How to Make Coconut Olive Soap

Coconut is great for the skin. It not only softens it, but protects it from damage and aids in healing. Coconut and olive oil are a great combination for beautiful skin. Coconut gives your skin a healthy and youthful look while olive oil moisturizes. The following will show you how to make coconut olive soap.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup rendered tallow
• 3.5 oz. lye granules
• 1 cup and 2 tbsp. of water

1. Wear safety goggles and rubber gloves while you add 3.5 oz. of lye granules to 1 cup and 2 tbsp. of water. Stir the mixture with a wooden or plastic spoon to dissolve the lye.

2. Allow the lye mixture to cool to 100 degrees F before using. A physical reaction will occur when you mix lye with water that will heat up the mixture.

3. Measure out 1 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of coconut oil and 1 cup of rendered tallow in a saucepan. Gently heat the oils together over medium-low heat to melt them together. Cool to 100 degrees.

4. Slowly and carefully, while wearing safely glasses and rubber gloves, add the lye and distilled water mixture to the oil mixture to prevent splashing after both have cooled. Stir the mixture constantly with a plastic or wooden spoon while doing so.

5. Stir the mixture for 15 minutes, then stir for five minutes at 15-minute intervals until the mixture thickens to the point when you can run a line across the top with your spoon and the line stays (called tracing). It will have a consistency similar to cooked custard.

6. Pour the soap into the mold of your choice and let sit for a few days. It should be allowed to cure for a few more days before cutting.

7. Cut the soap into bars and let cure for a few more days so that the bars are firm.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase beef suet at the grocery store for tallow and render it yourself or purchase rendered tallow from food supply companies.
• Always add the lye to the water. Never add water to the lye or the mixture could explode.
• Make sure kids or pets are never around lye. It is very strong and you should always wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when handling it. Keep it off your skin.
• Lye will eat up aluminum so always use plastic or glass bowls when mixing it. Use wooden or plastic spoons only when stirring. Lye will also mark up Formica so always cover your work surfaces when using it.

[mamica]

on 9/26/2008 This sounds great! I have to try it. Thanks for posting this article.