Elly’s Most Frequently Asked Questions about Soap Making

I hope this resource is helpful for you!

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General questions and about Elly’s soap making

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Is your soap available to purchase?

No, I don’t sell my soap publicly. I do make small batches by request from friends, for the cost of materials, but most of my soap is made for my YouTube videos, used in our household and/or given away as gifts.

Do you offer one-to-one instruction or soap making classes for beginners?

I don't offer face to face classes but have made a lot of resources on this site and through my videos that can help get people started.

Personally I advocate beginners taking a lot of time to research and learn about soap making before they make any soap. There is a lot to learn to really understand it. There are many beginner recipes you can try that are available freely on the internet and my channel and website, but there's nothing better and safer than formulating your own! If you do use others' recipes, it's important to always check them in a soap calculator.

Why are there sourdough bread making videos on your soap making channel?

Elly’s Everyday started with sourdough! The first videos shared to my original channel, now ‘Elly’s Everyday Soap Making’ were all about simple, easy homemade sourdough bread making (before it was trendy, haha). Later I started to share soap making videos to the channel, and these, quite unexpectedly, became wildly popular! In due course I decided to split the two topics and start a second YouTube channel dedicated to 100% whole grain sourdough baking, called ‘Elly’s Everyday Wholegrain Sourdough’. Due to the way YouTube works, it wasn’t feasible for me to remove the original sourdough videos from my channel - so there they remain. I now have two active channels on YouTube: 

https://www.youtube.com/c/EllysEverydaySoapMaking
https://www.youtube.com/c/EllysEverydayWholegrainSourdough

I would love to start selling my soap as a small business. Can you advise what I need to do for that? 

There is a lot to learn and research before you start selling your soap in a formal business context, and the requirements vary from country to country, but the links below are a good starting place if you are in Australia. (For USA soap makers, I would start here https://www.soapguild.org/).

Aside from regulations and requirements in your country or state, making skincare and cosmetic products is a serious pursuit and it is your responsibility to fully educate yourself about soap making before you enter into business. I suggest taking things slow and gaining as much experience as possible (including learning to formulate and properly calculate your own recipes) before you start selling your soap.

These are important links for handmade soap manufacturers and sellers in Australia:

General Soap Making FAQ’s

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I don’t understand all the technical terms used by soap makers. How do I learn what they all mean?

This soap making terms page defines all the basic terms most beginner soap makers encounter when they are first starting out:
https://www.ellyseveryday.com/soap-making-terms

Can we use baking soda instead of lye for making soap?

Unfortunately not, sodium hydroxide (for bar soap) or potassium hydroxide (liquid soap) are required to make soap with oils. Baking soda is not the same chemical as sodium hydroxide and is far less alkaline. It is not a type of ‘lye’ and will not convert fats into soap.

This video explains further: Soap Making Frequently Asked Questions https://youtu.be/VkgUjjqa-8s

Can I use citric acid, lemon juice or some other acidic ingredient to lower the pH of my soap?

Unfortunately not, soap is a naturally higher pH product, and anything added to lower the pH will affect the quality of the soap.

What is the difference between traditional soap and modern cleansers (eg. body wash, Dove bars, handwash, shampoo)?

Soap is made from oils/fats and a strong alkaline solution (‘lye’). These two basic ingredients are mixed until they are emulsified which triggers the chemical reaction called ‘saponification’. Once that chemical reaction is complete, the resulting products is soap, which is a naturally higher pH product.

More modern type cleansers are made from surfactants, which are able to produce cleansing detergent products with a lower pH closer to the skin’s natural pH level, which is why modern cleansers and shampoos are often preferred to traditional soap bars. Personally, I love to use traditional soap for body and face (gentle and unscented bars are best), handwashing, kitchen use, laundry and general cleaning (yes, I even clean my bathroom with soap!), but use modern surfactant based cleanser (shampoo) for washing my hair. I have found over many years of experimenting that I just don’t like to wash my hair with soap! Our water is moderately hard, which makes it a less satisfying experience.

What materials can I use in soap making? Can aluminum moulds or utensils be used?

Stainless steel, polypropylene plastic (PP, no. 5 type) and heat resistant silicone are the safest materials to use for soap making. Glass should be avoided due to the possibility of etching by caustic lye solutions, leading to breakage. Aluminum and other pH reactive metals should not be used to avoid damage to the utensil/container and/or contamination of the soap batter. Wooden or timber utensils should also be avoided as they are corroded and damaged by high pH lye solutions including raw soap batter.

