Basil & Grapefruit Soap
Formula: CP111 Difficulty level: medium Validity: min 12 months Superfat: 7%

For details on the terms used and how to work, and for your safety, please see before COLD PROCESS SOAP MAKING GUIDE

Ingredients for about 1 kg of soap

Coconut Oil RBD

Olive oil Organic

Palm Oil RSPO

Sodium hydroxide NaOH

Pure / distilled water

Basil Tropical essential oil

Grapefruit essential oil

Green Clay

Red Clay

Optional dried basil for decoration

Quantity

210 gr

245 gr

245 gr

98.6 gr

245 gr

18 gr

18 gr

20 gr

20 gr

1 tbsp

1. Before you start making soap have all utensils and equipment ready on the workbench, within easy reach. Make the necessary ingredient measurements from the recipe.

2. Mix the green clay and red clay in two separate bowls with 2 tablespoons of distilled water.

3. Weigh the amount of caustic soda and water separately.
In a heatproof bowl add the distilled water, over which, little by little, add the Sodium hydroxide and stir slowly, carefully, until it is completely dissolved and the solution becomes transparent. Allow the solution to cool to about 40°C.

4. In a container with a volume greater than 1 litre, preferably 1.5-2 litres, transfer the oils and heat until completely melted. When the soda water and oils have reached a temperature of about 40°C, slowly pour the sodium hydroxide solution over the oils. Both should be of a similar temperature.
Insert the blender into the bowl and blend until the mixture becomes the consistency of a more liquid pudding. At this point pour about half of the soap mass into another container of about 1 litre. In one half add the green clay and basil essential oil and in the other half add the red clay and grapefruit essential oil. Using a blender, blend the two together one after the other.

5. With quick movements, pour a layer of green soap into the form, then a layer of red soap. If we want the soap to have a wave pattern, we will use a wire bent into a U-shape, which we insert into the soap mass and with zig-zag movements from bottom to top and top to bottom a few times, we will get a more distinctive pattern. Shape the surface of the soap with a teaspoon and then sprinkle with dried basil.

6. Cover with foil and leave to stand for 2 days in a cool place. Once the soap has hardened, remove from the mould and cut to the desired size.
The soap is then left to mature in a well-ventilated space, on shelves or in covered boxes (but not closed to allow air circulation). Maturation takes a minimum of 4 weeks from the date of production, during which time the soap is not used as it is still reactive.

Tools required: 2 bowls, 3 heat-resistant pots (300 ml, 1 l and 1.5 l); block soap mould; wooden soap cutter box; straight soap cutter; spatula; kitchen blender.


Reviews

E
Ellemental
31 Jan
Hello Marilena, In the case of natural perfumes, which include several floral fragrances, the description states whether it is suitable for soap making or if it hardens the pudding very quickly. Of the floral fragrances, linden and wildflowers are the only ones that do not harden the soap so quickly. Good luck!
M
Marilena I.
31 Jan
Hello!I really like how this soap lathers and that's why starting from this recipe I want to make a spring soap, floral, with the scent of roses!I went on the Roses fragrance product page, but I did not find if it would be suitable for preparing cold soaps!Please let me know if this fragrance is indicated and possibly other fragrances with floral scent, spring flowers that are suitable for CP soaps, which would not accelerate the trace f much !As for the dosage probably 4% would be indicated!Thank you very much!
E
Ellemental
13 Nov 2024
Hello, Since adding more water may adversely affect the success of the soap, we recommend that you subtract the amount of water used for dissolving from the total amount of water. Have a sunny day!
E
Ellemental
13 Nov 2024
Hello, Yes, in theory you can make the suggested substitutions, except for the use of cinnamon powder in large quantities. Even crude olive oil can be replaced by the extra virgin version, as the saponification index is the same, i.e. between 184 and 196. In the case of cinnamon powder, bear in mind that cinnamon can cause allergenic effects in some people. This is why cinnamon is rarely found in commercial skin care products because it is a common irritant. Good luck!
i
ivascu m.
12 Nov 2024
Hello again!I forgot to ask you if the distilled water for dissolving the 2 powders (in total 4 tablespoons) we take from the total amount of distilled water of the recipe (245 g) or separate from the recipe quantity we use 2 tablespoons for each powder?!Thank you again!
i
ivascu m.
12 Nov 2024
Hello, could I use instead of clays, turmeric powder 20 g and cinnamon powder 20g and replace the essential oil with orange oil *10- 30 g and cinnamon -6 g, so tott 36 g as your recipe has 36 g ue!I have only extra virgin olive oil, but I do not know if the extra virgin has the same saponification index with raw olive oil!Thank you for your help and rentru wonderful recipes!
E
Ellemental
16 Sep 2024
Hello Adina, Since the saponification coefficient differs from oil to oil, eliminating palm oil and replacing it with another oil would mean recalculating, completely reformulating the recipe. Without recalculation and testing, we do not recommend modifying cold process soap recipes.
A
Adina I.
16 Sep 2024
I would like to eliminate palm oil. What would be the grammage for coconut and olive oil if I eliminate palm oil?
E
Ellemental N.
27 Feb 2023
Hello Cristina, Please let us know the pigment code used. Thank you
C
Cristina M.
25 Feb 2023
Last but not least, I would like to point out that I respect the percentage and I pay attention to the smallest details, but with this issue I cannot...
C
Cristina M.
25 Feb 2023
Good evening. Help! Why does mica get an ugly grayish tint in alkaline environment?.I was very careful to the leaflet of each product, I used mica that goes included in the CP, I don't know where I'm going wrong. I mix the clay with mica and oil ( to the superfat), mix with the whisk, at first it seems to disperse very nicely, but when I start mixing with the mixer the color turns Into a very ugly, gray. I tried to disperse the mica just in oil , same happens
E
Ellemental N.
01 Feb 2023
Hello Cristina, Yes, the recipe can be made without clay. Good luck!
C
Cristina M.
31 Jan 2023
Good evening. Can the clay be removed from this recipe?
M
Mariana I.
20 Mar 2022
Thank you
E
Ellemental
19 Mar 2022
Hello! It can be used, prepare the macerate with distilled water.
M
Mariana I.
15 Mar 2022
Hello. Instead of distilled water can I use Amla powder macerate?