Now Make Your Own Castile Soap

The word Castile soap came from French region Castile Castle as early as 1567. It is the pure form of soap from which body soap, shampoo, shower gel/ body wash, face wash etc are created. So, it is a mother product to make other foaming products. Today we will learn how to make pure Castile soap.

Ingredients:

Makes: 4 pounds of soap

 180 grams (6.35 oz)

Sodium Hydroxide or Costic Soda (lye) 

 420 grams (15 fl. oz)

Soft or Distilled Water 

 1350 grams (47.6oz)

pure Olive Oil 

 15-30 ml (0.5 – 1.0 fl. oz)

Essential Oil of choice (optional)

you can use Lye calculator from here to find out your desired amount.

Process:

• Measure out the oils that you will use and set them aside.
• Put on glasses and rubber or latex gloves. Weigh the lye and set it aside.
• Place measuring cup on scale and weigh out amount of soft or distilled water required.
• Slowly add the lye to the water while stirring with a small whisk or fork. The fumes may be quite strong after 10 seconds, so hold your breath. Leave the area for one or two minutes and then return and stir again to be sure the lye is fully dissolved. The lye solution will be heated to approx 180 degrees F, so set the cup aside to cool down to the soap making temperature.
• While your lye is cooling, prepare the oils. Heat until the oils have liquefied and are at, or slightly above, the soap making temperature.
• When the lye solution and the oil mixture are both at the soap making temperature, you are ready to make soap. Wearing your gloves, slowly drizzle the lye into the oils, stirring quickly and carefully by hand. Once the lye has been well mixed into the oils, you may use your stick blender, being sure to keep the blender submerged in the mixture to avoid any splashing.
• Alternate between hand whisking and stick blending for equal amounts of time to ensure your soap is getting thoroughly and evenly mixed. Always hand stir just before putting soap into your molds.
• Stirring must be maintained until soap reaches the trace stage. Trace is identified in the soap mixture when it is slightly thickened. 
• Now you may add essential oils, fragrance oils, colour or exfoliates (ie: oatmeal, etc) and stirred to fully incorporate these added items, the soap is ready to pour into the molds. Quickly pour the soap into the molds. The mixture should be smooth, with no lumps or unmixed watery liquids.
• Cover the filled molds with a piece of cardboard and then cover with a towel or blanket to retain the heat in the soap mixture. Leave undisturbed for 24 to 48 hours. During this period, saponification (the process of becoming soap), is completed and now your soap is ready for use.