• Glass jar for mixing water and lye - canning jars work great
• Hand held mixer - not a blender but the type with a tiny mixing blade at the bottom.
• Scale accurate to tenths of an ounce.
• Pyrex measuring cups
• Pan for heating oils
• Mixing utensils

Basic Starter Soap - Joanne Steele

This is a basic soap making recipe to get you started in the soap making craft. It is an excellent first recipe since many of the oils you may already have in your kitchen. This recipe will make about 1 pound of soap.

Recipe

• 1 cup distilled water
• 2.4 oz of lye
• 5 oz coconut oil
• 6 oz olive oil
• 5 oz shortening
• 1 Tbs castor oil
• Essential oil
• 1 Tbs Honey

Heat the coconut oil, olive oil, and shortening until entirely melted and then place in a bowl or bucket to cool. In a glass jar mix the water and lye. Once both the oils and lye mixture have cooled enough to carry the containers comfortably with bare hands, combined the lye with the oils. Blend the two mixtures with a hand mixer until it begins to thicken to a gravy consistancy. Add the castor oil, essential oil, and honey and mix throughly. Pour the mixture into a mold of your choice. Wait 24 hours before removing the soap from the mold and then let it cure for at least 2 weeks.

Lemon Cleansing Cream - Joanne Steele

• 1 Tbs beeswax
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs witch hazel
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp borax
• 2 capsules vitamin E
• 6 drops lemon essential oil

Over low heat, gently melt beeswax in the olive oil. Beat for 5 minutes until mixture has a creamy, smooth consistency. In a separate pot gently warm the witch hazel and lemon juice and stir in the borax until dissolved. Add the witch hazel mixture to the cream and beat steadily. After the cream has cooled stir in the lemon essential oil, then spoon into jars.

This is good for eliminating excess oil and smoothing wrinkles. Plus the lemon gives it an antiseptic quality.

Lotion Bar - Joanne Steele

Lotion bars are the latest crazy. They look like soap but instead of washing with it you rub the bar over your hands and body to moisturize.

• 2 oz Beeswax
• 2 oz Cocoa Butter
• 2 oz Sweet Almond Oil

Melt everything together in a double boiler then pour into molds (whatever shape you choose). Once they have cooled, remove from the molds. These should be stored in an airtight container.

Basic Lip Balm - Joanne Steele

• 2-1/2 tsp Beeswax
• 7 tsp Sweet Almond Oil
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1 capsule Vitamin E
• 5 drops of an essential oil

Melt the oil and beeswax together in a little pan over low heat until the beeswax is melted. Take off the stove and then add in the honey and whisk it all together. When the mixture is nearly cool add in your essential oil. Mix it up again and then pour into your lip balm container.