Coffee Soap
Yesterday night, I wanted to try making soap again. You may remember this if you've been here since 2006 - I tried making soap before. The only problem was that I didn't have any type of instrument to help me stir the lye mixture fast enough, so the "trace" (which is when the mixture begins to thicken) never really happened. Since it was my first time making soap, I didn't know exactly how thick the mixture was supposed to get before putting it in the mold, so it was 3 weeks before I realized the soap wasn't going to turn out. It just ended up being the consistency of crisco. Ugh!
After more research, I learned that you can use a stick blender to mix the lye/oil combination, and then I also found an even better way- using a blender. The blender is the quickest way to get the mixture to trace, so that is the one I chose.
(Note: Because lye is caustic, it is very important to be extremely careful working with it, always wearing gloves and if you want to be extra careful, goggles - which I did wear the first time!.)
I decided it was time to try again. So I got out the bucket of lard, which has been sitting around and waiting...along with the lye (100% sodium hydroxide), some coffee fragrance, 7 oz of coffee, and got started.
Here is the recipe I used:
Easy Coffee Soap
8 oz soybean oil
4 oz Coconut Oil
4 oz olive oil
2.3 oz lye
7 ounces strong coffee in place of water
1 tablespoon coffee added at trace (I used coffee fragrance oil)
Only, I didn't have any of those types of oil on hand this week, and decided to use the melted lard instead (because many of the other recipes use 16 oz lard to the same equivalent of lye. I think the other oils might not really be necessary, just nice). Accurate measurements ARE necessary though, I know that. I use a small scale to get it right.
I know...this stuff below really doesn't look like it would make pretty soap....
But it does!
Here are the step by step directions that I followed in order to make the soap with the blender.
When I poured the mixture out of the blender, it was the consistency of frosting...almost looked good enough to eat...looks can be deceiving!
Note: Near the end, I added about 1/2 cup of oats to the batch as well.
Within a couple of hours, it was already hardened to the point where it feels like soap. I will let it sit until tomorrow, then cut it into bars, then let the bars cure for 3 weeks. Then they will be ready for use!
After more research, I learned that you can use a stick blender to mix the lye/oil combination, and then I also found an even better way- using a blender. The blender is the quickest way to get the mixture to trace, so that is the one I chose.
(Note: Because lye is caustic, it is very important to be extremely careful working with it, always wearing gloves and if you want to be extra careful, goggles - which I did wear the first time!.)
I decided it was time to try again. So I got out the bucket of lard, which has been sitting around and waiting...along with the lye (100% sodium hydroxide), some coffee fragrance, 7 oz of coffee, and got started.
Here is the recipe I used:
Easy Coffee Soap
8 oz soybean oil
4 oz Coconut Oil
4 oz olive oil
2.3 oz lye
7 ounces strong coffee in place of water
1 tablespoon coffee added at trace (I used coffee fragrance oil)
Only, I didn't have any of those types of oil on hand this week, and decided to use the melted lard instead (because many of the other recipes use 16 oz lard to the same equivalent of lye. I think the other oils might not really be necessary, just nice). Accurate measurements ARE necessary though, I know that. I use a small scale to get it right.
I know...this stuff below really doesn't look like it would make pretty soap....
But it does!
Here are the step by step directions that I followed in order to make the soap with the blender.
When I poured the mixture out of the blender, it was the consistency of frosting...almost looked good enough to eat...looks can be deceiving!
Note: Near the end, I added about 1/2 cup of oats to the batch as well.
Within a couple of hours, it was already hardened to the point where it feels like soap. I will let it sit until tomorrow, then cut it into bars, then let the bars cure for 3 weeks. Then they will be ready for use!
Bethany,
You always challenge me to try something new!!!! Thanks! Now my wheels are turning....
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Alicia, that makes my day!
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www.millersoap.com
I'm *pretty sure* that's the address. Excellent trouble-shooting guide for soap.
I've been making soap for several years now - we love it! We use it to shave with and my guys use it for shampoo, too. It's saved us lots of money. :p
Other than that, I was just going to say that you have to be careful subsituting oils. They sponify at different rates - the olive oil and soybean in this recipe might have been "superfatting" oils to make the recipe extra moisturizing, but if they were actually needed to absorb some of the lye and aren't there, the lye will still be in the soap once it's cured. Which basically is how grandma's lye soap got such a bad name as being 'harsh'.
That looks like such YUMMY soap! Now I'm thinking about trying this recipe, and we still have at least a year's supply of soap on hand ... LOL! Maybe I can foist some on someone unsuspecting!
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Oh! That is very interesting, Ashley, I didn't know that about the fats and the reasons for the different oils. I just assumed it wasn't necessary because other recipes only called for lye and lard. I will eventually learn all of this stuff! Thank you for the website!!!
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Bethany,
I make soap all the time and I have started using reclaimed oil from the cafe in town. It suds up great and everyone loves, plus free oil. I may just go that way all the time now. I have a page on my blog telling about how I make soap.
Debbieo
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I forgot to say that when I make coffee soap I put in some coffee grounds and oatmeal, words great for getting the smell of onions, garden dirt and even grease off your hands
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Oh awesome! Wish I had thought of the coffee grounds! I'll have to try it next time.
That's awesome how you get the free oil! I couldn't find your post about soap...could you possibly give me a link?
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Bethany,
My husband makes homemade soap too. Just last week he made organic vanilla with mango butter for me, and a lemon burbeana (sp?). They both smell great. Just like above my guys use it for shampoo also and it ends up being better for the eczema/psyrosis sufferers in my home. I will get him to research a coffee soap.
Off to doctor appointment. Have a great weekend. Our baby if all goes well with be here early Monday morning. Will send a picture if I can.
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Wow, would you husband be willing to divulge his recipe? I make soap on occasion but am looking for a nice citrus soap to make for my mom. Does he ever use homegrown ingredients? We have lavender from our garden and rosehips that we harvest from the woods. This year the Lord blessed us with an abundance of rose hips so I am trying to find new and creative ways to use them especially in healthcare products.
Thanks a bunch in advance!!!
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Excellent post! I have been working up the nerve to make soap for some time now. I am not sure why, but soap seems so dangerous. I've heard all these stories about blowing things up, etc with lye if made inside. Anyhow, I like your links and pics...keep it up!
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