Soap Recipes

Olive Oil Soaps - A Gift For All Seasons!

2006-10-23T11:50:00.000-05:00

Stop Wondering What To Give As Gifts!

Olive oil soaps are the answer to all of your gift-giving problems. Everyone loves a hand made gift, and a practical gift, such as olive oil soaps are even better. Olive oil soaps are inexpensive and easy to make!

Where Did Olive Oil Soaps Originate?

Soaps made of olive oil first began 3,000 years ago. The craftsmen of France experimented and mixed the oils pressed from olives with oils pressed from other natural plants (sea plants). The creation of olive oil soaps are considered to be an ancient ritual, a special art, and the process of making these soaps is taken very seriously.

Olive Oil Soaps Are Easy To Make!

There are a lot of sample recipes for olive oil soaps that use olive oil in them. Many people will use a recipe that requires only olive oil, but some will add a few other natural ingredients for other beneficial reasons. The olive oil soaps recipe listed below is 80% pure olive oil, but has some palm (to make the soap sturdier) and coconut (to add bubbles to the lather). It is a nice balance of these three oils.

What You’ll Need:
16 oz. water; 6.7 oz. lye; 40oz. olive oil; 5 oz. palm oil; 5 oz. coconut oil; and 1.5 oz. of essential fragrance (if you would like a scented soap). If you are uncertain in anyway regarding the above measurements for your olive oil soaps, and the process of working with lye, please research further or ask a professional for assistance.

Olive oil soaps tools: large pot; soap mold; spoon; rubber spatula; stick blender; gloves; and safety goggles.

Let’s Get Started!

1. Before beginning the project, make sure you have all of the ingredients, as well as a proper work area.

2. First melt your solid oils, which are your palm oil and your coconut oil. Melt them in the large pot over medium heat. Once the oils reach around 110 degrees, turn off the heat.

3. Next, add the olive oil to the soaps recipe. Make sure the palm and coconut oils are hot before adding the olive oil.

4. Make sure the temperature is at or around 100 degrees before adding the lye to the mixture. Add the lye very slowly. Stick-blend the mixture slowly, and you will start to see it become cloudy.

5. When mixing, begin with short spurts by the stick-blender. Do this until the oils and the lye are mixed together 100%.

6. You will next reach what is called a trace by the ancient soap makers. Trace is defined as a point in the soap making process where your mixture is properly combined. The oils will not separate from the lye at this point.

7. Add the fragrances, colors, or any thing else you find essential, such as flower petals, etc.

8. Pour the soap mixture in to the mold. Pour the soap in a back and forth motion. It will be thick. Tap the mold softly, once you have finished pouring, on your counter top. This will help remove any excess bubbles.

9. You will want to put a towel over the mold in order to keep the heat in. Set your new, creative holiday gifts aside for approximately 24-hours to cool.

10. Once cooled, cut your soaps into the size/shape you want, and decorate with a piece of toile or ribbon.

Everyone is sure to love your gift of handmade soaps!

Margarette Tustle writes for family and the home. Discover more olive and other olive oil references on lolives.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Margarette_Tustle

Making Homemade Soap Is Easy!

2006-10-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Soap - it has the ability to produce strong, lasting emotions in us, and this depends on its peculiar scent... charming aroma, or color. I clearly remember when my child was very young and loved a special soap bar with a little ducky inside – she would get it out at every bath time. I easily remember the cool invigorating feeling of washing with sea-spray scented soap, or the luxurious feel of scrubbing with vanilla soap. I remember these things easily - soap scent easily brings such memories back.

Nowadays, richly scented soaps aren't cheap, and we can't always afford the ones we want. Often, we have to settle for commercially made soaps with only a hint of fragrance.

But what if I told you that you could make your own homemade soap? That you could choose any fragrance you wanted, and even put herbs, flowers or other things inside the soap? Would you be intrigued? Would you be willing to give it a try?

There are hundreds of great homemade soap recipes and we'll start with a very basic one. It's important to remember that sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right, but once you've got the process down, homemade soap making is easy and fun!

Here's the recipe, followed by a link that will help you find all the supplies and additional info you need.

Basic Recipe For Homemade Soap

Ingredients:
Lye solutionAnimal fatCool waterScents, herbs or anything you want to add to the soap
Things you will need:
2 quart jarLarge pot (at least 12 quarts)Candy thermometerWooden spoonSoap moldsRubber glovesSomething to cover soap at the end of the process, such as a towel, Styrofoam or Cardboard

The first thing you will have to do is make the lye solution ready for use. You do this by pouring 2 1/2 cups of cold water into an enamelled pot. Next, you should slowly add 13 ounces of the lye, being sure to stir continuously with the wooden spoon. The water will heat up the lye, and it will have to be cooled before you can go to the next step. If you want to cool it quickly, place the pot in some cool water. After the lye has cooled, you should pour it into the 2 quart jar.

Next, you need to prepare the animal fat. To do so, put 6 pounds of it in a pan, and heat on low until it melts. Once all of it is melted, remove it from the heat and cool. It's important to remember that one of the biggest problems people face when making homemade soap is trying to rush the process and not allowing the lye or animal fat to cool. If you rush it, the process may not be a success.

The lye and fat need to be between 95-98 degrees for the next step (use the candy thermometer to measure the temperature). You may have to place them in basins of either hot or cold water to get the temperatures just right.

Once they're right, stir the fat (it's probably hardened a little), and then slowly add the lye, stirring the entire time. The substance will turn opaque and brown, but then after stirring for some time, will begin to lighten. Once that happens, and it is the consistency of sour cream, you are ready for the next step.

Now for the fun part! Add your scents or whatever else you want to the mixture, and then pour it into the soap molds. Place them in a warm location, and use something (the towel, Styrofoam or cardboard) to insulate it by placing it over the top. Wait twenty-four hours, and then remove the soap from its molds.

