Starting with Soap - Day 6

Finished Lanolin Soap

Now that we have made our first several batches of soap and talked about why we choose certain “backbone” oils, let’s get into the really fun stuff. There are many different oils that you can choose to be your luxury oil. Each one will make your soap unique. Today I wanted to start with one of my personal favorites. Let’s get started!

Weighed Oils

One of my all time favorite luxury oils is Lanolin. Lanolin soaps are just incredible. Lanolin is high in unsaponifiable waxy esters. It is these very waxy esters that give lanolin soap a very conditioning feel. After washing with a lanolin soap, many people comment on how it feels like they have already applied a light, non-greasy lotion. I find lanolin soaps are very popular with people who wash their hands frequently and those who dislike applying lotion. It is a win-win situation for all!

Recipe:

Mixing Lye Solution

Now to make soap. Weigh your oils into a microwave safe container. Lanolin can get a little sticky and be difficult. I like to warm my container of lanolin so it is in a slightly molten stage. It makes weighing it out and clean up much easier. While the oils are heating in the microwave, weigh out your lye and mix with your water. Remember to add your lye to your water, not the other way around. Safety first!

Adding Lye Solution to Oils

Allow your two mixtures to cool. I like to put away my oils and set up my mold during this period. This helps keep my counters clean and my distractions to a minimum. When your oils are around 100°F-110°F, add your lye solution to your oils. (Remember, lanolin is a temperature sensitive ingredient. Using lower temperatures results in happier soap fairies and smoother soap.) Using your immersion blender, mix your soap until you reach a light trace.

Mixing Soap

Remember, trace doesn’t denote a viscosity, it just means that we aren’t seeing the oils float to the top and separate out. Often we pour our soap into the mold when it is the viscosity of whole milk. That is pretty fluid!

Pouring Soap into Mold

Allow your soap to sit in the mold undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Then cut into bars and place out on a shelf where they can dry. You can use your soap immediately but it will last longer if you allow it to dry completely. A great aid in determining if your soap has fully dried are our Cure Cards. The best part is you can have them included in qualifying order for free! Isn’t that awesome?