Chamomile tea soap



Made on: 28.01.2011

A week after attending the workshop, I had an intense itch to make my own soap. Luckily my teacher gave me some sodium hydroxide and also a few recipes. What was holding me back???

I ran to the store and got the oils that were needed and also some essential oils.
I was ready!!!
Oh no!! No spatula, no gloves, no utensil to mix lye. I ran to the store again.
Now, I was ready!!
Not yet!! No distilled water...grrrrr. I ran to the store yet again.
FINALLY, I was ready???

I made a strong chamomile tea and put it in the fridge to cool for a few hours. Oils were measured and put on a gentle heat to melt. Weighed the lye and kept it far away. Weighed the tea....RATS!!! 100 grams lesser (evaporation and thirsty tea bags). No one is looking...quick, add some distilled water. :D

The tea and lye solution stank!! It stunk up the oils too when added. After stirring for about an hour it reached very thin trace. I separated the soap and added color and essential oils (lemon grass, clove, lavender). When I poured the soap into different molds I could see no color at all. I could live with no marbling, but who wants a STINKY soap. :(

I wrapped up the stinky creation in a blanket and dragged my feet to bed. This time the soaps gelled. Next morning I opened them up and saw the color popped out too. :) :)
The tea gave the soaps a nice golden sheen. I also read that the stink (a common thing in tea and coffee soaps) would go away in a couple of days...and it did. The soaps are nice and they smell good too. YAY!

 

Crowned lavender soaps



Lemon grass & lavender soap block







Clove, lavender & lemon grass soaps


2 comments:

Ambra said...

I love your vivid description of the joys of making soap :)

Nitya said...

Thank you Ambra!! I love making soap and also the excitement that builds up right from the moment I think of making a new batch, to figuring out the oils, EO's, colors, molds and and and... :)