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Title: Seafarer's Soap
Categories: Soap *
Yield: 1 Batch
| 29 1/2 | g | Potassium hydroxide, flake or pellet |
| 72 | g | Distilled water |
| 110 | g | 76øF coconut oil, not hydrogenated |
| 70 | g | Distilled water |
| 1/2 | ts | Pure essential oil or fragrance oil, optiona |
Caution: The "cooking" of liquid soap usually leaves it completely saponified and safe for use. I often use it immediately after the second phase of productions. If the soap feels at all harsh just after the twenty-four hour rest period (test teh lather of a small dab of soap and a little warm water), let the solid base cure for another week or two before proceeding with the second phase.
1. Dissolve the potassium hydroxide into the 72 g water and set aside to cool to between 80øF and 100øF.
2. When the potassium hydroxide solution has cooled sufficiently, heat the coconut oil and the 70 g of water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to 180øF. The globules of oil will remain suspended in the water until the next step.
3. Off the heat, drizzle the potassium hydroxide solution into the oils and water, and gently stir to blend.
4. Place the pan back on the stove on a setting of low or medium-low until the mixture creeps back up toward 180øF, stirring continuously but gently to create a uniform mixture. At first, the mixture looks like water shimmering with unsaponified oils, but after 10 to 15 mintues it will gradually become thick and uniform. Do not allow the temperature of the soap to exceed 180øF or fall below 160øF; remove the pan from heat occasionally and return to the stove as needed.
5. After 15 minutes or so, the mixture is still liquid but gel-like, and on its way to becoming solid gel. Before it hardens too much, pour it into a heat-resistant container to solidify and cool. Leave for 24 hours.
6. After the 24 hour wait or within the next 8 to 12 weeks, the base can be converted to liquid soap. To do this, scoop half of the soap (save the other half until you need to make more soap) into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add 1/2 cup water. With the stove set at medium-low, heat the soap and water without ever stirring. Stirring works up a lather, something undesireable at this stage. Instead heat slowly while scrunching the soap into the hot water, until the soap and water have blended into a uniform liquid soap. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the soap into a glass measuring cup to remove any traces of lather or undissolved soap. Then pour into a liquid soap dispenser.
Source: "The Soapmaker's Companion" by Susan Miller Cavitch
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