If you like to indulge yourself with sweet, “chocolate cake” like scented skin care products, you will love this soap….from the moment you begin to homemade it….

It is very easy to DIY your soap, you just need to follow scrupulously the recipe to be sure you use the right amount of oil to react with the cleaning agent: caustic soda. This process is called saponification.

This reaction needs vegetal oils and caustic soda. It is important to know that each oil has its own saponification index, also called SAP.

Caustic soda is used for centuries in Marseille and Castille soaps. It has a PH of 11, which is pretty basic, this is why, when using Marseille’s or Castille’s soap, you feel your skin pulling…like a very dry skin. My recipe will avoid you this feeling.

It could sound scary to put chemicals in your soap…but the very very good news here is that this substance: caustic soda, is reacting with vegetal oils to create a new substance called glycerin. On top of that, at the end of the process, I am adding some very rich and creamy oils and butters, this is why the PH won’t strip your skin’s natural oily protecting coat.

The recipe I am sharing with you today will allow you to lower the PH closer to your skin’s PH….a real treat for your skin…and a wonderful fragrance experience while showering…

I also like using homemade soaps…because it avoids a lot of packaging…and carbon footprint. It also avoids animal cruelty…I can certify that animal love it….just have a look at this little buddy eating my coconut oil, he knows what is good for him :)…. of course this was before mixing the ingredients together…..

Equipment you will need to DIY your chocolate soap:

  +  +3 +

digital scale              soup blender                                          3 plastic bowls                                  mold

Ingredients you will need to DIY your chocolate soap (250 grams of dried soap):

List 1

-Raw cocoa butter: 20 grams

-Karite butter : 50 grams

-Mango butter: 20 grams

-Coconut butter: 100 grams

-Olive oil: 50 grams

-Castor oil: 10 grams (will give a nice foam)

Some butter will be solid, mix all the ingredients together and heat until all the ingredients are melted.

The Caustic soda mixture:

list 2

Now you should wear gloves, glasses to protect your eyes, and long sleeves

-36,2 grams of caustic soda powder

-81,3 grams of water

-Carefully add the caustic soda into water (not the opposite, you will avoid splashes)

The chemical reaction will release a lot of heat. Wait until luck warm before using.

For the final hydrating touch:

list 3

12.5 grams of mango butter

For the fragrance and the active ingredients:

list 3 bis

-70 drops of Ho wood essential oil

-20 drops of patchouli essential oil

-50 drops of lavender essential oil

-20 drops of black spruce essential oil or pine essential oil

-10 drops of cinnamon essential oil (cinnamon cassia)

-40 drops of vanilla extract (vanilla is not distilled, it is extracted by alcohol, but we are used to say essential oil for vanilla too)

Mix your list 3 + 3 bis together

Ideally split this mixture in 2 different containers to pour in each layers of colored soap when ready.

For the dark chocolate color pigment:

list 4

-Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp, it is hard to believe…but it turns brown…it is also excellent for our skin, it has excellent anti oxidant benefits!!!

How to proceed to DIY your soap:

Now that all your ingredients are ready…lets have fun….

-pour your list 2 into your list 1

-Use the soup blender on low speed for a couple of minutes until you see the liquid is turning white and creamy. Don’t mix for too long to avoid having a hard soap that will not spread well in the mold. (this recipe uses a lot of solid butters, so your soap will turn solid pretty fast.

-Split your soap “creamy mixture into 2 different bowls, mix half of the list 3 in one half, mix the other half of your list 3+ list 4 in your other soap mixture and blend again with your soup blender ( a few seconds, just enough to mix the pigments with your soap)

-Pour your lighter color soap mixture on the bottom of your mold, shake it well to allow the mixture to fill the corners and avoid bubbles in your soap.

-Pour your darker soap mixture on top

-I used a few vanilla pods on top for decoration

-Cover with a plastic foil …and wait for 24 hours

-Your soap will be hot….this proves that the chemical reaction is turning your ingredients into natural glycerin…

-After 24 hours it is time to demould your soap.

-Wait 1 more day before cutting your soap into multiple slices. You can use a very sharp knife or a fishing tread for a clean cut.

Your soaps look already great and it is extremely tempting to use it immediately, however the chemical reaction is not finished yet. It is always important to wait 4 weeks before using the soaps…

It gives you time to create your personalized wrapping.

I like to use strings and a small label. I don’t like to cover my soaps …it is more eco friendly…and it shows how nice it is to make handcrafted soaps….

Et voila….Your skin will be soft, hydrated and radiant.

I hope you enjoyed handcrafting your soaps

Too bad you don’t have the smell though…the essential oils I selected are persistant in soaps, be sure to add the fragrances after the saponification process…

Adults only should realize these soaps, if you want your kids to participate, let them measure the oily ingredients, count the essential oils drops….and cut the soap…

Thank you for your visit

Thank you for taking care of your skin with natural ingredients….this is good for you…and for our environment

Xx

France