Hot Process Soap
Ready to use in just a few days, hot process soap is easy for beginners and gives you a moisturizing bar with great lather.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Safety equipment (gloves, goggles, apron)
- Heat-safe spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Thermometer (to check temperatures of lye water and oils)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces water
- 4.26 ounces lye
- 3 ounces avocado oil
- 9 ounces coconut oil
- 9 ounces palm oill
Add at trace
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 ounce water
Instructions
- Prepare the lye solution. Put on your gloves, goggles, and apron for safety. Carefully add the lye to the water (never the other way around). Stir until the lye is fully dissolved. The mixture will get very hot, so set it aside in a safe place to cool.Tip: Always remember, “snow floats on the lake,” meaning lye should be added to water, not vice versa.
- Melt the oils. Measure and combine the avocado, coconut, and palm oil in a large pot. Then, melt the oils over medium-low heat until fully melted, stirring occasionally. Once melted, set the pot aside to cool.
- Blend to trace. Once the lye water and oils have cooled to around 100-115°F, it’s time to mix. Then, pour the cooled lye water into the slow cooker, followed by the melted oils. Use a stick blender to blend the mixture until it reaches trace—when the soap batter thickens slightly and leaves a trail when lifted.
- Cook the soap. Cover the slow cooker and cook the soap on the low setting for 45-60 minutes. Stir occasionally. The soap will change color and become gel-like and translucent through the “gel phase.” It’s ready when it has this gel-like consistency throughout.
- Cool and add the yogurt. Remove the insert from the slow cooker and place it on a heat-safe surface (use potholders to protect your counter). Let the soap cool to around 180°F. While it’s cooling, mix the Greek yogurt with 1 ounce of water. Once the soap has cooled slightly, briefly blend in the yogurt mixture. Then, add any fragrance or essential oils you like at this point.
- Pour into the mold. Scrape all the soap batter into a prepared loaf mold using a spatula. Smooth out the top of the soap with the spatula. Allow the soap to set and harden for 12-24 hours.
- Cut and cure. Once the soap has hardened, remove it from the mold and slice it into bars. Although the soap is safe to use immediately, it will last longer if you allow it to cure for 1-2 weeks.