You're almost done! Now you should set your soap in an area where there are plenty of breezes, and allow it to sit there for 2-4 weeks. Waiting is the hardest part, but it will allow your soap to set properly.

For all sorts of additional information on soap making, specialty soaps and other soap topics, be sure to check out http://www.soapazon.com - it's a simple site that's possibly the most complete soap site on the web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Branka_Ilech

Soapmaking Idea: Sugar + Cornstarch = ?

2006-10-03T10:50:00.000-05:00

To me, soapmaking is a never ending learning process. There's just so many different ingredients and techniques to try- the possibilities are endless. I have always kept my mind and eyes open for new ideas. Well, I also love to cook and where better a place to come up with new ideas than your very own kitchen? I'm not sure if anyone else has tried this or thought of it yet, but for me a new trick popped up and I wanted to share my experience with other soapmakers.

Having a sensitivity to coconut oil in soaps and also having temperamental skin in general, has kept me stingy with lathering oils in my soapmaking recipes. However, people are so used to the abundance of lather usually associated with bought soaps (since they cheat with sodium laurel sulfate), that a more "lotion-like" lather is harder for some to except. Besides, let's face it- who doesn't like big fluffy bubbles? Because of this I have always tried to increase lather in my soaps through other natural additives.

The addition of various types of powdered milks not only adds the nourishing we all know is famous for gorgeous skin, but has seemed to help somewhat in adding more of a lather and contributed a certain creaminess to it. Silk fibers added to my lye water gave even more positive results for me. I always knew silk provided wonderful "moisture locking properties" and a truly luxurious feel- but since I felt how it significantly increased my soaps ability to lather, it quickly became one of my favorite indulgences. Then there's the other trick of the trade... Sugar. Whether dissolved in lye-water or it's presence enters in from the addition of honey in my soap batches, sugar has displayed outstanding results. As a matter of fact, when I first began soaping, castor oil was almost mandatory in all my soap recipes due to the rare ricinoleic acid in it that contributes to lather without being nearly as drying as typically used "lathering oils".

I have found the combination of silk and sugar works so well together that even though I still respect and welcome castor oil for it's wonderful content of essential fatty acids, it is no longer absolutely necessary for me to soap with.

Well, good thing I'm a "label reader"! One day while baking my husband a special treat, I happened to glance at the ingredients list on a bag of confectionery sugar. "Ingredients: sugar and cornstarch". As with many addicted soapers, I have a personal problem with often swiping items from our food cabinets to sneak into soap- if it's in the kitchen, it's game! I have tried cornstarch in my soap before and it was in fact really nice. (Cornstarch is soothing to the skin and sometimes used as a replacement for the feel that silk gives in vegan soaps.)

I decided to give it a shot. When my soap got to a very thin trace I added about one tablespoon confectionery sugar per pound of base oils, attempting to add it carefully and space it out around the bowl for easier mixing. I then put my stick blender to it and mixed it very well, making sure that it was evenly incorporated into the mix and no clumps were left behind. I noticed it did thicken up a tad, but not so much that it was that hard to manage getting my soap into it's mold when it was ready. Once curing time was up and I tried it, I jumped up and down like a kid at Christmas. It seemed to have the effects a soap would have from the batches I would take the extra steps to dissolve my sugar in water before introducing the lye, and the added feel that cornstarch can bring! The only difference is that was a lot easier and faster than having to heat up your water and stir like a mad person to dissolve your sugar, and then wait for it to cool down a little before adding my lye. It seemed to be a truly effective time saver.

I love sharing ideas with other soapmakers and I really hope some of you out there will find this trick helpful. Happy and safe soaping!

You can visit Lisa Chambers' website for more soapmaking ideas & tips and other health and beauty related articles from a more natural approach.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Chambers

Making Your Own Herbal Hair Shampoo

2006-09-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

In 1990 I decided not to use the commercially made shampoos after reading Aubrey Hampton’s book, “Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care.” In this book Aubrey tells you how to read the label on any product that you put on your skin or hair.

Manufacturers are constantly using toxic chemicals in their skin and hair products and disregard their toxic effects on your body. This is easily seen in the list of chemicals that they use. Here are a few of these chemicals found in many product labels:

* propylene glycol or glycol– a petrochemical used because it is cheap

* cetearyl alcohol – emulsifier that can be synthetic or natural

* methylparaben or propylparaben – typical synthetic preservatives

* distearate – this is polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol which are petrochemicals
* isopropyl alcohol – used as a cheap solvent to carry synthetic oils.

Here is a natural shampoo that you can make. This formulation is something that I have been using for many years. First collect the following items:

4 oz of castile soap with any scent is that available – plain, peppermint, eucalyptus.

½ oz of rosemary - stimulates the hair follicles and helps to prevent premature baldness

½ oz of sage – has antioxidants and keeps things from spoiling and is antibacterial

½ oz of nettles – acts as a blood purifier, blood stimulator, contains a large source of nutrients for hair growth

½ of lavender – controls the production of sebaceous gland oil and reduces itchy and flaky scalp conditions

2000 mg of MSM – provides organic sulfur to your scalp, which improves the health and strength of your hair. It also helps to drive herbal nutrient into the skin and follicles where they can do the most good.

one empty 8 oz plastic bottle, or any other empty shampoo or soap bottle.

Mix the herbs in a mason jar, which has a lid. Boil 2 cups of distilled water. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Pull the boiling water and herbs off the stove. Let the herb mixture sit for 30 – 40 minutes. Put the 2000mg of MSM into the herb mixture after 30 minutes of cooling. After 40 minutes and the MSM is melted, strain the herbal mixture into a bowl.

Pour 2 to 2 1/2 oz of strained herbal tea into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Now, pour the 4 oz of castile soap into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Cap the bottle and shake to mix the ingredients.

The shampoo is now finished and ready for use. Use this as a base for all of the shampoos you make. You can add different herbs as you learn what these herbs do and how they help your hair. You can vary the ingredients according to your taste. But now you have a shampoo that has no additives that can harm you.

