OK, not entirely. I only have to wait 4 weeks to bathe with this soap. This here is a sneak peek at what currently resides on top of my refrigerator. It's my first ever attempt at soapmaking. The soap takes at least 4 weeks to cure. And with a toddler in the house, just about the only safe place to let these bars sit, is on top of the fridge.They're not evenly cut, but they smell nice - peppermint, of course. If they turn out well, they'll get us all clean, even in their clunky state.
Through a thrifting treasure hunt, I slowly started accumulating all the necessary soapmaking supplies, including: a stainless steel pot for $4, two utensils at .25 cents each, a hand blender for $2, two soap molds (a mini loaf pan for $4 and a tupperware container for $2,) a pitcher for .77 cents and a leftover pasta sauce jar for measuring the sodium hydroxide.
I found The Soapmaker's Companion by Susan Cavitch at my local library. Essentially, this is the the go-to source for soapmakers. Also handy was this link which showed me how to properly mix my solution to make lye.We are trying to stay sulfate-free and had been buying fantastic (and highly recommended) Sparta peppermint soap from etsy. But now, at $5 a bar, I thought I'd try my hand at soapmaking. Since 15 bars of soap would run $75 (yikes!) we're coming out ahead with our $50 investment because it includes reusable supplies. And we have soap for a year.
In 4 weeks time, I'll report back to let you know how, and if, my soap turned out. Stay tuned.
4 comments:
I won an apron in a blog giveaway and the blogger also sent me a bar of soap that she had made with lye. I loved it. I hope yours turns out as nice as hers did. And, just think: you will all smell minty fresh. :)
Oh WHAT fun!! If I were you I would be be trying to stop and smell my soap all day long!! I am always inspired by your site!!
This weekend I bought a tube of Tom's Toothpaste at Target and I honestly had to stop and think of your site and all the fun all natural things you make! My mom and I have a goal of someday making our own deodarant :O) I'm hunting for what I need to make it on the clearnace wrack ;O)
Have a wonderful day!!
PS I love the Tom's Toothpaste it is so different than "normal" brands. My teeth actually did feel cleaner the first time I brushed with it ;O)
Looking great, Diane!
Pretty soon when you make soap, you'll forget that it's been four weeks and you finally dig it out after 2 months of "curing." lol It's just the first few batches that seem to take forever.
Wow, you never cease to amaze me. How DO you find the time with a very busy toddler running around you?
Way to go though! Your ideas are fun and crafty AND inspirational!
Post a Comment