How to make a cold processed soap

Before I go on with how to make cold process soap step by step...

FIRST is SAFETY

- Prepare goggles, gloves, apron and face mask

- Long sleeved top, long pants and covered shoes

- Handle lye with extreme care

This is to prevent any accidents with lye

Wash immediately with vinegar/water if lye comes in contact with skin

Second -> Preparing ingredients

- Recipe (A.K.A the percentage of each oil you'd want as well as your choice of essential oil and additives)

- Equipment:

1 Stainless steel bowl

3 stainless steel cups (sizes may vary)

1 weighing scale (to measure your ingredients accurately)

3 spoons

1 spatula

1 whisk or 1 handheld blender

1 small measuring cup (for essential oil)

- Base oils

-Essential oils

- Sodium hydroxide (lye) - Distilled water

- Natural additives

Step 1: Calculate what you need

If you need a reminder of how to calculate,

here is the link to the post ingredients in soap making + calculating!

Below is the amount that I have calculated!

Step 2: Measure and melt oil

Using a weighing scale, measure out your oils

If the soap recipe calls for shea butter, like mine

Remember, add shea butter last

Why?

Shea butter is a solid oil/fat and it needs to be melted before it gets added with the rest of the oils.

Next!

Calculate and measure lye and water

First, measure out the water then in another cup, measure your lye

Note: both water to lye ratio needs to be accurate

Note: Before handling lye, put on your ace mask, goggles and gloves

After measuring both, add lye to the water

*Remember* Always add lye to water NOT the other way round

Note: If recipe calls for adding sugar or salt, add to water BEFORE adding lye

Step 3: Blending mixture

Mix lye solution with oil mixture

Before adding the lye solution to the oil mixture, both lye solution and oil must be the same temperature, best if it is in the 40 degree range.

Using a whisk to slowly stir the mixture to combine the two lye solution and oil together.

This next step is to help to make your soap formula thicker

Using a whisk - 30 mins

Using a handheld blender - 15 mins

Blend/whisk till soap formula has the consistancy of a milk shake!

Step 4: Adding essential oil

Add in essential oils

Amount of essential oil - 25ml

I added in grapefruit and sweet orange essential oil

the ratio of either oils can differ depending on your preference

you can also just use on essential oil or up to three!

Step 5: Add additive

Additives like; charcoal powder, coffee powder, clay colouring will be added in this stage of soap making.

Add in your chosen additive - 1 teaspoon

If you are using a natural clay colouring add your clay powder and mix with any oil (that has a low percentage) that you added in your previous oil mixture and stir till it becomes a liquid paste, making sure there are not lumps.

Like mine, I used Rose Clay as my natural colorant and depending on how you would want the colour to turn out (light/darker) I started off by mixing half a teaspoon of rose clay with a teaspoon of sweet almond oil