Rudy Silva has a Physics degree from the University of San Jose California and is a Natural Nutritionist. He writes a newsletter called “natural-remedies-thatwork.com” and he has written an ebook called “How to Relieve Your Constipation with 77 Natural Remedies.” You can get more information more on hair health at this site. http://www.hair-loss-remedies.for--you.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudy_Silva

Instructions for Making Crock Pot Handmade Soap

2006-08-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

Making soap in a crock pot is an easy way to use the “hot process” method.
This how-to tutorial outlines my steps for making crock pot soap and assumes you are familiar with the soapmaking process.

Start with a good recipe. I prefer recipes that have a higher amount of liquid oil to solids. One of my favorite recipes is very simple: 60% Olive Oil, 20% Palm Kernel Oil, 20% Palm Oil. Run it through a lye calculator to determine the amount of lye and [distilled] water needed. I don’t discount my water when making hot process. (One of my favorite recipes is at the end of these instructions.)

I use a 6 1/2 quart crock pot. A 4 pound batch of soaps fits perfectly. It fills the crock pot about half full - giving room in the case of it bubbling up, but not too little an amount that it could burn.
First, measure water and set aside.

Then measure the lye into a separate container. Slowly pour the lye into the pitcher of cold water. Stir until dissolved. Set aside in a safe place.

Once I have my lye mixture set aside, I measure my solid oils. These can be put into the crock pot to be melted. But, it takes longer this way, so I generally put them into the microwave for a couple minutes until melted and then pour into the crockpot.
At this point, my crock pot is on low.

I recommend using a good rubber spatula to scrape the bowl - no sense leaving any good oils behind.

Next, I measure my olive oil - and/or any other liquid oils I happen to be using - and pour this into the crockpot.

Get out your handy-dandy stickblender and using low speed, slowly pour the lye mixture into the melted oils. Gently move the stickblender around, up, down, around, ensuring a nice even blend. If you don’t have a stickblender, a stainless steel wire whisk works great too - just requires a little more arm power.

Once it has reached ‘trace’, I put the lid on the crockpot and turn the heat setting up to high. However, the first few times I made crock pot soap, I left it on low until I was confident in how it worked (both the soap AND my crockpot).

Now, I ready my mold, measure out any fragrance oils or essential oils and any additives I plan to use.

After about 15 or 20 minutes, I take the lid off and, using a potato masher, mash the soap around. It has a look of a vaseline texture; glossy, slick. It will have a waxy feel if you rub a piece of it between gloved fingers.

Add your additives, colorants, herbs, etc and mix well using the potato masher. Once that is blended fairly well, add your fragrance and mix again.

It is done! At this point, it’s really soap. It only needs to be put into your mold. I do this in large spoonfuls, pounding my mold on the counter every few scoops to ensure it packs into the mold tightly. Once I have it all in the mold, I put a baggie on my hand and flatten the top - making sure to “squish” it into the corners really well.

Now is a good time to wash all the dishes. And you don’t even need to add any soap! You should see some lovely lather from the soap you’ve just made.

I let this sit over-night. The next morning, I unmold and slice into bars to air out for a week or so. Once each bar has had time to harden, I bevel each one and it’s ready for use, or sale.

My favorite crock pot soap recipe:
Rosemary Mint Handmade Soap
4 pounds- 38 ounces olive oil (59.38%)
- 14.4 ounces palm kernel oil (22.5%)
- 11.6 ounces palm oil (18.13%)
- 8.7 ounces sodium hydroxide (5% discount)
- 17.5 ounces distilled water
- 3 ounces rosemary mint blend essential oils
- 2 teabags of Organic Peppermint tea

Disclaimer: Sodium Hydroxide is highly caustic and should be handled carefully and knowledgeably. It is the soapmakers responsibility to research safety procedures for soapmaking.

Judi Cox is a wife and mother of 4 children. Her hobbies include, but are ever growing, making handmade soap, gardening, crafts, web design, reading...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judi_Cox

For more great soapmaking recipes, please visit us at: http://youcanmakesoap.com

Melt & Pour Soap Making

2006-08-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

This article is copyright © 2004 by From Nature With Love (www.fromnaturewithlove.com) and is reprinted with permission.

Melt & pour soap making is a perfect method for beginners because it is much safer to make than the cold process method, and you are able to use the soaps that you make within hours instead of the weeks it takes for cold process soap to cure. With proper supervision, children may watch or even participate in some of the steps that are involved.

The visual and artistic effects that can be created with melt and pour soaps is stunning. Melt and pour soaps can be made that contain multi-colored confetti soap pieces, soap colors can be swirled together to lend a marbled look, can contain soap pieces that you have cut into various shapes and can be layered to give a striped appearance. The effects that you create are endless. For ideas that go far beyond this introductory article, we recommend the book Melt & Mold Soap Crafting by C. Kaila Westerman.

A melt and pour soap base is a premade soap base that is usually sold in 2 lb. blocks, with preferated lines that make it easy to divide the block into 1 ounce chunks. When making melt & pour soap, cut the desired amount of soap base into blocks and then melt them on the stove using a double boiler. The soap melts to become an easily pourable liquid that can be poured into a soap mold. Molds are available that make your soaps look like professionally molded bars complete with inset designs and patterns. Alternatively, melt and pour soap may be poured into any large mold and then hand cut for a more natural appearance. Essential oils and fragrance oils may be added for fragrance. Other additives such as nourishing vegetable oils, vegetable butters, colorants, herbs or clays may also be added for their nourishing or asthetic appeal.

Types of Melt & Pour Soap Bases

Melt and pour soap bases are available in transparent colors and also in opaque and clear varieties. Soap bases with special nutritive additives are also available. Soap making supplier From Nature With Love, for instance, offers a large selection of specialty melt and pour soap bases such as aloe vera, avocado & cucumber, cocoa butter, goat's milk, green tea & hibiscus, hemp, honey, rosehip & jojoba, seaweed and shea butter.

