How to Make Calendula Soap
Instructions for how to make simple calendula soap using whole flower petals. You can use fresh or dried petals for this recipe, and the lemony essential oil also helps color the soap. This recipe makes about 10 bars. Technical information: 1.76 lb / 800 g batch with a 6% superfat and 33% water discount. Full DIY video at the bottom.
Servings 10 bars
Cost 25
Equipment
- immersion blender (stick blender) also called a stick blender
- medium stainless steel pot (2.5 quart/liter) for melting the solid oils
- bowl or jug (for measuring the liquid oils) for measuring the liquid oils into
Ingredients
Lye solution
- 109 g sodium hydroxide 3.86 oz
- 218 g distilled water 7.69 oz
- 1 TBSP dried calendula petals (orange color) 0.8 g or 2 TBSP fresh petals
Solid oils
- 200 g coconut oil (refined) 7.05 oz / 25%
- 120 g shea butter (refined) 4.23 oz / 15%
- 80 g cocoa butter 2.82 oz / 10%
- 1 TBSP dried calendula petals (orange color) 0.8 g or 2 TBSP fresh petals
Liquid oils
- 360 g olive oil (light colored or pomace) 12.7 oz / 45%
- 40 g castor oil 1.41 oz /5%
After Trace
- 5.25 tsp may chang (litsea cubeba) essential oil 20.7 g - optional
Instructions
- Cold-process soapmaking is chemistry, and this recipe uses lye. Lye is a caustic substance that is completely neutralized in the soapmaking process, but it can be harmful if not handled correctly. Please read this soap making safety guidance before proceeding.
- Measure the solid oils and calendula petals in a stainless steel pan and the liquid oils into a bowl. Measure the water and sodium hydroxide into separate heat-proof plastic jugs. The other ingredients and equipment can be set out at the ready. Now you’re ready to make soap.
- Preheat the oven to 170°F (75°C). Ensure nothing is inside.
- Put on safety goggles and rubber gloves. In a well-ventilated area, pour the sodium hydroxide into the water. Hold it away from your face so you don’t breathe in the steam, and stir until it’s all dissolved. There will be a lot of heat and steam released during this process, so be prepared.
- Once dissolved, set the jug in cool water to help speed up cooling. I usually place mine in the sink. Pour the calendula flower petals into the hot lye solution and give it a stir.
- Put your pan of solid oils on the stove at the lowest setting possible. Stir it gently to help the larger chunks of oil to melt. When the solid oil has completely melted, take it off the heat and place it on a potholder. Pour the liquid oils into the pan and stir it together.
- Next, take both the oil and lye solution’s temperatures. You’re aiming to get them to around the same temperature of 100°F (38°C). It doesn’t have to be exact, though.
- Pour the lye solution into the pan of oils – flower petals and all. Now dip the stick blender into the pan, and while off, use it as a spoon to stir everything together.
- Bring the stick blender to the middle of the pan, and at a standstill, turn it on for a few seconds. Stop and then use it (turned off) like a spoon to stir the soap together. Keep doing this until the soap thickens to ‘Trace.’ The blending action also chops up the calendula petals.
- Light trace is when the calendula soap batter thickens to the consistency of warm custard. If you lift the blender out and let the batter drip down, it will leave trails on the surface of your soap. When your soap is at Trace, it’s time to add the essential oil. Stir it well with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Pour the soap batter into the mold(s) while it’s still runny. Move quickly, or the soap will begin to set inside your pan.
- Turn off the oven and place the soap mold inside. Close the door and leave it inside, undisturbed, for twelve hours. Then, take it out and set it on the countertop. This oven-processing step ensures a more intense final color in your homemade calendula soap.
- Leave the calendula soap for another day (or two) before popping it out of the mold. Afterward, cut it into bars using a thin kitchen knife. Alternatively, use a dedicated soap cutter.
- Next, space the bars out on grease-proof paper to dry out and cure. The soap will be completely saponified (fully soap) 48 hours after you make it, but your bars need four to six weeks to ‘cure’ before you use them.
- The best place to cure your soap is in an airy, cool, yet dim area. A bookshelf out of direct sunlight would work a treat. Space your bars out and enjoy the lemony fragrance of the essential oil for the next month.
- After the cure time is up, store the soap in the open air until you’re ready to use them.
Video
Notes
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