Soap Making

[Iluveggers]

I took a class tonight on making soap from lard & lye. I have two huge bags of pork fat in my freezer, so this was impeccable timing! They sent us home with a few bars of soap (made previously), a silicone mold, and an essential oil to give it some scent. Best clsss I’ve taken in a long time. Does anyone else make soap this way (or another way, like with goat’s milk?) Would love some stories or tips! Planning to make lard this weekend, and try the soap next weekend.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I don't make lard soap, but I do make egg soap using lye, oils, and eggs from my chickens. Haven't had the time to make any in a while, though thankfully when I started up I made a ton to practice so I still have a lot of my homemade soap to use.

I don't know how making lard soap differs from making egg soap, however, so I'm not sure if I have any worthwhile tips for you or anything. Just wanted to say hi to a fellow soaper!

 

[Sally PB]

Oh, how cool! I hope you have good luck, @Iluveggers! Soap is another thing I'd like to be able to make myself.

All I remember reading about making soap was that it was CRITICAL to put the lye INTO the water, and not the other way around.

@pipdzipdnreadytogo, I have never heard of egg soap. Can you give a bit more info?

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

I took a class tonight on making soap from lard & lye. I have two huge bags of pork fat in my freezer, so this was impeccable timing! They sent us home with a few bars of soap (made previously), a silicone mold, and an essential oil to give it some scent. Best clsss I’ve taken in a long time. Does anyone else make soap this way (or another way, like with goat’s milk?) Would love some stories or tips! Planning to make lard this weekend, and try the soap next weekend.

I don't make soap, but sometimes I felt it! You use a mesh, lay down your design, put the soap on top, and close the mesh up in a little bag. Then you dip it in water and scrub it a lot so the wool will tighten on! It's a really neat way to personalize the soap you make

 

[Sally PB]

I don't make soap, but sometimes I felt it! You use a mesh, lay down your design, put the soap on top, and close the mesh up in a little bag. Then you dip it in water and scrub it a lot so the wool will tighten on! It's a really neat way to personalize the soap you make

Well, that is a cool idea! Do you have some pictures of your soap?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo, I have never heard of egg soap. Can you give a bit more info?

It's just regular cold process with egg mixed in! You do want to adjust the water in your recipe just a tiny bit to make up for the water in the egg, but other than that it's the same recipe as without egg. I have been doing about 50 grams of egg and ~1.3oz less water per pound of oil in the recipe. I use my stick blender to blend the egg in a separate dish so that it's smooth in consistency, then blend it into the oils before adding the lye. It's important that your oils and lye be cooled a bit, no hotter than ~105°F or so, or otherwise the egg tends to coagulate instead of incorporating nicely into the soap. The egg gives it a funky smell when you first mix the lye in, but that will dissipate as the soap cures. Other than that it's no different than making regular cold process soap.

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

Well, that is a cool idea! Do you have some pictures of your soap?

Uh, yeah? I'll upload some later. I only made a few but I still have the materials to make it.