Soap-making is an ancient tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years. The Mediterranean region, for example, is known for mild olive oil soaps. West Africa has a particular type of black soap made with ash. Unlike modern detergents, soap is biodegradable and eco-friendly, easily adapted to a range of different uses.
The soap-making process itself is also relatively simple, to perfect it is hard. To make a very basic soap, you need three key ingredients: oils, caustic soda and water. Caustic soda, also known as lye or sodium hydroxide is a base that converts oils into soap through a process called saponification. A great soap has more ingredients, essential oils, and texturizers like salt or botanicals. Often these natural products work as dyes to give the soap a beautiful colour.
It is important that the lye is of high grade, a purity at 98% or above. The oils used in this recipe are available from the supermarket but be sure to use the same type of oil as stated in the recipe — it’s not possible to substitute one oil for another.
Water quality is important in soap-making: town-supply tap water, rainwater or bottled distilled water from the supermarket are fine but bore or groundwater are not suitable.
Despite contradictory information on the internet, it’s not possible to make soap without caustic soda/lye. Caustic soda is a natural product created by running electricity through a salt water (brine) solution in a process called electrolysis.
NileRed has a great video about soap making that will give you a thourough understanding of the process.
Let’s make a high-grade artisinal soap shall we?
Now soap crafting is an art form and the end-product is only as good as the raw materials you have to work with. Like everything else in our world, all products are ultimately sourced from mother earth. Soaps are no exception, and we have all you need to make your soap stand out right here in our shop.
In addition to the three key ingredients, water, oil and lye you will need premium botanicals to give fragrance and texture and colour. The following recepie will yeld about 1kg of soap.
Basic ingredients
118g caustic soda/lye
240g water
350g coconut oil
300g olive oil
150g sunflower oil
(Available in your grocery store)
Supplies
digital scales
an empty yoghurt pottle or small container
a small heatproof or Pyrex jug
a large Pyrex jug or microwavable bowl
a soap mould
silicon or stainless-steel whisk / spatula
The above ingredients would give you the very basic soap. Not impressive but it would get you clean. Now, if you want to dazzle you need to bring it up a notch. By using a variety of botanicals and essential oils you will get a unique soap that is sure to impress. The following is the ingredients we use in one of our favourite soap, but the possibilities for variety is endless.
The final touches
125g of Pathchouli Green.
This is our propriety botanical blend created to give the soap both hue, scent and texture. With its lush, leafy aroma it strikes a perfect balance between an invigorating minty scent and a comforting brush of hazelwood. A vibrant green that refreshes the senses.
30ml Essential Hemp Seed Oil
This high-grade hemp seed oil and added to that is an entourage of antibacterial and antioxidant terpenes that conspires to give that unmistakable scent. Sharp tangy overtones of citrus and pine with an earthy bottom floor with hints of musk.
Use this botanical for texture. It has the same lush and leafy scent as Patchouli Green, and the coarse flakes lend your soap a rougher texture that helps rinse any impurities and gives the soap utility and a unique look that is sure to dazzle anyone.
STEP 1: Weigh out the caustic soda into a small container. And then weigh out the water into a different heatproof pot or Pyrex jug.
STEP 2: Carefully, without splashing, add the caustic soda to the water (never do this the other way round), and stir until all the caustic soda has dissolved. The liquid will become warm and cloudy. This is normal. Place the container in the sink to cool.
STEP 3: While the caustic soda solution is cooling, start preparing the oils. First, weigh the coconut oil in a bowl or jug and melt it in the microwave. Alternatively, melt in a pot on the stove on low heat.
STEP 4: Weigh and add the olive oil and sunflower oil to the melted coconut oil.
STEP 5: Check if the caustic-soda solution has cooled to room temperature by touching the outside of the jug. If it is cool, it is ready. Otherwise, leave for a while longer to cool down.
STEP 6: Carefully add the cool caustic soda solution to the oils and stir briskly with the whisk or use your stick blender to mix until the oil/lye mixture has emulsified and started to thicken. In soap-makers’ lingo this is when the soap is at “trace”
STEP 7: Mix the hemp-seed oil, Patchouli Green and Patchouli Crumbs and add it to the mixture.
STEP 8: Pour the soap into a soap mould.
STEP 9: Leave the soap in the mould for two to three days until it has hardened and it is easily removed from the mould. Let the soap dry out for a few more days, and then using a thin sharp knife, cut the soap into 10 bars. The bars of soap will need a further six to eight weeks to cure.
