I get people asking me all the time, "Is soap making difficult?"
I don't think so, however when i first started the whole process seemed SO daunting and difficult. But once i gave it a shot and actually tried it (okay, i tried it 4 times before my soap turned out right. True story.) it didn't seem so bad! You just need to get into a habit of doing things a certain way. It takes a lot of time and practice but eventually you can easily make soap without a problem. It's fun and you create a useful and practical product for yourself!
Here are some photos and i'll explain the process!
The first thing I do is put on gloves and protective eyewear. I didn't even think to take that photo until just now.. anyway, after I do this i pour my Lye into a container to measure it out.
I then measure my water out in a different container, and add the lye to this water. When I'm adding the lye, it's very important that i do not inhale and of the fumes from the lye. I usually cover my face with a bandana, then cover my face as i mix the lye mixture in a very airy area. I like to turn a fan on as well to try and get air circulation out a window when i'm making soap.
This is the mixture of lye and water cooling down.
I measure out my liquid oils into my mixing container.
Then i put solid oils in a separate container. Here are butters such as shea, cocoa butter, or mango butter.
Coconut oil as well.
After these oils have been melted i add them to the container with my liquid oils
After everything is at room temperature i add my cooled down lye water to the oil mixture. I do this slowly while mixing.
After all the lye water has been added and mixed into the soap i use a stick blender to mix it up well. When this happens the soap goes into a stage called "trace" where it thickens and starts to look like pudding. This photo shows the first signs of trace, or a Light Trace. I add scent to this soap usually at about this stage, and mix some more.
After all the mixing has been done i pour the soap into my lined mold with a bit left on the sides. I color the soap on the side 2 different colors then combine them into the main soap mold and swirl it around.
This is what a finished batch of soap looks like in the mold.
Unfortunately i messed up on this batch and the soap got weird spots in it, i didn't notice my lye had crystallized so the batch was off. :( Thats what you get for focusing on taking photos while making soap! Doh.
Sugar Cookie scented Sugar Scrub Cubes also have Apricot Seed Powder for extra exfoliation! These smell just like a realy sugar cookie, just like my mother used to make. :) Sugar, dough, flour and butter blend together in a very heartwarming scent.
Royal Cherry Scrub Cubes are a wonderful luxurious gold color and smell of rich ripe cherries! A wonderful scrub that leave a light gold shimmer behind after use. :)