Combining Soap Bases

It can be fun to experiment with combining two different soap bases to achieve different visual effects or to combine the nourishing properties of different bases. A popular combination, for instance, is to make a "Milk and Honey" soap by combining equal portions of honey soap base with goat's milk soap base.

Heating Melt & Pour Soap

Use a double boiler or use a double boiler insert that is big enough to hold all of the soap that you wish to melt. For melt and pour soap making, 2 lb. batches are very easy to work with and fit well into a small 2 quart double boiler.

It is best to melt the soap slowly over medium-low to medium heat over a double boiler, stirring frequently. Try not to heat the soap for too long or heat it too quickly. Doing so can dry out the soap. Once all soap is melted, it can be taken off of the stove. If planning to fragrance your soap, it is best to transfer the soap into a bowl large enough to stir the soap without splashing. After transferring the soap to the bowl, plan to stir the soap often and to be able to work quickly to keep the soap from hardening too fast.

Adding Other Ingredients to Melt & Pour Soap

Colorants, herbs, butters and exfoliants can be added to your soap. The type of ingredient and its properties will determine the point in time that you add the ingredient to your soap base.
Vegetable butters and vegetable oils can be added during the heating of the melt and pour soap base. Adding additional oil or butter will add greater moisturizing and nutritive properties to your final bars. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately 1-2 tbs. per pound of soap base.
Color additives such as natural tinting herbs, mica powders, oxides and ultramarines and organic dyes can be combined with the melted soap while it is still heating in the double boiler. Be sure to check the color additive to make sure that it is suitable for inclusion in soap recipes. For natural tinting herbs, mica powders, herbs and ultramarines, it is best to start by using only 1/8 tsp. per pound of soap. A little colorant goes a long way. You can always add a dash more color if the mixture looks too light. For liquid dyes, stir as you add the dye drop by drop. If you are using a powdered organic dye, mix it with a little water first before adding it drop by drop to your soap. Avoid tinting your soap to a dark shade as darker soaps may discolor the skin.

Herbs and exfoliants such as nut meals can be added to your soap base, but it is best to wait to add them until after adding fragrance. Otherwise, the herbs can sink to the bottom of your soap molds and create a layer of botanicals on the top of your soaps. Using too much can also cause this to occur. A good rule of thumb is to use 1-2 tsp. of herbs per pound of soap. Stir the herbs in well and continue to stir well up until you pour your soap into the molds. This will help to keep the herbs from settling.

Adding fragrance to your soap will be discussed in the next section.

Fragrancing Melt & Pour Soap

Before melting your soap or while it is melting, you can measure the essential oils or fragrance oils so that they are ready when it is time to blend them with your melted soap base. Avoid measuring your oils after you have removed the soap from the stove as the soap can cool quickly and make it hard to properly blend the oils with the soap, let alone pour the soap into the molds later.

For consistent essential and fragrance oil measurements, it is best to use a gram scale. Set the small container that you wish to hold your oils onto your scale and then set the scale's tare feature so that it reads zero (so that the container is not weighed). Using a small pipette, dropper or the orifice reducer included in the bottle of oils, measure the oil into your container until the desired weight is reached.

A good rule of thumb is to use 5 grams of essential oil or combination of essential oils per pound of soap. If using fragrance oils, the rule of thumb is 7 grams of fragrance oils or combination of fragrance oils per pound of soap. Most people stick with the use of just essential oils for a more natural soap or to just fragrance oils. If you do combine both essential oils and fragrance oils, start by using 6 grams of your combined oils per pound of soap. After you make your first batch of soap, you may adjust the amount of oils used based on the strength of the aroma. Some more potent essential oils such as peppermint will require less essential oil while other softer aromas such as cedarwood may require a bit more. It is very important to select oils that are not irritating to the skin and to not use too much oil as excessive oils can cause irritation in some individuals. Certain essential oils such as cinnamon, clove and black pepper can be irritating and should only be used in very tiny quantities, if at all.

As mentioned within the Heating Melt & Pour Soap section, it is best to transfer the melted soap base to a bowl that is large enough to allow the soap to be stirred without splashing. After transfering the soap to the bowl, stir the soap until it firms up slightly, but try not to wait until it begins sticking to the sides of the bowl. The reason for letting it cool a little is because the excess heat of the soap can cause your oils to evaporate too quickly, making the soaps less aromatic. Once the soap has cooled slightly and while still stirring, add your essential or fragrance oils to the soap base and continue to stir it well. Be aware that adding these room temperature oils will cause your soap to cool more rapidly, so plan to work quickly and plan to add your soap base to the molds promptly.

Filling the Soap Molds

Most plastic soap molds contain 4-6 soap cavities, and each cavity generally produces a 3-4 oz. bar of soap. The first time you use a new mold, it may take some experimentation to know how much soap base and other additives is needed to make the number of desired soaps.

After you have fragranced your soap, pour the soap base into a container that contains a small spout. A glass measuring cup works well for pouring soap into the molds and is easy to clean up. It is best to try and quickly work as you pour the soap into your molds so that the soap does not cool off too much and stick to the sides of your pouring container.

Once you pour your soap into the molds, you will often see small air bubbles form on the top of the soap. These air bubbles will remain in the soap as it dries. Fill a small spray bottle with alcohol (rubbing alcohol will work fine for this purpose). As soon as you've poured your soaps into the molds, lightly spray the top of the still liquid soap with the alcohol to eliminate the air bubbles.

From Nature With Love offers all of the melt and pour soap bases, ingredients and packaging supplies described within this article. For more information, please visit www.fromnaturewithlove.com.

This article is copyright © 2004 by From Nature With Love and is reprinted with permission. This article may be reprinted provided that all credit information remains intact. From Nature With Love does not review or pre-approve the organizations that reprint its articles.

