How to Make Lebanese Olive Oil Soap

Before purchasing your soap from the convenience store, consider making Lebanese olive oil soap at home. Lebanese olive oil is a high quality oil that soap makers recommend for making soap. Olive oil moisturizes the skin and does not clog your pores. The soap is so mild that you can use it on a baby's skin. Make your own soap to give as gifts during the holiday season to impress friends and family members.

Things You'll Need

• 18 oz. lye
• 5 cups distilled water
• 1 glass container
• 20 cups Lebanese olive oil
• 1 large stainless steel pot
• Candy thermometer
• 1 rubber spatula
• 1 plastic container with lid
• Old newspaper

Instructions

1. Add 5 cups of distilled water to the glass container. Slowly pour in the lye, and stir carefully with the rubber spatula until the lye dissolves. Wear a mask to avoid breathing in the harmful fumes. Set the lye mixture aside to cool.

2. Pour the Lebanese olive oil into a large cooking pot. Heat the olive oil to 100 F.

3. Remove the olive oil from the heat. Add the lye mixture to the olive oil. Continue to stir the olive oil as you add the lye mixture.

4. Continue to stir the mixture until it becomes thick and opaque. You can use an electric mixture set on low if your arms are prone to tiring easily. Stop stirring the mixture once it is as thick as pudding.

5. Pour the soap mixture into a plastic container with a lid. The container needs to be at least 1 ½ inches thick.

6. Allow the soap to set for 24 hours. Remove the soap from the plastic container. Cut it into the desired shape and size.

7. Sit the soap out on old newspaper. Allow the soap to age for 4 weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Add soap dye and essential oils to the soap after you add the lye to make appealing soap colors and scents.

• Wear a mask and gloves when handling the lye to prevent injury to yourself.

References

• LebaneseOliveOil.com
• Soap Making Resource
• Way to Go Green