The art of soap-making can be both therapeutic and rewarding. Coconut oil, known for its moisturizing properties and luxurious feel, is an excellent choice for homemade soap. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the process of making coconut oil soap, ensuring you have all the knowledge to get started.
Why Coconut Oil in Soap?
Coconut oil brings a creamy lather, moisturizing properties, and a pleasant scent to the soap. Its fatty acid content, primarily lauric acid, makes it a perfect ingredient for soap-making, lending hardness to the bar and ensuring it lasts longer.
Ingredients:
- 100% pure coconut oil
- Distilled water
- Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
- Essential oils (for fragrance, optional)
- Natural colorants (optional)
Equipment:
- Soap mold
- Thermometer
- Stick blender
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Safety gloves and goggles
- Stainless steel pot
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Coconut Oil Soap:
- Safety First: Always wear safety goggles and gloves. Ensure your workspace is well-ventilated as lye can produce fumes.
- Preparing the Lye Solution: Slowly and carefully, pour the lye into the distilled water (never the other way around). This will cause a chemical reaction, producing heat. Stir until dissolved and set aside to cool.
- Melting the Coconut Oil: In a stainless steel pot, melt the coconut oil until it’s completely liquid.
- Mixing the Lye Solution and Coconut Oil: Once both the lye solution and coconut oil have reached about 100°F (37°C), slowly pour the lye solution into the melted coconut oil. Use the stick blender to mix until it reaches “trace” (a pudding-like consistency).
- Adding Extras: If you’re using essential oils or natural colorants, now’s the time to add them. Mix thoroughly.
- Molding: Pour the soap mixture into the mold. Tap gently to remove any air bubbles.
- Setting: Cover the mold with plastic wrap and let it set for 24-48 hours.
- Unmolding and Cutting: After setting, remove the soap from the mold and cut it into desired shapes.
- Curing: Place the soap bars in a dry, ventilated area for 4-6 weeks. This allows the soap to harden and the pH level to become skin-friendly.
Can you make soap from coconut oil?
Yes, you can make soap from coconut oil. Coconut oil is a high-quality soapmaking oil because it helps create hard bars with fluffy, stable lather. It’s also inexpensive for many of us and readily available. However, because it’s seen as drying, most soapmakers won’t use it at any more than 20-30% of a typical soap recipe.
What are the ingredients of coconut oil soap?
The basic ingredients of coconut oil soap are:
- Coconut oil
- Lye
- Water
You can also add other ingredients to your coconut oil soap, such as essential oils, fragrance oils, herbs, spices, and colorants.
Is 100% coconut oil a good soap?
100% coconut oil soap can be too drying for some people’s skin. Most soapmakers recommend using coconut oil at 20-30% of a typical soap recipe. This will help to create a soap that is both cleansing and moisturizing.
What 3 ingredients are needed to make soap?
The three basic ingredients needed to make soap are:
- Oil
- Lye
- Water
You can use any type of oil to make soap, but some oils are better for soapmaking than others. Coconut oil is a good choice for soapmaking because it helps create hard bars with fluffy, stable lather.
