Starting with Soap - Day 7

Finished Sea Buckthorn and Avocado Soap

The magic of soapmaking never ceases to amaze me. As a soapmaker, I think I get to make some of the most fantastic items with some incredible oils from around the world. One thing that I find really keeps the wonder is how each luxury oil can have such a big influence on what the finished bar is like. Some are super emollient and luxurious, others produce crazy bubbles and yet others produce beautiful colors. Today I wanted to share how simple changes in your soap formulation can cause spectacular color to form. Best of all, it is done naturally!

Weighed Oils

Today’s luxury oil is our Sea Buckthorn Oil. Now because the color of Sea Buckthorn Oil is so vibrant and intense, I am not going to use an entire ounce. That would just be way too potent. It also allows us to add a second luxury oil because we will be using so little of the Sea Buckthorn Oil.

Mixing Lye Solution

I decided on using Avocado Oil. Avocado Oil has a fair amount of unsaponifiable material in it, making it gentle and luxurious feeling. After making this soap, you will quickly see why Avocado is a favorite among formulators for baby products. It is that amazing. Just wow.

Recipe:

Adding Lye Solution to Oils

Now to make soap. Weigh your oils into a microwave safe container. Remember that Sea Buckthorn Oil has a very intense color. While I have not had it color my skin permanently, I have found that it can take a little to clean up. This is where Windex® comes to the rescue. 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!

Mixing Soap

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 110°F, add your lye solution to your oils. (Remember to pour the lye solution into your oils slowly. We want to minimize any splashing both for the sake of safety and for clean up.) Using your immersion blender, mix your soap until you reach a light trace.

Pouring Soap into Mold

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! Take a break and fill a glass with some water. If any oil has risen to the surface during that time, you know it needs a little more mixing.

Soap in Mold

After pouring your soap into your mold, allow your soap to sit 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! Just let us know you want a package and we will stick them in your next order.