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Soap From Scratch Directions

 
General Instructions for Soap From Scratch

Weigh out and place your fats in a large enamel or stainless steel pot. Do not use aluminum, tin, teflon or other coated pan or pot. They will react severely with the lye. Place on the stove between low and medium heat and warm up to 100 degrees F. (You can use a candy thermometer to test the temperatures.)

Put on goggles, rubber gloves and face mask. Pour your water in a large glass jar or another enamel or stainless steel pot. Weigh out your lye. While stirring the water, add your lye carefully so it doesn't clump up on the bottom of the container. Let it cool until it reaches 100 degrees F.

When both mixtures are at the right temperature, again put on your protective wear. Pour your lye mixture into your oils. Stir until light trace, then add your fragrance.

To add color, mix either the powdered oxide or ultramarine powder with some water or oil (according to the label directions). Add this mixture to 1 cup of your traced soap. Add the colored soap back to your main pot of soap. To marble, mix the soap as above before pouring into the mold. You can also marble your soap pouring a layer of alternately color of traced soap over the first layer and pull the back of a plastic spoon through the soap as shown below.

 

Pour into molds, cover with cardboard or wood and wrap in old towels to insulate. Let set up for 24-48 hours before cutting. Then place your bars on another shelf and allow to cure for three to four weeks prior to using. Turn over once during the curing process.