Baby Soap Recipe

[HerbJane]

2lbs Crisco Shortening (32oz)
1 lb Olive oil infused (16 oz) directions below

6 oz Lye
12 oz cold water

2 oz Sugar
4 oz Sea Salt

4 oz Lavender
4 oz Calendula
4 oz Chamomile

Bring Olive oil to a boil and turn down to simmer, add Lavender, Calendula and Chamomile, let simmer for an hour and then strain, discard the flower parts but keep the oil.

Melt the Shortening with the olive oil mixture and then let cool to 90 deg.

Mix the lye and sugar into the cold water, allow it to cool to 90 deg.

Once both are same temp, add the lye mixture to the oil mixture and blend with a hand blender for a few minutes, when it traces ( you lift the blender and can see tracks in the mixture) add the sea salt and blend and then pour into your mold.

 

[Thyme]

I thought that it wasn't good to boil olive oil because it burned faster than regular vegetable or corn oil. What do you use for molds? I know it is a newbie question, but the chamomile and lavender should be dry or fresh?

 

[boobah]

Thanks for the good recipes. My youngest child is allergic to most soaps and detergents. They make her break out in rashes. I am always looking for new soap and detergent recipes.

 

[HerbJane]

I thought that it wasn't good to boil olive oil because it burned faster than regular vegetable or corn oil. What do you use for molds? I know it is a newbie question, but the chamomile and lavender should be dry or fresh?

It has always worked out for me, I bring it to a boil and then turn it to low. I use olive oil because it is far superior on your skin.

I use dried organic herbs, the same amount of each so if I use 2 oz of one I do 2oz of all.

 

[angbaby4974]

Hmmm, I've never tried boiling my oil. I usually just add the herbs to the oil & put it on a double boiler for a few hours. I'm terribly afraid of oil fires, so the double boiler is the method for me.

My bare bottoms baby soap is a pure castile soap, olive oil only, no fragrance or color, as it is the most gentle soap you can make, but some people don't like the "slimy" feel of it. I am one of those people LOL And it takes forever to cure a castile soap!!!

 

[SuzyQ]

I have the opposite to baby skin, very dry mature skin and I sometimes use baby soap as it should be the most pure. Would this recipe be OK for my skin do you think?

 

[Joyce]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. I make a similar recipe and everyone uses it including my 75 year old grandmother with great results. Good Luck.

 

[wanderingherb]

Excellent and interesting recipe. I would've thought salt and sugar would be too abrasive, what is its purpose? Does it help harden? Make the water softer or change the pH. I know there has to be a purpose so I am really curious!!

Maybe the oil should not be boiled to make oils with your herbs? You are not making a water infusion.

Its different- oil has a different molecular make-up than water and would be far more effective using the slow method ensuring your herbs plenty of time to infuse with the oils! In fact you could use less herbs the other way.

And yes olive oil is perfect for babies. I see you are using no harder oils like coconut or babbassu. Does the crisco perform the same duties in the soap? I know castile will harden and lather on its own, but you have more crisco in your recipe than olive oil. Just wondering how that works. Do you get a lather or just a bit of lather? I would imagine the bars would be hard since crisco is just a combo of veggie oils.

Very nice recipe. Thanks for sharing

Wanderingherb

 

[Joyce]

I recently tried this recipe to compare it to my own, and I have a couple of comments. I did not boil the oil, I just warmed it up then let the herbs sit in the warmed oil for a while. Had it of been summer I would have put them into some olive oil and set them in the sun, but winter is not so friendly. I strained the herbs from the oil. From what I can tell, the sugar helps with lather and the salt helps with hardening. The Crisco makes a nice hard soap that has very little smell. I have attached a picture.

 

[wanderingherb]

From what I can tell, the sugar helps with lather and the salt helps with hardening. The Crisco makes a nice hard soap that has very little smell.

Interesting. Thanks so much for sharing. Just goes to show think outside the circle and you figure out something new!

This seems like it would be cost effective too.

Wanderingherb

 

[Joyce]

I use Crisco a lot as a base for my soap and it works, cheaper than most and easy to work with. It was the first recipe I ever tried and I have just revamped it as I went along.

 

[shyness]

Wow

This sounds like a pretty easy recipe. I was online a few days ago because I was thinking about soap and candle making. I need a hobby, and I was thinking of getting into the business and sell some items on eBay. I think this baby soap would make a good sell.

 

[Joyce]

It is fairly popular here, the homemade stuffs, but I am not sure where you are from. There are a few people here who do it but they are all different, so it makes it good.

 

[wanderingherb]

Problem with trying to sell it: Everyone and their brother is doing it. If you do it as a hobby expect to spend a bit of money and don't depend on any coming back your way. Just keep it as a hobby and what comes your way financially is a bonus of your hobby!

Wanderingherb

 

[Joyce]

That's what I do, it's my hobby, if I make money off it it is all a bonus, but I am making products my friends and family like and if it expands from there, great, if not, that's great too. I tried the craft fair scene and I must tell you it is not for me, I'd rather stick to what I am doing and enjoy it, the fairs seem too much like "work" and I don't want to end up hating it.

 

[wanderingherb]

It is a bit stressful isn't it. Especially when others of your own craft come by with those piercing eyes making you feel as if they are saying "what right do you have doing this? I've been doing it longer, you are trying to copy me"

When it comes to that I always feel that I must be doing a good job. That is what my uncle told me and he made his living from jewelry and rock hound. He said competition is a good thing because it lets you know how you are doing! Gosh he was a rock in that sense. I can't handle the stare down, but he just lets it roll off his back like a duck and water.

wanderingherb