MAKE YOUR OWN SOAP (Mystic Black Hot Process Soap Recipe You'll Love!) — All Posts Healing Harvest Homestead (2024)

WARNING: This soap is nearly black---and with a little more Alkanet Root Powder, it would be even more so. This Mystic Soap has a smoky, sensual, slightly "hippy" scent. I love it! I once had a lady ask for a whole block of it from me! But....some people don't care for it.If you don't like Patchouli, Frankincense, or exotic scents, maybe it's not for you. I happen to love it! It makes me feel grounded, warm, and sexy.The dark color is perfect for this spooky Halloween season, too!

There are lots of other soap recipes on my blog! For super detailed picture tutorials, see MAKE YOUR OWN SOAP and Lavender-Rosemary-Vanilla Hot Process Soap, then feel free to search and explore other awesome natural soap making recipes! Just find the magnifying glass icon and search “soap.”

Are you wondering why you should make your own soap? Find out about the Killer Toxins Lurking in Commercial Soaps.

FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Oils:

15 ounces Organic Olive Oil (I buy mine from Costco---It's the best and least expensive there.)

15 ounces Coconut Oil (I either get mine from Costco, in the largest size possible

12 ounces Sweet Almond Oil(Amazon)

6 ounces Shea Butter(Amazon) or Starwest Botanicals.

1.5 ounces Castor Oil(Amazon link)

Lye Solution:

15 ounces distilled or filtered water

7.2 ounces food grade lye (sodium hydroxide) I'll purchase from either Amazon or Bulk Apothecary.

Colorant:

1 and 1/2 tbsp Alkanet Root Powder

NOTE: The reason the alkanet powder turns very dark in the soap is because of its reaction to the pH of the soap. I’ve found if I’m going to use it in my soap making, it’s best to go for it and don’t be too wimpy with the amount. Herbal Black (not from charcoal) is better than gray and is a very interesting color, in my opinion.

Fragrance (Essential Oils):

1 ounce Frankincense Essential Oil---AMAZING for your skin!

**These essential oil links are all to Starwest Botanicals.

1 ounce Cedarwood Essential Oil (I used the “Atlas” species of Cedarwood—not the “Virginia” or “Texas” species. It makes a BIG difference, so be sure to look at the species on the bottle.

1 ounce Patchouli Essential Oil

**I've also added a touch of Lavender Essential oil, too---but these three ingredients are beautiful together.

Where do I buy my essential oils?

Well, it depends on the use. For therapeutic use (in roller bottles, sprays, diffusers, and definitely directly on my skin) I purchase from doTerra. However, for making soap, where you need a greater quantity of essential oil for the project, I buy from Starwest Botanicals. I've found their quality for soap making is very good, and it's a lot less expensive too.

1) Kitchen Scale

2) Heat Resistant Measuring pitchers(for the lye solution---it gets REALLY hot: over 200 degrees!)

3) Hand Blender

4) Wooden Spoons

5) Soap Mold

6) Soap Cutter (Optional--most of the time, I just use a sharp knife I've dedicated to soap making. I have the cutters, and they are fun, though!)

7) SAFETY GEAR: Glasses and Gloves! MUST, MUST HAVE!

8) Crock Pot--large and basic

***The following are basic directions. If you are new to soap making, please see these extremely detailed picture tutorials because soap making using lye can be dangerous: How to Make Hot Process Soap, Lavender-Rosemary-Vanilla Hot Process Soap. Both of these articles provide VERY detailed instructions with lots of photos! I suggest reading through both if you are new to hot process soap making!

Step 1) Measure out your Oils

Using a kitchen scale, measure out your oils into your crock pot set on low. ADD YOUR ALKANET POWDER TO THE OILS NOW. It will soak up some of the oils and be easy to spread out in the blend later.

Step 2) Measure out your Lye Solution

Using a kitchen scale and a heat proof container (I prefer to use a large Pyrex glass measuring pitcher), get your lye solution ready.

