Equipment and Supplies:
Below is a list of supplies to have before you start the soap making process. Most items are commonly found in the kitchen. Specialized items which you may not readily have links provided so that you may purchase them if necessary.
One 14-16 quart stainless steel pot (the soap making pot)
One good quality scale that can measure in ounces
One pyrex (or heat resistant) glass measuring cup with cover large enough to hold the lye and water mixture
Safety glasses or goggles
Rubber gloves
Plastic Apron
2 - 3 silicone spatulas
Soap mold (wooden box or dishwasher safe plastic container)
Heavy Duty freezer paper (if using a wooded mold)
Stainless steel wire whisk
Hand- held immersion blender
2 good instant read thermometers which can read between 70 - 250° F
Cover for soap mold and blankets to insulate
Starting a Small Business in Africa.
Soapy Business:
How to make soap at home
Ingredients:
900ml water
295g caustic soda (make sure you buy pure sodium hydroxide)
615g coconut oil (or vegetable fat)
800ml sunflower oil
800ml olive oil
When using caustic soda, make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions. Wear protective clothing make sure you are in a well ventilated room.
When mixing, always add caustic soda to cold water, not water to caustic soda.
Next:
Mix The Caustic Soda In The Water
Pour 900ml of water into the bucket.
Carefully whisk the 295g of caustic soda into the water and watch as the chemical reactions cause it to heat up.
Once this reaction is happening, it's time to add the oils.
Then: Prepare The Oils
A alternative to oils, is vegetable fat.
Place 615g of coconut oil into a large pan on a low heat and it will melt very quickly.
Add 800ml of sunflower oil and 800ml of olive oil –Our ancient Egyptian Ancestors used olive on their skin to moisturize and soften. This tradition of our forebears, lives on with us.
Now: Mix Everything Together
When all the oil has melted together, pour it into the bucket with the caustic soda and water.
Stir, for around 40 minutes. Looking for a change of colour and texture in your mixture.
Once your mixture has started to change colour and texture, it's time…
Finally! It’s time to add Essential oils; flowers, petals, seeds, sand, salt –or a combination. You choose!
The beautiful aroma of your soap comes from the essential oils - and there are so many flavours to choose from:
For a Zesty Fresh Fruity aroma, USE grapefruit, bergamot and lime.
For a Citrusy fresh aroma, USE mandarin,lemon, bergamot and rosewood. Replace rosewood with Neroli for a ‘fresh’ aroma!
Cinnamon is always ‘a must’ for me! Try it with Sandalwood and Bergamot, when sales are ‘robust!’
You can also divide your base soap mixture into several mixing bowls.
In the first bowl, add a handful of crushed rose petals, then measure 20g of sandalwood essence into the mix.
In the second, add a handful of porridge oats, a blob of honey and some vanilla essential oil.
In the third, add cinnamon and orange essence, as well as some fresh lemon zest.
Now: Transfer the liquid soap to the Moulds
Just transfer your mixtures to the moulds to set. Use inexpensive plastic tubs or containers; you can use any plastic containers you like.
When your soap is in their moulds; add some rose petals, rose buds or flowers. Or thin slices of (real) lemon to the cinnamon and bergamot soap, which delivers your presentation, when it sets.
Wrap in a blanket or heavy cloth for 24 hours to slowly cool down and set.
And Finally: Dry Out The Soaps
Once your soap/s have cooled down and set, remove them from the moulds and leave them to dry in a cupboard or dark place for six weeks so the caustic soda dissolves and the soap won’t have any harmful effects on your skin.
Six weeks later…
Count six weeks you know, I don’t want you all to get any complaints from your customers about ‘skin burning!’ SO AFTER SIX WEEKS –and don’t go getting excited! It MUST be six weeks.
Then, you can divide/cut the soaps up and decorate them.
Do I hear a hallelujah…!!! That’s nice.
It is now time to SELL your Product:
Keep far from Family and Friends: This is ‘your’ business!
Get a stall to Sell your beautiful fragrant soaps in the Market; even if others are selling soap, the smell and look of yours, will sell better.
Go to Hotels and the houses of the wealthy, (door to door) with a basket full of your handmade soaps. Dress as nicely as you can –In your case, that will be your Sunday best! The funny thing is this; if you are selling cheap diamonds – People don’t care how you look or smell for that matter. However, when you are selling your handmade soaps, your customers will want you to look and smell ‘agreeable!’
If you are a female, get a male family member or friend to accompany you.
You can also sell your handmade soaps on-line, to the Children of Judah and a few others who will want to support you. This will be your best market, due to the strength of foreign currency.
Your advantage for the foreign market will be, 'the type of exotic flowers' seeds and rind of fruits, you will be able introduce to your soaps...
Sell it to us by explaining how it will soften our skin, make us irresistable to the opposite sex, increase our energy levels, enable us to reconnect with our Spiritual Selves etc...
May the Spirit of Shaddai bless the work of your hands. Amin Amin
