The best part about soap-making is making soap! If you're just learning, the best place to start is with simple single oil cold process bars. I make soaps regularly for my household and single oil bars are my quick n' easy go-to recipes (especially if I'm on a time crunch). Using the basic cold process method, these soaps only require one type of oil. In this article I'll take you step by step through the process using coconut oil so you can see how it all works, and at the end I'll offer recipes for a few other common oils.
Don't know the first thing about soap-making? Start with Cold Process Basics to get a little more foundation. Once you get a little practice making single oil soaps: Multiple Oil Soaps.
All of the recipes in this article are made with a 5% super fat, which is the percentage of fat leftover after all the lye has been transformed into soap. If the superfat is too high, the soap will be softer and is likely to become rancid easier. Too little and the soap will dry out skin and possibly even burn if there is un-transformed lye still present. Having the right amount of superfat balances these issues while providing moisture and improved lather. I like 5% superfat for a general hand and body soap. It provides enough moisture so skin doesn't dry out, at the same time it creates a very firm bar. If you want to learn more and dig deeper into the science behind soap, check out how to Create Your Own Soap Recipes.
Let's make some soap! For this 5% coconut soap you'll need a few things: ingredients, equipment, and some basic knowledge. I chose coconut because it makes a very firm bar with a lot of fluffy lather and has excellent cleaning properties. It's one of my top favorite oils to use in soap-making.
Ingredients
16 oz coconut oil
2.78 oz lye (sodium hydroxide, aka: soda ash)
8.34 oz distilled water
Note: This recipe makes a batch of 6 standard rectangular soap bars. Depending on the size and shape of your molds, you may end up with more or less bars.
Equipment
kitchen scale – exact measurements are required
double boiler – this can just be a pot inside a larger pan filled with water
mixing bowls – a large bowl, a medium bowl, and one smaller bowl; use only stainless steel or ceramic for mixing
thermometer – a candy thermometer works, although I use a steel meat thermometer
stirring spoon – use a stainless steel mixing spoon, not wood
mixing tool – you can use a whisk, although an electric hand held immersion stick blender cuts mixing time dramatically
soap mold – molds come in all shapes, sizes, and materials; I like silicon molds which makes it easier to get the soap out
Remember: Your soaping equipment should be used solely for making soap (except maybe the kitchen scale and double boiler). You definitely don't want anything that touches the lye or lye solution to be used for food.
On to the basic knowledge...
Alright, we've gathered our ingredients and set out our equipment, now we're ready for the fun part!
Step one: Safety first.
Since sodium hydroxide (lye) eats stuff and will burn your skin on contact, safety gear and cautionary methods are important in protecting yourself (and your kids if they're helping). When working with lye, be careful not to splash it on you, get any in your eyes, or breathe in the fumes from the lye solution. Also, make sure the area is clear of pets. Here's the safety gear checklist:
long sleeve shirt
long pants
shoes that cover your toes
rubber kitchen or cleaning gloves
safety glasses or chemistry goggles
mask (a basic dust mask works fine)
spray bottle of vinegar (vinegar neutralizes lye, thus having a spray bottle on hand just in case you do happen to get some on you is highly recommended)
Step two: Measure everything.
Everything needs to be measured exactly for your soap to turn out right. Start by weighing out the fats and pouring them into the inner pot of the double boiler. 16 ounces of coconut oil is going into my pot for this soap. Next, I'm weighing out 8.34 ounces of distilled water into the medium bowl and, finally, 2.78 ounces of lye into the smallest bowl.
Step three: Heat the fat.
On the stove, fill the outer pan of the double boiler at least halfway with water. Over medium-high heat, use the thermometer to bring the oils' temperature up to about 140 degrees. This is 10 degrees higher than what it should be when mixing with the lye, but going over will allow time to make lye water (next step). When measuring temperature, be sure the thermometer is in the middle of the pot and not touching the bottom or sides.
Step four: Make lye water.
Caution! For this part it's important to be in a well ventilated area with safety gear on. Very slowly add the sodium hydroxide to the bowl of water, stirring carefully with the mixing spoon. Remember: never add the water to the lye; always add the lye to the water to avoid splashing. When lye comes in contact with water it reaches up to 200 degrees! Be careful, this will heat up the bowl. Slowly stir until all the lye is dissolved in the water.
Step five: Bring it all together.
The oil and lye solution should both be about 130 degrees when combining together (make sure they are no more than 10 degrees apart). Just like when making lye water, never pour anything into the lye. Instead, pour heated fats into the largest mixing bowl first, then very slowly, pour the lye water into the fat. Gently stir the solutions together. Continue stirring until the entire solution is murky.
