Topic of the Day 4/1

One of the topics on my 101 is learn how to make soap and make it.  I suppose the first step is to grab the ingredients before I can make it.  The recipes are complicated so here is the jist of it:

Starts with a base - usually a form of emusifying wax or Lye that can be melted and poured, and an oil - olive oil is heathy and clean for the skin.
Add a fragrance oil - coconut or lavender are recommended.
Add a colorant - the color is optional, and can be added in a multitude of techniques.  One swirls the color in to the soap when it is nearly dry giving it a marbled texture.

Pour the mixture into a soap mold - can be any mold, but a basic rectangle is a good place to start.
Allow the mold to harden, use and enjoy!

visit: http://www.teachsoap.com/recipes.html#cookie for lots of fun recipes for soap, lotion, lipbalm and salt scrubs.

Here is a simple recipe from treehugger.com

9.25 oz. lye = 1 small container.
700ml purified water
Mix in a pyrex measuring cup.  Wear goggles as the lye is very potent and dangerous.  Do not inhale the fumes and wear gloves.  Chopsticks make great stirrers.  Cool to 110F

and a mixture of oils - treehugger recommends:
955g Olive Oil (not virgin)
390g Coconut Oil
515g Grapeseed Oil.
Heat separately to 110F

Add mix with Lye (when they are the same temp.)  Use short pulses in the blender and be sure to scrape the sides so all ingredients is being mixed in.

Add in 10ml Cinnamon and just barely mix in.

The soap can harden very quickly at this point, so be cautious not to have any materials stuck in the mixture.

Pour into Moulds to solidify.  Wrap in a thick airtight blanket for 24 hours to keep the heat in so it dries evenly throughout.

When it has hardened, cut into bars/shapes and store in brown paper in a cool place.  Turn over every 2 weeks and use within a month. 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/12/easy_homemade_s.php?page=2#