How to Make Soap Using Seaweed Instead of Lye

For thousands of years, people have been making soap using lye, a substance made by pouring water through the leftover ashes of a wood fire. Historically, seaweed was seen as the best ingredient for lye, because hardwood ash creates durable bars of soap. Now there are gentler ways to create homemade soaps without lye, which is so corrosive that it can eat right through metal and plastic. One of the easiest methods is called "melt and pour." Seaweed is still used in soap making for its detoxifying properties, as well as being rich in minerals, vitamins and trace elements, and you can easily add it to your homemade soap.

Things You'll Need

• Glycerin soap base (blocks)
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Wooden spoon
• Essential oils
• Food coloring (optional)
• 2 sheets green Nori seaweed
• Soap molds

Instructions

1. 

   Cut the glycerin soap blocks into squares (usually about 1 inch) and put them into the microwave-safe bowl, covering it with plastic wrap to keep the moisture in.

2. 

   Microwave the soap on high for approximately 1 minute. Remove the plastic wrap and stir with the wooden spoon to remove any remaining lumps.

3. 

   Add your essential oils drop by drop. This should amount to 4 drops essential oil per 1/2 cup of melted soap base or per 1 lb. of solid soap base. If you like, add coloring drop by drop until you reach the desired color.

4. 

   Add dried Nori seaweed to your homemade soap. Crumble the sheets with your hands, chop with a knife, or throw into a blender or food processor. The liquid base should be cooling by now, which will help to suspend the seaweed in the cooled bar of soap.

5. 

   Pour the mixture into soap molds. Wait for 30 minutes and then pop the hardened soap out of the molds. If you have trouble removing them, put them in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes, remove and try again. This type of homemade soap can be used right away, as the soap base has already been cured.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have dry skin, add 2 tbsp. sweet almond oil along with your essential oils. To make color effects, try adding drops of different colors and swirling with a toothpick, or layering colors for a striped bar. To add solid objects such as charms or beads, fill molds halfway, add objects and then fill the rest of the way. Some essential oils to try are peppermint, rosemary and tea tree.

• Soap will be very hot when you take it out of the microwave. Use oven mitts and set on a hot pad or a clean counter top. Use caution when working with food dyes and coloring, as they can easily stain clothes and skin.

References

• Making Lye Water

Resources

• Melt and Pour Soap Recipes