Minty Coffee Soap

 Made on: 16.02.2011

After a tea soap, I thought, why not coffee!! I love south Indian filtered coffee...made with a thick coffee brew, freshly boiled milk and lots of sugar....mmmm Heaven!! For a great cup in the morning, ground coffee is put into the top vessel with tiny holes, the filter is placed on top, boiling water is poured over it and then the lid is fitted so that the water seeps through the coffee with the help of gravity and collects slowly in the bottom vessel through the night (actually a couple of hours). Me thinks nothing says 'Good Morning' better than a cup of filter coffee. Here's a picture of the filter if you like:

Not my picture, found it on the internet

They are also available in brass in pretty designs and I plan to buy myself one (when I go to India). I like things made of brass, because they have a traditional Indian feel.  Back to my coffee soap! I heard coffee soaps have the power to rid the hands of ugly fish, onion and garlic smells to name a few.  I formulated my own recipe this time.

Coconut oil - 32%
Palm oil - 32%
Canola oil - 32%
Sunflower oil - 5% (I don't know why I thought of that 5%)

A very basic kitchen soap. The lye solution was made with very strong coffee brew and the coffee grounds were added towards the end into the soap for a scrub effect. I also added some ground cinnamon. I love spices! :)

When I wrapped up the soap in a fleece blanket to gel, it became really really hot. It must have been the cinnamon. The soaps gelled wonderfully...

Soap going through the gel phase

Before(left) and after(right) gel

Mint, lime and clove (more spices, why not?) essential oils make this soap smell really fresh and clean but also warm (and spicy?). I love the fragrance! Just wish I had used a more skin caring olive oil or some butters instead of so much coconut oil. My hands feel a little dry after washing, but the food smells really vanish.  My minty cinnamon-y coffee soap says 'Good Morning'!