This video explains in more detail:
Soap Making Safety Essentials - Detailed Lye Safety Video - ESSENTIAL Viewing for ALL Soap Makers https://youtu.be/EZTsW9UvNmU

How long do I have to wait before I can use my handmade soap?

This depends on the individual recipe to some extent, but generally speaking, handmade bar soap needs to be cured for 4-6 weeks before general use. This ensures that the soap is as mild as possible and has had adequate time to dry and harden.

Technically speaking, if properly made and tested for the correct pH, soap can be safely used earlier than 4-6 weeks, however I recommend this only for the purposes of testing the lather and general soap qualities, and you must ensure that the saponification reaction is complete (give it at least 3-4 days!) and the soap is safe to try on the skin. 

Relevant videos:
Handmade Soap Testing - How to test the pH of your handmade cold process or hot processed soap https://youtu.be/3BP7089FqOI
The Soap Zap Test - An old fashioned but reliable way to pH test your handmade soap bars before use https://youtu.be/SS14Gsl4gKQ

How long do I have to cure hot processed soap? I noticed some soap maker’s use their HP soap straight away, and others recommend a cure time of at least a few weeks.

Technically speaking, if hot processed bar soap is completely cooked and the saponification reaction is complete, then after testing for correct pH, it can be used. However, in order to achieve a nice texture in HP soap batter (not too dry and crumbly), adequate water must be used in the recipe, and, the more water added, the softer the HP soap bars will be. For this reason, I like to cure my HP soap for at least a few weeks/a month before using. This ensures the bars are hard and well cured before I use them or give as gifts.

When I buy handmade soap the makers often say that there is no lye left in the finished product. How does the lye disappear out of the bar of soap?

If the soap is made correctly with the right lye amount, all of the lye should be consumed during the saponification reaction which takes place after the lye solution is emulsify with the fats, saponifying them and transforming them from oil into soap. Once this occurs, then if the recipe is formulated and made correctly, there should be no unused lye left in the soap. If there was, it would be very harsh on the skin and dangerous to use!

This video explains further:
Soap Making Frequently Asked Questions https://youtu.be/VkgUjjqa-8s

Can I use my handmade soap as a face wash, or is it better for body and handwashing only?

Each soap recipe is unique, and most soap makers formulate their recipes for different purposes. For all over body and face washing, I personally love a very gentle, unscented soap, such as a castile soap or other olive oil based soap recipes, however you may be happy to use any of your handmade soaps for face, body and/or hands. I think it’s up to each individual to learn what soap recipes suit their skin and personal preferences, and err on the side of caution when using ingredients that may cause irritation or allergic reactions.

My soap becomes very soft and gooey when used in the shower. Why does that happen and what can I do about it? 

Some soap recipes produce a softer and/or more soluble (easily dissolved) soap than others, and there are a number of factors that contribute to this, however the key factors are: 

  1. The oils used in the recipe (eg. unsaturated fats tend to make softer, more soluble soap)

  2. The way the soap is used (ie. is it kept on a freely draining wire rack or soap dish? Are there many people using it without it having a chance to dry out in between?)

  3. And believe it or not, the climate/environment of your home - hot, humid climates are less favourable for soap recipes high in unsaturated fats. The warmer and more humid the environment is, the less chance your soap will have of staying dry and hardening between uses. Some soap makers (I do this!) make different soap for different seasons. In dry seasons, softer soaps are more easily used and tolerated, in hot/humid seasons it’s better to use harder formulas with soaps that are less likely to soften when wet. 

This video has more details on this topic and outlines how to choose oils for soap making and evaluate your recipes using a soap calculator: 
Choosing Oils for Soap Making https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0
Web page summary https://www.ellyseveryday.com/choosing-oils-for-soap-making

My soap is really soft and I can’t get it out of the mould! What can I do? Should I use sodium lactate to harden my soap?

Some soap recipes, especially those made with high amounts of unsaturated fats (liquid oils) and/or high water amounts, can be difficult to unmould from silicone log moulds. This is why I use timber moulds with folded paper liners for many of my soap recipes. It is much easier to remove the soap with paper liner from a mould and peel the liner off, than it is to remove fresh, sticky soap from a sticky silicone surface! (Individual silicone moulds are fine, they are easily manipulated and the soap can be popped out easily).

