Natural Handmade Soap
Mailing List
Services
Soap Naturally Recipes
6th International Soap Swap
Sharni's Soap Recipe
Sharni's Shea and Coconut Bar
I spent many weeks procrastinating about what I would make for this swap. I was trying to think of what inspired me and the only thing I could really settle on was 'Love'. But how would one convert that into a bar of soap?! At first I was imagining pink and red swirls and some kind of rosey and pretty scent... but I just couldnt settle on anything. Then I thought perhaps I could make a scent blend that the man I love would like, almost to pay homage to him. Then I remembered that he isnt really into scents (hates perfume, etc) and was quite content to use his same old Neutrogena bar all the time. He's a Virgo (no more description necessary). So I gave up on that idea and started to freak out. I then decided upon a pretty standard recipe, but with a few new additions I hadnt tried before and thought I would just make a masculine scent blend... then I started thinking about really trying something new and so I decided upon my inspiration. The thing thats so wonderful about soap making is that there is always something new to try. There is always a new oil blend, there is always a new EO blend, there are always new ingredients and colourants and even methods to try!
My recipe is as follows:
- 1100g (38.8oz) Unrefined Shea Butter
- 1100g (38.8oz) Coconut oil
- 324g (11.4oz) NaOH
- 660g (23.3oz) Bottled Water
Essential Oil Blend
- 30ml (1oz) Lemon Myrtle
- 15ml (.5oz) Orange
- 15ml (.5oz) Cinnamon
- 15ml (.5oz) Eucalyptus
- 15ml (.5oz) May Chang
I made this EO blend up as I went along and really had no idea how it would turn out. Should be interesting to see how it matures.
My decision to use the Shea and Coconut as the only oils in this soap was because I wanted to see how well two contrasting oils would work together as a team. I have used many 'coconut oil only' soaps and have found them all to be very drying on my skin, but they created a great lather. I was reading about a soap made purely of Shea butter and many of the comments were that it was very nourishing to the skin and that no lotion was required after use, but that the lather was very minimal. So... I thought it would be interesting to see if the coconut would create the great lather and the shea would counteract the drying potential of the coconut. I look forward to all your comments on this soap.
Method
This soap is CP, though you wouldnt know it from looking at it. It went
solid very very quickly and I had to scoop it into the mould (much like
I imagine HP would be like). I did my best to smooth it out, but it was
rather futile. It went into an instant gel and it was probably the first
time I have had a complete gel in my 20 cavity mould.
Special thanks to:
Shelley Bordeleau, ISS6 Central Co-ordinator
[ www.bordeleausbubbles.com ]
Roger McPherson, Photographs [ M & M Soapworks ]
ISS6 members | Soap recipes: index
Contributor: NAME [EMAIL]
© 2000-2007 - This page was last updated on 8th April 2005
Soapmaking Books: |
Editors & maintainers:
Ersilia Vitale
[ ccdream --at-- iprimus.com.au - Cosmetic grade colours: oxides and ultramarines ],
Marina Tadiello
[ Soap book co-author, Soap Naturally - Ingredients, methods and recipes for natural handmade soap ]
[ AquaSapone - natural soap, essential oils, soap making supplies & kits ]
Email mailing list on natural soap making: information & options