Mild Olive Oil Soap

Recipe: (Makes 8 lbs.)
24 oz. olive oil
24 oz. coconut oil
38 oz. vegetable shortening (Crisco)
12 oz. lye
32 oz. distilled water
3-4 oz. any essential or fragrance oil

Equipment Needed:
Scale that weighs in pounds and ounces
Large one-gal. stainless steel or enamel pot
(use this exclusively for soap-making)
Two plastic pitchers, 2-3 qt. size
Hand stick blender
(optional, but makes tracing much easier)
Plastic measuring cup 2-3 cup size
Two wooden or plastic spoons
(one for the lye and one for the oils.
Use these exclusively for soap-making)
Two kitchen thermometers
(one for the lye and one for the oils -
must read to over 100 degrees)
Rubber gloves
Safety goggles
Clear plastic container with snap-on
lid 8" x 11" x 3" deep, or wooden soap mold
lined with freezer paper
Large piece of cardboard the size of
the wooden mold - used as a lid Old blanket
Freezer paper or plastic garbage bags
Remember: Be sure to allow for the weight
of the containers.
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide NaOH)
All ingredients should be weighed.
Begin by putting on your goggles and
rubber gloves and weigh out 12 ozs. of lye
into one of the plastic containers.
Weigh out 32 oz of distilled water into
the other container. Slowly and in a steady
stream pour the lye into the water, stirring
until dissolved. Do this in a well ventilated
area and try not to splash. Let the lye/water
mixture sit until the temperature reaches
between 100-125 degrees
(unless otherwise stated by the recipe you are using).
This may take several hours,
but if you're in a hurry you can place the
container in a cold water bath to bring down
the temperature quicker.
In the meantime, get your oils ready by
weighing out 24 oz. of coconut oil and 38 oz.
of vegetable shortening and placing them into
your pot. Heat them up just until they melt
and then remove from heat and add the 24 ozs.
of olive oil. Stir to incorporate and put
one of the thermometers into the pot to
check the temperature. The oils will also
have to be between 100-125 degrees
(unless otherwise stated by the recipe you are using).
Both the lye/water mixture and the oils will
have to be at the same temperature before
incorporating them.
Prepare your additives.
Start with just 3-4 ozs. of essential oil
or a combination of essential oils (blend).

*Note- (some essential oil scents are stronger,
so use less, some are lighter and you may
add more depending on your preference).
Also, measure 1/4 cup of any dried herbs or
flowers (optional). Its best to start simple
for your first batch. You can also add
1-3 tablespoons of pigment for coloring if you wish.
Check the temperature of the lye and oils.
When they reach between 90-100°,
its time to "make soap."
Slowly pour the lye/water mixture into the oils,
stirring continuously.
Stir or blend in all the lye and
you will begin to see the mixture thicken.
Just as the mixture thickens to the point
where you see tracks or "trace" in the soap,
add essential oils and any dried ingredients
or colorants. Remove about 2 cups of the
mixture and add the colorant to the 2 cups.
Then add that back into the pot. Continue to
stir or blend until you see designs on the top
of the soap (this is known as tracing and can
happen in 10-40 minutes depending on the
temperature of your mixture).
Quickly add the mixture to the mold.
Cover with the lid. *Note* if the soap
mixture does not fill the mold to the top,
place a piece of freezer paper on top of the
soap and then put the lid or a piece of
cardboard on the container.
This will prevent soda ash.
Wrap in blankets and place in an
undisturbed area for 18 hrs.
Remove the blankets and lid and leave
the soap in the mold for another 12 hrs.

Should be a hard block of soap.
Remove and cut as you wish.
Place on box or rack to finish drying and cure time.
About 2 weeks or longer.
The long you let this soap cure
the milder it will become and the harder it will be.

Email: paintedturtle@buckeyeinternet.com