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HOW TO MAKE A VEGAN COLD PROCESS HANDMADE SOAP
The ability to control exactly what goes into your products, whether used internally or externally is quite rewarding.
Having extra sensitive skin result in me having to pay close attention to the ingredients of each and every product I purchase and consume.
When you suffer from psoriasis, eczema, rosacea or like skin disorders, the last thing you want for your skin is to use products packed with harmful chemicals and synthetic ingredients.
Hence, the creation of my all natural handmade body soap.
For this handmade cold process soap, I’ll be keeping things really simple. Using ingredients which can be easily sourced and of great benefit to your skin.
If it is your first time making natural vegan cold process soap at home, this post is for you. To get yourself farmiliar with the soap making process, you should definitely start with this simple and easy soaping recipe provided.
SIMPLE COLD PROCESS SOAP RECIPE
I must admit, this handmade soap recipe is one of my creations I’m settled on. So, if you create soap especially in a hot /humid climate then this is the perfect soap making guide for you.
| INGREDIENTS | MEASUREMENTS for 500grams/1lb |
|---|---|
| Coconut oil Olive oil Shea butter Lye/Sodium hydroxide Distilled Water Sodium lactate** | 168 grams or 5.92 ozs 118 grams or 4.14 ozs 50 grams or 1.78 ozs 50 grams or 1.78 ozs 118 grams or 4.14 ozs 1 tsp |
- This cold process soap recipe creates an amazing balanced bar of soap which doesn’t strip the skin.
- The combination of ingredients provides a great ratio between cleansing and moisturizing
WHAT TO USE AS SOAP MOLDS/HOW TO MAKE A SOAP MOLD
When making soap, you will need a mold to pour your soap into and allow it to set, harden and take a particular shape. For this, you have a number of options available. You can use a cardboard box, and old plastic container and the popular silicone mold or wooden mold.
However, today I’m keeping things budget friendly.
I’ll be using an empty milk carton box as my soap mold.
Continue reading to be guided on how it all come together.
HOW TO BEGIN MAKING A COLD PROCESS NATURAL SOAP.
As fun as it is to create your own soap from the comfort of your home, there are some important safety precautions which you must adhere to.
So, before diving in, please refer to this post here as a soap making safety guide. Here you’ll learn basic lye and soap making safety as well as good sanitary practices alongside equipments needed.
LET’S GET STARTED
PREPARE – Whether you’re new to soap making or a seasoned veteran, PREPERATION is key. Without it, believe me, you stand the risk of thing going hay wire. (this is not a good feeling) – Garther your ingredients as stated above in the recipe along with your tools and equiptments as mentioned below. – Sanitize your working area also ensuring your tools and equiptments are as well. |
CREATE
| Mix you lye/sodium hydroxide solution – Slowly add your lye into your distilled water whilst stirring the solution. Once completely combined, your lye solution is now hot and approximately around 196-200℉. – Set aside to cool in a safe place free from humans and pets. – Once cooled, add your sodium lactate. Prepare your oils and butters – Using the double boiler method, allow your hard oils and butters to melt in a heat safe container. ( place the container housing your hard butters and oils into the pot of boiled water) -Once melted (remove container from the hot water, add your liquid oils with the melted hard oils) allowing the residual heat to break the bound in the oils. Combine Once your lye solution and your oils are around 70-100ºF, combine both by adding your lye solution to your melted oils. |
When creating cold process soap, you’ll want your melted oils and butters to be around the same temperature. This is a necessary step as the heat is need to allow all the ingredients to fully combine and marry into each other.
Since I use only natural ingredients, natural colorants and essential oils to make my handmade soap, in aiming to respect and uphold the integrity of these natural skin loving ingredients I prefer to soap at a temperature ranging between 70-100ºF.
| Mix Using your immersion blender, gently pulse on the slowest speed until the solutions marry each other. This is visible when mixture turns creamy and thickens but still liquid (reaches trace). |
Tip – When inserting your stick blender into the liquid gently enter at a 450 angle (this minimizes the amount of air entering the soap).
Once the blade part is completely submerged and facing downward, you should gently knock the blade head against the container bottom to fully release excess trapped air from between the blades. This process is known as burping the stick blender which results in the air bubbles coming to the surface and disappearing.
| Pour It is now time to pour your soap mixture into the soap mold (milk box/silicone mold, wooden mold or container). Gently empty your liquid soap into your mold and let sit undisturbed for 1-3 days or until the soap hardens enough to unmold and cut. |
Tip – soap mold of choice must be heat proof
Pro tip – When unmolding your soap, due to humidity, you may observe the soap to be a bit sweaty, damp or a bit moist on the surface. It helps to pop the soap in the refrigerator or store in an AC room until dry and hard to the touch.
This helps:
– prevent the soap from slipping from your hands
– temporally hardens the soap allowing easy unmolding and cutting without drag marks
– decreases the amount of hand print and smudge on the soap
I do this after 5 days of creating the handmade soap; this to me gives the sodium hydroxide time to neutralize and prevents contamination in my freezer.
| LET CURE After you have removed your soap from the mold and cut where necessary. It’s time to set your cold process soap aside to cure for 6 weeks. During this process, the sodium hydroxide/lye/caustic soda neutralizes and become inactive. The excess water from the soap evaporates, hardening the soap. |
In conclusion
| IMPORTANT NOTE It is in my opinion, when formulating your soap recipe, you ought to think of your environment. Ideally a balanced soap is make up of liquid and hard oils when combined, provide a level of moisture and cleanse. With this being said, making handmade soap in the tropical, hot/humid weather, we are limited on the hardness of the oils and butters. Hence, I’ve formulated this simple and easy hand made cold process soap recipe with these factors in mind. This simple cold process soap formula creates solid bars which hold there shape and last in hot and humid environments. |
Contributing oil properties in cold process soap making
Coconut oil gives the soap bar its amazing cleansing and lathering properties.
Shea butter and Olive oil conditions and moisturizes the skin.
I know this may seem as a lot but believe me, it is simple. After making your batch of soap, you’ll be so fulfilled; you wouldn’t want to stop or even consume other commercial store bought soap as there methods are different and can be a bit harsher on the skin.
Have you tried this recipe? Comment below your results.
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Until next time guys…
With Luv
Naturally Free
