There are risks involved in making cold press soap. Please read Back to Basic: Lye Safety Guide before you begin your own soap making journey.
Equipment I use. Remember everyone does it a little differently.
- Scale
- Two Plastic bowls (one for weighing oil and another for lye)
- Large pot for mixing soap (DO NOT USE ALUMINUM!) I use a canning pot
- Pot for mixing lye and water (DO NOT USE ALUMINUM) Mine is stainless steel from Good Will
- Two wooden spoons (one for mixing oils and one for lye)
- Candy or poultry thermometer
- Protective gloves and goggles
- Mixer (I have an old GE hand mixer from Good Will that will never die I swear!)
- Freezer Paper
- Mold(s) I prefer wooden log molds
- Cutter for slicing soap (I use a crinkle cutter)
- A bottle of white vinegar (just in case to neutralize any lye spills)
- Two large storage tubs (one to store oils and lye and one for equipment)
First, I figure out how much I want to make. I make mine in a 10 lbs wooden log mold. This mold makes about 40 bars (4 oz each). 10 lbs is a nice round number to work with when measuring out oils.
Once I know how much I want to make I decide on a recipe. I like to use 40% Pomace Olive Oil, 30% Coconut Oil, 20% Palm Oil and 10% Shea Butter. I then use a lye calculator to figure out how much lye and water I will need. Here is what I need to know for the calculator: I am making a solid soap, using a percentage, using ounces as my unit and a superfatting level of none. I usually buy my oils 7 lbs at a time. I like to scent my soap with essential oils, so then I have to find out how much I will need using a fragrance calculator. What I need to know for the fragrance calculator: type of fragrance I will use, I am making cold press soap, the amount of soap I am making and how strong I want the soap to smell.
Once I have all these numbers down (I keep a soap journal) and have all the supplies its time to start weighing and mixing. I start with lining the mold with freezer paper.
Then using my scale to weigh out the water I will need first and pour it in my lye pot. Then measure out the lye in my designated lye bowl. Then wearing my gloves and goggles slowly pour the lye into the measured out water (ALWAYS add lye to water NOT the other way around!) then stir, using the designated lye spoon, until all the lye flakes are dissolved. I always mix the lye and water outside or by a well ventilated window. The lye and water will heat up to 200+ degrees F, so I keep it well away from my kids and pets!
While the lye mixture is cooling I start pouring and weighing out the olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil and shea butter and putting them into my largest pot. Once the oils are all together I put them on med-low heat and stir, using my designated oil spoon, until all the oil are melted and incorporated together. Then remove from heat.
Now my goal is to get the lye mixture and oil mixture both around 100 degrees F. Once they are close to the same temperature I slowly pour the lye mixture into the large pot with the oil mixture. Then use my trusty hand mixer on low in figure eight patterns I mix until the soap begins to thicken and trace. This can take 15 to 45 minutes to happen.
Once the mixture begins tracing its time to add my essential oils if desired, Once I mix those in it is time to pour the mixture into my mold that I have already lined with freezer paper. Once I have poured my soap the goal is to keep it warm for the next 24 hours. I usually cover the top of the mold with cardboard and then cover with towels for insulation.
After 24 hours I remove the towels and cardboard and begin the curing process. The soap should be still soft but safe to touch at this point. I usually let the soap sit for couple up days uncovered in the mold. After a couple of days the soap should begin to firm up and I can then pull the sides of the wooden mold down exposing the sides of the soap log. I let it sit for a couple of more days to firm up some more. When the soap is firm enough that touching it doesn't leave marks then it ready to cut. I always do a practice cut on the end of the log using my cutter at this point. I really love to use a crinkle cutter because it helps hide any crooked cuts I may make. If the soap breaks apart it is not ready and I give it a couple more days.
Once I have all the bars cut then I stack them in a breathable paper shopping bag and let them continue to cure for a couple more weeks. The bars should then be ready to use!
When I first started out I only used 2-3 lbs molds until I got the hang of it. There are many different things can go wrong when first starting out. I lost a couple of batches to uneven lye and oil temperatures. I had one batch separate and another seize up into a rock and crumble. Both had to be thrown out! To avoid such mishaps there are some great books I use as guides such as "The Natural Soap Book" and "The Soapmaker's Companion"
