Making Olive Oil Soap

Olive oil soap is great for all skin types, especially dry skin. There are several ways to create your own olive oil soap. The first, and easiest way is with the melt and pour technique. To make olive oil soap in this way, you’ll need some supplies. Choose a creamy soap base like castile, melted in a double boiler. Once the soap is melted, slowly stir in the desired amount of olive oil. How much olive oil you will use will depend on the amount of soap you’re making and the level of moisture that you want in your soap. Experiment with different amounts of oil to find the perfect amount for your soap. After blending in the oil with the soap base, add any fragrance oils or color. Then, simply pour the soap into molds lightly misted with rubbing alcohol or vegetable oil and allow to harden.

30 ounces cold water
50 ounces lard
25 ounces olive oil
12 ounces lye

Gently dissolve the lye in the cold water. Heat the lard in a double boiler until melted. Slowly stir in small amounts of lye and stir frequently until well mixed. Add the olive oil, then keep stirring until your soap reaches the consistency of thick, cooked pudding. Once the soap gets to this point, you can add any color or fragrance. Blend well, then pour into prepared molds.

With this method, you’ll need to be patient while your soap cures. It’s prudent to allow your soap to cure untouched for at least a month before removing from the molds. If your soap is in a large block and you want to cut it into smaller pieces, wrap the soap in plastic wrap and place in a bath of hot water. The soap will become soft enough to mold or cut. Allow the soap to re-cure until hard.