Soap Making - Soap Making

2006-07-27T12:54:00.000-05:00

Soap Making - Soap Making
How To Make Liquid Soap

Not quite ready to tackle making soap: Here are some intermediate steps to get you started.

2006-07-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

If you haven’t tried making soap yet, maybe you’re looking for a few intermediate steps that can help you along the way.

Many people are afraid to take that first step into soap making because of the big cautionary notes about using lye. After all, it is a caustic chemical that can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. What most fail to realize is that using lye is no more dangerous than using liquid drano to open a clogged drain. The same cautions apply.

· Always wear rubber gloves
· Use protective eyewear such as goggles
· Avoid directly inhaling the fumes
· Make certain to add the lye to the water, not the other way around.
· Pitchers, spoons etc. should be used exclusively for soap making and never re-used for any other purpose because of possible contamination.

If you’re still a bit nervous about taking that first step, perhaps you need to a gradual introduction to skin care. After all, soap is not the only product you use, and learning some of the natural alternatives to those high priced skin care products may be just the incentive you’re looking for.

For instance, if you happen to be anything like me, you probably enjoy those wonderful after-bath oils that leave your skin feeling like silk. The problem is they cost a fortune. However, if you read the label carefully, you will realize that these products are made up of oils that you can easily purchase at your local grocery or health food store at a fraction of the cost.

After-Bath Oil:
3 Parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Part Sweet Almond Oil
Blend these oils together in a convenient dispensing container. Add fragrance if desired such as an essential oil or soap making fragrance; both available at most craft and health food stores. Shake well and enjoy.

So now that you’re in love with your new after-bath oil, let’s move on to making your own custom bath salts. Bath salts are very easy to mix and can be custom-designed to meet your needs. Bath salts neutralize the acids on your skin so the fragrance will cling to the body. Salts such as Dead Sea Salt and Epsom Salt are soothing to the skin and are excellent for reducing inflammations and muscular aches. Please remember, this is a very basic recipe to get you started. There are as many variations as there are herbs on the planet and only your imagination will limit the types of salts you can create.

Bath Salts:
2 Cups of Epsom Salt
1 Cup of Dead Sea Salt or Baking Soda
2 Tbsp. of Glycerine
½ cup of dried, crushed herbs such as lavender (optional)
10-15 drops of fragrance (optional)
5 drops of liquid colorant if desired

Place the measured salts in a large bowl and mix well. Take out about ½ cup and place in a small bowl. Add the drops of fragrance and coloring to this smaller amount and mix well. Add the blended mixture to the large bowl a little at a time until you are satisfied with the color and strength of scent. Place the salts in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Store and shake the mixture every day for one week before packaging to prevent clumping. Add ¼ - ½ cup of your salts to a warm running bath, sit back, relax and enjoy.

Making soap

2006-07-25T12:10:00.000-05:00

Here's a recipe for cleanliness the homemade way.

For one bar of soap, you will need:

1 cup clarified animal fat
1 teaspoon borax
5 teaspoons lye
For those industrious-minded survivalists seeking to live off the fat of the land, here is a recipe to turn that very same fat into a quotidian staple of indisputable importance: soap. The pioneers did it, and just think of what a hygienic bunch they were!

To clarify the fat, melt it slowly and then strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth. Add an equal amount of hot water, and bring to a boil. Next, remove from the fire and add one quart cold water. Once the fat has hardened atop the water, it is ready to be removed and made into soap.

Melt the clarified fat and cool to about 110 deg F Add borax and stir. In a separate container, dissolve the lye into 1/2 cup soft water (rainwater, melted snow, or ice work best), stirring throughout. Heat the lye to about 85 deg F, and then add the solution to the fat in a slow, steady stream, stirring cautiously so as not to curdle the soap. Continue stirring for 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a heavy gravy, and then pour into a mold. Cover with an insulating rug or blanket, let harden overnight, and then set aside in an airy place for two weeks to age.
(Make sure to have other soap on hand during the aging process, especially if still amongst society.)

It is important to use enamel, iron, or earthenware (not aluminum) pots and utensils during all steps utilizing lye. Lye reacts with aluminum, and this will impede the soap-making process.

Copyright Hearst Magazines Aug 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

The History of Soap Making - Part 2

2006-07-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

The English began manufacturing soap during the 1100s, Italy, Spain and France, also began making soap at an early stage, possibly pre-dating England by up to 400 years. Early soap production primarily used tallow from goats and beech ash, but following experimentation by the French, olive oil was found to be an effective alternative to animal fats.

In about 1500 this discovery was introduced to England and the industry began to grow rapidly King James I granted special privileges including a monopoly to a soap maker for $100,000 a year, it was clearly a product for the wealthy.

In the American colonies, commercial soap making began in the early 17th century as settler tradesmen arrived from England, but in spite of this, soap making remained almost exclusively a home made product for many years. It is understood however that commercial soap makers visited houses and traded waste fats in exchange for soap.

In 1783 Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele accidentally simulated the reaction that occurs in the present-day boiling process of soap making, when he boiled olive oil with lead oxide. This produced a sweet-tasting substance that he called Ölsüss – now known as glycerine.

Until late in the 18th century wood or bark ash was generally used as the catalyst in soap making. In 1791 soap making was revolutionized with the discovery by the French chemist Nicholas Leblanc of a process for making soda ash from common salt. This discovery significantly reduced the cost of the ash ingredient, while also improving quality.
Some 20 years later Michel Eugene Chevreul established the basis for both fat and soap chemistry and thus the science of modern soap making was born. His studies revealed the chemical nature and relationship of fats, glycerine and fatty acids.

The invention during the mid-1800s of the ammonia process by Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay further reduced the cost of obtaining the alkali soda ash from common salt and again the quality and quantity available for the industry increased significantly.

Together with the developing availability of power to operate factories, these advances made the manufacture of soap one of America’s fastest growing industries by 1850. This increased availability also changed soap from a luxury to an everyday convenience; however taxation in some countries also played a part in preventing its widespread availability and therefore inhibiting improvements in cleanliness standards.