So, there are four basic options you can consider in dealing with this issue:

  1. If you don’t want to change your recipe, the easiest fix is to use a paper liner inside your silicone mould, or use a paper-lined timber mould (see links below for demonstration on how to fold a paper liner).

  2. You could try adding some sodium lactate to your recipe and see if that helps. Personally speaking, this is my least favourite option - I would add some regular table salt to harden the soap, or reduce my water amount, or tweak my recipe, before I tried sodium lactate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sodium lactate, I just really like simple recipes!

  3. If your water amount is very high in your recipe, you could try reducing that to a more moderate amount (eg. 1.5:1 or even 2:1 water to lye ratio) which will create a more firm, less sticky soap (note that the default water setting in most soap calculators is around 3:1 water to lye!).

  4. (And this is my favourite option) You could reformulate your soap recipe with a moderate water amount (I personally like somewhere between 1.7:1 and 2:1 water to lye ratios these days) and with a better combination of oils and fats, to create a harder bar of soap that will be less soft and sticky in the initial days and much easier to unmould.
    *Check out the video ‘choosing oils for soap making’ linked below. It has all the information you need to learn how to do this. Make sure you watch/listen to the end to see how you can evaluate your recipes using a soap calculator and understand exactly what all the ‘soap qualities’ terms mean.

Helpful links:

Choosing Oils for Soap Making https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0
How to Calculate Your Own Soap Recipes https://youtu.be/AqKxin0q1bM
Calculating Water in Soap Recipes and Clarifying 'Lye Concentration' https://youtu.be/wd7_uZfbPn4
How to make a folded soap mould liner with non-stick baking paper https://youtu.be/7vU68RqnFEI

Can I use my existing kitchen tools and utensils for soap making or do you advise separate equipment? 

The official answer is yes, it is best to have separate utensils and equipment reserved for soap making. However, from the perspective of someone who tries to help beginner soap makers around the world, I have learned that it is not always feasible for home soap makers to have duplicate equipment for soap making and cooking, and in my personal opinion, it’s okay to use regular cooking equipment for soap making as long as it is cleaned thoroughly between uses and the right materials are used.

All soap makers should be aware that some kitchen materials, such as wooden spoons, ceramic slow cooker inserts and glass jugs/bowls, may be damaged by contact with lye, rendering them unsafe to cook with over time. I discourage the use of glass in soap making for this reason. The safest materials for soap making, in my opinion, are stainless steel, heat safe polypropylene (No.5 type) plastic, and heat safe silicone. 

Relevant resources:
Introduction to Soap Making page on this website https://www.ellyseveryday.com/introduction-to-soap-making
Soap Making Safety Essentials https://youtu.be/EZTsW9UvNmU
Introduction to Cold Process Soap Making video (my first ever soap video!) https://youtu.be/8bKpLWNqAGs
Washing up after Soap Making https://youtu.be/Pn3yfUw28OA

I’ve seen your video about how to wash up your jugs and bowls after soap making, but how do you clean the jug that held the lye and water mixture? 

Lye water containers should be rinsed thoroughly (inside and out) with water, as soon as possible after they are emptied. Then they can be washed as normal in the dishwasher or in your usual washing up routine. 

Relevant video: Washing up after Soap Making https://youtu.be/Pn3yfUw28OA

What is the type of paper you use to line your timber soap moulds? Is this a better option than silicone log moulds?

The paper I use is called ‘non-stick baking paper’ in Australia. I understand that it is also called ‘baking parchment’ paper in the USA and United Kingdom. If you use parchment paper, ensure that it is intended for baking and the words ‘non-stick’ are somewhere on the label. Do not use greaseproof paper, or waxed paper - neither of these will work. Freezer paper, which is available in the USA, can also be used to line timber soap moulds, just be sure to fold it so that the shiny side is inwards (shiny side touching the soap).

I prefer to use timber moulds with a paper liner for a few main reasons:

  1. Because I have timber moulds I like using, and they have no other lining so a folded paper is required.

  2. Timber moulds are well insulated, assisting the soap batter to go through a gel phase.

  3. Softer, stickier soap recipes are much easier to unmould with a paper liner than from a silicone mould.

I cure my soap on a wire rack in a room with good air flow, however it feels damp on the surface. Why is this happening an what can I do about it?

Soap is a type of salt and is naturally hygroscopic, meaning that it attracts moisture out of the atmosphere, therefore handmade soap will not cure well and will become damp on the surface in high humidity environments. If you live in a humid climate, try storing your soap in an enclosed cupboard or drawer with humidity absorbers.

