Apple Cider Soap
Use real apple cider and a warm fall fragrance to create a beautiful bar that has all the best things of autumn.
Servings: 10 bars
Equipment
- Safety gear
- Safety equipment (gloves, goggles, apron)
- Old saucepan
Ingredients
- 10 ounces apple cider
- 4.21 ounces lye
- 5 ounces sweet almond oil
- 8 ounces coconut oil
- 12 ounces olive oil
- 5 ounces shea butter
- 2 tablespoons Comfort and Joy fragrance oil from Nurture Soap
Instructions
- Prepare the apple cider. Freeze the apple cider for a few hours until it reaches a slushy consistency.
- Measure the oils and lye. Using a digital scale, measure out the lye, oils, and butter.
- Mix the lye and cider. Carefully add the lye to the partially frozen cider and stir until completely blended. The mixture will melt, heat up, and may change color. Set aside in a safe place.
- Melt oils and butter. Melt the oils and shea butter over low heat until completely melted and heated to 140°F (60°C). Set aside to cool.
- Prepare mold and additional ingredients. Prepare your soap mold and any color or fragrance you plan to use.
- Combine oils and cider mixture. When the oils and cider mixture cools to about 110°F (43°C), pour the mixture into the melted oils. Blend using a stick blender until "trace" is achieved – the soap thickens slightly, and a trail of soap rests on top of the batter rather than sinking in immediately.
- Add fragrance. Stir in the fragrance oil by hand.
- Pour into mold and smooth. Pour the soap batter into the prepared mold, gently smoothing out the top. Allow it to cure at room temperature.
- Unmold and cure. Un-mold the soap after 24 hours, cut it into bars, and let the bars cure for 2 weeks before using.
Notes
Before you begin, get all your stuff and ingredients ready so you're not rushing during the process.
Make sure the apple cider you use is fresh and doesn't have preservatives because they can mess up the soap-making.
Put the cider in ice cube trays and freeze it to make it easier to handle and speed up the cooling when adding lye.
A strong stick blender will help you get to the "trace" stage faster and more evenly.
Allow the soap to cure for a full 2 weeks to make sure it's fully ready and gentle on your skin.
If you want to add exfoliants like oatmeal or coffee grounds, wait until after the soap has thickened, and then mix them in by hand. Ground oatmeal would be great in this!
If you’re making lots of soap or different types, labeling them can help you remember when they are ready and what's in them.