Gary Everson is the Soap Business Guru. In his new e-book: “Soap Making for Profit” he describes in clear, step by step terms how to turn an enjoyable and creative hobby into a profitable business.

Copyright © 2006 Gary Everson
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Everson

The History of Soap Making

2006-07-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

Records indicate that soap making began as far back as 2,800 B.C. Inscriptions discovered on the sides of clay cylinders excavated from the ruins of ancient Babylon describe the boiling of fats with ashes. Unfortunately the inscriptions do not describe the use of the mixture.
Ancient Egyptians are known to have bathed regularly, a medical Papyrus from about 1,500 B.C. describes the mixture of oils with alkaline salts to form a soap-like mixture used both for washing and treating skin conditions.

According to an ancient Roman legend, soap got its name from Mount Sapo, where the practice of animal sacrifice was carried out. It is said that the rain then washed the mixture of animal fat and ashes down through the clay soil into river Tiber, where women found that the mixture made their washing cleaner and did so with much less effort.

Today the chemical reaction resulting from the combination of fats or oils with an alkaline is still called saponification.

By the seventh century soap making had become an established craft in Europe. Trade secrets were closely guarded by soap maker guilds which developed during the period. Vegetable and animal oils were used with ashes of plants, and fragrances were added. Gradually more varieties of soap became available for bathing, laundering, shaving and shampooing.

Gary Everson is the Soap Business Guru. In his new e-book: “Soap Making for Profit” he describes in clear, step by step terms how to turn an enjoyable and creative hobby into a profitable business.

Copyright © 2006 Gary Everson
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Everson

To find soap recipes, soap making supplies and more, please visit us at http://youcanmakesoap.com

Enjoy Making Bath Salts

2006-07-13T10:41:00.000-05:00

This article is copyright © 2004 by From Nature With Love (www.fromnaturewithlove.com) and is reprinted with permission.

At the end of a long day, there is nothing quite as relaxing as slipping into a luxurious tub filled with warm bathwater. A soothing bath helps to melt away the day's emotional stresses and helps to ease physical soreness.

The choices for bathwater additives are many: bubble bath, bath oils, bath teas, milk baths, fizzing bath bombs, and of course, aromatic bath salts. Bath salts are a wonderful choice because they have the ability to greatly enhance the physical and emotional benefits of bathtime. For centuries, people have bathed in the mineral-rich seas of the world to help promote good health and beautiful skin. Ancient records show that people traveled many miles to bathe in salt waters such as the Dead Sea. Bathing in salt water can stimulate circulation, hydrate the skin, increase moisture retention, promote cellular regeneration, detoxify the skin and soothe dry or irritated skin. Bathing in salt water also reduces inflammation of the muscles and joints, relaxes muscles and relieves pain and soreness. Adding natural essential oils such as lavender provides additional therapeutic benefits.

For most women, using the recommended 1-2 cups of salts per bath can be expensive when paying the prices that many bath salt retailers charge. Some bath salt makers package their prepared salts in quantities of just one to four ounces. Aside from a temporary burst of fragrance when poured into the tub, small quantities of salt provide minimal therapeutic benefit.
Equipped with the below recipe and good sources for quality salts and aromatics, it is easy to make affordable, skin nourishing, fragrant bath salts. The salts can be left unfragranced, or pure essential oils can be included to provide added therapeutic benefit. Alternatively, bath salts can be fragranced with one of the hundreds of different cosmetic grade fragrance oils available. All of the ingredients can be obtained through From Nature With Love (www.fromnaturewithlove.com).

Bath Salts Recipe
2 lbs. of Pure Sea Salts, Dead Sea Salts or Epsom Salts (approximately 2 cups)
1 teaspoon of Avocado, Shea, Jojoba or Other Cold Pressed Vegetable Oil (optional)
Liquid FD&C or D&C Dye as a Colorant (optional)
10-14 drops Essential Oil* or Fragrance Oil (optional)
1 oz. Dendritic Salts (optional but recommended if fragrancing bath salts)

Use any combination of mineral-rich salts and place in a bowl. Mixing different grain sizes together lends visual interest. If coloring the bath salts, add liquid dye drop by drop (3-6 drops should be sufficient) until a consistent but soft color is achieved. Avoid using too much colorant as it can transfer to the skin at bath time. In a separate bowl, add the essential oil or fragrance oil to 1 oz. of dendritic salts and mix well. Dendritic salts are optional but they help to discourage clumping and help hold the fragrance. Although tempting, do not add more than 10-14 drops of essential or fragrance oil because these oils can cause irritation in large concentrations. Add the dendritic salts to the bowl that contains the other salts and mix. If dendritic salts are not used, add the essential or fragrance oils directly to the other salts and mix well. To add moisturizing properties to the salts, add 1 teaspoon of a quality, cold pressed vegetable oil and mix well.

Please note that the vegetable oils found at the grocery store are generally not cold pressed and are not very nourishing for the skin. The bath salts can be packaged in a jar, tin tie bag or cello bag.

*Essential oils are natural, concentrated, fragrant oils distilled from pure plant material. Some essential oils such as cinnamon and clove should be avoided for skin care because they can be too harsh. Check with the supplier or a source such as www.aromaweb.com when selecting essential oils for skin care use.

To Use: Add 1-2 cups of bath salts to running bath water. Stir the bathwater before getting in, especially if the bath salts included coarse grain sizes.

Types of Salts

Below is a short list of commonly available salts that can be used when making bath salts. Sea salts and Dead Sea salts are generally available in a variety of grain sizes. Mixing grain sizes can add texture and visual interest to bath salts. Keep in mind that chunky bath salts look beautiful, but they will take longer to dissolve in bathwater.

Sea Salts: Sea salts are mineral-rich "all purpose" salts commonly added to bath salt blends. Next to Epsom salts, sea salts are the most inexpensive salts available. They help to draw toxins from the skin and soothe sore muscles.

