Recipe: Olive & Lard Silk

Tools for Cold Process Soap Making

1. Safety Gear

• Gloves (rubber or nitrile)
• Safety goggles or glasses
• Long-sleeve shirt and apron (to protect skin/clothing)
• Well-ventilated workspace or mask (lye fumes can be harsh)

2. Mixing & Measuring

• Digital scale (accurate to 0.1 oz or grams) — for weighing oils, lye, and water precisely
• Two heat-safe containers (preferably glass or stainless steel) — one for lye water, one for melting oils
• Stick blender (immersion blender) — to mix oils and lye solution efficiently to trace
• Thermometer (infrared or probe) — to check temperatures of lye solution and oils (aim for \~100-110°F)
• Silicone spatulas — for scraping and mixing
• Measuring spoons (if adding scents or additives later)

3. Melting & Heating

• Double boiler or microwave-safe container — to melt coconut oil and lard gently
• Stove or microwave (for melting oils)

4. Soap Molding & Curing

• Soap mold (silicone molds are easiest for unmolding) or a lined wooden/plastic mold
• Parchment paper or freezer paper (if using wooden molds, to line them)
• Towels or blankets — to insulate the mold while soap sets
• Cooling rack or shelf — for curing soap bars for 4-6 weeks
• Knife or soap cutter — to slice the soap into bars after unmolding

Ingredients

• Olive oil — 12 oz
• Coconut oil — 10 oz
• Lard — 11 oz
• Lye (sodium hydroxide) — approximately 4.54 oz
• Distilled water — about 11.4 oz

Why these amounts?

Lye amount is calculated for full saponification (the process where oils turn into soap) with a 5% superfat (meaning 5% of oils are left unsaponified to keep the soap moisturizing).

Water is typically about 3 times the weight of the lye, which helps with the chemical reaction and soap consistency.

Directions (Cold Process)

1. Safety first: Wear gloves, goggles, and work in a ventilated area.
2. Prepare lye solution: Slowly add lye to the distilled water (never the other way around), stirring gently until dissolved. Let it cool to about 100–110°F.
3. Melt and mix oils: Gently melt coconut oil and lard. Add olive oil and stir well. Let oils cool to about 100–110°F.
4. Combine: When both lye water and oils are roughly the same temperature, slowly pour lye solution into oils while blending with a stick blender.
5. Blend to trace: Mix until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency (trace).
6. Pour into mold: Pour into your prepared mold, cover with a towel.
7. Cure: Let soap sit for 24-48 hours to harden, then unmold and cure in a dry, ventilated area for 4-6 weeks.

Congratulations on making your very first soap!