How to make homemade bar soap

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The most recommended method for make bar soap It’s called a cold process, but it actually takes a little more heat, so the chemical reactions can be more powerful. It is important that you follow the method to the letter, that you use safety protection such as gloves or masks and that you do not carry out this process with children around.

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Before starting the recipe, keep the following in mind recommendations for your safety:

• Use rubber, latex or plastic gloves.
• Use protective glasses.
• Wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants, so that your skin is 100% covered.
• Do not use the same containers to make soap as you do to eat.
• Never pour water into the bleach, you should do it the other way around and in small quantities.
• Do not use aluminum containers to make soap, as it reacts dangerously with lye.
• Do not leave freshly made soap or lye in areas where they can be reached by children or pets.

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With basic safety aspects in mind, it’s time to start preparing your homemade bar soap. First of all, you must select the vegetable oils to create the soap. The amount of oils you mix does not matter, but the choice is important since the ingredients you use later could vary. If this is your first time making bar soap, we recommend making a simple mixture with one or two oils. Remember, regardless of which oil you decide to use, you will need 460 grams of oil or slightly less.

Normally, to reduce costs, cooking oil is usually used, but if you want a more refined soap you can try hemp oil mixed with a small amount of olive oil. If you want to achieve a foaming soap, use a part of coconut oil, with one part hemp oil and the other olive oil. Then add a few drops of aromatic oil to give it a better smell.

Also you will need bleach in proportion to prepare homemade bar soap. You can use an online lye calculator to find out the exact proportions you will need for your recipe, depending on the amount of ingredients you use.

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With all the ingredients gathered, it’s time to prepare the soap paste. First, pour water into a safe container. It is recommended to use stainless steel material, since it will not get as hot as metal and you will avoid suffering burns when adding the lye.

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Measure the lye using a kitchen scale and using a heat-resistant glass or plastic container. If you want to make a little soap, it is better to measure the lye using the measurement of a glass. Handle the bleach with great care to avoid skin damage. Remember that it is dangerous to mix water with bleach, so you should pour the bleach in small amounts, continuing to stir the mixture. Remember: never do it the other way around, never pour water over bleach as it could cause an explosion.

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Let the mixture cool and to control the ideal temperature you can place a thermometer inside. The solution must be between 50ºC and 43ºC. While it cools, you can heat the oils that you will use to make your homemade bar soap. Look at the temperature that the selected oils can reach, to avoid any complications. Of course, the temperature of the oils cannot exceed that of the lye.

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After heating the oil, you can pour it over the previous mixture of lye and water. Look for a container large enough to hold all the ingredients and remember that it must be made of stainless steel to avoid burns. Pour the oils little by little and stir the solution, you will notice how the soap paste gains texture and thickness. This process, can last between 15 minutes and an hour, always depending on the oils you have used and their thickness. At this time, you can also add the fragrances that you like the most, using essential oils. Remember to stir everything well and choose essential oils that contribute to the health and care of your skin.

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Stir the mixture until it becomes very thick, like a paste. Next, you must prepare the mold for soap paste settles. The soap mold should be simple, made of plastic or silicone. If you want to use a wooden one, it will be necessary to previously cover it with the previous materials. When you have the mold ready, pour the soap paste into it. Cover it to the top and use a spatula to go over the top so that it is straight and smooth.

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With the dough inside the mold, covers the top with towels or a piece of charcoal and let it pass 24 hours, time required for the soap paste to solidify. This process is known as saponification and it must occur before cutting into bars. After a full day, you can remove the mold and cut the soap into bars, as the process will be finished.

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Cut the soap into different bars and let it air dry for a few weeks (3 to 8) before using it. You can place it on wax paper or a similar disposable material, so that the essential oils do not damage the surface while the soap sits. And ready! You now have your bar soap available to use.

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