Wild Rose Cold Process Soap (Recipe!)

Yesterday, I decided to play around with some new  recipes for cold processed soap that didn’t call for a lot of fancy, or expensive oils.  This one pictured above was made with olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil.  Pretty simple.

Whenever you test new recipes (or try a new hobby – if you’ve never made soap before), it’s important to start small.  Make a 1 lb batch first, to see if you like it, if it’s going to work out, etc.  Otherwise, you could end up wasting expensive ingredients, and potentially have a bit of a disaster on your hands.

The jury is still out on this one, but so far, they have solidified well and smell amazing.  The tiny bits left over on my molds even seemed to lather nicely during cleanup today….so I think we may have a decent bar of soap on our hands.  As always though, time will tell.  (these should be ready in about 4-6 weeks)

These were made with locally harvested wild rose petals and rosehips – dried thoroughly and then ground into much smaller bits, almost like powder.  If you have a coffee grinder, this helps.

For color, I used beet root powder….and because I like clay in my soaps, I also added a bit of kaolin clay to the batter.

The following recipe is for a small, 1 lb batch – if you would like to make more, please run your amounts through a lye calculator like this one.  It’s not like doubling a baking recipe!

What you’ll need:

Dedicated soapmaking tools (you can’t use these for food afterward, so set these aside just for this): hand blender (not necessary, but sooooo nice to have), large glass or heat-proof plastic measuring cups/pitchers, table spoons and tea spoons (make sure they’re aluminum free), spatula(s), whisks (again, aluminum free), large mason jar for lye/water, large glass or heat-proof plastic mixing bowl, digital food scale, laser thermometer, safety glasses, latex gloves, apron, and soap molds.

If you’ve never made soap before, stop what you’re doing and read this first.  I’m serious.  This isn’t a hobby you can just jump into – working with lye can be very dangerous, and you need to read about the safety of it first.

I know this probably seems like a lot, and it is, but once you have this you’ll be able to make soap whenever you want!

Ingredients (all measurements are by weight):

10.5 ounces  – olive oil

5.25 ounces – coconut oil

0.5 ounces – castor oil (this helps with the bubbles)

5 ounces – distilled water

2.4 ounces – Lye (sodium hydroxide)

Mix your oils together, and warm them slightly until the coconut oil is liquid.  I use the microwave in 30 second bursts.  Don’t let it get too hot, you don’t want to scorch the oils. Set aside.

Make sure you’re working in a well-ventilated area: the fumes during this next step can be strong.  For this reason, I like to mix my lye under the exhaust fan above my stove top (on, of course), with all the windows open in my house.

Also, now is the time to wear your safety glasses, gloves, apron, etc.  Lye burns are no joke.

In your large glass mason jar, measure 5 ounces of water into it.  Slowly add the lye to this mixture. NEVER add water to lye – it could explode and burn you.  Stir with an aluminum free spoon, until the mixture is clear.  This mixture will get very hot in the jar.  Don’t spill or splash it, and set it aside (labelling it is a good idea too).

A lot of people recommend letting the lye water cool to around 115 degrees, and making sure your oils are around the same temperature.  I’m a bit loose with this rule – but I’ve been soaping a while so I don’t recommend following my lead if it’s your first time.  Take the temperatures of your oils and lye periodically and wait for them to cool.  (I hate waiting, and this part can take a while)

Once your lye water and oils are around 115 degrees, it’s time to combine them.  It’s important to be careful here too – because any splashing can cause burns.

If you’re using a hand blender, put that into your oils and kind of tilt and bang it to get the air bubbles out from under the blades.  Don’t turn it on yet.  Slowly pour your lye water directly onto the shaft of your hand blender. This minimizes splashing.

Turn your hand blender to low, and pulse it a few times to begin mixing the lye and oils.  Be careful not to lift the blender out of the mixture.  If you don’t have a hand blender, you can use a whisk (aluminum free) – just be careful not to whisk too hard causing air bubbles….also, keep in mind that hand mixing will take a lot longer.  Continue to blend until your mixture reaches trace.  For this soap, I like to stop mixing at a light trace, because floral additives can sometimes really speed things up on you.

Here’s a good look at what “trace” means.

Once you’ve reached trace, your soap is ready to pour into molds.  You can add colors, additives, and fragrance at this point….or go au-naturel and have a dye free, scent free bar.  Your call.

