JoLynn’s Summer Afternoon Kitchen Soap

(Cold process method)

In creating a kitchen soap, I wanted to invoke memories of long, hot summer days sitting on a cool, dark porch sipping lemonade and watching the kids run through the sprinklers. In the air there is that sweet, pungent smell of ripening lemons and oranges. I wanted to recreate that sigh you let out when you finally sit down after a day of soapmaking, of bottling fruits from your peach trees, of putting up jam. I used all citrus scents, but added the Spicy Lime FO to give it some base notes. The flecks of green and orange and black are wonderful in this yellowish soap.

7 oz olive oil
4 oz coconut oil
4 oz palm oil
1 oz jojoba oil

2.2 oz lye (5% superfatted)
4 oz distilled cold water
1.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz lime juice

Mix lye with liquids. Heat/cool to 120 degrees.

Measure, and melt oils, reserving approximately half the olive oil to add after the other oils have melted. This will bring your temperature down quickly to the necessary 120 degrees. Add lye slowly and stir to trace. At trace add the following:

9 ml Sweet Orange EO
3 ml California Lemon EO
1 ml Grapefruit EO
1 ml Spicy Lime FO

(If you use measuring spoons then figure that 12 ml = 1 Tbs and go from there.)

zest of one lime
zest of one orange
1 tsp poppy seeds (for exfoliation)
1 tsp dry mustard or ground annato seed (for yellow color)
1 Tbs Castor oil (to hold the citrus scents)

To use annato seed for yellow coloring, infuse the olive oil with 1 – 4 Tbs, depending on how deep a color you wish for.

Pour into mold (I use a 9 x 6 drawer liner) and insulate for 24 hours. Unmold and cut into bars. Let cure 3 – 4 weeks. Enjoy your soap!

submitted by JoLynn D.


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