Making Your Own Solid Soap

Crafting your own solid soap contributes to reducing unnecessary plastic waste from shower gel bottles, supporting a sustainable lifestyle.

By having absolute control over the ingredients, you can create a soap specifically tailored to your skin type, eliminating the risk of irritations or unwanted chemicals.

There’s nothing like the satisfaction of using a soap you’ve crafted yourself. It’s like giving your skin a gift with every use.

For making your solid soap, you’ll need a selection of basic ingredients, including:

These form the base of the soap, and you can choose from various vegetable oils like olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and more.

This essential ingredient in saponification, the process of turning oils into solid soap, requires safe handling with protective goggles and gloves.

Tap water is sufficient and doesn’t require special sourcing.

For a unique touch, consider adding soap-specific fragrances, colorants for tinting, and exfoliating ingredients like coffee grounds or dried flower petals.

After gathering these ingredients, follow these steps carefully:

Use an online calculator to determine the precise amount of caustic soda needed based on your chosen oils or butters and the quantity of soap you want to produce.
Select suitable molds, preferably silicone for easy unmolding.

Prioritize safety by wearing protective goggles and gloves and working in a well-ventilated area.
Dissolve the caustic soda in water, making sure to add the soda to the water, not the other way around. Let the mixture cool.

Carefully weigh the selected oils or butters into an appropriate container.
Gently heat them until they reach around 104°F (40°C), ensuring they are well-mixed.

Pour the cooled caustic soda into the oils or butters. Use a hand blender to mix until you reach “trace,” indicating a consistency similar to thick custard or cake batter.

It’s time for creativity! Add fragrances, colorants, and exfoliating ingredients for a luxurious touch. Mix well for even distribution.

Fill the prepared molds with the soap mixture. Express your creativity with various shapes and colors.

Wait for 24 to 48 hours to allow the soap to harden enough to be unmolded.
Once unmolded, place the soap on a rack in a cool, dry place. Let it dry for approximately 4 to 6 weeks. The longer it dries, the harder and gentler it becomes on the skin.