Stop Wondering What To Give As Gifts! Olive oil soaps are the answer to all of your gift-giving problems. Everyone loves a hand made gift, and a practical gift, such as olive oil soaps are even better. Olive oil soaps are inexpensive and easy to make! Where Did Olive Oil Soaps Originate? Soaps made of olive oil first began 3,000 years ago. The craftsmen of France experimented and mixed the oils pressed from olives with oils pressed from other natural plants (sea plants). The creation of olive oil soaps are considered to be an ancient ritual, a special art, and the process of making these soaps is taken very seriously. Olive Oil Soaps Are Easy To Make! There are a lot of sample recipes for olive oil soaps that use olive oil in them. Many people will use a recipe that requires only olive oil, but some will add a few other natural ingredients for other beneficial reasons. The olive oil soaps recipe listed below is 80% pure olive oil, but has some palm (to make the soap sturdier) and coconut (to add bubbles to the lather). It is a nice balance of these three oils. What You'll Need: 16 oz. water; 6.7 oz. lye; 40oz. olive oil; 5 oz. palm oil; 5 oz. coconut oil; and 1.5 oz. of essential fragrance (if you would like a scented soap). If you are uncertain in anyway regarding the above measurements for your olive oil soaps, and the process of working with lye, please research further or ask a professional for assistance. Olive oil soaps tools: large pot; soap mold; spoon; rubber spatula; stick blender; gloves; and safety goggles. Let's Get Started! 1. Before beginning the project, make sure you have all of the ingredients, as well as a proper work area. 2. First melt your solid oils, which are your palm oil and your coconut oil. Melt them in the large pot over medium heat. Once the oils reach around 110 degrees, turn off the heat. 3. Next, add the olive oil to the soaps recipe. Make sure the palm and coconut oils are hot before adding the olive oil. 4. Make sure the temperature is at or around 100 degrees before adding the lye to the mixture. Add the lye very slowly. Stick-blend the mixture slowly, and you will start to see it become cloudy. 5. When mixing, begin with short spurts by the stick-blender. Do this until the oils and the lye are mixed together 100%. 6. You will next reach what is called a trace by the ancient soap makers. Trace is defined as a point in the soap making process where your mixture is properly combined. The oils will not separate from the lye at this point. 7. Add the fragrances, colors, or any thing else you find essential, such as flower petals, etc. 8. Pour the soap mixture in to the mold. Pour the soap in a back and forth motion. It will be thick. Tap the mold softly, once you have finished pouring, on your counter top. This will help remove any excess bubbles. 9. You will want to put a towel over the mold in order to keep the heat in. Set your new, creative holiday gifts aside for approximately 24-hours to cool. 10. Once cooled, cut your soaps into the size/shape you want, and decorate with a piece of toile or ribbon. Everyone is sure to love your gift of handmade soaps! |
