Coconut oil is a common ingredient in many hand soaps. Some products contain artificial fragrance, which may cause skin sensitivity in some individuals. In coconut oil soap making unsurprisingly coconut oil is a main ingredient. If you want to create a luxury lathering soap, try this odorless recipe.
Why Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil contains a very unique fatty acid structure. The medium chain fatty acids act as a natural anti-bacterial, which is great for killing germs on the surface of the skin. The purer coconut hand soaps is very luxurious and lathering. Only a little is required. The main ingredients required for soap include water, lye and oil. Make sure that you wear rubber gloves throughout this coconut hand soap making process, as lye is a caustic product.
Materials and Ingredients for Coconut Soap Making
There are various materials that you will required for the coconut oil soap making exercise before you start. Gather a kitchen scale in which you can measure the ingredients, a non-metallic heatproof dish (for the lye), thermometer, soap mold, and stainless steel/wooden spoon.
The ingredients for the coconut hand soap require 73 grams of lye, 473 ml of coconut oil, and 177 ml of water.
Directions For Coconut Soap Making
- Put the water in the heatproof dish and pour in the lye. Ensure that you are wearing rubber gloves and don’t let the mixture splash onto your skin as it can burn. The mixture will become hot. Now let it cool.
- Add the coconut oil to a saucepan and heat it to approximately 100 ?F.
- When the lye solution has cooled to room temperature, add the solution into the coconut oil using the metal or wooden spoon and stir constantly.
- You will notice that the soap starts to take on a clear consistently. As it cools the soap will thicken and turn white. The consistency should be like a thick milkshake. Stir frequently to remove any lumps. Transfer the soap solution to a warm location.
- Test the thickness of the soap by using a spoonful of the soap and drizzling it over the soap solution. If it sits on top of the solution without sinking, the mixture is ready for the mold.
- Pour it into the soap mold and keep it there for up to 48 hours, or until hard.
- At this point, the soap may still have a soft texture. Use a warm knife to cut the soap into bars. Wait a minimum two weeks before using. If at this point the soap is still too soft, wait for it to harden. Wash your hands with the soap to test its effectiveness. If your hands remain slimy and the soap will not remove from your skin, give it further time to cure.
Summary
Coconut Oil soap making is very simple with three simple ingredients – water, lye and oil. Follow the directions above to make your own odourless soap, or add up to 40 drops of essential oils to scent
