Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Goldenrod, chamomile and lavender cold process soap


I finally took the plunge and started making my own soap. I am sticking to the cold process method and only using natural ingredients for scents and colors. I have made quite a few batches of soap including goldenrod and lavender, eucalyptus and almond, and lemon balm and lemon grass.

My latest batch is goldenrod, chamomile, and lavender. It is my first attempt at a layered soap. Very excited about the results.  It smells lovely and has a wonderful golden color on the bottom and a beautiful green on the top. I used dried goldenrod flowers that I picked from a nearby field. The kids went with me and we had a grand adventure to find goldenrod. The smell of the flowers is really wonderful. It has a fruity mango scent that goes nicely with the chamomile and lavender. My inspiration for using goldenrod is from The Nerdy Farm Wife. I also bought her soap making ebook and it is a really great resource for making natural soap.



To make the soap I first infused the olive oil with the dried goldenrod. I filled a small mason about half way loosely with the flowers and poured olive oil on top. I then put it in a water bath on the stove for an hour and allowed it to steep over night. I did the same thing to make a goldenrod  and chamomile tea using water instead of oil. The next day I strained everything. The tea smells really wonderful. I added the spirulina powder by first mixing it with two tablespoons of reserved oil and then added it at trace. The candelila wax is optional but I think adds hardness to the bar and reduces the curing time so a nice addition. Below is the recipe I used to make the soap. Please make sure to use all the safety precautions for making lye based soap including protective gear and plenty of ventilation.


For this soap I used two wooden molds made by the sweet hubby that measures 2.75" x 2.75" x 6.5". If you have a different size then feel free to use a soap calculator to adjust the quantities.


Btw, I am selling the soap in my etsy shop Natural Violet. So if you are looking for handmade soaps that are vegan, palm oil free and all natural then feel free to check out my shop.

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