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"To Lye or Not To Lye" - The Truth Be Told
- Details
- Category: DIY Soap
- Published: Monday, 13 February 2017 01:36
- Written by Super User
- Hits: 663
In order to make soap, there are three primary ingredients needed: lye, water and oils (fatty acids). One of the main ingredients, which is the lye, is something that I was not ready to deal with even as I had the strong desire to do so.
You see, lye is a strong alkaline substance that is needed in order to convert the oils into soap through a process called saponification. So I thought that there was no way possible that I could make soap if I did not want to handle the lye. But I have decided to research on it anyway.
So I set out to search the internet on other ways that it could possibly be done. On my adventure to try to make soap without the lye, I searched many times over but couldn't find any recipe that did not contain lye. After searching for awhile, I eventually ran across a video where this lady was making soap with a product called melt and pour. The way she did it and the crafting of her soap was so beautiful.
The process seemed very easy and simple to do so I decided to give it a go and searched online for melt and pour products. I ordered the product and started making different kinds of bars primarily using food coloring and chamomile or lavender fragrance oils to enhance the soap. The lather was awesome. Nice and bubbly.
What I've learned as I looked into the ingredients that the melt and pour consisted of lye as one one the ingredients in it. I just didn't have to handle it myself.
Eventually, I was able to move past "my attitude of dealing with the lye" and learned how to make soap using all three ingredients. The process was simple and easy to do and actually was not as bad as I had imagined it in my head. I was able to be a little more creative as to how my soaps turned out and I had a little more control as to what ingredients I wanted to put into my soap.
So if given the choice whether "To Lye or Not To Lye", I chose to do them both. To "not lye" by using the melt and pour soap base which is very simple and easy to do within a small amount of time and "to lye" by making soaps through the hot processing and cold processing methods which gives me more control of what your soap consists of.
Either way, I still come out a winner. Until next time, I meet you back at the Lathering Bar.