This video provides an overview of my system which works well in our sub-tropical climate here in Brisbane:
Soap Storage Tips & Ideas https://youtu.be/B73kpk3W1AA

Soap Recipe Formulation and Calculation FAQ’s

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I don’t have olive oil (for example) as you specify to use in your soap recipe. Can I substitute that with (insert another oil type) and use that instead?

There are some oils and fats that can be directly substituted for others in soap recipes, but these instances are few, and generally speaking (and this is best practice), any change of oil type in a soap recipe requires the recipe to be recaclulated with a soap calculator. This is important because every oil and fat used for soap making naturally contains a variety of different fatty acids, and each oil’s unique fatty acid profile requires a different amount of sodium hydroxide (for bar soap recipes) or potassium hydroxide (for liquid soap recipes) to saponify and transform the oils into soap.

These resources provide more information on this topic:

Soap Making Frequently Asked Questions https://youtu.be/VkgUjjqa-8s
How to Calculate Your Own Soap Recipes https://youtu.be/AqKxin0q1bM
How to Calculate Simple Liquid Soap Recipes using the Zero-Low Superfat Method (with SoapCalc demo) https://youtu.be/dBPmh4UpoHk
Choosing Oils for Soap Making - Oil types and fatty acids, balancing recipes and Soapcalc explained https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0

Is it possible to replace the water with milk in your soap recipes?

Yes, you can use milk as a partial or full replacement of the water in most soap recipes, however milk needs to be frozen into cubes before the sodium hydroxide is added, to prevent scorching and discolouring the soap. It’s also important to be aware that milk contains natural sugars, which can contribute to overheating of the soap batter as it saponifies. Most whole animal milks also contain fat, which contributes to extra superfat in your soap.

Relevant videos:
Almond Milk Summer Garden Cold Process Soap (Easy Milk Soap Method) https://youtu.be/ZaYTNdogSmo
About Temperatures for Soap Making (cold and hot process methods) https://youtu.be/Tm2tq1hp6AY
Superfat Explained - Understanding 'Superfat' and 'Lye Discounting' in Handmade Soap Making https://youtu.be/cI6D3kbAb40

Can I use milk powder in my soap recipes? How and when should I add it?

Yes, milk powder can be a lovely addition to soap recipes, in place of fresh milk. I have personally not used it, but if I did I would dissolve the powder into a small amount of water first, then blend that mixture into the soaping oils before adding the lye solution. 

I saw in your palm oil video series, especially part 2 where you demonstrate how to prepare the oil, that it needs to be melted and mixed before using. I have never done this, and I’m now wondering how that would affect my soap recipe?

It will probably be a subtle difference, but you may end up with a different composition of your soap than you intended. Worst case scenario, you end up with less or more superfat than intended (due to different SAP values of different fatty acids). This issue will be more or less problematic depending on how much palm oil you have in your recipe.

Relevant videos:
Using palm oil in soap making. Should we, or not? What do we need to know? (it's complicated) https://youtu.be/6zjo3iv0Kh0 
How to prepare palm oil for soap making (with some ideas on storage) https://youtu.be/tptHL805VXg

Is citric acid needed in soap recipes? 

No, citric acid is not required in handmade soap formulations, however it can be helpful in reducing soap scum in hard water areas, reducing rancidity and spoilage of soap bars made with unsaturated fats (see DOS), slowing down trace and boosting the lather of some soap recipes.

This article provides more detail on the benefits, application and calculation of citric acid in soap making: 
https://www.ellyseveryday.com/ellys-everyday-blog/how-to-use-citric-acid-in-soap-making

Can citric acid be substituted with lime, lemon or orange juice?

Lemon juice can be used in place of citric acid in soap recipes, however it is important to know how much citric acid is in the type of lemon juice being used and the sodium hydroxide amount is adjusted accordingly. Sodium hydroxide adjustments when using citric acid are important to prevent incorrect super-fatting of the soap recipe. 

This page details how to use and calculate citric acid for bar soap recipes:
https://www.ellyseveryday.com/ellys-everyday-blog/how-to-use-citric-acid-in-soap-making

This paper details the amounts of citric acid contained within various types of lemon juice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637791/#:~:text=Lemon%20juice%20and%20lime%20juice,1.06%20g%2Foz%2C%20respectively

You don’t use sodium lactate in your soap recipes, like many others do. Why is that? Should I use it?

