Recipes

Ounces (oz) are determined by weight unless otherwise stated.

Soap I - Pure Soap

This is the only recipe I've discovered that remains scent-free without adding fragrance to the recipe. This soap is a bit too harsh for bath soap, but great for cleaning, washing dishes, delicate laundry, etc. Great lather and no fragrance.

 

16 oz coconut oil
2.8 oz lye
1 cup water (8 fluid ounces)
Fat and lye/water temperature about 120 degrees F
Estimated tracing time: 1 1/2 hours
Time in molds: 48 hours
Age: 3 weeks

 

Soap II -- Pure Soap Mink Oil Shampoo

16 oz weight coconut oil
1/2 cup mink oil or (4 T. Castor oil)
2.9 oz lye
1 cup water (8 fluid oz.)

 

Oil room temperature. Mix and use lye when the water turns clear. Put all ingredients in the blender. Follow the instructions for "Blender Soap" Don't let this soap trace. Process until the mixture is smooth (no oil streaks) and pour it into molds.

 

Leave in molds 2 days
Freeze soap 3 hours to release it from the molds.
Age 3 weeks.

 

Soap III

6 oz coconut oil
6 oz olive oil
5 oz vegetable shortening
2.6 oz lye
1 cup water (8 fluid ounces)
Fat and lye/water temperature about 120 degrees F
Time in molds: 48 hours
Age: 4 weeks

 

Soap IV

9 oz vegetable shortening
4 oz coconut oil
3 oz lard
2.4 oz lye
3/4 cup water (6 fluid ounces)
Fat and lye/water temperature about 120 degrees F
Time in molds: 24 hours
Age: 3 weeks

 

Soap V

A traditional and blender soap combination. The fats are expensive, but milk allows for about 12 bars, vs. only 6 bars of the same recipe without milk. Pretty sneaky, hugh?

 

8 oz weight cocoa butter
5 oz weight palm oil
3 oz weight castor oil
2.2 oz weight lye (sodium hydroxide)
1 cup cold milk (I used 2% right from the frig)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon essential oil (I added 2 chamomile tea bags and 2 jasmine
tea bags, dry)
Fats: 100 degree range
Lye/water/milk combination: 125 degree range

 

Dissolve the lye in the water. Add all ingredients to the blender. Process about 30 seconds, or until the mixture looks smooth and a uniform color. It will not trace. Pour it into the molds (it won't separate, trust me)

 

Soap VI & VII

16 oz lard or beef tallow
2.2 oz lye
3/4 cup water (6 fluid ounces)
Estimated tracing 45 minutes
Fat and lye/water temperature about 120 degrees F
Time in molds: 24 hours
Age: 3 weeks

 

Soap VIII -- Beeswax Castile

16 oz weight olive oil
1 oz beeswax
1 oz palm oil
2.1 oz lye
1 cup water (8 fluid ounces)
(melt the beeswax with the fats)
Fat and lye/water temperature about 150 degrees F
Tracing time: about 12 minutes FAST! (This is not a good blender soap candidate!)
Time in molds: 48 hours
Place the soap in a freezer for 3 hours, then remove it from the molds
Age: 6 to 8 weeks for the bars to harden

 

Soap X -- Beeswax Soap

(Follow directions at "Soap VIII". This is not a good blender soap candidate.)
16 oz weight olive oil
1 oz weight beeswax
2.2 oz weight lye
1 cup water (8 fluid ounces)

 

Soap XI -- Goat Milk Soap

(by measurements, not weight)
1 cup lard, melted
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup goat (or other) milk
1/4 cup Red Devil lye granules (not flakes or crystals from other sources)
1/4 cup water
Dissolve the lye in the water.
Ingredients near 110 to 120 degrees F.
Add the lye/water to the fat. Stir in the milk.
Tracing time about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Leave in molds 2 days
Place in freezer 3 hours
Remove soap from molds, age 3 weeks.

By Elaine C. White