Here’s a look at the additives I added at this point:

1 tbsp ground wild rose petals and rosehips

3/4 tbsp kaolin clay

1/2 tsp beet root powder (for pink color)

0.5 ounces fragrance (I used one called: “Rose Bouquet”)

I mixed well, and then glopped into my silicone molds (as I said, floral additives speed up trace – which means it got a lot thicker on me).  Cover with cling wrap, and insulate with towels around it.

Let these sit for at least 24-48 hours in the mold.  When you unmold them, set them somewhere dry and cool to cure for 4-6 weeks.(I use a wire rack to maximize airflow)

 

Soap Sunday – Bubble Gum + Trucks!

Wow, I’ve been slacking lately.  Not only is it actually Monday when I’m posting this…but I also realized I forgot to post my soap for last Sunday too!

Regardless of my lackadaisical blog posting style, I think this is the longest I’ve kept a new year’s resolution going.  Probably because it’s fun.  I mean, honestly – how fun are: “call your mother more”, “lose XX lbs by June”, or “stop picking your nose in traffic”. (I threw that last one in just to see if you’re reading…I don’t do that.  *shifty face*)

I think that’s the key to long-lasting resolutions.  Make them fun.  I’m already dreaming up ideas for next week’s soap!! (I see a lavender/lemon bar in my future)

Here are weeks six & seven of my “make a new soap each week for an entire year” resolution.  I hope you like them.  As always, you can buy through my group on Facebook, or if you’re local, the Cloverbelt Local Food Co-op.

First up:  Vintage Pickup Trucks

And this week’s new soap:  “Bubble Gum”!  I love how this one came out….

Soap Sunday – Rainforest Bars + A VIDEO!

Well, it’s week 5 of my new year’s resolution, and so far I’m still going strong!  Yay!

This week, I used one of my favourite techniques – there isn’t really a name for it, so I lovingly refer to it as “Dump Soap”.  Not an appealing name, perhaps….but definitely fitting, given the way I make it.

See, one of the best things about soapmaking (in my opinion), is that you can always use your scraps.  Nothing goes to waste.

With dump soap, I chop up pieces from other loaves, practice bars, or soap that just didn’t work out the first time for whatever reason (soapmaking can be tricky!), and throw it all into a brand new loaf of soap, which always results in a really unique and interesting bar.

For this one, I used bits of a small loaf that I made when I was practicing swirling techniques!

I’m calling it “Rainforest”, and I kind of love it.  Too bad I sold them all, and I’ll never be able to duplicate it.   Oh well.  🙂

These soaps are made with a triple butter (mango, shea, and cocoa butter) base, and are chock-full of all these really cool swirly, ombre green pieces.

The scent is a custom blend with tropical florals, crisp juicy fruits, and bright greens. It is light, clean, and fresh.

Also – as a reward to myself for completing one whole month of my resolution, I’ve put together a quick little video re-cap, looking back at the new soaps I made in January.  Here it is:

Soap Sunday – Kissing Fish

I wanted to make a Valentine soap this week (week 4 of my resolution), but didn’t want to follow a traditional valentine theme (pink, hearts, etc.).  Luckily, I also had a new mold that I wanted to try, so I came up with the idea to do kissing fish!

This soap turned out so cute that I think I’ll make it (with more fish, and different colours) all year round.

It’s scented with a tropical fragrance that is phthalate and paraben free.

As always, it’s for sale on Facebook, and my local food co-op.

Soap Sunday – Bird of Paradise

If you’ve read a few of my other posts (you’re in good company if you haven’t, lol – I’m still very new at blogging, so people haven’t really found me yet!), you’ll know that I have a standing new year’s resolution  to make a new soap each week for an entire year.

This week, I’ve decided to make a tropical themed soap….because it’s -40 celsius here (funnily enough, that’s also -40 farenheit), and…well, I’m pulling a suck because I can’t go on vacation this year thinking of warmer climates. 😉

My inspiration for this soap comes from the first flowers my husband bought for me after we got home from our tropical honeymoon (just because!).  They were a beautiful arrangement of birds of paradise with blue orchids and greenery, because he wanted that tropical feeling from our honeymoon to last just a little while longer.  Actually, let me see if I can find a picture. I’m sure I have one.

Ah.  Here we go:

Anyway, I decided to create a soap that pays homage to this romantic gesture – while also allowing me to dream of warmer days, hot white sand, turquoise waters, and sweet tropical blooms.

