Rosemary Mint Castile Soap

Thick lathering castile soap bars made with the purest ingredients. So simple to make and it's cold pressed so no cooking time is needed. All you need is oil, lye and time! Just be sure to run your measurements through this soap calculator and you're all set. These bars took about 5 weeks to cure fully and last a long time in my busy home. They have a nice mild yet thick lather and are excellent for all over use. This is my favorite recipe I've made and because it is so darn pure! 

I used a tiny amount of mint and rosemary which was not too noticeable as i don't like strong scents, even essential oils overpower my senses so I use them sparingly. If you want it nice and scented follow this recipe. Enjoy!

Rosemary Mint Castile Soap

 Ingredients

• 280 grams olive oil
• 100 grams sunflower oil
• 100 grams grapeseed oil
• 120 grams coconut oil

Lye – Water solution

• 83 grams lye (sodium hydroxide)
• 228 grams distilled water
• 1 OZ essential oils (I did 1/2 of each rosemary and half mint)

Instructions For Making Cold Processed Soap 

1. Measure and set aside your essential oils you will be adding to your soap recipe.
2. Dissolve the lye (sodium hydroxide) by pouring lye (sodium hydroxide) into water distilled water LYE INTO WATER. Make sure that you do this in a well ventilated room or even outside. Take your time to make sure that it is completely dissolved. Let cool.
3. Weigh out your oils using a digital kitchen scale.
4. Place all of your oils in saucepan and heat them on low-medium heat. Use your thermometer to monitor that the temperature does not go over 150F.
5. Remove from heat when your oils are between 120F and 140F.
6. Monitor the temperature of your lye-water solution with the thermometer. When the lye-solution and the melted oils reach about the same temperature (between 100F and 120F), add the lye-solution to the melted oils. 
7. Use a stick hand blender to mix the soap solution. You should be still wearing your goggles and gloves. Be careful not to splash. Continue to mix until you’re the mixture reaches trace (this means that the mixture has thickened enough that when you drizzle some on the top of the mixture, it leaves a trail (trace) on top).
8. Add your additives and scents (essential oils - fragrance). Blend all these together for a few seconds with a spatula or hand blender.
9. Pour the soap mixture into mold(s). Cover mold(s) with plastic wrap and cover/wrap these with towels for insulation.
10. Let the soap set for 24 to 48 hours or so before taking it out of the mold(s). Unmold and cut the soap into bar. Sometimes I put my molded soap in the freezer a few minutes to make it easier to unmold.
11. Place the soap bars on a covered rack to dry out and cure for a minimum 4 weeks before using them.
12. Enjoy your handmade soap.

What you will need - soap making equipment for Cold process.

• Rubber gloves
• Goggles
• Digital scale
• Thermometer
• Heat safe container with spout
• Glass mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring spoons
• Stick blender
• Saucepan
• Knife or soap cutter
• Mold(s) (soap mold. silicone bakeware, candy or candle molds, wood molds or hard cardboard boxes (mil cartons work) lined with parchment/freezer paper)
• Plastic wrap and a towel