You can use sodium lactate in your soap recipes, there is nothing wrong with it and many soap makers report that it helps create a harder bar of soap and makes un-moulding easier. I don’t use it because I like to keep my recipes very simple and prefer to focus on formulating the best recipes I can with simple fat/oil/butter combinations. My personal view is that soap recipes can be made with excellent hardness, longevity and ease of un-moulding without the addition of sodium lactate.

This video and written resource provides more information on this topic and can teach you how to formulate excellent soap recipes without additional ingredients: https://www.ellyseveryday.com/choosing-oils-for-soap-making

What is the difference between dish soap and bath soap?

Dish soaps usually have higher cleansing values through the use of a higher amount of coconut oil in their recipes. Bath soap, on the other hand, is usually formulated with less coconut oil is thus more gentle on the skin. The level of coconut oil used in any given soap recipe depends a lot on the users local environment, in my opinion. In warm, tropical climates where the air and skin are less likely to become dry, coconut oil soaps can be perfect for everything!

This video explains further: Choosing Oils for Soap Making https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0

Can I use old cooking oil to make soap?

It is possible to make soap from used cooking oil but it does need to be filtered first and make sure that it’s as clean as possible before use in a soap recipe. We also need to make sure that all soap recipes are calculated correctly with a soap calculator according to the type of oil used, to ensure the correct lye amount for each oil type. This can be hard to figure with used cooking oil, which may be made of a blend of vegetable oils.

These videos will provide further guidance:
Choosing Oils for Soap Making - Oil types and fatty acids, balancing recipes and Soapcalc explained https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0
How to Calculate Your Own Soap Recipes https://youtu.be/AqKxin0q1bM

You use semi-refined ‘light’ olive oil in many of your olive oil based video recipes. Is it ok to use extra virgin olive oil instead?

Yes, it’s absolutely fine to substitute between different olive oil types, except for pomace olive oil (pomace usually has a separate listing with a different SAP value in soap calculators). Just be aware when using different types of olive oil that they do behave differently. Often, extra virgin olive oil will thicken/achieve ‘trace’ faster than more refined types.

Relevant videos:
My favourite, Castile Soap made with 100% olive oil https://youtu.be/MzDZts9hjKw
Liquid Castile Soap Making – 100% olive oil liquid soap recipe https://youtu.be/Q-Ul8NNQZqg
How to Make Soap Using a Shaker Bottle (Honey Castile Soap Recipe) https://youtu.be/nLV1yM6886w
Choosing Oils for Soap Making https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0

I’ve seen your video about how to wash up your jugs and bowls after soap making, but how do you clean the jug that held the lye and water mixture? 

Lye water containers should be rinsed thoroughly (inside and out) with water, as soon as possible after they are emptied. Then they can be washed as normal in the dishwasher or in your usual washing up routine. 

Relevant video:
Washing up after Soap Making https://youtu.be/Pn3yfUw28OA

Liquid Soap Making FAQ’s

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Do I need to ‘cure’ my liquid soap as I would for bar soap making? How much time does it need to rest before I can use it? 

If liquid soap is tested for correct pH and is deemed safe and fully saponified (as it should be after cooking/before dilution), then I think it can be used straight away after dilution. Some resources advise sequestering liquid soap for two weeks before using so that sediment can settle out of the liquid, however for home use I don’t wait to use my liquid soap. It is important to note that, if using my simple ‘zero superfat’ paste method of liquid soap making, the paste should be completely saponified before dilution.  

Do I need a crock pot or can I use a regular cooking pot for liquid soap making?
(this also applies to hot processed bar soap making)

You can use a regular stainless steel cooking pot on the stove to make liquid soap. Just use very low heat and be prepared to remove your pot from the heat source, as needed, to prevent overcooking your soap. Home soap makers can also consider using a double boiler to cook their liquid soap paste more gently (particularly if you have a gas burner and it’s not easy to cook on a very low flame), however take extra care if you use this method. Your double boiler setup needs to be safe and secure, deep enough for blending your soap batter safely and not easy to bump and spill! To be honest, I’ve never done it and it doesn’t appeal to me, but I’ve seen others recommend it. Use a double boiler for soap making at your own risk.

