In effort to cut down my use of plastic and unhealthy and often harmful chemicals and ingredients (to ourselves and our beautiful waters and dear earth) that are in most commercial home care products, I've been delving into making more of my own.
The first time I made soap was about 10 years ago in my college chemistry class. In October, I made my first batch since then, according to dear friends' simple and earth friendly recipe (Hazel Stark and Joe Horn of Maine Outdoor School), using a lovely mix of cocoa butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. I halved their recipe, and still had plenty to give away and make other things with-like dish soap and laundry soap (next post): MOS Soap Recipe
This is how mine came out, with calendula flower petals and essential oils of vetiver, lavender, and rose geranium, and it's simply divine! I make sure to get my cocoa butter raw and olive and coconut oils extra virgin and organic-quality matters. If you'd like to make a batch of soap, but it looks too intimidating to try on your own first, let me know--we can set up a workshop, and I'll teach you!
