How to Make Rosemary Lavender Soap

This recipe for lavender rosemary soap contains a combination of oils chosen for their particular properties. Beeswax and palm oil help to make a firm bar, coconut and castor oils provide a good lather and olive, hemp and sweet almond oils are conditioning for the skin. This soap is made using the cold process method, which uses lye and creates fumes so be sure to work in a well ventilated area and wear gloves when handling the lye and soap until it has fully cured for one month.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kitchen Scale (all ingredients listed in oz must be weighed out)
• 2 oz beeswax
• 5 oz palm oil
• 7 oz coconut oil
• 7 oz olive oil
• 5 oz hemp oil
• 4 oz sweet almond oil
• 1 TB Castor oil (optional)
• 11.5 oz cold water
• 4 oz lye (pure sodium hydroxide)
• 13x9 brownie pan lined with parchment
• 1 oz lavender essential oil
• 1 oz rosemary essential oil

1. 
   Melt oil together

   Add the beeswax, palm, coconut, olive and hemp oil to a large saucepan set on a low burner on the stove top. Stir the oils together until the beeswax has melted. Once the beeswax melts, turn off the burner and put a candy thermometer in the oil mixture to monitor the temperature. Leave to cool while we make the lye mixture.

2. 
   Mix lye into cold water

   Pour the cold water into a heatproof bowl. In a well ventilated area, add the lye to the water and stir. When the lye has dissolved use your second candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. Be careful when handling the mixture as it will reach almost 200 degrees Farenheit in 1-2 minutes. Let cool.

3. 
   Pour lye water into oil

   Check the temperature of both the oil and lye mixture. Wait for both to cool down to between 95-105 degrees. Use a cool water bath or reheat on the stove top if one is too hot or cold. When they have reached the correct temperature, pour the lye into the oil mixture.

4. 
   Stir until the soap

   Stir the mixture until it reaches trace. Tracing occurs when the lye and oil have fully combined. You will know when tracing is happening when the soap mixture changes from transparent to opaque.

5. 
   Mix in essential oil and pour in mold

   Stir in the essential oils and 1 TB Castor Oil (optional). When combined pour the soap mixture into your lined mold and cover it with plastic wrap.

6. 
   Cure soap for one month before using

   Store your soap in an area where it can cool slowly. Cooling too fast can cause your soap to crack. I use wool blankets to insulate the soap while it cures. Remove the wool blanket after one week and remove the soap from the mold. Cut the soap into bars and return to the curing spot and let the soap sit for another 3 weeks. After one month your soap is ready to use!

[aprilm33]

on 9/21/2009 oh i can smell it now!! 5*****

[NaturalsByDiana]

on 9/21/2009 You describe this very well.
I bet this smells great.
I have never made this combo.
My lavender is one of my biggest sellers.

Organically Yours,
Diana

[mommyhen42]

on 5/31/2009 I added this one to my favorites. This is one of the things I want to learn to do... so I really needed this article 5*