How To Make Castile Soap

If you are interested in how to make castile soap I can defiantly say it's one of my favourites.

This homemade Castile soap recipe is a very mild pure soap and one of the best soaps to make if you're new to soap making.

Although when you make this soap it should really be made with 100% olive oil, I personally find it a little soft and slimy, plus it can also take hours to reach the right consistency.

So like most modern day soap recipes I have added a couple of other base oils in to balance things out. This makes a castile soap that will still hold the mildness of a good old olive oil soap recipe, but in my opinion has a better feel and texture to it.

Ingredients:

The quantity's given here will make 6 large bars but as most soap makers will know castile soap is extremely good for rebatching so feel free to double up on the recipe.

Be sure to also check below on how to top your castile soap with flowers or herbs

• 20 oz (580ml) Olive Oil
• 2 1/2 oz (75g) Coconut Oil
• 2 1/2 oz (75g) Palm Oil
• 8oz (240ml) cold water
• 3.3oz (90g) Lye crystals (Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda)
• 1 oz of fragrance or Essential Oil

Specifics To This Recipe:

Use the Cold Process Method shown below plus the following recipe specific steps:

• In Step 4 - Combine oils and lye when both temperatures reach 110° f (43c)

 

Photos From This Castile Soap Recipe:

Topping Your Castile Soap With Flowers or Herbs

Castile soap is actually a lovely pure soap by itself but because it is such a light colored soap it looks particularly attractive when topped using a colorful flower or herb.

If you are topping a freshly made batch of soap, cut the soap into bars and then firmly but gently push the top of each bar into a shallow tray of flowers or herbs, shake off any loose flowers then cure the soap as usual.

If the soap has been created and cured for some time you will have to dampen the top of soap with water and give it a bit of a rub making it nice and sticky before dipping it into the flowers or herbs.

You can find these dried flowers in the bulk herbs and spices section on Mountain Rose Herbs. Here are direct links to a couple of my favorites, Dried Lavender Flower and Dried Calendula Flowers