Thankful For Soapmaking Skills During This Pandemic

public restrooms in Santa Monica, California

 
The other day I made a batch of soap.  I am so glad that I stocked up and ordered plenty of the oils and butters that I needed.   Like most of us, I never realized that this virus was coming.  It is now even more important  to wash our hands and face regularly.  It gives me comfort to know that I have plenty of soap stored in my cupboard, curing on the racks, and ready to use in the bathroom.

I had a little bit of trouble with my scale.   I think it needs a new battery.  It's so important to weigh all of your ingredients carefully,  and it's critical to be accurate.  It took several tries, but I finally got the scale to give me the exact reading that I needed. 

sinks on the island of Capri, Italy

For this batch I used: olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, lye and distilled water.  I added some Energy fragrance oil at trace.  It's been sitting in the molds on the kitchen table for a few days, under slabs of cardboard and a terry cloth towel.  I plan to put them into the freezer this afternoon and pop them out of the molds this evening.

After that, they will cure on the racks for several weeks.  It's so enjoyable to have mild, fragrant soaps that you have made yourself.  The bars moisturize your skin instead of drying it out or irritating it.  It took me a while to build up the nerve to start making it, but I am so glad that I did.       

Do you have enough soap at your house?  Do make your own, or do you buy it?

Thank you for your comments.  They add so much talent and energy to the blog.  Please comment in English.  I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published.  If you enjoy the posts here, share them.  Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.