Vera Soap

Soap's been on the back burner this week, have had a couple of other projects I've been working on. What do you think? I love the colour! 😍😍 The first one is a flipper, second one was a makeover for mum 🥰🥰

Another batch made; French Pear this time. Back on the wagon refining the recipe. A nice solid loaf; 25% olive oil, 25% canola oil, 50% coconut oil.
🌱 Olive oil has moisturizing properties
🌱 Canola oil is similar to olive oil, providing moisturizing properties and a creamy lather
🌱 Coconut oil works well as a cleanser and helps to harden the bars.
My spare room smells great! 🥰🥰

Had some 'spare' time to make soap while the boy was sleeping (he does that occasionally 😂). I found myself mixing the soap in the pantry with the door closed (please please please don't wake up 🙏🤫).
This is how soap is made in my house, small batches, lye carefully added to a mix of hot oils and then blended with a stick blender; smellies added towards the end.
The bars are left in the spare room to cure for about 4 weeks and then they're good to go 🛀.
Hoping to have some bars ready before Christmas. Keep an eye out for more details.

My great grandmother Vera used to make soap in the Mangapurua Valley. Dad's stories of her making soap in the valley and a soap making kit from NZ Soap and Candle started this hobbie for me.
From dad's stories (and some light googling) I think g-nana used pot ash from the fire and animal fat to make her soap. This was cooked in a big copper pot, left to cool, then cut into pieces. I'm told she once traded a batch of her soap for a horse! 😅🐴 (similar trades still welcome 😉).
I'm enjoying getting back to basics, using simple ingredients and slowly getting a better understanding of what is in the products I use and make.
My g-grandmother Vera is pictured here with her eldest son Ron. What a woman!

Hello world! 🍃 Most of you will know I have been making soap for some time now; learning the process and experimenting with fragrances, oils and techniques (some successful, some not so successful 😂).
This started as a hobbie/interest, with the aim of getting back to basics and using simple natural ingredients in products that we use at home.
I'm now hoping to grow this hobbie into a successful wee business.
Follow my page to see what I'm up to, to learn a bit about soap making and to support a small local business (if you're interested!)