Beeswax in Soap

Finished Beeswax Soap

Yesterday we made soap with honey in it. I had so much fun with it, I had to continue along the same train of thought. What happens when you add beeswax to soap? Why would you add beeswax to soap? What does it feel like? Let’s answer this question and more!

Beeswax is high in unsaponifiable material. This means it has a lot of material that can not be turned into soap. The unsaponifiable material makes for a very creamy feeling soap. It is very similar to a lanolin soap.

Weighing Oils

Beeswax also makes for a harder bar. The corners were quite firm when I tested a bar in the blog kitchen. I would highly recommend beveling the edges of any bar of soap containing beeswax. I think it would make for smoother edges that don’t feel like they can double as a razor blade.

Ready to Make Soap

I also noticed in the finished bar that the lather was not large and bubbly. It was more dense and luscious lather. This soap was different from what I am accustomed to but it was wonderful change. I can’t wait to get a bar home to use as a facial bar.

Recipe:

Adding Lye Solution to Oils

Weigh all of the oils into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until they become liquid. While your oils are heating, weigh out the sodium hydroxide. Add the lye to the 6 oz of water. Never add water to your lye container. It can cause a dangerous volcano. Your safety is of the utmost importance. When your oils are at about 160º F and lye solution are at about 110º F, add the lye solution to the oil mixture. Mix until you reach a light trace.

Mixing Soap

The reason why there is such a large temperature difference between the two mixtures is because we do not want to beeswax to solidify nor do we want the soap to overheat. The difference in temperatures allows for the soap to be mixed without volcanoing out of the mold. Once trace has be achieved, pour the soap into a mold. Allow to sit for at least 12 hours. Cut and allow the soap to cure.

Thickened Soap

If you are not sure if the soap is fully cured, check out this post. It helps makes sense of the mysterious cure time and dispels some popular and dangerous myths. If you need help keeping track of your curing soap, try our fabulous cure cards. We can even include them into qualifying orders for free! Enjoy your soap!

Soap in Mold

Notes: When I was mixing my soap, it did not stay as fluid as I am accustomed to. When I reached trace, it went from a fluid milk like consistency to pudding in about 30 seconds. For someone who is accustomed to a very fluid soap when they pour it into the mold, it felt very strange. I think the next time I make soap with Beeswax, I may decrease the amount of beeswax from 0.5 oz /lb of fats to 0.25oz /lb of fats.

Unmolding the Soap

If you will be making your own beeswax soaps, please keep in mind that we recommend you do not exceed 0.5 oz of beeswax per lb of fat. This is a luxury ingredient where a little goes a very long way. If you use a large amount of beeswax, the bar will become very soft and will feel waxy in texture. Small amounts are better for your soap and for your budget. Happy soap making!