Stephanie's Earthly Delights Soap

8 oz. water
8.39 oz. sodium hydroxide (superfat 5%)
12 oz. very cold buttermilk mixed with 1 oz. sugar (usually use less) and 1 tbsp. salt (first time using)
1 tbsp. Bentonite Clay
0.3 oz. Fir Needle EO
0.8 oz. Lavender
0.25 Lemongrass EO
1 tsp. dried kelp
1 oz. pureed cucumber skin

1 tbsp. ground poppy seeds
4 oz. Castor Oil
9 oz. Coconut Oil
22 oz. Olive Oil
13 oz. Palm Oil
10 oz. Palm Kernel Oil
2 oz. Soybean Oil

I always stir the lye into the water in 3-4 batches as it is not much water. I keep my lye pitcher in a pot full of ice and water; this stuff really heats up! In between the lye additions, I melt my coconut and palm kernel oils and remove from heat. To this I then add the palm oil, stir to melt, and then add the olive and soy . When the lye/water is down to 105 – 110°F, I slowly add it to my cold buttermilk/sugar/salt pitcher (put this into the ice bath) and try not to scorch it! I blend the clay into the cooling oils (usually with my stick blender) and divide the castor into three glass containers, one for the Fir EO, one for the Lemongrass and one for the Lavender. I added the sandalwood to the Lavender, the cucumber and kelp to the Fir and the ground poppy seeds to the Lemongrass. Slowly add the lye/milk mixture to the oils, I use my stick blender at first to combine and then stir by hand until light trace. I divided the soap into three batches and added a fragrance to each one. I then swirled the three together and poured into molds.

submitted by Stephanie C.