Base Oil + Sodium Hydroxide + Water (distilled water)
For newcomers, the most frustrating thing is how to start, White's suggestion is to go to the bookstore and buy a book that is worthy of reference, and there are many handmade soap books in the market for reference.
With a reference book, you can then decide on a recipe -- >
After deciding on a recipe, you can then buy the ingredients -- oil, sodium hydroxide, and distilled water (you can also use purified water) -- >
Tools -- You can prioritize the tools that are no longer needed in your home kitchen, such as a mixer for making desserts and stainless-steel pots and pans (don't use aluminum pots and tools to make soap!). Do not use aluminum pans or tools to make soap! Sodium hydroxide will interact with aluminum), and thermometers; In addition to the general household will not have something, is a small scale, the most important thing is to make soap is the measurement of the ingredients in the recipe, 1-2 grams of error, on a small amount of soap production, will have a considerable degree of impact, so it is recommended to buy the error value of no more than one gram of the scale to use the appropriate --- >
Starting to make To begin, measure the oil. The scale shown here is an electronic one.
Pour the oil into the pan according to the measurements in the recipe; when the recipe is complete, measure the oil and heat it to 55 degrees Celsius. Stir the oil as it heats up; sometimes the recipe may contain lipids like the one shown in the picture, so be careful to allow the oil and the lipids to dissolve completely in the pan.
Making the lye -- This is an important step in making handmade soap. Remember that sodium hydroxide is a strong base, so be sure to make the lye in a ventilated area and wear a mask and gloves. When mixing the lye, the sodium hydroxide must be poured slowly into the water and stirred at the same time. At first the lye will be cloudy as shown in the picture on the left, and then it will become clear and transparent as shown in the picture on the right. A small amount of lye can be made in glassware, but for a large amount of lye, it is recommended to use a metal container.
When the lye and oil have dropped to a temperature of about 50 degrees Celsius, pour the lye into the oil and start stirring. Use an electric mixer to make the mixture, which saves time and effort, but for novices, it is recommended that you use a whisk, mix quickly for 2 minutes, stop for a minute, and then continue again, so on and so forth, until the soap in the pot appears to have thickened.
Then you can add flavorings, colorings, or vanilla. Mix again until it is a thick soup, then pour into the molds.
The soap will solidify in about 5 - 10 minutes after being poured into the molds. When the soap is ready to be formed, there will be a distinct saponification reaction, like the darker part in the middle you see in the picture, also known as the jelly stage.
Please note that after the soap is poured into the mold, the mold is covered with a thick towel, and the picture is taken in an open-ended manner to allow you to see how the soap changes as it is formed. The soap is actually covered.
After 24 - 48 hours of resting, the soap can be taken out of the mold and placed in slices in a ventilated area. After four weeks, the pH value is measured, and if it is below 9, the soap is ready for use.