Last spring, a dear friend offered to teach me how to make soap. I have been wanting to make soap for years, but the whole idea seemed a bit daunting. I’m a very visual person, and watching someone do something really helps me a lot more than just reading about it. After watching my friend, I couldn’t wait to try it. So, I gradually gathered my supplies, and waited for the perfect time to begin.
In my mind, the perfect time would have been when all the children were over at Grandma’s, but that time never came. I was so worried about the lye, and having someone accidentally inhale it, spill it, ingest it, and then dying, going blind, or getting their skin burned.
One year after watching my friend make soap and gathering all my supplies, I decided it was time. I waited until my precious-but-very-busy-and-inquisitive two-year-old was napping. Then I sent the other children outside. I carefully set out all my supplies, measured all the oils and essential oils, and then I was ready for the lye. And as I poured and poured and poured lye into the container on the scale, I realized that the scale was set on pounds, not ounces, as it should have been. I knew that the recipe didn’t call for that much lye.
As the realization slowly dawned on me that I had measured all the oils and other ingredients incorrectly, I also had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized that I needed to get all that lye back into the child-proof container that it came in. The one with the very small opening.
{And I also had the added complication of my goggles fogging up! I couldn’t even see because they were getting so foggy. I realized [too late] that there were little plastic things that were supposed to be removed to provide ventilation. I’ll know next time, but it was rather hilarious and scary to be fearfully measuring lye and not really being able to see! I was creating more of a hazard for myself by having the fogged-up goggles on in the first place!}
With gloves and {foggy} goggles on, I very carefully headed out to the woods at the back of our yard. I went a ways into the woods and very carefully poured all the lye back into the container. After quickly remeasuring all the other ingredients, the rest of the process was simple.
Despite my lye-paranoia and the minor mishap, making soap was so much fun! I loved the whole process of mixing the essential oils, watching the soap trace, pouring it into the mold, and then the anticipation of waiting to see how it would all turn out. And as I waited, I loved the delicious herbal scent that filled the whole house.
The most satisfying part for me was cutting the soap into bars. My bars are irregular and rather plain-looking, but I am in love with them! To me they represent the fulfillment of a dream. I can’t wait to make more.
Joy Kincaid says
April 11, 2012 at 3:23 amYes, it was quite an adventure, Sarah! Thankfully I only had a few moments of feeling a little stressed, but the rest went smoothly! (We did get a good laugh out of it, though!) 🙂
Sarah says
April 10, 2012 at 1:55 pmIt sounds like you had quite the soap making adventure, Joy! Once again, your soaps turned out lovely! And I am glad that it went so well for you (save for the little mis-measure with the lye. 🙂 Things like that make the process more memorable, though, don't they?!)
Joy Kincaid says
April 7, 2012 at 4:46 pmHeather,
I haven't figured out the cost yet. I hope to do that sometime. It would really depend on a lot of variables, though, so each soapmaker's costs will be different.
For example, some oils are more expensive to use than others. Also, it will depend on where you purchase your oils. I was able to get some of mine from the local Amish, so they cost less. I bought my lye from a friend. I used recycled containers for some of the mixing and measuring. So, each person's costs will vary.
If I ever get my cost per bar calculated, I'll be sure to post it. 🙂
Joy Kincaid says
April 7, 2012 at 4:38 pmAmanda,
Thank you! By the way, I'm so much enjoying your soap (the honey oatmeal one)–it's wonderful!
Heather says
April 7, 2012 at 1:47 pmI'm curious how much this cost to make. I am interested in making soap, and I love the idea of knowing exactly what's in it. I do want to make sure it costs less than the store bought soap we're currently using.
Any idea what your per bar cost was?
Amanda says
April 7, 2012 at 11:10 amIt turned out just perfect!You've done a fine job of capturing it's beauty too:)
Joy Kincaid says
April 6, 2012 at 9:22 pmThank you, Amy! Seeing your soap is always inspiring to me! 🙂
Amy @ Homestead Revival says
April 6, 2012 at 7:14 pmBeautiful! I love seeing all those great looking soap bars! Enjoy the product of your hands!
Joy Kincaid says
April 5, 2012 at 8:25 pmThanks for sharing in my excitement, Mary! If I can do it, anyone can do it! 🙂 I'm sure you'll just love it, too.
