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Peppermint and Shea Butter Soap

December 31, 2024

Wayne Dunn

Peppermint and Shea Butter Soap

Introduction

Create your own peppermint and shea butter soap at home with simple ingredients for a refreshing and moisturizing experience. This DIY project is perfect for self-care or thoughtful gifts, leaving skin soft and smelling amazing.

Benefits of DIY Peppermint and Shea Butter Soap:

Peppermint essential oil: has a refreshing and invigorating scent, which can help uplift your mood and provide a cooling sensation on the skin.
Shea butter is known for its moisturizing properties, making the soap ideal for dry or sensitive skin.
DIY soaps allow you to personalize the ingredients, avoiding harmful chemicals often found in commercial soaps.
The combination of peppermint and shea butter creates a soothing and nourishing experience for your skin.

Ingredients:

1 pound shea butter
1 pound coconut oil
1/2 pound olive oil
1/2 pound castor oil
7 oz sodium hydroxide
14 oz distilled water
1/4 cup peppermint leaves
1 tablespoon peppermint essential oil

Steps:

Combine the sodium hydroxide and water in a heat-resistant container. Stir until dissolved.
Melt the shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil together.
Slowly add the sodium hydroxide solution to the melted oils, stirring continuously.
Add the peppermint leaves and peppermint essential oil to the mixture.
Continue stirring until the mixture reaches a trace.
Pour the mixture into a soap mold and let it set for 24-48 hours.

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

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