Step six: Mixing it up.
Be careful not to splash during this step. If using a whisk, work around the bowl in a brisk figure-8 pattern. For the immersion blender, place the blade tip all the way into the solution before turning it on to avoid splattering, then move it around inside the mixture. I'm using the immersion blender – which is so much quicker than whisking. Within minutes my coconut oil soap begins to thicken and reach what we call "trace". Find "trace" by using the mixing tool to drizzle a little of the soap across the top. If it leaves a distinct trail for a few seconds, then your soap is ready for the next step. Coconut oil traces quickly but other oils may take longer.
Step seven: Finishing touches.
Once trace has been reached, it's time to pour the soap into molds. If you were to use colors, scents, or any other additives, this is the time that you would mix those into the soap before pouring. But, my coconut oil soap is additive-free and all-natural, so it's going strait into the molds. I'm using a ladle which makes filling individual bar molds easier.
Step eight: Setting the soap.
Soap needs enough time in the molds to solidify its shape. Depending on the oil used and environmental factors, this could be an hour or few days. I usually let most soaps set over night. Just like with trace, coconut oil sets pretty fast, but you'll find that other oils may need longer.
Temperature affects soap! I'm making these bars outside on a hot summer day here in the valley and almost instantly my soap is beginning to gel, giving it a glossy appearance. Gelling occurs when soap sets in an environment that keeps the heat in. For a more matte finish, a cooler environment is needed. Your region and the season will influence this. I usually control the amount of gelling I desire by letting the soap set either in the oven (for warmth) or refrigerator (for cold).
Step nine: Time to cure.
It takes time for all of the lye to be completely converted into soap. I find that most bars are ready between 4-8 weeks. To cure, remove the soap from the molds and place the bars in a dry, dark-ish, and airy location. I use a wire drying rack for maximum air flow, but you can set them on any kind of tray. Be sure to flip them over from time to time.
Step ten: It's soap!
These lovely little bars are now ready to lather up. I'm taking one of my coconut oil bars and putting it directly into my soap sack in the shower. The rest are going into our soap drawer. When storing soap, don't use plastic containers or cling wrap because over time soap releases moisture and plastic will keep the moisture from evaporating which can cause soap to get funky. Paper, fabric, or just open air are great ways to keep your soap dry.
Don't forget my pro tip:
Clean up made easy! I store my soaping equipment in a large tub. After I'm done making a batch of soap I put all the used dirty equipment into the tub, then put the lid on (this keeps pets and kids from getting into lye remnants). In a day or two, after the mess has saponified and neutralized, I then put it all into the dishwasher, except rags which go in the laundry with kitchen towels. The only exception is that many molds should be washed by hand and not put in the dishwasher. After rinsing out the tub, just put it all back in to store for next time.
More recipes...
The 10-step process above is the same no matter what fats you use. But, because every fat has a different SAP value (learn more about what that means in my article on how to Create Your Own Soap Recipes), the ratio of lye to oil to water will be different for each fat. Time to trace, set, and cure will also vary. Here are a few more single oil soap recipes, each using 16 ounces of oil and adjusted for a 5% superfat. Many of these oils can be found in your local grocery store. Each oil has different properties to impart on soap. I always encourage you to play around and try out different recipes to see what you like best.
Canola Oil Soap
Canola oil creates a fairly hard bar with a pretty nice lather. A great inexpensive option.
16 oz canola oil
1.87 oz lye (sodium hydroxide)
5.61 oz distilled water
Corn Oil Soap
A moderately soft soap with mild lather, corn oil is another good inexpensive option.
16 oz corn oil
2.05 oz lye
6.15 oz distilled water
Hemp Seed Oil Soap
This soap takes quite a while to set, but hemp seed oil makes a soft bar with fluffy lather.
16 oz hemp seed oil
2.10 oz lye
6.30 oz distilled water
Olive Oil Soap
Olive oil takes a little longer to set and cure too, but creates a very firm bar with nice fluffy lather.
16 oz olive oil
2.05 oz lye
6.15 oz distilled water
Soybean Oil Soap
Like coconut oil, soybean traces pretty quickly. Although it's a softer bar, it has a dense lather.
16 oz soy oil
2.05 oz lye
6.15 oz distilled water
Vegetable Shortening Soap
This may be a unexpected fat option, but veggie shortening makes a pretty good soap as well.
16 oz vegetable shortening
2.05 oz lye
6.15 oz distilled water
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