This is my “Bird of Paradise” soap.  Not a clever name…but isn’t it pretty?  It smells like plumeria (tropical flowers) because I don’t think birds of paradise actually smell….and is made with a lovely triple butter soap (cocoa, mango, and shea butters) that is SLS & SLES free!  I’m selling them on my Facebook Group Page, and online with my local food co-op.

Soap Sunday – Sage & Citrus Bars

If you could see my “Soap Love” board over on Pinterest (you can – click here!), you would see that I’ve saved HUNDREDS of images of gorgeous soaps that I’ve pinned for future inspiration.

Anyway – this resolution of mine (to make a new soap each week for the entire year) sent me over to my soap love board in search of said inspiration…and quickly resulted in me having too many good ideas.

I hate that.

To help guide my decision, I asked members of my Facebook group to vote on what I should make next.  There were two top options provided:  sage & citrus, or a soap with a tropical theme.

Clearly, the title of this post gives away what I chose.  Sorry about that.  Tie goes to the dealer soapmaker. (tropical soap next week!)

This pretty little soap is a goats milk base with natural additives: dried ground sage, and a mix of granulated citrus (orange, lime, and lemon) peels.  I also added some calendula petals, because, why not?

Using citrus peels in skin care products can provide exfoliating,  as well as skin brightening and toning effects.  Not to mention they smell divine.  As great as they are, though – a word of caution.  Citrus oils can cause photosensitivity in some people, so always make sure to wear sunscreen if you use products with citrus in them.

Calendula (Marigold) petals are wonderful for the skin – they are super soothing, and also help to brighten and tone.

Sage has LOTS of cool properties….but the one I’m most excited about is its reported anti-aging benefits.  I think I’ll use this on my face, or maybe the back of my hands.  🙂

If you want to make this yourself, here’s the tutorial/recipe:

Materials

• 3 cups (24 oz., or 1.5 lbs) goats milk melt and pour soap base, cut into small pieces – this makes 6 four ounce bars.
• 1/2 tsp ground mixed citrus peels (I dehydrated mine in the microwave, and then ground them up in my food processor so they won’t mould)
• 1/2 tsp ground dried sage (also dehydrated in the microwave and ground up)
• 1 tbsp dried calendula petals
• Essential Oils: Sweet Orange (75 drops), Lemon (75 drops), Lime (50 drops), Clary Sage*(25 drops)
• Spray bottle (any size is fine) of 91% Rubbing Alcohol

Put cut up soap into a glass measuring cup and melt it in the microwave, 30 seconds at time; stirring between each block of time.  The time it will take to melt completely will vary depending on the appliance.

Once the soap is liquid, add your dried sage, peels, and petals.  Stir well, but take care not to create too many bubbles.  If there are bubbles on the top, spray once with rubbing alcohol.

Now, add your essential oils.  Be careful!  Citrus oils like to come out fast!

Stir again, and pour into molds.  Spray each soap with rubbing alcohol to break up the bubbles again.  Let sit for at least 2-4 hours, until set.

Your soap is ready to use when it’s fully hardened.  If you’re impatient like me, you can put these in the fridge to set up quicker.

If you make these, let me know how you make out!

Until next week –

Rachel

 

New Year – New Ideas

As some of you know, in my spare time I run a small home-based business where I make and sell all kinds of soap, as well as other natural bath&body products.  It’s called GLA:D. (I chose that name because it’s happy, and it has letters from both of my last names in it)

I started out making skin care items because my skin desperately needed alternatives to the harsh, chemical-filled products I was using.  Shortly after, I began making soap because I felt I needed a creative outlet.

The hardest thing about having a little side-business for me (besides finding the spare time) is staying motivated and engaged.

I’m probably not supposed to admit this because it probably sounds really ungrateful, but I hate hate HATE!! making the same thing over and over again.  It’s completely and totally surprising amazing that so many people love my products so much that they want a lot of them…but honestly, that sort of repetition can really sap the ol’ creative juices.

To remedy this, I’ve decided on a resolution of sorts.  Each week, I will try to create a new soap!  (soap is the most fun, and requires the most creativity to make)  This will be a weekly post, which I’ll probably call “Soap Sunday”.

What that means, is each week I’ll gather inspiration and come up with a new design, maybe use a new fragrance, try a new technique, or even use a new mold (I have tons that I haven’t even used yet)!  Introducing some challenge and novelty into my routine should help maintain my sanity for the next time I have to make 87 hockey soaps in a row.   LOL

Introducing my first new soap of 2016:  Healing Crystals Chakra Soaps!