After listening for three years to the little voice inside - prompting me to try my hand at soap making, I have finally conceded: Here's my very first batch! I'm creating a formula for www.Homeandheart.net which I'll call "Celebration".
Using my new food scale, I measured .75 oz of castor oiland 1.25oz of olive oil and set aside.
In my largest measuring cup, I placed 6 oz of palm oil (looks like butter) and 4oz of coconut oil and set aside.
I measure out my essential oils of orange and lime and put them in a small container. I put some ground ginger in a container and set aside (I didn't end up using very much of this).
I placed four ounces of water in a smaller glass measuring cup, put on my goggles and gloves, and moved into a well ventilated area where I added 1.75 oz of sodium hydroxide (lye) to the water. NEVER add the water to the lye!! I ended up going outside to stir this. You really should wear a mask! After the lye was dissolved, I came back inside and poured it into the largest glass bowl (the hard fats) and stirred. After a while I added my other oils and just a bit of ginger, then kept stirring until it thickened (this is called "trace").I then poured the solution into my molds (I used chocolate and muffin containers with covers), closed the lids and let it sit for a day. I actually let them sit for two days which was probably a bit too long!
After a week, I tried one of the small ones as a hand soap and loved it! I've been using one of the larger ones in my bath, and I much prefer it to any of my other soaps!!
Whoo Hoo!! I'm now giving them to my friends to get their opinion, before making another batch!!
