increments until they reach 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Set the other glass measuring cup in a sink with cool water in it and pour 11 ounces of distilled water into it. Slowly add the 4.9 ounces of lye to the water. Stand at arms’ distance wearing the safety gear to avoid possible lye burns or directly breathing the fumes. Stir gently with the plastic spoon until fully dissolved.
- Pour the coconut, palm, and shea oils into the slow cooker and stir until well incorporated.
- When the oil and lye are within 20 degrees Fahrenheit of each other (and are both still in the 90 to 120 degree range) pour the lye-water into the oil very slowly against the side of the slow cooker to avoid splashing.
- Use the whisk to mix the solution until a thin, gravy consistency is formed. When you lift the whisk from the mix the oil, the dripping off of it should trace, or leave a pattern where it falls. This is also measured if the temperature has risen a few degrees.
- Once it has reached trace, turn the slow cooker on to low, place a lid on it, and set the timer for 15 minutes. Then come back and stir it back together and replace the lid.
- Set the timer again for 20 minutes. Check the mixture again, the edges should begin to turn translucent. Continue checking the mixture every10 minutes or so.
- When the mixture is mostly translucent, stir it up with the spatula. Let it cook for another 30 minutes.
- When it looks like oily applesauce, mix it up well.
- After 1.5 to 2 hours of cooking time, turn off the slow cooker. The soap should have the consistency of petroleum jelly.
- Add desired essential oils and exfoliants at this point and stir the mixture well.
- Scoop out the thick and sticky soap mixture into the prepared molds. Bang the molds on the counter after each addition to help remove any air pockets. Fill the molds up from corner to corner and work quickly, it sets up fast and additional soap added to the mixture after it has formed a skin will result in peeling and cracks on the finished product.
- While waiting for the soap to cool, clean up wearing the safety equipment. Let anything with soap on it soak in warm water until the soap dissolves. Put the clean, dry utensils in a container and use them only for soap making.
- When the soap has cooled, removed it from the molds and place it on the wire baking racks. While it can be used immediately, it is better if left to cure for a couple of weeks.
Warnings:
- If the lye or unfinished soap does come in contact with the skin or clothing, douse it with the white vinegar, and call poison control right away.
- Reduce the heat of the lye reaction when you pour it into the water by filling the sink partway with cool water and placing the glass measuring cup in the cool water.
- Do not use non-stick cookware, aluminum, cast iron, tin pans or cans, and wood or metal utensils. The lye will react strongly to them and not only will the soap and tools be ruined, the strong reaction could cause skin burns.
- Measure the ingredients exactly, or the soap may not turn out at all.
Tips:
- To accurately measure the ingredients, place the measuring utensil on the scale before measuring it and press tare to remove its weight from the total.
- Different grades of essential oils produce different results and some essential oils are in a base oil. Adding essential oils is a subjective experiment, before making soap test out several combinations of essential oils a few days before and leave them sit together in a glass bowl with a lid overnight until you find a combination you like.
- Pick one exfoliant, if you like. Try ground almonds, ground fruit pit hulls, ground or rolled oats, activated carbon powder, baking soda, dried herbs, fine sand, loose tea, psyllium, sugar, unused coffee grounds, cocoa powder, or medical grade clay powder.
- Store soap in a dry, cool, and dark place in a sealed container. Place cellophane or freezer paper between bars or wrap bars up, to prevent them from sticking together. Improperly stored soap will turn bad and loose its scent. Use or give away the soap within six months to a year.
Page 1 – Ingredients for Hot Process Lye Soap
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SmallMomentsBigJoy says
I made soap several years ago. It was so satisfying! I need to take it up again.