Lavender Soap with Tea Tree Oil and Oatmeal Recipe

by Judi on Sep 12, 2007

Here is another lavender soap variation and it’s another big favorite too.

Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils have long been reputed to have tremendous healing and soothing properties. 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. Tea Tree Oil has been used to treat acne, oily skin, rashes. It is used as an antiseptic as well as a general disinfectant. This soap makes a great face soap, and is easy on baby’s butt, too.

I used a few different base recipes, but my all-time favorite was a very simple one.

Makes 2 pounds

24 oz. Olive Oil (75)
8 oz. Palm Kernel Oil (25%)

4.38 oz. Lye (6% superfat)
8.8 oz. goat milk *

1 oz. lavender essential oil
.5 oz tea tree essential oil
2 TBSP lavender powder
2 TBSP fine oatmeal, powdered

* This is your lye amount x 2.

Lavender tea, water, oatmeal milk, soy milk, all may be substituted for the goatmilk.

Freeze the goat milk in the container used for your lye mixture. Once frozen, very slowly add your lye. Stirring, and slowly adding - this helps prevent the milk from getting hot too fast. I also put my container in a bowl with ice to keep the goat milk and lye mixture as cool as possible.

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. I use a hot plate in my soap workshop and love it - found it pretty cheap at a local flea market.

While your PKO is melting, measure your lavender and tea tree essential oils into a glass container.

Prepare your lavender powder and oatmeal powdered. I buy lavender powder, because it’s really fine.

Making oatmeal powder is a little different. I use a combination of whatever I have on hand, rolled oats, instant and I love using baby oatmeal cereal. Whatever I use, I put in a food processor and zap a few times until really fine. Then I use a screen and collect about 2 tablespoons of fine powder for use in this soap.

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. A little warm is fine, but generally a the cooler the temperature the better when mixing a goat milk soap (actually, I prefer working with cool temps all the time - more time to mix).

Now, your lye mixture should be cooler to the touch and your oils cooler to the touch… 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 and oatmeal powders, mixing, then your essential oils, mixing..

Everything should be mixed well, now pour into your mold. I do not insulate my soap, but if you prefer to insulate, what I used to do is put a piece of cardboard on top of my soap, then draped a blanket or a thick towel over it. Then, 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.

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Nana’s Vegan Lavender Soap Recipe

by Judi on Sep 11, 2007

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.

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Nana’s Lavender Goatmilk Soap Recipe

by Judi on Sep 10, 2007

This was one of my favorites, and one that always flew off my shelf - I just couldn’t keep it in stock!

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. Momma Muse has several lavender soap recipes - many are, or can be made, vegan friendly.

2 pounds

24 oz. Olive Oil (75)
8 oz. Palm Kernel Oil (25%)

4.38 oz. Lye (6% superfat)
8.8 oz. goat milk *

1.5 oz. lavender essential oil
2 TBSP lavender powder

* This is your lye amount x 2.

Freeze the goat milk in the container used for your lye mixture. Once frozen, very slowly add your lye. Stirring, and slowly adding - this helps prevent the milk from getting hot too fast. I also put my container in a bowl with ice to keep the goat milk and lye mixture as cool as possible.

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. A little warm is fine, but generally a the cooler the temperature the better when mixing a goat milk soap (actually, I prefer working with cool temps all the time - more time to mix).

Now, your lye mixture should be cooler to the touch and your oils cooler to the touch… 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.

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Olive Oil Properties and Benefits

by Judi on Jul 9, 2007

Olive Oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive (Olea europaea), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps, and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps.

Olive oil is a healthful oil because of its high content of monounsaturated fat (mainly oleic acid) and polyphenols. It is also rich in anti-oxidants helping to fight free radicals which cause damage to cells. Olive oil in body care products provides nourishment to the skin, hair and nails.

Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil
Sodium Olivate (Olive Oil Soap)
- A moisturizing oil used in soaps - castile soaps are generally 100% olive oil, but there is no requirement as to what percentage must be used. Olive oil mimics the body’s own natural oils to attract and retain precious moisture to your skin. It softens skin while attracting moisture to your skin. Makes for a mild soap which keeps your skin soft, supple and younger looking.

A soap made with a high percentage of olive oil produces a gentle soap, suitable for young children, or people with sensitive skin.

Olive oil helps relieve itching, stings and bites and may also help in the healing process of burns.

Olive Oil Definitions

* Extra-virgin olive oil (sometimes called EVOO) comes from the first pressing of the olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin olive oil.
* Virgin olive oil has an acidity less than 2%, and judged to have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive oil.
* Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined oil, containing at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.
* Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined pomace olive oil and possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for consumption, but it may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found in a grocery store; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking in restaurants.
* Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante comes from olive oil’s ancient use as fuel in oil-burning lamps. Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market.

Olive oil is a heavy oil and ranges in color from pale yellow to dark green.

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