How to Make Homemade Soap

Soap making is an art form. It has been around for over a hundred years but must be done with respect and consideration. Making soap from scratch requires the combining of lye a caustic solution with oils. Once the oils become emulsified they are changed into what we know of as soap. My neighbor used to collect old slivers of soap and old chicken and fish grease to make soap. We were then gifted with bars of what looked like the old Octagon soap. Our parents and grandparents used it in the kitchen and to wash clothes. The soap we will be making can be used to bathe, shower or wash your hair. I have allergies to artificial chemicals and breakout from laundry detergents and other soaps with by products in them. My soap is all natural made with olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, tallow, coconut oil, canola oil, calendula oil, castor oil, avocado oil, soybean oil, jojoba oil, palm oil, lye and essential oils for scenting. Different soaps have different properties that are made from different combinations of these products.

You can not make soap without lye. Even the melt and pour and rebatched soap bases are made from a lye process. Liquid soaps are also made with a different type of lye. Some of the pre-processed soap bases are made from petroleum based applications. I am trying to avoid using any petroleum based products. That is why I am not using fragrance oils in my soap making. I also won't be using mineral oil as my carrier for colorants. I will be publishing a hub soon on natural colorants that can be used for soap making.

Because lye is caustic and can cause burns and blindness it is not for children to use. It is to be treated with respect and all care and caution must be taken when using it. On hand I have a gallon of white vinegar to be used to flush any area it accidentally comes in contact with. If it spills on the floor or a counter use it to clean the area thoroughly. Also use it to clean the lye container you measure it in. (I use disposable cups). Also the container you prepare your lye water solution in and the spoon you use to stir the lye into the water. When I check the temperature of the lye water I then place it in the warm oils but I always clean it when finished with a paper towel with vinegar on it. If the lye or lye water splashes on your hand or arm immediately pour vinegar on the spot. Do not dilute the vinegar.

Wearing a shirt with sleeves and closed shoes is preferred. Long sturdy rubber gloves protects your hands and your arms. Plastic goggles with side protection should be worn. I wear glasses and have 2 pair that cover my glasses and my face. Keep the lye sealed in it's original container and in another container. Store it where children and others can't get to it. My family is very aware of it and where it is so they won't accidentally come in contact with it. They also knows what to do if anyone does. My grandson is banned from the kitchen when I am working on my soaps. My purple rubber gloves remain on the sink when the lye water is cooling in it's pyrex container. It's a warning to all that there is lye water in the sink.

Now that we have a healthy respect for the lye, let's get to the good part.

You need basic supplies to get started making soap. A container for your lye water that can withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees. I use a large pyrex container with a pour spout and a handle. I also have a few other smaller plastic measuring cups I can use to divide the soap and color it when I make swirls. The spout makes it easier to pour. I purchased them from a dollar store. I also bought a four pack of wooden spoons, kitchen towels, plastic containers I could use for molds, measuring spoons, goggles and spatulas there. My friend also has a heavy duty pair of goggles I use as well. I went to Walmart to price a stick blender but ended up buying one for the same price from the hardware store. Soon I will be investing in an industrial mixer because I have burned out a stick blender already. Walmart and the other stores didn't carry lye. I found mine at a True Value hardware store. You can order it online through Brambleberry or another supplier. I purchased my thick rubber gloves at the hardware store. I believe in shopping locally or all the community based stores with people who are motivated to assist you will disappear.

I decided since I am allergic to artificial ingredients I would only use essential oils to fragrance my soaps. Let me warn you in advance that they are expensive and you may have to buy a few at a time to start. You also will have to shop around because the prices do vary. My scale was purchased at Walmart for $20. You need one that tares (will zero out with weight on it) and their digital scale was inexpensive compared to the ones I found online. The one in the sidebar is reasonable at $11.50. I purchased a special cutter online but I also use the longest non serrated blade in the kitchen set and a vegetable peeler.

Molds are another expense that I worked my way around. Online I saw videos about how to make wooden log molds. You can price them online and on Ebay and they cos taround $40 and up for a 5 pound mold. So I went to Home Depot and bought a board and had them cut it for me into 6 pieces. I checked the trash bin first, no luck. But I did get an end piece from there. My neighbor cut the end pieces and my friend drilled the holes and screwed it all together for me. For about $12 I have two 3-1/2 to 4 pound molds. I love them and I will be making 2 more soon. I found another nice piece of wood for free.