To do this, measure out your water FIRST! Then measure out your lye beads. ALWAYS POUR THE LYE INTO THE WATER----NEVER the other way around! The reason is you could create a volcanic explosion and possibly burn yourself.

Step 3) Mix the Oils and Lye Solution to Trace

Once the oils are completely melted, go ahead and carefully pour the lye solution into the crock pot. Because you are doing hot process, heat is not as big of an issue as it is in cold process. Just be sure your crock pot is (and has been) on LOW, and you'll be fine.

Using your hand blender (an absolute MUST), blend the mixture to TRACE. This means the mixture will look like an opaque pudding of sorts. You should be able to create "peaks" with the mix, as you could in a medium thick pudding. (See Make Your Own Soap for pictures!)

Step 4) Cook the Soap

This is where you need to watch the soap cooking, a bit carefully, in my humble opinion. It's easy for the soap to boil over and create a dangerous caustic mess---so just be watchful. When you see it rising up the sides, go ahead and stir it down.

Then after about 5 - 10 more minutes, stir it again.

I usually give my crock pot soap at least 3 to 4 stir downs over a period of 45 minutes to an hour.

Step 5) Check the Soap

If everything has gone as planned, then you'll see a "gel" stage in your crock pot. This is where your soap will look translucent (ish), and feel a bit waxy on the wooden spoon.

I just give my soap the "ZAP" test. I place a ball of the soap on my fingertips (be careful, because it's REALLY hot!). If it feels like hot wax, I touch it to the tip of my tongue. If I feel just plain soap, and it tastes like soap---all is well. However, if I feel a ZAP (not heat---you'll know the difference!), then something is either not right, or it's not done.

**If you've made a mistake in any of the measurements (I've done this) or left anything out (guilty again!), then you will know it. If all has gone well, you will have a crock pot full of beautiful (albeit extremely hot) waxy, translucent (ish) soap ready to go into a soap mold.

***If your soap is done---and I KNOW it is! Then NOW IS THE TIME TO ADD YOUR ESSENTIAL OILS. Stir! Stir! Stir those oils in well!

Step 6) Glop Your Soap into the Soap Mold

This is three pound of soap, so please be sure you have a soap mold large enough! If you have a kind of "bread top" on your soap, that's ok. Hot process soap is not as smooth or beautiful (some think) as cold process soap. I always have a kind of curved bread top---I just cut it off later and use it for myself.

Using a clean wooden spoon, glop your soap into the soap mold. I generally will drop the mold filled with soap on the counter a few times (or press, press, press with my soap spoon)to be sure any air pockets are pressed out.

Step 7) Let it Cool Down

Walk away, here. Just give it several hours to completely cool down.

Step 8) Unmold and Cut (If You Want)

Now, it's time to cut the top off (if you want) and take your soap loaf out of the mold. You can slice it or leave it in the loaf soap.

I always just take what I'm going to use and leave the loaf alone. This is because it will cure nicely while retaining the fragrance of the essential oils SO much better than if it's cut.

I love making my own soap! I know what's going in it--and therefore into my body through my skin! I love the creative process! I love making it "be" the way I want it to be! Or, making it be the way others' ask me to make it! lol

Every time I make soap, it’s a big experiment! And that’s what I love about it! This soap making experiment did not disappoint. I had to kind of get used to how dark it turned out, but honestly, between the color and the scent, it’s really cool!

If you wanted an even blacker soap, you could add a tablespoon of charcoal, which would also increase the detoxification powers of the soap too. It’s a perfect soap for this time of year!

Do you make your own soap? Do you have questions? I had a TON of questions and fears when I first started making soap! I sometimes still do! Please share by leaving a comment in the comments section.

Also, would you like to learn to make hot process soap with confidence? There is so much information online now, but most of it is geared toward cold process soap making.

If you’ve ever wanted to try the hot process method but were worried about how different it is from cold process, or maybe you’re new to soap making…you’ll love my eBook: Create Your Own Hot Process Soap. It’s a complete guide with over 22 recipe variations and lists of herbs and additives for natural soap.

Hugs, Health, & Self-Reliance!

Heidi

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