Making Soap

I have wanted to make soap for years but always worried that the process would be too difficult and ingredients hard to find. My dear sheep friend Eileen hooked me up with this site http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au/. It is a really interesting site that I love. I did not know at the time, but my daughter Alison also likes Ronda's site and got the idea to make home made Christmas presents from Rhonda. Alison wants to make soap as part of homemade Christmas. I checked out Rhonda's soap making tutorial and asked Alison if she wanted to help. http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/how-to-make-cold-processed-soap-v-2.html. We had a good time and the soap tutotrial was easy to follow also ingredients were easy to find. That was six weeks ago and we are know using our first homemade soap. The soap lathers up well and leaves your skin moisturised.
Eileen has also used Rhonda's recipe to make the soap and replaced the Copha/Coconut oil with rendered lamb fat. I used a cake of that soap and it was also excellent. I am going to try that as well

This brand of Caustic Soda is sold at Woolworths and Bunnings. Caustic Soda is a product that needs to be handled with care. Please follow the safety instructions carefully.

They also have a good recipe

http://www.pascoes.com.au/common/pdf.php?which=362&field=FILE_2

Resonably priced silicon molds can ber found here
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Walden-Accessories?_trksid=p4340.l2563

Here is the batch I made on the weekend

 

All the soaps layed out on the drying racks. The soap needs to cure for about 6 weeks. In that time the soap becomes hard and lasts a long time

The darker soaps were sented with Vanilla essential oil which was brown in colour and added a more creamy colour to the soap.

The white soap was perfumed with Bulgarian Rose oil which was clolourless so the soap has remained white

The soaps need to be turned each day so they dry evenly

I really enjoyed making the soap and it was easy.