This video shows an example of me making liquid soap on my induction stovetop using a regular stainless steel cooking pot:
Liquid Soap Making Tutorial – Complete Process and Easy Beginner Recipe https://youtu.be/_WPIMsLk1P8. Note that the heat is very easy to control with induction cooking. If you have a regular hotplate style electric stovetop you will have slower reaction times when adjusting the heat setting, so be prepared to remove your pot from the heat source if needed.

In your liquid soap recipe videos you refer to ‘dilution water.’ What is that? Is it distilled water? Or something different? 

I use the term ‘dilution water’ to refer to whatever type of water I’m using to dilute the liquid soap paste in any given recipe. Ideally, this would be distilled water, but that is not always widely available, so filtered, boiled drinking water can be used instead. 

Here in Australia, distilled water is not widely available in supermarkets, so I tend to use demineralised water instead of distilled water. It works quite well in liquid soap recipes, and due to it being demineralised, the liquid soap (if the paste is properly made) stays clear after dilution. Any water can be used for liquid soap making as long as it is very clean (filtered if necessary) and boiled/sanitised. Just be aware that any minerals present in the water can cloud the finished product.

In your beginner liquid soap recipe video you added a salt solution to thicken the soap at the end. How do I make the salt solution?

The full details for my beginner liquid soap recipe, including how to make the salt solution, are written in the description box below the video.
Liquid Soap Making Tutorial – Complete Process and Easy Beginner Recipe https://youtu.be/_WPIMsLk1P8

I’ve noticed your liquid soap recipes all follow the hot process method. Have you ever made cold process liquid soap?

Yes, I have tried making liquid soap using the cold process method, but it has never worked reliably for me. Potassium hydroxide lye soap paste requires much more heat and agitation to trigger the saponification reaction compared to sodium hydroxide bar soap recipes, and in my experience, it is much easier and faster to achieve perfect liquid soap using a hot process.

Do I need to add a preservative to my liquid soap? Can you recommend the best type/brand to use?

I recommend adding a preservative to liquid soap batches intended for sale to the public, however for my personal use/homemade batches I do not use it. It’s a difficult question to answer because many liquid soap making resources suggest using preservatives, but there is a lot of disagreement about whether or not it is necessary, and most resources I’ve read suggest (as I do) that individuals conduct their own research and decide for themselves based on their recipes and circumstances.

Regarding types of preservatives best for liquid soap making, I cannot provide advice on this because I’ve chosen not to use them, but I highly recommend Jackie Thompson’s book Liquid Soap Making for anyone who wants to venture further into the craft of liquid soap making beyond the simple recipes and methods demonstrated in my youtube videos. This book is essential if you want to make liquid soap to sell in your business!

(Please note, these are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Amazon USA https://amzn.to/45uooP4
Amazon Australia https://amzn.to/46L1Jz2
Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3ZT9PTS

You can find my liquid soap making videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@EllysEverydaySoapMaking/videos

How much essential oil or fragrance oil do I use for diluted liquid soap?

For liquid soap preparations I generally use around 0.5% to 1.0% of essential oil per finished weight of the diluted liquid soap (the end product). For example, if you have 1000g diluted soap, you would use 5-10g (0.5-1.0%) of essential oil. Liquid soap generally needs a lot less essential oil than bar soap does, and generally speaking for all soap recipes, fragrance oils can be used in much lower quantities due to their strength. Care must be taken to follow suppliers instructions with fragrance oils, as their level of pervasiveness can vary and some are much stronger than others (same for EO’s). With liquid soap, I encourage you to experiment with very small amounts at first. A little fragrance goes a long way in liquid soap. 

I want to make liquid soap but I only have sodium hydroxide. Can I use that instead of potassium hydroxide in your liquid soap recipes?

No, my liquid soap recipes (and liquid soap recipes generally) are designed to be made with potassium hydroxide lye (KOH). Some liquid soap recipes are formulated to include some sodium hydroxide (NaOH), however I have not shared any dual lye recipes on my channel yet.

This video details how I calculate my simple liquid soap recipes:
How to Calculate Simple Liquid Soap Recipes using the Zero-Low Superfat Method (with SoapCalc demo) https://youtu.be/dBPmh4UpoHk

This book is highly recommended if you want to venture beyond my simple home-style methods:
(Please note, these are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Jackie Thompson’s Liquid Soap Making
Amazon USA https://amzn.to/45uooP4
Amazon Australia https://amzn.to/46L1Jz2
Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3ZT9PTS

Do you have more information on formulating for liquid soap? Depending on whether I wanted to make something for hands, dishes, maybe a body wash, laundry, or maybe even to wash my hair. Would you have tips or recommendations? Or is there any of those I shouldn't try to do?

