How to Make Handmade Soap to Give as a Christmas Gift
Handmade gifts for Christmas are made not only to save money on Christmas gifts, but also as a way to show other that you really care. A popular homemade gift to give both friends and family are homemade soaps. These soaps do not take long to make, but take up to four weeks to fully cure. It's best to start soap making well before the holidays if you plan to give soap as a gift.
Items Needed:
- Digital scale
- Water
- Lye
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Palm oil
- Measuring cup
- Thermometer
- Stick blender
- Soap mold
- Fragrance oils
- Knife
- Mix your lye solution together first. Place a glass measuring cup on a digital measuring scale and zero out the scale once the measuring cup has been placed on the plate. Add 16 ounces of water and zero out the scale, followed by 6.7 ounces of lye. Remove the cup from the scale and set aside to use later in the soap making process.
- Measure oils in a separate mixing bowl or measuring cup the same way you mixed the lye mixture; using the digital scale. Pour in five ounces of palm oil, followed by five ounces of coconut oil and then 40 ounces of olive oil into the measuring cup; each time zeroing out the scale before adding the next oil amount.
- Pour oil mixture in a stainless steel pot set to medium heat on a stovetop. Gently stir the mixture to soften the oils. When the oil mixture reaches 100 to 110 degrees remove from heat and slowly pour in the lye mixture you set aside earlier.
- Blend the lye mixture in with the oil mixture using a stick blender; adjusting the speed on the stick blender every few minutes. You will notice a chemical reaction start to take place as the mixture turns a cloudy color and begins to thicken.
- Add any fragrance oils to the mixture before it becomes too hard to blend. About 1.5 to 2 ounces should do the trick.
- Pour the soap mixture into a mold, pouring right to left so that the soap is evenly dispensed into the mold. Once the mold is full, tap the mold against the counter top. This will disperse any air bubbles in the mixture and help the mixture to settle into the mold better.
- Remove the hardened soap from mold after 24 hrs. Cut the mold with a knife to a desired size.
- Allow the soap to cure for another four weeks. This will allow the soap to properly cure so that it is ready and safe to use.
- Wrap the soap in festive wrapping paper or arrange in a basket with other homemade gifts to give to friends and family for a pleasant holiday gift.