# Liquid Soap -- Newbie Question



## kristinalicia (Aug 28, 2012)

I have an insanely silly question. I have looked around and found all sorts of amazing CP soap that is now on my "TO DO" list soon. Thanks guys/gals!  :mrgreen: 

I have a question about liquid soap. I cannot seem to find anything about it (maybe I just have not looked in the right places) What is the main difference between bar and liquid soap other than the use of potassium hydroxide? Can I use a great bar soap recipe for liquid soap? Is the process typically the same?

Thanks for your help!


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## Lindy (Aug 28, 2012)

First there are no silly questions except the ones that remain unasked.

The process for liquid soap is significantly different from CP soaps.

There are 2 ways to make liquid soap but I am going to share is the traditional method.

So let's start with a really simple recipe:

* Coconut Oil    4.8 ounces
* Castor Oil      2.4 ounces
* Olive Oil         0.8 ounces

* Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)    1.7 ounces  (5% superfat)
* Water                                      5.9 ounces

Get your KOH ready, and set your oils to heat which of course will melt your coconut oil.  I like to use a crock-pot and set it on medium or low if you only have 2 temps.  Once your oils are melted stick blend them just to make sure everything is blended, believe it or not that is an important step no matter what kind of soap you are making because different parts of the oil melt at different rates.  Okay now add your lye and stick blend for as long as you can in bursts until it becomes too sticky to continue to SB.  The longer you can SB it the better the saponification will be.  This is going to become taffy like and you should be stirring off and on as this is processing.  Once you can't stir it anymore some people will just let it sit.  It should be a clear golden colour like honey.  At this point I like to break it up with a knife as this makes it easier to dissolve in water.

Adding water.  I like to add the twice the amount of oils.  So our oils add up to 8 ounces so I'm going to add 16 ounces water to start.  I like to add boiling hot water (this is my way, it doesn't mean this is the _right way_  :mrgreen:  ) Have your crockpot on low as you don't want to boil the contents.  The way I use boiling water as my add is that it makes it so much easier to melt your paste.  Now just to take a step back.  You can test your paste to see if it is done by boiling 1 cup of water and then adding a dollop of the paste and stir.  If the water is cloudy then it's not ready, if it is clear it's ready.  The problem with this is that with a 5% SF it is not going to be completely clear.  If you cook your soap for 3 hours you know it is done.

Okay back to diluting your soap.  Chunk up your paste and set your crockpot on low, if you are simply carrying on then your crockpot is still on warm.  So now we are going to add the boiling water and start to stir gently.  You don't have to stand there and stir constantly, but you do need to keep at it very often as you do your dilution.  Keep stirring until all the paste has dissolved into the water.

Pour it into a large jar, put it away and let it rest for 2 weeks, you may or may not have a cloudy mix on the bottom so when you pour off try to keep it out of the soap you are pouring.  Now we get to the fun part.  Take this soap, or even just a part of it and put it back into your crockpot to heat.  Now you can add your fragrance/essential oil and colour.  If you don't heat the soap it is not going to mix in properly.

You have now got your own liquid soap...  Congrats


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## kristinalicia (Aug 28, 2012)

Oh my goodness! Thank you so very much!  :mrgreen: 

I will have to try this as soon as I can get my hands on some Potassium Hydroxide and Castor Oil. Boy, I never thought I would want to buy Castor Oil  :shock:


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## Loolee (Aug 29, 2012)

so you are saying that the soap will separate, and that whatever is on the bottom you will discard?

Won't that affect your water percentage?  Does it matter?

How do different oils affect this process?  Is it the same as for CP soaps?  (good stuff is all eaten by the lye monster?) Or does the good stuff translate BETTER to liquid soap?  

In your recipe, you use a large amount of coconut oil  Would this be as drying in liquid soap as it is in CP soap?


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## Hazel (Oct 3, 2012)

bump - because inquiring minds want to know.  :wink:


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## thefarmerdaughter (Oct 3, 2012)

Thank you Lindy! I have been serching for a step by step liquid soap recipe all week. (of course it was right in front of me) :roll:    thank you to kristinalicia for asking


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## danahuff (Oct 3, 2012)

kristinalicia said:
			
		

> Oh my goodness! Thank you so very much!  :mrgreen:
> 
> I will have to try this as soon as I can get my hands on some Potassium Hydroxide and Castor Oil. Boy, I never thought I would want to buy Castor Oil  :shock:



I love castor oil! I popped in here even though I haven't tried liquid soap just to respond to this comment. It really does add a nice, bubbly lather to soap. It is great for shampoo bars and shaving soap.


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