Soap Session 1 Simple and Gentle Cold Process Soap

Soaps made 01/08/2015

My first homemade batch of soap is a basic recipe I figured using a lye calculator using only three oils/butters, this is a test to get used to the equipment and techniques.

All natural honest to goodness soap

Soap 1...Simple and Gentle Cold Process Soap

Using only three oils in a 500gm batch
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Palm Oil
Lye and rain water
No added frangrance or colour

I'm not going to give detailed recipe instructions here, there is plenty of information out there, this is going to be a picture diary for myself to follow my own progress and see where this goes...I'm lucky to have a second kitchen area to work in.....

Apart from buying a digital thermometer (and a couple of plastic throw away measurine jugs, read very cheap), I'm using utensils from my home/kitchen that will either stay as soaping acessories or be dumped when necessary. I will acquire any other necessary equipment as I go along.

This is my Lye Station near to the sink incase of any emergency.....not forgetting the goggles and rubber gloves

This is my Oil and general mixing station with my recipe printed out clearly....

Checking lye temperature

Checking lye and melted oil temperatures.....that's is close enough....

Achieving emulsion or 'trace'

Using a silicon loaf mould

Taking a quick peek to see the 'Gel' stage

So that was it, leave it wrapped up for 18-24 hours, except I thought that was too easy so I decided to make up another slightly bigger batch adding another ingredient to compare with...

Soap 2....Soft and Gentle with Shea butter

33 ounce batch
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Palm Oil 
Shea Butter
Lye and Rain Water
No added frangrance or colour

Checking Lye temperature

Checking oil and Lye temperatures.....that's close enough

Looking for trace...

Into the mould

Tucking them up in towels to keep warm

A quick peek at gel stage....working nicely.....

Then I left them nicely tucked up for 24 hours noting that the first smaller batch came very quickly to 'gel' stage very nearly to the edge of the mould but then stopped and rapidly cooled down, maybe coz I lifted the towel and peeked in or maybe that size batch should have been in a smaller mould, I'm getting used to quantities here too.

The second batch warmed quickly and gelled right out to the edge of the mould and stayed hot for a long time so I just left them there wrapped up.

All cooled down and set afer 24 hours

The first batch red mould soap was a little wrinkly and grainy on the surface but I'm sure the soap will still be soap, (maybe the batch was too small for the size of mould)

This soap looks lovely and smooth

Cutting 1" bars

Of course I melted up all all of my trimmings and made more soaps

Found a great dying rack, trouble is there's room for lots more soap????

Notes to self....

Need more accurate scales, mine are digital but only show add ins of 5gm units clearly, need something more precise

Would like proper straight sided soap moulds

Well, that's it just have to wait 4-6 weeks for the soap to cure, the water will evaporate and the soap will harden.....4-6 weeks, that's a long time....may have to make another batch before then.

All natural honest to goodness soap

I felt I neeeded to try this on my own first time out but next time I will try out a recipe given to me by my good quilting and soaping friend Charlie....but first I'm off to a quilt show, Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK, APQS Stand E46, maybe I'll see some of you there.....


Update 22/08/2015
OK, I couldn't wait the full six weeks before trying my soap. On 22/08/2015, only three weeks into the cure, I tested my first batch of soaps, (the one with the narrower cut bars), I used ph test strips to make sure the alkaline levels were low enough. The test strips read around no7, that is a safe level to be able to use the soap and although further curing would ensure the evaporation of the water and provide a longer lasting harder bar of soap, I'm sure in the process of time I will have soap that has gone through a lengthy cure.
Result a lovely creamy slightly fragrant, comforting bar of soap, and yes I washed my face with soap and water for the first time in eight years. My face doesn't feel stretched and dry but well moisturised, and I tend to wash my hands just for the fun and pleasure of it as I walk passed a washbasin. All of my washbasins, bath, shower and kitchen sinks have a bar of my own soap there ready for use, it lovely!