Recently I have been on a new kick... making soap! This is a photo from a batch I made and posted the DIY video on YouTube.
I have contemplated making my own soaps for several years now. I collected several books, read other blogs and watched countless videos about it. However, I was a bit nervous to take the plunge and try it myself. Actually, I was a terrified!
Making soap is not complicated. All you really need is 3 ingredients, fat, lye & water. Simple right? The thing that made me hesitant (as many of you might be) was the whole lye/acid thing. That is dangerous stuff! You can purchase melt and pour but that isn't really making soap now is it?
I have kids, dogs and occasionally a cat in the house. Not to mention my not so graceful husband. The idea of mixing up lye and having someone or something accidentally get harmed was sobering. Not something to take lightly. Then I thought, a lot of what we do on our homesteads have a certain amount of danger and risk to them. There a many ways that people or livestock could be injured on a daily basis. That doesn't seem to stop me though. So, why this? Why be frightened of making a bar of soap? Women have been making soap (and their own lye) for thousands of years! I needed to stop being such a chicken!
So, I set my mind to do it! I gathered supplies, banned my family from the kitchen, confined the pets and just did it! You know what? It was easier than I thought and now I am hooked! I am pouring through books and blogs looking at all the different recipes for all the various uses for soap. If I wasn't so busy this time of year I would probably be making soap every day!
I just got to use my first bar from my first batch of castile soap. I LOVE IT! It feels so good on my skin and hands. Basic soap with no scents or additives from natural ingredients. I'm in heaven! I believe this is becoming an addiction.
If you have been hesitant as I was to take the plunge into soap making, my advise to you is to take a deep breath and jump in! Start simple with a basic soap recipe like THIS. You will be glad you made another step towards a healthier life. It may just become an addiction for you too!
I LOVE HOMEMADE SOAP!!!
Tina:)
