Guidelines On Home Made Herbal Soaps Using Natural Colours

Lets Start With Slippery Soap: Before manufactured bars of soap became widely available in the in the world in the late 19th century (much earlier in France), soapmaking was a routine household chore accomplished with the collection of rainwater, ashes from the hearth and tallow, or rendered animal fat.

When combined, these ingredients create a chemical reaction called “saponification,” which breaks the fat down into free fatty acids that combine with the alkaline solution (lye) resulting from the leaching of rainwater through wood ash.

Running Hot and Cold: Although a gratifying art form, this hot process method of soapmaking is a bit tricky, time consuming, requires specialized equipment, very precise measurements and a good deal of safety precautions in terms of handling liquid lye (think drain cleaner).

Below you will find recipes utilize the cold process made easier by the melt-and-pour method starting with a glycerin soap base (either purchased or made from melted, clear glycerin soap bars). You still “cook” the soap mixture to create a finished product, but you’ll have beautiful soaps ready in hours instead of waiting weeks for them to cure.

Soap Making Tips: Keep a close eye on things while heating your soap base —slowly over low heat and just until liquefied. 

Do not overheat.If a film develops over the soap base as it heats, carefully skim it off.If bubbles form on the liquid soap after pouring into molds, spray the tops with a fine mist of rubbing alcohol (away from open flame!) 

Experiment with molds of different shapes and sizes. You can purchase molds from a craft store, or creatively upcycle non-porous containers found around the house. 

Consider decorating your finished soaps with colorful tissue paper, raffia or ribbon, or pretty stickers and labels.

Image from herbco.https://chibtoxteaandwellness.blogspot.com/2018/09/basics-of-soap-making-using-melt-and.html#more