Little known fact: soap requires cooking. This particular soap has amazing healing and restorative qualities. Besides being ultra moisturizing, it has a few unique additions that make it super cool. Check it out!

Tamanu Oil 

The potent Tamanu oil is derived from the nut of the tropical evergreen tree, Calophyllum inophyllum. This skincare power house has impressive anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, and even wound-healing abilities. It has been shown as effective in treating eczema, psoriasis, acne and dermatoses. It has also been used traditionally for its pain-relieving properties in rheumatisms and sciatica and for its analgesic properties in wound healing. Studies have shown that it expedites the effectiveness of the proliferation stage of wound healing (an integral stage in wound healing that can be compromised by a number of factors, namely infection). It has also been found through clinical research that this magical oil improves collagen production significantly thereby improving and reinforcing the integrity and structure of skin. This trait coupled with its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory facets make it a promising natural treatment for any skin ailment in addition to being effective in anti-aging efforts as well.

Eucalyptus essential oil, Eucalyptus radiata

Eucalyptus is pain-relieving, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and is beneficial for respiratory conditions of all kinds. It can reduce muscular aches/pains, headache and mental exhaustion/fatigue.

Peppermint essential oil, Mentha piperita

Peppermint is similar to eucalyptus in regards to therapeutic qualities. It is also pain-relieving, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral. It also can assist with respiratory concerns, headache and muscular aches and pains. It has the additional aromatherapy benefits of decreasing tension, mental/physical exhaustion and fatigue.

Clary Sage essential oil, Salvia sclarea

Clary sage is analgesic, antibacterial, restorative and an antidepressant. Clary Sage is used therapeutically to treat nervousness, anxiety, stress, loss of concentration, memory problems and headache. It is also utilized for muscle aches, pains, fatigue, cramps and spasms.

Makes 10 bars of soap

Ingredients

• 17.5 fl oz olive oil
• 6.6 fl oz coconut oil
• 4.0 fl oz castor oil
• 1.8 fl oz tamanu oil
• 1.2 fl oz jojoba oil
• 1.0 fl oz clover honey
• 0.3 fl oz cocoa butter
• 70 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 70 drops peppermint essential oil
• 50 drops clary sage essential oil
• 13 fl oz filtered water
• 4.3 fl oz lye

Method

• Gather your supplies: stainless steel pot, thermometer, kitchen scale, hand mixer or submersion blender, glass measuring cup, ingredients for the soap recipe, goggles, mask, gloves and timer.
• Measure out oils, cocoa butter and honey on kitchen scale and add to large stainless steel pot. 
• VERY IMPORTANT! ***Next, make sure to wear a mask, goggles, long gloves and old clothing (long sleeved shirt and pants.) Protecting your skin, eyes and lungs is not an optional step when working with lye. Go into a ventilated area such as a garage or outside as well and make sure no children or pets will be in the vicinity.*** VERY IMPORTANT!
• Time to mix the sodium hydroxide into the water. H2O + NaOH causes an exothermic reaction which heats the water. I usually measure the water first inside, then bring the scale, water and a small glass bowl (to measure the lye in) out to the garage. I store the lye in the garage.
• Mix the lye into the water and stir until dissolved. Leave it to cool down a bit.
• Now go back inside and heat oils together on stove over low heat, stirring occasionally. 
• The goal is to have the oil mixture and the water mixture reach roughly the same temperature, about 100 degrees, before mixing them together. If the temps are off kilter, the soap wont turn out right because the emulsification wont occur properly.
• Take temperature of lye mixture and oil mixture. If the lye is much higher than the oil, you can use an ice bath to cool it down a bit or vice versa. 
• Once the two mixtures are approximately the same temperature, bring the stainless steel pot out to the ventilated work space (reminder: MAKE SURE TO WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR, the consequences of being cavalier aren’t worth the risk folks) and pour the lye mixture into the oil mixture.
• Mix with rubber spatula then use hand mixer or submersion blender to blend for 1-2 minutes. 
• Allow the mixture to rest for 3-5 minutes.
• Alternate mixing for 1-2 minutes followed by rest of 3-5 minutes until trace is achieved.
• Trace, in soap-making, is when the mixture thickens or emulsification is achieved.  
• The amount of blending times required to achieve trace depends greatly on the ingredients in the soap. This time I mixed it 4 times with 4 rests prior to pouring it into the silicon mold.
• Soap is made through a chemical reaction called saponification. Saponification starts after the oil mixture and the sodium hydroxide mixture are emulsified together. It is a slow process that takes 4-6 weeks where the sodium hydroxide reacts with the oils to create glycerol and soap. 
• Pour the soap mixture into a silicon mold. Cover in parchment and wrap in an old towel. Let it rest in the ventilated area.
• Check it at 20 hours. You want it to be set up enough to cut but not too much. If the soap sets up too much, you wont be able to cut it smoothly and it will turn into a bunch of shards of soap. If this happens for whatever reason, just keep them to add to a different batch.
• Remove from silicon mold.
• Cut 10 bars of soap.
• After cutting the bars of soap, they still need to rest for 4-6 weeks to achieve full soap-onification. Yes, I just made a soap pun, thank you 🤓.
• If you don’t want to go through the trouble of carrying out this recipe and would like to pre-order a bar of this glorious, healing soap, I will send it out to you once its done processing (between Aug. 24 – Sept 7, 2023). Shipping costs are on me (always) and they run for $5.99 each. I’ll save one for ya! Simply fill out the following form:

References

1. Dweck A. C., Meadows T. Tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum)-the African, Asian, Polynesian and Pacific Panacea. International Journal of Cosmetic Science . 2002

2. Raharivelomanana P., Ansel J.-L., Lupo E., et al. Tamanu oil and skin active properties: from traditional to modern cosmetic uses. OCL . 2018

3. Shahid M., Shahzad A., Malik A., Sahai A. Recent Trends in Biotechnology and Therapeutic Applications of Medicinal Plants . Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer; 2013.

4. Saravanan R., Dhachinamoorthi D., Senthilkumar K., Thamizhvanan K. Antimicrobial activity of various extracts from various parts of Calophyllum inophyllum L. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science . 2011

5. Worwood, Valerie Ann. (2016). The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy : Over 800 Natural, nontoxic, and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health, Beauty, and Safe Home and Work Environments. (2nd edition). Novato, CA. New World Library.