How to Make Homemade Soap in Easy Steps

Before starting, ensure you have all necessary ingredients: lye (sodium hydroxide), water, and oils (such as olive oil, coconut oil, or palm oil). You will also need a digital scale, safety goggles, gloves, a heat-resistant container for lye, a thermometer, a stick blender, a soap mold, and a measuring cup.

Put on your safety goggles and gloves. Lye is caustic and can cause burns, so handle it with care. Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling any fumes.

Measure out the required amount of lye and carefully combine it with distilled water in a heat-resistant container. Always add lye to water, never the other way around, stirring gently until dissolved. The mixture will heat up as you stir.

Measure out the oils you intend to use for your soap recipe. If you're using solid oils like coconut or palm oil, melt them down in a microwave or a double boiler until they are completely liquid. Combine them with any liquid oils you are using.

Allow both the lye solution and the melted oils to cool to about 100-110°F (37-43°C). The temperatures should be close to each other to ensure they mix properly.

Once both the lye and oils are at a suitable temperature, slowly pour the lye solution into the oils while using a stick blender to blend the two mixtures. Blend until you reach 'trace,' which means the mixture thickens and leaves a trail when drizzled over itself.

At trace, you can add any essential oils for fragrance and colorants if desired. Mix these well into the soap base.

Carefully pour the soap mixture into prepared molds, smoothing the top as needed. Use a spatula to scrape out any remaining soap from the mixing container.

Cover the molds with a towel or plastic wrap to insulate them, helping to encourage a proper saponification (the chemical reaction in soap making).

Allow the soap to sit undisturbed for 24-48 hours until it hardens. Once firm, you can remove it from the molds.

Cut the soap into bars using a sharp knife or soap cutter. Place the bars on a drying rack in a cool, dry area, allowing them to cure for 4-6 weeks before using them.

After curing, your soap is ready to use! Store it in a cool, dry place to maintain its quality.