Honey and Shea Butter Soap

Introduction:

Honey and Shea Butter offers a luxurious, deeply nourishing experience for your skin. Honey, known for its natural humectant properties, helps retain moisture, while Shea Butter provides rich hydration and softening benefits. This combination results in a soap that is incredibly moisturizing and gentle, perfect for soothing dry or sensitive skin. With its sweet, natural scent and creamy lather, this soap recipe is a wonderful addition to any skincare routine, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth, and pampered.

Instructions:

1. Combine the sodium hydroxide and water in a heat-resistant container. Stir until dissolved.
2. Melt the shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil together.
3. Slowly add the sodium hydroxide solution to the melted oils, stirring continuously.
4. Add the honey to the mixture before pouring it into the soap mold.
5. Let the soap set for 24-48 hours before cutting and curing.

Lye and Water Calculations

-Using the following values from a Lye Calculator:

• Shea butter: 0.128 oz NaOH/oz of oil
• Coconut oil: 0.183 oz NaOH/oz of oil
• Olive oil: 0.135 oz NaOH/oz of oil
• Castor oil: 0.129 oz NaOH/oz of oil

Step-by-Step Calculations:

• Shea butter (16 oz): 16 oz × 0.128 = 2.048 oz NaOH
• Coconut oil (16 oz): 16 oz × 0.183 = 2.928 oz NaOH
• Olive oil (8 oz): 8 oz × 0.135 = 1.08 oz NaOH
• Castor oil (8 oz): 8 oz × 0.129 = 1.032 oz NaOH
• Total Lye Amount: 2.048 oz + 2.928 oz + 1.08 oz + 1.032 oz = 7.088 oz NaOH

Water Calculation:

• Assuming a water-to-lye ratio of 2:1 (a typical range for cold process soap): 7.088 oz NaOH × 2 = 14.176 oz water

This Recipe was originally published in DIY Shea Butter Soap Making Recipes

Popular Soap Calculators:

• SoapCalc.net: A widely used online calculator with a user-friendly interface. SoapCalc: http://www.soapcalc.net/
• Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetics Guild (HSCG) Calculator https://www.soapguild.org/tools-and-resources/product-price-calculators/lye
• Lye Calculator: Another popular option with a simple design. https://www.lyecalc.com/
• Soap Recipe Calculator: Offers additional features like fragrance and color calculations. http://thesoapcalculator.com

There are also many YouTube Videos on how to calculate this.

Remember: Always handle lye with extreme caution. It is a strong chemical and can cause severe burns. Ensure you're following safety guidelines when working with it.