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Make Your Own Shredded Soap
for Handmilling
Handmilling - the process of rebatching or remelting freshly grated soap with various scents and ingredients.
An advantage to handmilling soap is that you can make several different
types of soap from just one batch and use a variety of different mold
shapes as well.
Supplies needed for Handmilling
only:
Any base Cold
Process Soap Recipe
Stovetop
Medium size pot
Wooden spoon
Whole milk or distilled water
Essential or fragrance oils
Additives such as grains, botanicals, soap colorants, etc.
Plastic container with a lid
Cheese grater
A variety of molds of your choice
Coffee bean grinder (optional)
1. Follow the directions for any basic cold process soap recipe
omitting the scent, grains, botanicals or colorants that may be in the
recipe. You are now making plain soap free from any scent or
additives other than oils, water and lye.
2. Remove your freshly made soap
from its block mold and allow it to air dry in a warm dry room for 3-7 days.
3. Cut soap into chunks or bars
and grate into your plastic container. You can store the unused
portion in the container until you're ready to handmill. The
grated soap should have a consistency of mozzarella cheese. If the
soap seems so soft to grate, let it air dry a few more days.
4. Use the grated soap within a
4 month period. Store in the container in a cool dry place.
5. Ready to handmill: Over medium/low heat, add some of the
grated soap to your pot filling it to about 3/4 of the way. Add
1/4-1/2 cup of milk or water to the pot, adding more or less if
necessary. Stir gently.
6. The soap should begin to melt
down and have the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Stir
occasionally adding more of the liquid if necessary. You do not
want the soap to become runny, but all of the gratings should melt to a
fairly smooth consistency.
7. When your soap has melted down, remove it from the stovetop and
let cool awhile. Prepare your ingredients and molds. If you are
scenting all the soap
in the pot with the same scent, add your essential oil, fragrance oil,
or even perfume directly to the soap. If you're making several
different scents, then remove the portion needed for that particular
scent. The amount of scent will depend on your liking, but
as a guideline, about 1 oz per pound of soap. Scents will fade
slightly over time, so its better to start out a little stronger.
8. Add any additional ingredients such as botanicals, grains,
colorants at this time. Stir in well.
9. Pour into mold/molds. Handmilling allows soap makers to
make a variety of soap scents and shapes from just one
batch. The soap can also be poured into loaf molds and sliced
into bars. Allow molded soap to harden uncovered overnight or several
days. The freezer will also help to harden the molded soap and
make the release much easier.
10. Finished bars should cure
(air dry) for several weeks.
 Variations
and ideas for handmilled soap: Exact measurements are not given,
since the amount of melted soap may vary. Amounts suggested are
based on 32 ozs of soap.
Calendula
Soap ~ Calendula is known for its skin
healing properties and tea tree essential oil
for its
antiseptic and blemish clarifying properties, make an unbeatable team.
~ Add 1/2 cup or less of dried
calendula (petals only) and tea tree essential oil.
Goat's Milk Soap
~ A good choice for sensitive skin. The mild creaminess of goat's
milk
soap has been
enjoyed for centuries.
~ Add 1/4 cup of powdered goat's
milk, several drops of Vitamin E oil, peppermint or
lavender
essential oil. Milk
& Honey Soap ~ Another great team, milk
& honey together make a luxury bar for
softening the skin with
added moisture from the honey.
~ Add 1/4 cup of powdered milk and
1/8-1/4 cup of warm honey. Stir well to incorporate
the honey.
Some may sink to the bottom. Lavender
Oatmeal Soap ~ A traditional soap, lavender
has been enjoyed for its lovely scent
and oatmeal for
exfoliating and skin softening properties.
~ Add Lavender essential oil, 1/2 cup
finely grated oatmeal, 1/8 cup of finely grated dried
lavender flowers. No
More Oily Skin ~ The addition of
cosmetic clay removes impurities from oily skin.
~ Add 2 tablespoons of Kaolin
(China Clay), lemon or lime essential oil. Rose
Soap ~ A classic soap for
purifying the skin.
~ Add rose fragrance oil or rosewood
essential oil, 1/8 cup of finely ground dried rose
petals, 2 tablespoons
of liquid glycerin, may substitute water in recipe for rosewater,
pink soap colorant. Fresh
Banana Soap ~ A tropical soothing and
mild to the skin soap.
~ Add 1/2 - 1 whole smashed banana, 1
tablespoon of Vitamin E oil, our Bananaroma
fragrance oil or any
banana and/or coconut fragrance oil of your preference. Gardener's
Grit Soap ~ The addition of
cornmeal or pumice make this a working hands soap.
This is also a good one
for the guys!
~ Add 1/4-1/2 cup of cornmeal, several
drops of Vitamin E oil, juniper or citronella
essential
oil. |
