Coconut Soap

The history of soap making has been traced back to the ancient Mesopotamian culture. In those times, soap was prepared by combining ash with cypress oil or sesame oil. Even the ancient Egyptians used to make soap from animal fats or vegetable oils combined with alkaline salts. Now, soap making is a huge industry and soaps are available in many different types and are made with a variety of ingredients. However, homemade soaps are always preferred to store-bought ones. Such soaps can be prepared with different products and coconut is one among them.

Soap Making

Traditional soap making involves lye and fats (derived from animal or plant matter). Combining fats with lye leads to a process called saponification, which results in formation of soap. Contrary to most of the industrial soaps, handmade ones are rich in glycerin as well as fats. Homemade soap is usually made in three different ways. The most simplest among them is the melt and pour method, where you buy a soap base and add the fragrance as well as other additives. Others include cold process and hot process that are comparatively difficult and is best done by people with a good knowledge about the process.

So, soaps are made from lye and fats and the most commonly used fats include cocoa butter, palm oil, lard, shea butter, coconut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil and olive oil. Even grape seed oil, hemp oil, almond oil and wheat germ oil are used for making soaps. Soaps made from coconut derivatives like coconut milk, cream and oil are called coconut soaps. Coconut, especially, coconut oil, is good for skin in many ways. Apart from moisturizing the skin, it is also good for preventing signs of aging. This oil is also anti fungal and anti bacterial in nature. So coconut is used in a whole lot of skin care products, including soaps.

How to Make Coconut Soap

As soap making involves handling of lye, the procedure has to be done carefully, with all precautionary measures. You must have a fair understanding about the cold process method of making soap, before venturing into this task. You may also attend some demonstration classes to enhance your knowledge about the subject. Once you are sure that you can prepare soap with lye, through the cold process method, then, you may try the following recipe. In order to prepare soap as per this recipe, you require 2.5 ounces of lye, 16 ounces of virgin coconut oil and 5 ounces of water.

Before starting with the process, make sure to wear safety gear like goggles and gloves. Choose a well ventilated place to work. Take a Pyrex bowl and mix water with lye. Keep this bowl aside and in another bowl, melt the coconut oil. The next step is to mix the lye for soap making and oil. While mixing the lye must have a temperature of 105 degrees and the oil must be around 110 degrees. Slowly pour the lye to the oil and stir the mixture with a hand blender, till it starts solidifying. This stage, wherein the soap-lye mixture starts thickening is called the trace stage. The next step is to pour the mixture into soap molds. After a few days (5 to 7), you can take out the soap bars and let them cure for around two months. Once cured, your coconut soap is ready to use.

In short, making soap at home is an easy task, provided, you know the right methods. This soap can be prepared through melt and pour method too. In such case, all you have to do is to melt the soap base and add the desired additives. In order to prepare a citrus coconut soap, you require a transparent melt and pour soap base, half tablespoon of coconut oil, along with a few drops of lemon oil and other essential oils of your choice. Melt the soap base and add the coconut oil, just before removing from heat. Whisk the mixture well and add three drops each of lemon oil, orange oil and grapefruit oil. If you wish, you may add a few drops of lemon color to the mixture and combine well, before pouring into molds. If you are a beginner, try soap making, only after acquiring a thorough knowledge about the same.