Supplies
Make sure all equipment is glass, plastic or stainless steel.
a scale
a pitcher to mix lye solution
a pitcher to measure oils
small pitchers or bowls to measure liquid oils and frangrance oils (FO)
spoons or whisks to stir
rubber spatula to get last bits of soap out
stick blender
soap mold(s)
rubber gloves
eye goggles
long sleeve shirt
Have all your supplies ready to use and all your ingredients ready to go.
Suit up in safety goggles, gloves and long sleeves.
Weigh Soap Ingredients
Put soap pot or glass pitcher onto the scale and zero out the weight. Following
recipe carefully, weight the oils one by one into the container. First weigh out all
solid oils (coconut, palm) into container. Pour slowly. You can add more, but once the
oils are part of the mix and cannot be backed out.
Heat Soap Ingredients
For small batches, heat the oils in the microwave, otherwise use a stainless steel pot or
glass equivalent. While your solid oils are melting, weight your liquid oils (olive, castor) s
eparately into another pitcher.
Check the Oil Temperatures
When the solid oils are melted, add liquid oils to the container. Check the temperature
of the oils. The oil temperature and the lye solution to be about 100 degrees before
mixing them together.
Mix the Lye and Oils
Slowly pour the lye INTO the oils. They will get a little cloudy. DO NOT inhale fumes.
Using the stick blender like a spoon, just stir a little until the mixture is well blended.
Then turn the stick blender on in just a few second blasts. The soap mixture almost
immediately comes together. We are looking for "trace".
What is Trace?
Trace is the so-called "point of no return" in soap making. It is the point where the
oils or the fats in your soap have successfully mixed with your lye solution. More
appropriately, this is the point where your oils and your lye turn into soap. The f
ollowing are the tell-tale signs of trace:
Your soap has a thick consistency similar to cake batter after you've mixed it.
If after you drizzle some of the soap on the surface of the mixture, it leaves
behind a "trail" that takes a while to sink back in the mixture.
The heavier the fat or oil used, the faster trace occurs. With traditional hand
mixing, it can take a very long time for your mixture to get to trace stage.
Cool the Soap
After you've made sure your soap has achieved trace, you can now start incorporating
additives like fragrances and colorants into your soap. You can also add additional
oils or fats. This process is called superfatting. Superfatting makes for softer soaps
and makes them produce more lather.
A good rule of thumb to follow when adding extra oils is 1 ounce per pound of initial
fat used in the mixture. It's common for soap makers to use exotic oils or butter when
superfatting.
When Is the Soap Ready?
Pop out after 1 to 5 days (depending on your soap) and allow to
cure for a full 4 to 6 weeks to cure and finish the saponification process.
During saponification, glycerin is released as a by-product.
Additional Supplies
Rubbing Alcohol in a Spray Bottle
Rubbing alcohol is often sprayed on top of the cooling bars of soap to help prevent the
soap surface from bubbling.
Vinegar
This mildly acidic solution can help to neutralize spills of caustic solutions like Lye.
pH Test Strips
Instead of the "Zap Test" (using your tongue) use pH test strips to check your alkalinity,
and make sure the soap is not too alkaline.
Freezer Paper or Plastic Wrap (Not Wax Paper)
This is used to line your soap mold making it much easier to remove your newly minted soap
when the time comes. I'm thinking that you already have this and many of the other soap
making supplies.
Soap Cutter
Again stainless steel knife about 6 to 8 inches long with a wooden handle across the top.
Makes the cutting a whole lot easier. It also works as a spatula. $4-$10, Used for chopping
up your bars of soap from a larger mold.
Soap Drying Rack
Your newly made beautiful (in a mother's eyes) soap will need a quiet place to sit for 2-3
weeks while it cures. A wood slatted rack is nice. But for this soap making supply, you
can use a variety of racks including a clean rack used in a grill or oven, or a wooden
frame with screen stretched across it. The key is to allow air to circulate around your
soap while it cures. It's also a good idea to turn your soap over once a day to help
prevent impressions from the rack.
Droppers or Disposable Pipettes
Droppers or disposable pipettes are used for transferring fragrances and scents. They're
fairly cheap. A couple of bucks will do it.
Pencil and Notebook
If you're going to do this more than once, you'll want to keep close notes on quantities
of ingredients you used, times for trace to form, times for curing, additives, etc. As
you go along experimenting with different recipes, you'll want to repeat what works,
and avoid or adjust what doesn't. Keep that paper and pencil near by.
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