Dead Sea Salts: Dead Sea salts generally have a higher mineral concentration than ordinary sea salts. Dead Sea salts can help relieve aches and pains, reduce stiffness after exertion, relax muscles and relieve skin problems such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Epsom: Epsom salts are the most affordable and readily available salts available. They are often used to help ease muscle tension and joint discomfort.

Exotic Salts: Other more exotic salts such as Hawaiian Red Sea Salts (Alaea), Black Sea Pink Salts, and Icelandic Geo-Thermal Brine Salts are also available. These salts generally are more expensive, but their coloration, texture and therapeutic properties are highly sought after.
Dendritic Salts: Dendritic salts are added to bath salts for their ability to retain fragrance.

Essential or fragrance oils are first added to the dendritic salts and then the fragranced dendritic salts are mixed into the other salts.

From Nature With Love offers all of the salts, ingredients and packaging supplies described within this article. For more information, please visit www.fromnaturewithlove.com.
This article is copyright © 2004 by From Nature With Love and is reprinted with permission.
This article may be reprinted provided that all credit information remains intact. From Nature With Love does not review or pre-approve the organizations that reprint its articles.

At http://youcanmakesoap.com you will find recepies, supplies, and all the ingredients to make your own homemade soaps, bath oils and more.

9 Steps to Soap Making Success

2006-07-08T09:51:00.000-05:00

Melt and Pour soap is glycerin soap which is made from vegetable oils and is safer for your skin than most commercial brands found in your drug store or supermarket. You can obtain melt and pour soap over the Internet. Keywords are: ‘melt and pour soap making’ or ‘glycerin soap’. You’ll pay around $3 - $5 per pound. Translucent glycerin and opaque are the most common types sold.

Opaque glycerin is white as it is colored with the mineral titanium dioxide. Also, you will be able to buy soap making kits that contain all the needed ingredients. Once you’ve made your first batch, you can get more creative when choosing colors, scents, and additives such as dried flowers, herbs or soothing oils. You’ll discover the ideal way to make useful gifts for family, friends and co-workers. Your newfound hobby may even turn into a new work-at-home business!

Soap Supplies:
Glycerin melt & pour soap -- 2 pounds [32 ounces]
Coloring—cosmetic grade color nuggets
Fragrances – [cosmetic grade only]

Molds:
These will come in various sizes and shapes but plastic is recommended. You can order soap molds online or find them at a crafts shop or candle supply store.You can use microwavable containers, food containers, candle molds or even drawer organizers. At many discount stores you can find the perfect mold, and for less than $2 in many cases. Using plastic means that you can reuse it and that it will make getting the soap out so much easier than a glass mold.Warning: Don’t use aluminum or metal.

Step 1:
On the cutting board you’ll slice up the soap into cubes, approximately one to two inches. You’ll then put these into a plastic container, first weighing the container and noting the weight, and putting the filled container onto the scale.

Step 2:
Using your double boiler, fill the bottom part with water a few inches deep.
For microwave users only—when you melt the soap, don’t use the highest heat, watch the soap carefully and don’t melt it all the way, allow a few chunks to remain. They’ll melt quickly.

Step 3:
For the double boiler method, put the soap in the top level and melt, stirring occasionally.
Add a piece of color if using Color Nuggets, from the prepackaged colors you’ve bought. Powdered colors aren’t highly recommended for glycerin soap, as they’re more difficult to mix. Cosmetic grade liquid colors can be used.

Step 4:
Once the color is melted it’s time to add the fragrance. Use 1 teaspoon and let your nose be your guide. Underscenting will cause your soap to be less aromatic after a few months. Adding a little more scent is okay.

Step 5:
Pour your soap into the mold. For this recipe you need a 4.5-cup capacity mold. A rectangular shape is preferred.

Step 6:
You can let your soap harden at room temperature, or you can put it into the freezer for about 30-60 minutes. Freezing the soap speeds up the process and allows the soap to pop out of the mold easier.

Step 7:
It’s time to see your first successful chunk of handmade Melt and Pour glycerin soap. You can tell it’s ready when: the mold is cool and it easily pulls away from the soap. Release it onto a wax paper-covered surface. Cover it with more wax paper and a paper towel. You should allow it to return to room temperature before using it. It’s advised to let it sit for 24 hours for the fragrance oil to settle.

Step 8:
Cutting the soap can be done with a large knife. This recipe yields approximately 6 bars, depending on the thickness. Plane the rough edges and traces of white filmy popped bubbles with a paring knife. These will be more noticeable on darker colored soap.

Step 9:
Wrap the pieces with a cling wrap. The generic cling wrap is better. Pricier cling wraps don’t allow the aroma to be smelled, as they’re too thick.

Make a label for your soap if you’ll be giving it to someone for a special occasion like Christmas, birthdays, a wedding or anniversary, a promotion, etc. You should list the ingredients.

About the Author
Lisa Maliga, owner of Everything Shea Aromatic Creations http://www.everythingshea.com offers a fragrant selection of designer shea butter glycerin soaps, exclusive Whipped Shea Butter, & unique SoapCakes to personalize for gifts or promotions.

Brought to you by AA ARTICLES

For more great soapmaking recipes, please visit us at http://youcanmakesoap.com. Or visit our sister-site http://usingherbs.com to learn how to add herbs to your handmade soaps and make them truly special.

Soap Making Supplies

2006-07-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

Soap Making

Not quite ready to tackle making soap: Here are some intermediate steps to get you started.

2006-07-06T12:06:00.000-05:00

Herbs Used In Handmade Soap

2006-06-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

Handmade soap is made of natural ingredients, including many herbs that make it healthy and replenishing for the skin. Aloe, for example, is one of the main herbal ingredients in handmade soap. Aloe comes from the inner part of an aloe leaf and is a wonderful healing agent. Used to treat burns, rashes, insect bites, Aloe is also used to heal wounds and help to prevent infection.
Basil, another herbal ingredient found in handmade soap, is most commonly used to treat acne. However, it also stimulates, uplifts and refreshes the skin, which is what makes Basil an ideal ingredient for handmade soap.

