LYE CALCULATORCommon Oils Used in Soap Making
BASIC SOAP RECIPE!
We hope you find the Lye Calculator useful.
You can create "Cold Process" soap recipes quite easily with oils you have on hand.
Just enter the amounts of oils you would like use in your soap recipe and voila! - your lye is calculated!
Here is a break down of the kinds of soap you can make:
#1 - I want to Make Soap!
What kind of soap would you like to make? We play soap detective quite a bit and this will help us - help you.
There are several ways to make soap:
1. a) Fun soap - Melt and Pour
Melt & Pour Bases
Simply chop soap base, melt in microwave, add
colour, scent, optional ingredients and pour in any mold (our designer
molds, candy molds, drawer organizers, sand toys, milk cartons, etc.)
1. b) Cold Process
Quickie Soap Recipe
This is the natural way to make soap. The cold process method is the most common "soap making from scratch method". When you hear the term "cold process soap" it simply means that the fats/oils are heated separately to a required temperature and the lye/water are combined separately to a required temperature.
When the oils and the lye/water mixture reach the desired temperature they are combined. The mixture is stirred for a period of time (anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 or more hours) until it reaches "the trace". The trace is a desired consistency of a thin pudding or runny honey.
Once desired consistency is achieved, the soap can be coloured, scented or any other optional ingredients added and then poured into molds. After 24 - 48 hours the soap is released from the mold(s), sliced and stacked and allowed to "cure" or dry hard for a minimum of 3 weeks to 6 weeks depending on formula. The hardest part for any new soaper is the curing process (you have to wait!). This curing process allows the lye to neutralize and continue saponification. Using soap before its time may result in caustic soap, which may irritate the skin or cause soap to be soft and mushy.
1. c) Rebatching
This is grating natural, handmade soap and melting down again.
Usually adding a bit of water and melting over low heat. Then colour and fragrance can
be added. The soap is poured into molds and allowed to set.
1. d) Hot process - this is the cold process method taken to the next level.
Takes a bit more time. Once your soap has traced - continue to cook over low heat for an hour or
more. This neutralizes the lye so that scenting your soap is not such a
challenge or wasteful of your essential oils. We do not have a recipe for this.
1. e) Glycerine soap from Scratch
Taking the hot process method to the next level with more time and safety precautions in place. Recipes will call for adding glycerine, alcohol, sugar, etc. We do not have recipes for this kind of soap making.
Lye Calculator<BR>Soap Making Procedures