Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Think about who you are giving the soap to and how each batch will be used. If you are making a
large batch at once but have several needs, pour the trace soap into separate containers, quickly mix
in what you need, and then set them in their respective molds.
Excess soap makes wonderful gifts or wares to be marketed.
(Photo courtesy of Tori Deppling Roudy)
Oil Combinations
The very first creative step in soap making is the oil blend. As I mentioned earlier, oils can be
selected with a general knowledge of how they will react and what kind of soap they will make.
Palm kernel oil, coconut oil, tallow, and lard will all produce hard soaps. They each have varying
benefits on top of that to help you choose between them. Lard and tallow might be more readily
available to you if you raise meat animals, but the benefits of the others could be worth purchasing
either way. You can mix hard oils, but just know that a soap that is too hard will be brittle.
Aside from durability, the next most important thing in a bar of soap is often considered the lather.
That is why lathering properties are artificially added commercially. We don't tend to feel clean
unless we have had a good lather. Coconut, soybean, and almond oil are among the oils that induce
a rich lather naturally.
Finally, a really good soap will leave your skin moisturized. Goat's milk itself will actually contrib-
ute to this because it has such a great fat content to begin with. That means your soap is already
ahead of the curve. Avocado, lard, and olive oil will accomplish this. Soap made entirely or largely
