Making Your Own Bath Soaps With the Lye

dddMaking bath soaps is a bit tricky due to the dangerous nature of lye. When you are attempting to make your own soap, please make sure that you have long gloves on and that you have plenty of ventilation. You will also need a good sturdy hand mixer that you will not use for anything but soap making and a good candy thermometer that you will not use for anything else either.

All soaps will need to “cure”, or set, for over a month before you can use it. I will use the word “trace”, “trace” is a trail you will see when you mix the soap as you drag a wooden spoon across the top of the mixture. You can use any fat or oil, although I recommend olive oil.

Citrus Soap

16 ounces pure olive oil

2 ounces lye

6 ounces water

10 drops orange essential oil

10 drops lemon essential oil

Heat oils up to 150 degrees and slowly add the lye to the water while stirring with your wooden spoon. Mix them together when the lye is around 100 degrees and the oil is at 130 degrees. Mix until you get it to “trace”. After “tracing” add the essential oils. Pour it in a mold and let set 3 days and then unmold.

Chamomile Soap

16 ounces pure olive oil

2 ounces lye

6 ounces water

1 cup crushed chamomile

Heat oils up to 150 degrees and slowly add the lye to the water while stirring with your wooden spoon. Mix them together when the lye is around 100 degrees and the oil is at 130 degrees. Mix until you get it to “trace”. After “tracing” add the crushed chamomile. Pour it in a mold and let set 3 days and then unmold.

Oatmeal Soap

10 ounces palm oil

4 ounces coconut oil

2 ounces olive oil

1/4 cup oatmeal, put through a food processor

2 ounces lye

1 cup water

Mix the water and lye, put aside and let it cool. Melt the palm and coconut oils and set aside to cool. Mix the oatmeal and the olive oil. When the lye hits 100 degrees and the fats are at 120 degrees, pour the lye into the fats carefully and stir till it traces. Add oatmeal mix and stir. Pour into molds and let stay for 2 days, then unmold and let sit for a month.

Rich Sage Soap

16 ounces pure olive oil

2 ounces lye

6 ounces water

1 cup crushed sage

Heat oils up to 150 degrees and slowly add the lye to the water while stirring with your wooden spoon. Mix them together when the lye is around 100 degrees and the oil is at 130 degrees. Mix until you get it to “trace”. After “tracing” add the crushed sage. Pour it in a mold and let set 3 days and then unmold.

Lavender Soap

16 ounces pure olive oil

2 ounces lye

6 ounces water

20 drops lavender essential oil

Heat oils up to 150 degrees and slowly add the lye to the water while stirring with your wooden spoon. Mix them together when the lye is around 100 degrees and the oil is at 130 degrees. Mix until you get it to “trace”. After “tracing” add the essential oils. Pour it in a mold and let set 3 days and then unmold.