I tried a new soap recipe last weekend and I liked it very much. It is a castille soap that uses coconut and palm oil in addition to olive oil. These oils are less expensive than olive oil and it only took about 10 minutes to trace versus at least an hour for pure olive oil. It lathers beautifully and has the same qualities as pure olive oil. This recipe also produces a harder bar of soap.

Olive, coconut & palm oil soap bar

Refer to previous soap post for complete soap making process details if you are a beginner!

3 pounds cold water or 2 pounds goat milk soap and 1 cup water

473 grams sodium hydroxide

4 pounds (1.81 kg) olive oil

2 pounds 8 ounces (1.13 kg) coconut oil

1 pound 8 ounces (680 g) palm oil

optional: fragrance essential oil & coloring

Directions

Line your mold with freezer paper and mitre corners to make a clean edge and tape paper in place.

Measure out fragrance essential oils and coloring if using, and set aside to be added at trace.

Using safely glasses and gloves mix sodium hydroxide and liquid until completely dissolved. Make sure room is well ventilated as this mixture will create fumes. I add the lye a small bit at a time and stir until dissolved before adding more. This slows heat production and curdling of milk if using milk, and lessens the intensity of fumes produced. Set aside and let cool to 80 degrees F.

While lye mixture is cooling begin mixing oils. Heat oil to 80 degrees F. I purchase coconut and palm oil in microwavable containers so I melt and then weigh out the correct amount.

When lye and oils are at the correct temperatures mix oil into the lye mixture slowly beating until incorporated. Continue to add/mix until all oil is added. Beat with electric mixer until the soap reaches trace. (Trace is when the soap drizzles sit on top of the soap mixture briefly before melting in.) At trace add fragrance and color if desired.

Quickly pour into prepared molds and cover with freezer paper. Soap should be stored in a place where it will not be disturbed. Cover with blanket or towels to insulate the soap for the next 24 hours. Do not Disturb!!

After 24-48 hours remove from molds. Cut and trim into whatever size bars you desire. Now is the time to stamp if you want to add that decorative touch. Place soap bars on a screen to cure for 4-6 weeks. Cover lightly with cloth to protect. If using plastic molds you may need to place in the freezer for a short period of time in order to get the soap to release cleanly. This will not damage the soap in any way. I have used this technique many times for molded soap or candles.

This recipe makes approximately 40- 4 ounce bars. I use cardboard boxes as molds along with some commercial plastic molds. Feel free to experiment with things you have around the house to use as molds. Some people use individual yogurt cups, etc. There are wooden boxes of many sizes and shapes that can be purchased from soap making suppliers.

plastic soap molds- 6 oz.

Happy soaping!

This soap recipe was taken from The Natural Soap Book, by Susan Miller Cavitch.