Finished Diluted soap for shampoo

This is 1 pound of soap paste I just made dissolved in 2 pounds of water, it is gently heated till all paste is dissolved , it should sit to clear up a bit.in a week it will be ready to use for shampoo or just liquid hand washing soap. 

Finished soap paste

After the cooking time the soap mixture will go from a solid opaque color to a translucent color. During the process the soap will become less sticky and more clear till looking through a piece of paste will be a reminder of an agate type rock. The soap is no longer caustic and you can handle with your hands

The liquid soap process

I set up a double boiler with 2 pots in a ventilated area, my fats are in the pot heating up to 160 f. And the lye mixture needs to be at 140 f. Once this is achieved I pour the lye mixture in a slow steady stream into the fats. Then I use my old mixer and beat till it becomes like a saltwater taffy consistency, this can take anywhere from 20 min to an hour. Patience here is very important .when this step has been completed it must now boil gently for 3 hours stirring every 1/2 hour or so until a translucent color has been reached.

Introduction to liquid soap making

Welcome to one of my favourite and most useful hobbies, making liquid soap is not nearly as intimidating as you may think. All you need to do is follow the directions in the book, this is the only book I needed.

  

Getting started with liquid soaps

The most difficult ingredient to purchase  is Potassium Hydroxide, a key ingredient that soap cannot be made without, for all liquid soap in this book, this type of lye is needed.The flakey looking stuff in the jar in picture is potassium flakes. I have mixed the lye and water in the pitcher 

 Cranberry Lane in Port Coquitlam British Columbia is the only place I have found to purchase this ingredient and they do ship. www.cranberrylanestore.com