Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Shelley Williams and by How.com.vn staff writer, Mason Martinez, BA. Shelley Williams is an Arts & Crafts Expert based in Long Beach, California. After a 20-year career as an educator, Shelley brought her love of education to the world of crafting and creating things. Shelley opened CRAFT + LIGHT, a creative arts studio, in 2019. Since then, Shelley has taught over 1000 people to make soap, wood signs, alcohol inks, candlemaking, bath bombs, and more. In addition to being a craft store, CRAFT + LIGHT hosts private parties, family birthday events, open studio events, and other types of craft demonstrations. Shelley partners with City governments to curate creative care packages for at-risk residents and is a partner of the Long Beach Black Health Collaborative funded out of the City of Long Beach.
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Making organic soap at home is a fairly easy project that only requires some time and patience. You can make simple bars of soap or get crafty by adding fresh herbs and flowers. Better yet—you can get a whole bunch of bars in one go, and they last up to 1 year. If you want to soften and heal your skin naturally with soap, keep on reading!
DIY Organic Soap
To make organic soap at home, blend lye into distilled water carefully. Let the mixture cool, then mix in a blend of coconut, olive, and castor oil. Add in herbs, clay, or exfoliants, then blend the mixture and scent it with essential oils. Pour the soap into a silicone mold, let it harden, then cure it for 6-8 weeks.
Ingredients
- 2.14 oz (60 g) of food-grade lye (sodium hydroxide)
- 4.5 fluid ounces (130 mL) of distilled water
- 12 fluid ounces (350 mL) of olive oil
- 1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of castor oil
- 2.5 fluid ounces (74 mL) of melted coconut oil
- 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of an essential oil in a favorite scent
Makes 4 bars of soap
Steps
Community Q&A
- QuestionHow can I tell if it is 100% sodium hydroxide?
TurtisBoiCommunity AnswerIf store bought, it will say on the bottle. If you are not sure, ask a store clerk for assistance. - QuestionHow is this organic soap if it contains lye? Can you use the "organic" label?
Community AnswerWhile lye is non-organic, it is allowed in organic soaps according to the USDA's rules on organic soaps, since bar soaps require lye for their successful production. - QuestionWhere can I get lye for my soap?
Community AnswerYou can sometimes get lye in the supermarket or hardware store, but make sure that it is 100% sodium hydroxide; do NOT buy it if it is otherwise. The best place to buy lye is online, from candle and soap-making supply shops. You will also be able to find other soap-making supplies in those shops, including molds, fragrances, dyes, etc.
Video
Tips
Warnings
- Be aware of any allergies or skin sensitives when making organic soap. If you know that you are allergic to a given ingredient, opt for finding a close substitute. If you make the soap and find it irritates your skin, stop using it immediately.[29]Thanks
- Lye is caustic. Avoid getting it on your skin or near your face or breathing in its fumes by working near an open window or using a fan to circulate the air.[30]Thanks
- If you have breathing problems or are concerned about breathing in the lye fumes while working with it, wear a respirator mask.[31]Thanks
- Any container, utensils, molds, or pitchers used to measure or make the soap should not be used to work with food. The contamination caused by the lye would not be safe for consumption.Thanks
- If your skin or eyes are exposed to lye, wash the affected area(s) immediately with room-temperature water for at least 15-20 minutes.[32]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://blazeandfoam.com.au/blogs/blog/safe-containers-for-soap-making
- ↑ https://www.savvyhomemade.com/how-to-make-homemade-soap-using-cold-process/
- ↑ https://angelapalmer.com/how-to-make-soap-without-lye/
- ↑ https://earthbits.com/blogs/earthbits/does-organic-soap-contain-lye
- ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-it-safe-to-make-soap
- ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-it-safe-to-make-soap
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a20705805/how-to-make-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/back-to-basics-lye-safety-guide/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a20705805/how-to-make-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://www.treehugger.com/ways-to-exfoliate-naturally-4864316
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://www.savvyhomemade.com/how-to-make-homemade-soap-using-cold-process/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://www.thesoapery.co.uk/blogs/news/how-to-rebatch-soap
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners-make/
- ↑ https://lovelygreens.com/natural-soapmaking-for-beginners-make/
- ↑ https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-make-a-simple-natural-homemade-soap/
- ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-it-safe-to-make-soap
- ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-it-safe-to-make-soap
- ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/is-it-safe-to-make-soap
About This Article
To make organic soap, mix distilled water and lye together and let the solution cool for 30-40 minutes. Next, melt the coconut oil in a double boiler and add the castor and olive oil to it. Then, combine the cooled lye solution with the oil mixture, add any special ingredients like clay minerals or herbs, and blend the solution for about 15 minutes until it thickens. Finally, pour the soap batter into a 4 inch silicone soap mold, cover it, and let the soap set for 24 hours before popping the bars out of the mold! For tips on adding scent to your soap with essential oils, read on!
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