Yes, these two resources would be my pick for learning more about liquid soap making formulation. However, note that I only make very basic liquid soaps using a ‘zero superfat’ calculation method. For more in depth LS knowledge and formulation information, check out Jackie Thompson’s book mentioned above :)

How to Calculate Simple Liquid Soap Recipes using the Zero-Low Superfat Method (with SoapCalc demo) https://youtu.be/dBPmh4UpoHk
Choosing Oils for Soap Making - Oil types and fatty acids, balancing recipes and Soapcalc explained https://youtu.be/V-uDPifp3n0

Can your liquid soap recipes used for washing hair/face/all over body wash?

Yes, my three liquid soap recipes on YouTube are all gentle formulations and can be used for handwashing and showering. Personally, I don’t like to use soap on my hair due to our moderately hard water, but people with soft water seem to enjoy using soap to wash their hair. I would recommend trying it out for shampoo and see how you like it. It’s a good idea to rinse your hair with a mild vinegar/water rinse after washing with soap, to smooth out the hair in place of conditioner.

These are my three liquid soap recipe videos shared on YouTube. The second and third recipe are also in the blog section of this website:

Liquid Soap Making Tutorial – Complete Process and Easy Beginner Recipe https://youtu.be/_WPIMsLk1P8
Liquid Castile Soap Making – 100% olive oil liquid soap recipe – full tutorial with easy recipe https://youtu.be/Q-Ul8NNQZqg
Easy Liquid Soap Recipe using all Rice Bran Oil https://youtu.be/0Kv-ObTjLHw

Essential Oils & Fragrancing FAQ’s

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Can I use fresh or dried herbs or teas in my soap instead of essential oils?

Teas and herbs make lovely additions to handmade soap recipes, however they don’t carry much scent unfortunately, and won’t fragrance your soap adequately (if your goal is to have recognisable scent in your soap). Only concentrated fragrance oils or essential oils, or some strong herb infusions, will add scent to handmade soap batches.

Regarding essential oils suitable for soap making, do I use EO’s diluted in a carrier oils or pure, concentrated essential oils?

100% pure essential oils are required for soap recipes. EO’s diluted in a carrier oil will not provide adequate fragrance and the added carrier oil will interact with your base soap recipe adding an unintended superfat.

Where do you buy your essential oils and other ingredients? Essential oils are so expensive!!

I purchase all of my essential oils for soap making online from bulk suppliers. That’s the only affordable way! Buy the biggest bottles you can afford of your favourite, tried and tested essential oils. The initial cost outlay is higher, but the unit cost (per gram) is lower due to the bulk purchase, making them much more affordable in the long term. Store your oils in a cool, dark, dry place to extend their shelf life as long as possible.   

Why do you prefer essential oils in your soap recipes? Are they better than fragrance oils?

It’s a personal choice. I do use fragrance oils occasionally in my soap recipes, but generally speaking, I much prefer the natural scent of essential oils.

I'm trying to work out essential oil quantities for my cold process soap recipes. Do you work out the amounts based on the total soap batter weight (including water & lye), or just the base oil amounts? 

I calculate my EO amounts based on the total base oil amount for each soap recipe, rather than the whole soap batter amount, due to the fact that water evaporates from the soap. This video explains more:
Blending and Calculating Essential Oils for Soap Making https://youtu.be/JkcjC3wV0ZA

I added essential oils to my soap but the smell didn’t last. Why is that? What went wrong?

There are many essential oils that fade in bar soap recipes, and the most fleeting of them all tend to be citrus EO’s including grapefruit, lemon, unfolded orange and bergamot. I tend to enjoy these in my liquid soap preparations and stick to other more earthy, woodsy, herbal and floral scents for bar soap recipes. Liquid soap is where you can really enjoy all the fleeting EO's! They never fade out of a liquid preparation.

Having said that, you can help fleeting EO’s last longer by increasing the amount you use (as long as it is within safe dermal limits - research is required) and/or blend them with middle and base note essential oils to help anchor the scents. Many soap makers love cedar EO as an anchoring base note, but there are other options as well. Look up 'base note essential oils' and 'middle note essential oils' and see if you can add those to your blends.

I like this site for learning about essential oils and making pleasing, well balanced blends https://www.aromaweb.com/

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