To make soap each ingredient is precisely measured by weight.
The coconut oil and palm oil are solid at room temperature while the olive oil and castor oil are liquids.
The oils must melt and be warmed to the correct temperature and the lye/water solution must cool to the same temperature before they are combined.
Once the proper temperature has been reached the lye solution is added to the oils.
After the process of combining ingredients, the substance is stirred until the lye has reacted with the oils enough to produce the appropriate consistency. This reaction is called saponification and is the process by which the oils and lye are turned into soap.
Castor oil(as a superfatting agent) and essential oils are added right before the soap is poured into molds.
Twenty-four hours later the soap is ready to be taken out of the molds and cut.
Beyond this point, at least two weeks are required for curing before the bars are ready for use.
The sharp edges of the bars are then shaved off and we package them up.
We plan to add additional photos to this post in the near future!
