Making your own soap at home can be a delightful and rewarding hobby, not to mention the benefits of having a product that’s perfectly customized to your skin’s needs. Using fresh avocado in your homemade soap adds a touch of luxury and loads of skin-nourishing properties. Avocado is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help to moisturize and soothe the skin, making it a fantastic ingredient for a homemade soap recipe. Here’s how you can make your own avocado soap with a few simple ingredients and tools.
Why Avocado Soap?
Avocado adds a creamy texture to the soap, and its natural oils help to hydrate and protect the skin, making it softer and smoother. It’s particularly great for those with dry or sensitive skin due to its gentle and nourishing properties.
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
12 oz. coconut oil
4 oz. olive oil
4 oz. palm oil (ensure it’s sustainably sourced)
4 oz. lye (sodium hydroxide)
10 oz. water
Optional: essential oils for fragrance (like lavender or eucalyptus)
Equipment:
Safety goggles and gloves
Stainless steel pot
Digital scale
Thermometer
Immersion blender
Soap mold
Parchment paper
Instructions:
Prepare Your Ingredients:
Peel and pit the avocado, then mash it until smooth. Set aside.
Measure out all your oils and the water using a digital scale for accuracy.
Safety First:
Before starting, make sure to don your safety goggles and gloves. Lye is caustic and must be handled carefully.
Mix the Lye Solution:
Slowly add the lye to the water (never the other way around), stirring constantly until fully dissolved. This mixture will heat up quickly, so be cautious. Allow it to cool to about 100°F.
Melt the Oils:
Combine the coconut, olive, and palm oils in a stainless steel pot and gently heat until they are fully melted.
Combine Lye and Oils:
Once both the lye solution and the oils are approximately the same temperature (100°F), slowly pour the lye solution into the oils, stirring manually at first.
Blend the Mixture:
Use an immersion blender to mix until the soap reaches trace (when it thickens to a pudding-like consistency).
Add the Avocado:
Mix in the mashed avocado and any optional essential oils for fragrance.
Pour into Molds:
Pour the soap mixture into prepared molds lined with parchment paper.
Curing:
Cover the molds with a cloth and allow the soap to set for 24 hours before unmolding. Cure the soap bars on a rack for 4-6 weeks before using.
Creating your own avocado soap not only gives you a product that’s full of skin-loving goodness but also the satisfaction of having made something truly special and tailored just for you. Enjoy the process and the results of your homemade avocado soap!