The majority of consumers have heard of chamomile, but few realize it’s long existence. Dating back at least 2,000 years, chamomile has been used to treat cuts and scrapes, rashes, burns, etc. It is widely used as part of a soothing bath and in skin lotions.

Lavender is a very popular ingredient found in handmade soap. Many soapmakers offer a product line specifically dedicated to lavender and it’s lovely, soothing scent. Much like it’s smell, Lavender itself is used to relieve depression and stress. In handmade soap, Lavender is a herbal ingredient that has proven benefits to the skin, including its ability to repel mosquitoes.

Did you know that Oatmeal is used in soap? Exfoliants, such as Oatmeal, are used in a large number of skin products and their uses are very important in removing dead skin cells while rejuvenating the healthy cells underneath. In addition, exfoliants have the ability to remove other properties that gather on the skin’s surface.

Rosemary is a herbal aromatic oil that is used in soaps and other scented products to give them a distinct smell. Additionally, rosemary itself is used to relieve the discomfort in bites and stings on the surface of skin.

With all of the herbs that are used to make handmade soap, the consensus seems clear that the ultimate goal is to replenish and care for the skin. Helping to remove dead skin cells, adding moisture back that has since been lost and not to mention a variety of terrific scents are just a few of the reasons that people desire handmade soap. If you are familiar with the golden rule, then you will understand why it is important to treat your skin and you would like for it to treat you. Take care of it and, in return, your skin will help you to glow.

Jeffrey Dorrian is the soap guy. Really, that is his website http://www.thesoapguy.com He has been making premium handmade soap for the past five years. "Handmade soap is a true inexpensive luxury anyone can enjoy." wholesale lavender soap

For more great tips on soapmaking, visit us at http://YouCanMakeSoap.Com, or check out our sister site, http://UsingHerbs.Com where you will find bulk herbs, oils and information on herbs, their properties, and uses.

Instructions for Making Crock Pot Handmade Soap

2006-06-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

Making soap in a crock pot is an easy way to use the “hot process” method.
This how-to tutorial outlines my steps for making crock pot soap and assumes you are familiar with the soapmaking process.

Start with a good recipe. I prefer recipes that have a higher amount of liquid oil to solids. One of my favorite recipes is very simple: 60% Olive Oil, 20% Palm Kernel Oil, 20% Palm Oil. Run it through a lye calculator to determine the amount of lye and [distilled] water needed. I don’t discount my water when making hot process. (One of my favorite recipes is at the end of these instructions.)

I use a 6 1/2 quart crock pot. A 4 pound batch of soaps fits perfectly. It fills the crock pot about half full - giving room in the case of it bubbling up, but not too little an amount that it could burn.

First, measure water and set aside.

Then measure the lye into a separate container. Slowly pour the lye into the pitcher of cold water. Stir until dissolved. Set aside in a safe place.

Once I have my lye mixture set aside, I measure my solid oils. These can be put into the crock pot to be melted. But, it takes longer this way, so I generally put them into the microwave for a couple minutes until melted and then pour into the crockpot.

At this point, my crock pot is on low.

I recommend using a good rubber spatula to scrape the bowl - no sense leaving any good oils behind.

Next, I measure my olive oil - and/or any other liquid oils I happen to be using - and pour this into the crockpot.

Get out your handy-dandy stickblender and using low speed, slowly pour the lye mixture into the melted oils. Gently move the stickblender around, up, down, around, ensuring a nice even blend. If you don’t have a stickblender, a stainless steel wire whisk works great too - just requires a little more arm power.

Once it has reached ‘trace’, I put the lid on the crockpot and turn the heat setting up to high. However, the first few times I made crock pot soap, I left it on low until I was confident in how it worked (both the soap AND my crockpot).

Now, I ready my mold, measure out any fragrance oils or essential oils and any additives I plan to use.
After about 15 or 20 minutes, I take the lid off and, using a potato masher, mash the soap around. It has a look of a vaseline texture; glossy, slick. It will have a waxy feel if you rub a piece of it between gloved fingers.

Add your additives, colorants, herbs, etc and mix well using the potato masher. Once that is blended fairly well, add your fragrance and mix again.

It is done! At this point, it’s really soap. It only needs to be put into your mold. I do this in large spoonfuls, pounding my mold on the counter every few scoops to ensure it packs into the mold tightly. Once I have it all in the mold, I put a baggie on my hand and flatten the top - making sure to “squish” it into the corners really well.

Now is a good time to wash all the dishes. And you don’t even need to add any soap! You should see some lovely lather from the soap you’ve just made.

I let this sit over-night. The next morning, I unmold and slice into bars to air out for a week or so. Once each bar has had time to harden, I bevel each one and it’s ready for use, or sale.

My favorite crock pot soap recipe:
Rosemary Mint Handmade Soap
4 pounds- 38 ounces olive oil (59.38%)
- 14.4 ounces palm kernel oil (22.5%)
- 11.6 ounces palm oil (18.13%)
- 8.7 ounces sodium hydroxide (5% discount)
- 17.5 ounces distilled water
- 3 ounces rosemary mint blend essential oils
- 2 teabags of Organic Peppermint tea

Disclaimer: Sodium Hydroxide is highly caustic and should be handled carefully and knowledgeably. It is the soapmakers responsibility to research safety procedures for soapmaking.

Judi Cox is a wife and mother of 4 children. Her hobbies include, but are ever growing, making handmade soap, gardening, crafts, web design, reading...
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judi_Cox

For more great soap recipes or to find soap making supplies, visit us at http://youcanmakesoap.com.
Or visit our sister site, UsingHerbs.Com for a great list of herb suppliers and tips on herbs to use.