Blessings to you,
Joy
Canadagirl says
April 5, 2012 at 3:55 amThat is sooooooooo cool! I am going to try to make some of my own hopefully in a month or two. I still need to get some supplies still. You are such a inspiration to me today. Yes we can do it yes we can! [o=
Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
Blessings and ((HUGS)))!
-Mary
Joy Kincaid says
April 4, 2012 at 2:38 amJosette,
I hope you get to! 🙂
Deanna,
Thanks! It makes it that much more fun to have a friend teach you. 🙂
Mrs.Rabe says
April 3, 2012 at 2:37 pmI am going to get together with a friend and make soap too! I really want to do it with someone who has made it before! I am excited!
Yours looks wonderful.
Deanna
Josette says
April 3, 2012 at 4:33 amcool. I want to try that.
Joy Kincaid says
April 3, 2012 at 3:50 amJeanette, I'm feeling that same "addiction" feeling…I can see the desire to make "one more batch!" I'm already planning my next one and all the fun things I'll try with it! 🙂
Jeanette says
April 3, 2012 at 3:23 amI love making homemade soap! It's addicting and I always want to try "one more batch".
Joy Kincaid says
April 3, 2012 at 3:07 amHi Lisa!
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who felt scared about the lye! I felt kind of silly, because my friend didn't even use goggles and just barely used gloves…and here I was "suiting up" for some serious business. 🙂
I did use a stick blender to blend the soap. It made it so much faster, and it traced in less than 5 minutes.
Thanks for your comment!
Joy Kincaid says
April 3, 2012 at 3:02 amKat~
How funny that you just made soap, also! The cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice sounds wonderful! I didn't calculate how much each bar ended up costing yet. I barely made a dent in my oils, so I figured I'd keep track of how many batches each made and then figure it out that way. I was able to get some of my supplies from a local Amish bulk foods store, so that saved some money. I already had the kitchen scale, and I used a lot of repurposed [free] items to mix ingredients, etc. Did you calculate how much yours ended up costing? It would be interesting to know!
Tanya~
Thank you! Now that I've actually made it, I think it will be so much simpler next time. 🙂
Lisa B. says
April 3, 2012 at 2:55 amI felt the same way, scared to death to make soap and use lye. That was 4 batches ago. It gets easier each time also. I just made another batch Saturday.
Do you use your blender? Your soap looks great! I love the all natural look also.
Lilyofthevalley - Tanya says
April 3, 2012 at 2:29 amYour soap looks lovely and what memories you have from making it. I've thought of trying my hand a soap making, but it all seems so daunting, I haven't given it a try. 🙂
~ says
April 2, 2012 at 9:29 pmJoy ~ Must be the weekend for making homemade soap!! I made some as well. I use the Homestead Blessings recipe – I love it!! For my scent, I used Cinnamon oil and added some pumpkin pie spice and rolled oats. I ended up with 30nice sized bars.
It's not as hard as I thought it would be, although like you, the lye makes me nervous. This was my second time and I think this will become a routine for me. Did you calculate how much each soap bar ended up costing you?
Have a blessed day:-) ~Kat
Joy Kincaid says
April 2, 2012 at 8:34 pmDebbie,
Thank you! Hope you get to make some soon!
Heather,
Thanks! You're so right–after just doing it that one time, the process is now de-mystified! 🙂
Nancy,
It is so fun, isn't it? I used coconut oil, also. 🙂
Tamatha,
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such an encouraging comment!
Tamatha says
April 2, 2012 at 5:24 pmI am so happy your project went well. Soap making is great fun and so satisfying! Your soap looks wonderful.
La joie d'apprendre! says
April 2, 2012 at 4:04 pmSoapmaking is one of my best hobbies!!! I just love it!
I make it with coconut oil.
Have a great day!
Mountain Home Quilts says
April 2, 2012 at 2:34 pmCongratultions Joy! Isn't it wonderful to make soap? 🙂 Your bars look lovely.
Now that you've done it on your own once, the rest of the batches that you make will be as easy as pie! 🙂
Mountain Home Quilts says
April 2, 2012 at 2:33 pmCongratultions Joy! Isn't it wonderful to make soap? 🙂 Your bars look lovely.
Now that you've done it on your own once, the rest of the batches that you make will be as easy as pie! 🙂
Debbie says
April 2, 2012 at 1:24 pmLove it! This is one skill I have been wanting to try for a long time as well but yet to take the plunge and give it a try. It looks amazing! Congrats!
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