Congratulations soap artisano. You have made a masterpiece.
How to make the perfect soap
Soap-making is an ancient tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years. The Mediterranean region, for example, is known for mild olive oil soaps. West Africa has a particular type of black soap made with ash. Unlike modern detergents, soap is biodegradable and eco-friendly, easily adapted to a range of different uses.
The soap-making process itself is also relatively simple, to perfect it is hard. To make a very basic soap, you need three key ingredients: oils, caustic soda and water. Caustic soda, also known as lye or sodium hydroxide is a base that converts oils into soap through a process called saponification. A great soap has more ingredients, essential oils, and texturizers like salt or botanicals. Often these natural products work as dyes to give the soap a beautiful colour.
It is important that the lye is of high grade, a purity at 98% or above. The oils used in this recipe are available from the supermarket but be sure to use the same type of oil as stated in the recipe — it’s not possible to substitute one oil for another.
Water quality is important in soap-making: town-supply tap water, rainwater or bottled distilled water from the supermarket are fine but bore or groundwater are not suitable.
Despite contradictory information on the internet, it’s not possible to make soap without caustic soda/lye. Caustic soda is a natural product created by running electricity through a salt water (brine) solution in a process called electrolysis.
NileRed has a great video about soap making that will give you a thourough understanding of the process.
Let’s make a high-grade artisinal soap shall we?
Now soap crafting is an art form and the end-product is only as good as the raw materials you have to work with. Like everything else in our world, all products are ultimately sourced from mother earth. Soaps are no exception, and we have all you need to make your soap stand out right here in our shop.
In addition to the three key ingredients, water, oil and lye you will need premium botanicals to give fragrance and texture and colour. The following recepie will yeld about 1kg of soap.
Basic ingredients
(Available in your grocery store)
Supplies
The above ingredients would give you the very basic soap. Not impressive but it would get you clean. Now, if you want to dazzle you need to bring it up a notch. By using a variety of botanicals and essential oils you will get a unique soap that is sure to impress. The following is the ingredients we use in one of our favourite soap, but the possibilities for variety is endless.
The final touches
125g of Pathchouli Green.
This is our propriety botanical blend created to give the soap both hue, scent and texture. With its lush, leafy aroma it strikes a perfect balance between an invigorating minty scent and a comforting brush of hazelwood. A vibrant green that refreshes the senses.
30ml Essential Hemp Seed Oil
This high-grade hemp seed oil and added to that is an entourage of antibacterial and antioxidant terpenes that conspires to give that unmistakable scent. Sharp tangy overtones of citrus and pine with an earthy bottom floor with hints of musk.
Patchouli Crumbs
16 € – 62 €75g Pathchouli Crumbs.
Use this botanical for texture. It has the same lush and leafy scent as Patchouli Green, and the coarse flakes lend your soap a rougher texture that helps rinse any impurities and gives the soap utility and a unique look that is sure to dazzle anyone.
STEP 1: Weigh out the caustic soda into a small container. And then weigh out the water into a different heatproof pot or Pyrex jug.
STEP 2: Carefully, without splashing, add the caustic soda to the water (never do this the other way round), and stir until all the caustic soda has dissolved. The liquid will become warm and cloudy. This is normal. Place the container in the sink to cool.
STEP 3: While the caustic soda solution is cooling, start preparing the oils. First, weigh the coconut oil in a bowl or jug and melt it in the microwave. Alternatively, melt in a pot on the stove on low heat.
STEP 4: Weigh and add the olive oil and sunflower oil to the melted coconut oil.
STEP 5: Check if the caustic-soda solution has cooled to room temperature by touching the outside of the jug. If it is cool, it is ready. Otherwise, leave for a while longer to cool down.
STEP 6: Carefully add the cool caustic soda solution to the oils and stir briskly with the whisk or use your stick blender to mix until the oil/lye mixture has emulsified and started to thicken. In soap-makers’ lingo this is when the soap is at “trace”
STEP 7: Mix the hemp-seed oil, Patchouli Green and Patchouli Crumbs and add it to the mixture.
STEP 8: Pour the soap into a soap mould.
STEP 9: Leave the soap in the mould for two to three days until it has hardened and it is easily removed from the mould. Let the soap dry out for a few more days, and then using a thin sharp knife, cut the soap into 10 bars. The bars of soap will need a further six to eight weeks to cure.
Congratulations soap artisano. You have made a masterpiece.