Making soap at home is not scary and is quite simple once you get the hang of it. We used to buy soap but now find that making it ourselves is more economical and allows us to control the ingredients. You can incorporate various herbs and flowers from your garden, like chocolate mint, rosemary and lavender. The lye crystals, made from sodium hydroxide, activate when mixed with water, raising the temperature. Adding herbs after the mixture cools preserves their beneficial properties. Lye can be found at hardware stores or online, Lye is used during the process of saponification, where it reacts with oils to create soap. Once this reaction is complete, all the lye is consumed, ensuring that the final product is safe and free from any harmful substances. You can use any oils you prefer, including tallow. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: 311g lye crystals 697g distilled water or tea herbs 500g coconut oil 1500g olive oil 250g castor oil Optional: French Green Clay (for oily skin) Essential Oils TOOLS: Molding container Hand blender Bowls to mix the soap Glass jar to mix lye and water solution SAFETY NOTE: It’s important to note that while working with lye can seem intimidating, when handled properly, it is a natural and safe way to create soap. Wear protective gloves, long sleeve shirts, goggles and work in a well ventilated area. If lye splashes on your skin, use a strong vinegar to neutralize the lye and wash it right away. ***Always add the lye crystals into the water and not the other way around. STEPS: Start by measuring your ingredients. Using a glass jar, fill it with distilled water and carefully and slowly add the lye crystals and mix together. Set aside and let it cool Then melt your oils into liquid form and place in a mixing bowl. Check that the temperatures of the oils and lye water are within 10 degrees of each other before mixing together. Using a hand blender, run it on low and gently pour the lye water solution until it forms a trace (thick consistency) Then add a few drops of essentials oils or powdered herbs and flowers. Pour content into a molding container and let it harden for 1-2 days. Cut into 1” bars and cure for 6 or more weeks. - @plantedinthegarden