This lavender soap recipe is a variation on Nana’s Lavender Soap – to soothe my vegan friends skin, this soap has no goatmilk.
Lavender essential oil has been known to be soothing to dry, itchy skin; calms the mind and eases stress. Lavender eo has been used to treat various skin disorders because of it’s antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, such as acne, wrinkles, and psoriasis. Adding lavender oil to chamomile helps eczema.
I used a few different base recipes, but my all-time favorite was a very simple one.
2 pounds
24 oz. Olive Oil (75)
8 oz. Palm Kernel Oil (25%)
4.38 oz. Lye (6% superfat)
8.8 oz. lavender tea *
1.5 oz. lavender essential oil
2 TBSP lavender powder
* This is your lye amount x 2.
To make lavender tea, heat water amount (plus extra a little extra) to boiling. Pour over lavender buds and let infuse for 10 minutes or more. I usually do this the night before and leave to infuse the whole time. Once done, filter out the lavender buds and chill the tea.
When the tea is sufficiently chilled, add your lye (remember, add your lye TO the tea, not the other way around). I put my lye mixture container into a bowl a cold water to cool – (sometimes adding ice, depending on how quickly I’m wanting to get things going).
Once mixed and set to cooling, put aside (in a safe place!).
Measure your Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) and melt (not hot, just melted) – I have used a microwave in the past to do this, just make sure your container is microwave safe. If you are able, a stove top works well.
While your PKO is melting, measure your lavender essential oil and lavender powder into separate containers (I always use glass for my essential and fragrance oils).
Have your mold clean, lined and at the ready.
When your PKO is melted, add the olive oil. Feeling the side of the pot, it should not be hot. I prefer working with all the ingredients at a luke-warm temperature. It allows for more time.
Now, your lye mixture should be cooler to the touch and your oils cooler to the touch… again, think “luke warm”.
Have your stick blender (immersion blender) at hand and ready. Slowly add your lye mixture to your oils (note: always add the lye TO the oil). Blending while you pour…
Bring your soap mixture to trace (trace is when your spoon or blender leaves a trail and takes a minute to disappear back into the mixture). Once trace has been reached, add your lavender powder, mixing, then your essential oil, mixing..
Everything should be mixed well, now pour into your mold. I do not insulate my soap, I put it on a shelf for about 24 hours before I unmold and cut. Once cut, I leave on a shelf for another 24 hours before I bevel edges.
Give it a couple weeks before using, though a good month would be best as the soap will harden up nicely over time.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This will be my very first attempt at making soap. I love lavender and grow lots of it in our garden. Do you think this recipe is a good choice for my first time? What is lavender powder?
Many thanks,
Cheri
Hi Cheri,
This is a super easy recipe for soap. It makes a nice hard bar with good lather too. Might take a few weeks (or more if you have the time) to “cure” (this will make it harder too).
Lavender powder is just super finely ground lavender buds. If you use the actual buds of the lavender flower, they tend to turn brown and look very similar to mouse poops (ick).. so you could either get some powder, or sprinkle the buds on top after you’ve poured it into the mold (they’ll likely stay prettier that way).
Any additives you use that aren’t *very* finely ground will be a bit scratchy when you use it – you can even feel the finely ground, to a degree.
Experiment with small batches and have fun.
That’s interesting that you use lavender tea in the soap. I guess maybe that is normal I’ve just never looked into how to make soap. :) Looks like a fun recipe to try.
How much lavender buds do you use? This sounds like a great recipe!
Thanks for sharing!
The only thing that let me perplexed is the use of lye. Do you think it would work well with this craftylittlegnome .blogspot .com/2011/08/homemade-bleach.html?
I’m not really clear on what is perplexing to you? Are you asking if the homemade bleach on that link (or any other bleach) is interchangeable with lye? If so, the answer is a definite, absolute NO.
To make real soap, from scratch, lye is an essential ingredient. There is no alternative ingredient to use in place of lye. If you want to make soap without using lye, there is glycerin soap or you can purchase pre-made ‘real’ soap and melt it down (the name of this process escapes me at the moment) ~ but understand neither of these processes are considered “making soap” or “handmade soap”.
Glycerin soap is made from the same process of mixing lye with oils to create saponification (or soap) – except you don’t make it yourself, someone else does. Then they [basically] remove the glycerin and provide it for people who want to make ornamental soaps – they are not as good for your skin.
If you are looking to make real soap, from scratch, I suggest doing a bit more research on it so you understand the process, the benefits and learn respect for the lye and the soap making process. It is definitely rewarding, fun, creative.. but not something to “play” at.
Again, that homemade bleach recipe and my recipe (or other recipes) for handmade soap are completely NOT related in any way.
I have made lye soap in the past (maybe 10 times). I am about to make a couple of batches to send out for Christmas gifts. I have looked at several recipes on-line for new ideas. Yours looks great! I’ve never thought about or seen tea or powder as ingredients. I LOVE lavender so much. I am hoping the results produce super duper lavender bars. In the past, I’ve just used essential oil. I am excited to find the results out! I am getting started today… so I will let you know how it turns out! YEAH!!! p.s. Thank you for taking the time to post this recipe. I really appreciate when people share great ideas to help others. This is the kind of world I love living in. :)
Yay! Have fun Jessica! Keep in mind, if you use the actual lavender flower buds IN the soap, they may end up looking a little (or a lot) like mouse poop ~ ick. So.. use powder, tea, whatever you want in the soap and save the pretty flowers to decorate the top.
And just fyi, there are lots and lots of things you can use in soap – spices (for colorants in particular), milks, teas… get creative and have fun. :)
Do you HAVE to use the lavender powder or is it optional? Will there be a significant change in the quality of the soap?
Robyn – No, you do not *have* to use the lavender powder. The quality will remain the same. The only difference is the powder does add a very fine exfoliating factor. Without it, it will be very smooth and creamy.. so.. very yummmy ;) …
Think of the additives as being extras. If you change the oils, or the ratio of the oils, then you change the recipe and you *must* run it through a soap / lye calculator to ensure you are using the correct (and safe) amount of lye. Essential oils add their own properties, but you can change the amount, or the blend, to suit your needs. And then the powders, flowers, colorants and/or spices you add are extras.
I am sure I’ve said this before, but do make note that if you use the lavender buds IN the soap, they will end up looking closely like mouse poop… not appealing.. so I recommend, if using the flower buds, to consider adding them to the top of the curing soap.
Have fun!