Squeaky Clean!

The lighting in this bathroom sucks.

I was lamenting the demise of the last sliver of the lemongrass soap I had Friday night. Keith brought home a really nice glycerin hotel sample home and the fragrance had great longevity. I looked around online for glycerin recipes because I am in no way ready to mix lye or anything sophisticated. I came across the Melt and Pour products. Found at craft stores, this line includes several different bases (aloe, olive oil, glycerin, shea butter, etc.) I chose goat’s milk, but I would have loved to use the honey. I brought it home and proceeded to melt it in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. One note: eating a Rita’s Gelati may not be the best idea. I was often in the position of stirring soap and trying to eat my custard before it melted. I added a generous pour of Tupelo honey, a half ounce of grated pure beeswax and several pinches of apricot seeds for exfoliating. I used all 2 lbs of base, and filled a disposable loaf pan. I waited the 40 minutes suggested, but I found the solid surface had cooled only half an inch. I put it in the refrigerator overnight.
This morning, I turned the loaf pan out over a plastic cutting board and used a chef’s knife to slice 5 nice thick chunks from the log o’soap. I like the rectangluar French soaps that occasionally show up in TJ Maxx. I might look for a better mold to get that shape. The fragrance is also pretty faint. There was a selection of scents at Michael’s, but there was only honey AND almond. I didn’t want the almond. Tupelo is often described as spicy (it’s incredibly pure) and I can smell it while lathering. I expected that there might be an oily feeling because of the wax, goat’s milk AND honey, but I didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary. I am hoping that this soap alleviates the chapping that happens in the winter between washing hands frequently because of flu germs and the cold temperatures. I think I under-utilized the scents and ingredients, but for the first time out, I am pretty proud. Here’s the supply list:

Goat’s Milk Soap base (Michael’s) $9.99.

Apricot seeds/hulls $3.99

Honey $40.25/ 5 lb jar (I already had the honey. Tupelo is expensive, but you can use whatever is in your cupboard.)

Beeswax $0.50 (I found the cakes at a co-op in the bulk section for $3.99/lb – I used approx half of a 2 oz cake.)

I would definitely use a 40-50% off coupon next time for the soap base. The honey is a matter of personal preference. The 5 lb jar has lasted over 3 years. A major feature of Tupelo is that it doesn’t granulate. And, of course, honey won’t spoil. So, I have some nice soap, but I realized as I posted this….I still miss the lemon. Lol.