If you’ve never made Cold Process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Pure Soapmaking. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.

SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.

• In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to the lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.
• While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.
• Measure 2 ounces of Lemongrass Essential Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
• The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!
• Add 1/2 teaspoon Green Chrome Oxide Pigment directly into the measured bowl of oils. Place the stick blender into the oils, and “burp” it by tapping the head of the blender on the bottom of the bowl. This will release bubbles trapped inside the blender. Pulse the stick blender for about 30 seconds to disperse the colorant and get rid of large chunks.
• Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture.
• Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!
• Add the Lemongrass Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.
• At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.
• Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!
• Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle poppy seeds on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
• The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.
• Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the poppy seeds from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!