Saponification Saturday!

I have been reading how to make my own soap for months now.  Today was the day!

I gathered all my ingredients and weighed and measured everything according to instructions.

I melted my fats and oils on a low heat so I could then go and mix my Lye and Goat's milk outside so I didn't stink up the house with fumes from the lye.  The lye mixture heats the milk up to 150* pretty quickly-it is fascinating.

When I had both of the pots cooled to the same temperature, I could then combine them and then stirred my heart out but it was so worth it when the saponification occurs......the lye and fats combine to form soap!

Once it thickens enough you have to get it into the molds....this was difficult alone but I got it done without a mishap.

Everything had to sit, covered for 24 hours before popping it out of the molds.

Isn't it beautiful?  This is Goat's milk/coconut oil soap; my first batch and it now has to dry for a week or two-I think in the air conditioning it will only need to cure for a week but I will sample to see.  If you use it too soon, it is too soft in the shower and won't last long enough.  It is a learning curve but I have been bitten by this bug!  My inner scientist is smiling!