How to Make Soap from Scratch

Soap-making is one of my favorite pastimes. I usually make soap during the winter because it makes me feel close to home and hearth. This is my favorite time to do any type of handcraft. The smell of the curing soap reminds me of the holidays and has become a personal tradition for me every year. I have a variety of oils and herbs on hand for making my soap such as lavender, rosemary, peppermint, and sage. Sometimes I use other ingredients in my soaps such as milk or coffee. Whatever I decide to use in my recipes, my soaps are always 100% pure and natural.

Soap-making is an ancient practice that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The last three generations, however, have had little need to make their own soap, so this art has become all but lost to most people. Today, soap is made in factories using animal fats and chemical softeners. Natural soap contains glycerin which softens and nourishes the skin. Factories extract this glycerin for use in lotions and replace them with harsh chemical softeners that can leach the skin of its natural moisturizers. Handmade soap, on the other hand, still contains its glycerin and is naturally nourishing.

Nothing is more pleasing than waking up in the morning and slipping into a nice hot shower with a bar of naturally-scented soap. Natural soaps also have a much thicker lather than the factory-made chemical soaps. With prices as high as they are on handmade soaps, who wouldn't want to make their own? The cost of making your own soap is very low (about $8 per gallon or less) and the results are much more rewarding than those detergent-scented bars you get from the store. I use soy oil to make my soap along with organic milk and organic scented oils. Decide which scents you like best before creating your batch of soap. Making soap takes a lot of time, but it is not difficult.