Beauty-Holic$: Handcrafted Bar Soap Workshop

I've went a DIY Soap Workshop @ Wangsa Maju last weekend and it made me so impressed with their creativity and patient. Let's getting back to basic and make own soap. This workshop is hosted by...

Story Soap [手工皂物语坊]

Natural hand-made soap is not difficult to make, once you understand the basics. You can make a batch of soap in as little as one hour, depending on the formula.
The following is the basic formula for making all soap:

Fatty acid (oil) + Base (lye) = “A Salt” (soap)

There are 3 keys to successful soap making:
1.     Accurately weighed ingredients.
2.     A good formula.
3.     Proper technique.

There are many method to make soap and I'm learned "Melt and Pour" method which is the simplest and easy way to make own soap. :)

Ingredients Needed:-

Filtered Water
Coconut Oil
Vege Oil
Melted Tallow (Animal Fat)
99% pure Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
Empty HL Milk Box (Mold; plastic, paper, or wood)

CAUTION: LYE (Sodium Hydroxide) is caustic, corrosive, causes severe burns, and can be fatal if swallowed. Keep lye away from eyes, skin and mouth to avoid serious burns. Keep lye away from all contact with acids, children, pets, and husbands. If accidental contact occurs with skin, flush repeatedly with cold water.

Equipment Needed:-

2 Stainless Steel Bowls
Hand Mixer
Thermometer
Digital Scale
Microwave / Double Boiler

How to make it:

Heat all 3 types of oil in the microwave or in a double boiler until they reach a temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the lye pre-measured into filtered/distilled water.
Mix other ingredients (water and lye) in an unbreakable, heat-friendly bowl (like Pyrex) with a stainless steel mixing spoon. Remember do NOT breathe the lye fumes. The mixture will heat all the way up to approximately 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cool this mixture to about 115 degrees.
When both the oils and the lye water are within 10 degrees of 115 degrees, pour the lye/water mixture into the melted oils.
Use a stick blender, hand stir with a whisk or stainless steel tool until see “trace” (which is the point where can see faint soap trailing). This should happen within 5 minutes. This process could take up to a 30 minutes - 3 hours depends on the speed.
Wait for a minute to make sure that the soap is fully traced (formed together) and is not going to separate in the bowl or in molds.
Pour the thick, white, creamy soap mixture into the mold - empty box.
The bars are then removed from the mold after setting up (approximately 24 to 48 hours). They are restacked and allowed to “cure” or dry until hard.
The soap will need to sit out for a full 6 weeks/ 45 days before using.