I also had baking plastic molds and a few silicone molds. I recently bought a discounted silicone mold at ACMoore for $5. Save your 50% off coupons and shop for what you need a little at a time. It will help to keep you from becoming overwhelmed. This has turned out to be a long term process. Ask your friends if they have any old molds they don't use anymore. A girlfriend brought me some plastic molds her nephews used to make Christmas gifts last year. Try to keep your expenses down so you can get the things you really want (like essential oils).

One of my best resources for soap making information has been David Fisher at About.com. He sends out a newsletter, has a forum and a blog. He has videos on youtube you can watch as well. You can email him a question or post it in the forum for someone to answer if you don't find the answer by searching through his emails. He has 4 basic soap recipes you can start with and a Supermarket recipe where all of your oils can be obtained in the market. I also love the Soap Queen from Brambleberry. She has great videos on cold process soap making as well as melt and pour soaps and candle making.

I have found that olive oil is on sale every week at a different market and for me it's cheaper than buying wholesale and paying shipping. I have read that local restaurant suppliers carry large containers of oil but mine doesn't have what I need. And I even find canola oil on sale cheaper at the local market. I live in NY so I have access to a few natural markets and Nature's Pantry (located in Newburgh NY and Fishkill NY) has been a great place to get many of my supplies. I have also ordered from Brambleberry, PVCSoap and I am going to place an order via amazon.com. Please use my links to amazon.

The most important thing I can tell you is to educate yourself about soap making. I have been researching it for over two years. Then I felt confident enough to start making it. You may not need as long. But I have found at least 50 good videos on youtube and ehow. I am a visual learner and watching David Fisher and a few other soap makers like myself has given me alot of information and confidence. Watch the successful videos and a few of the spoiled batches as well. It helps to know what to do and that others have made the same mistakes. It can also help you avoid some of them.

With a good recipe, the proper tools, and the correct use of the lye you can end up with a beautiful product that you can be proud of. In my next hub I will tell you the specific steps to make soap using a basic recipe. From there the sky is the limit. I have made over 2 dozen batches in less than 3 months and I am hooked. I have made plain castile-olive oil and coconut based soap. Coconut is one of the oils that provides you with a nice lather and a conditioning soap. I have also experimented making soaps with and without palm oil. Palm Oil makes a harder, longer lasting bar of soap. I have made an all white soap with a tallow/lard base that was wonderful. But my main soap is going to be a mixture of olive oil, canola, calendula, soy, coconut or castor oils. I am developing my own shea butter based soap as well. I have found that I like them the best and so do my friends. I will also make a soap with palm oil because it was harder and guest soaps should last a little while. My shampoo bars came out perfect and we love the way they condition.

At some point I will try making liquid soap which is another process that takes overnite. It seems like it requires alot of patience. When I feel that I have mastered cold process soap making (you have to wait 4-6 weeks for it to cure), hot process soap making (in my crockpot, no waiting) and oven process soap making (you cure your soap overnight in the oven) I will move on and try something new. I have had a few mistakes but I knew why they happened and have moved on from there. There are a variety of factors that can cause a batch to seize, or harden too quickly (fragrance or essential oil, too much of an additive, etc.) But you can learn to rebatch (use it again) it and keep going. Feel free to share your successes with me. I also have soap bars for sale. Currently I have a white with a paprika orange colored swirl with a teatree and lavender essential oil (eo) scent. I also have jasmine and peppermint olive oil shampoo bars. I will be making more shampoo bars tomorrow and more olive oil soap with lavender buds to exfoliate. I am waiting for lavender and peppermint bars to cure in two weeks. They say they are a little smoother than hot processed bars. I also am going to make some solid lotion bars. I am addicted to this craft and would love to share my wares with you. I am working on a blog to showcase my products (sexyladydeeonpoint.blogspot.com) but for now you can email me (sexyladydee45@yahoo.com) and I will send you pictures. I will be giving free samples with every purchase. Minimal shipping charges apply on all orders.