Soap Making With Herbal Oils

Tave

I was playing around with making herbal oils and ended up with way too much. I bet that's never happened to anyone here! 🙄🤣 Then a friend offered to teach me how to make soap. I got lost down a rabbit hole and came up several months later after learning how to make tallow and all the science behind the process. Still trying to perfect the recipe.

I prefer not to use essential oils because they're expensive and evaporate rather quickly. And I was impressed at how well the infused oils held up.

The first attempt was eucalyptus oil, and the soap smelled great. But I wonder how much of the herb's medicinal benefits survive the saponification process and if anyone has some good recipes for all-natural soaps and shampoo bars. Any ideas?

annbeck62

Full disclosure, soap making is one thing I've never tried. I've heard it's easy but using lye and the precautions around it intimidate me. So only guessing here and could be totally wrong, but it seems to me some of the more fragile components might get destroyed but some of the less heat sensitive ones would be ok.

Torey

I have also never made soap.

I've been waiting for a market where I can chat with a soap maker in the area to find out more and what her opinion is on the medicinal properties of the finished soap.

There is a homemade shampoo ebook available in the TGN library.

Tave

I asked Doc Jones about how much medicine survives the process, and he wasn't sure. He said heat is the most damaging to herbal medicine, so some might survive the cold process (100F/38C).

I'm still nervous about the lye, but having a friend that knows the process walk me through it helped.

LaurieLovesLearning

@Tave This is what I wanted to do if I ever did soap. I had the same questions and figured that the answer would be like what your conclusion seems to be.

I am also intimidated by the lye aspect. We do know someone who is willing to go through the process with us to teach us. We just have to figure out a time that works.

Tave

Yeah, we're all so busy, and it does take time.

I learned to melt the oil first so it can cool to the right temperature while activating the lye because it takes longer for oil to cool than the lye. And if you use tallow, you need patience. Fortunately, there are some excellent YouTube videos on how to fix mistakes.🤣

nicksamanda11

I have made many batches of soap (after rendering and cleaning my own grass fed tallow as well) and I have wondered how much medicinal benefit was in it.

I used patchouli EO and spirulina in the last batch and it was so beautiful. Then one day most of the green was gone- so there probably was not much herbal benefit left at that point.

It does have top notch lather though so I will not complain. Also, the patchouli smell made it through everything and still smells strong enough to be gently pleasing.

I made liquid castille soap one time only, (not with tallow but coconut oil in this one) it broke my crock pot, but it was CLEAR!! Oh so worth it, I think. Will I ever be able to do it again?! Who knows??

Overall homemade soap is awesome!

Wear safety goggles and gloves guys- then it's no fear soapmaking. I even had my husband helping and he dropped the crockpot into the lye and splashed it out (OOPS😳) and we came through ok. Got cleaned up, still made great soap, and only had one burn because I was wearing flip flops and it splashed my foot.

I like soapcalc to help make sure I have the right ratios. I am interested in learning how to calculate my own ratios one day, but for now- technology has it's benefits😇.

natalie_miller

@Nicksamanda11, do you have a recipe you could share for the Castile soap you made? I’ve always wanted to try making it!

To those who are nervous about lye… just be safe and aware and you will be just fine! 😊 After you’ve made your first batch of soap you‘ll wonder why you were so nervous in the first place! 😊

LaurieLovesLearning

@natalie_miller Ist it that way with most things? 😆

KarynPennington

I have used lavender infused olive oil in my soaps and it seems to work well. I don't know about how the medicinal/therapeutic benefits survived, but it is a good way to use up some of that extra infused oil before it goes bad (lol). For those who are concerned about the lye process, find a friend that does it and have her show/teach you. You really only need to see it done once and you'll be fine. Wear gloves and do it outside away from the breeze and it's easy peasy. I had a friend ask me how to do it about 3 years ago. She's taken off and has an online soap/lotion business and has left me in the dust. I'm thrilled for her, I have no interest in selling/marketing. But, it's really not bad. It is intimidating, I remember my first time, I felt like I was in a haz-mat suit, but I don't even use gloves now. I'm just sure to be downwind from it, because you do not want to breathe the vapors.

vickeym

After reading all this I went and did a search for "cold process soap." I found this site which includes a lot of links to recipes including for beginners. There is even a recipe for a "Simple Castile Soap."

https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-cold-process/

nicksamanda11

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/921331#Comment_921331

I just looked and I did not save the instructions I used. You can probably find some easy enough. Have fun!

vickeym

Here is a recipe for a liquid castile soap I found:

https://thethingswellmake.com/easy-beginner-diy-liquid-castile-soap-recipe/

nicksamanda11

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/921331#Comment_921331

I just looked and I did not save the instructions I used for liquid soap. It's been a couple years since I made it. It will be easy to find one that works though- have fun!