How To Make Liquid Soap | Basic Liquid Hand Soap Recipe

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How to Make Liquid Soap using the hot process method in a crockpot. This is a rewarding and relatively simple way to create your own customized soap. This method involves cooking the ingredients to speed up the saponification process, resulting in a finished product that is ready to use much faster than traditional cold-process soap making. In this guide, we’ll walk you through making liquid soap using a blend of olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil.

I have another tutorial on making Homemade Liquid Dish Soap Recipe | From Scratch Real Soap

Also, I have a video to go with this recipe. It is very helpful to watch and see how it is done if you haven’t made liquid soap before.

https://youtu.be/cLux6BMjLqg

Also, for liquid soap recipes, I like to use Soapmaking Friend lye calculator. This one has the KOH at 90% purity as that is what you will need for this recipe.

If you decide to change out any of the oils in this recipe, please run it through a lye calculator first. Often if you change the oils the amount of lye called for will change.

Handmade Liquid Soap Ingredients

• Olive oil: 65% (325g, 11.46 oz)
• Coconut oil: 25% (125g, 4.4 oz)
• Castor oil: 10% (50g, 1.76 oz)
• Distilled water: 112.8g, 3,98 oz
• Vegetable Glycerin: 113.3 g, 4 oz
• Potassium hydroxide (KOH 90% purity): 113.16g, 3.99 oz
• Essential oils (optional) for fragrance 30-50 drops or so
• Additional Distilled Water for Diluting the Soap paste. 4 quarts or approximately 4 liters

Equipment Needed:

• Crockpot (slow cooker). Mine is a 6 quart, you could definitely use a smaller one
• Digital scale
• Heat-resistant mixing utensils
• Immersion blender
• Digital Kitchen Thermometer
• Safety gear (gloves, goggles, long sleeves)

Instructions for Making Hot Process Liquid Hand Soap:

1. Prepare your workspace: Ensure your workspace is clean and well-ventilated. Wear safety gear to protect yourself from potential splashes or spills.
2. Measure your oils: Weigh out the olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil using a digital scale. Combine them in the crockpot, they need to be heated to 165 degrees. If you want to speed up the process, you could melt the oils before putting them in the crockpot.
3. Prepare the lye solution: In a well-ventilated area, carefully add the potassium hydroxide to the distilled water, stirring until dissolved. Be cautious, as this solution will become very hot. Allow it to cool to around 160°F (71°C).
4. Combine oils and lye: When both the oils and lye solution are around 165°F (73°C), carefully pour the lye solution into the crockpot with the oils. Using an immersion blender mix the soap batter. Add in the glycerin. You are looking for this to thicken up and become thick like instant mashed potatoes. First, it will look like applesauce, just keep going. Once it is thick like mashed potatoes go on to the next step.
5. Cook the soap: Cover the crockpot and cook the mixture on low heat for 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. The mixture will go through various stages, it is done when it looks like petroleum jelly. You are looking for it to be glossy.
6. Check for doneness: To check if the soap is ready you can do a couple of different things. You can use a pH strip and make sure it is between 6-10. You can also perform a clarity test. This process is simply filling a small cup with a bit of hot water. Dissolve a little soap paste in the water, if the water remains clear then your soap paste is done.
7. Cool and dilute: Once the soap is ready, allow it to cool slightly before diluting it with additional distilled water. Start by adding small amounts of water while stirring until you reach your desired consistency. I use two quarts of water for the entire batch of soap paste.
8. Add fragrance (optional): If desired, add essential oils for fragrance. Stir well to combine.
9. Store and use: Transfer the liquid soap to clean, dry bottles or containers. Allow it to cool and thicken further before use. No need to cure, you can use right away!

Can You Superfat Liquid Soap?

The answer is not really. At least not to the percentage that you would a bar soap. 2% is about the highest superfat you would go with liquid soap.

The high water content in liquid soap recipes can complicate superfatting. The excess fats can lead to separation or cloudiness in the final product.

Overall, while superfatting is a common and beneficial practice in solid soap making, it is not as practical or reliable in liquid soap recipes. It is more effective to focus on using the right balance of oils and additives, (like glycerin) to achieve the desired moisturizing properties in liquid soap.

Why Add Vegetable Glycerin to Liquid Soap?

Adding vegetable glycerin to liquid soap recipes is optional but it offers several benefits. Whenever I would see glycerin as an ingredient in soapmaking I would avoid it. I didn’t think it would be necessary and it was usually listed as optional. I’m not usually looking to add cost to my projects so I would skip it. However, I don’t think I will ever make liquid soap without it again!

Glycerin is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to the skin, helping to keep it hydrated and supple. In liquid soaps, glycerin can enhance the moisturizing properties of the soap, leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth. Additionally, glycerin can improve the lather and overall texture of the soap, making it more enjoyable to use. It also has a mild, non-irritating nature, making it suitable for sensitive skin.

One thing I really like is that vegetable glycerin speeds up the process when making liquid soap, this means less mixing. Overall, incorporating vegetable glycerin into liquid soap recipes can elevate the quality of the soap, making it a more nourishing and luxurious product for everyday use.

Making liquid soap using the hot process method allows you to create a product that is gentle on the skin and can be customized to suit your preferences. Experiment with different oil blends and fragrances to create your perfect liquid soap!