How to Make Turquoise Hot Process Soap

Many soap makers shy away from attempting hot process soap recipes, often due to misconceptions that it might be overly complex, yield less aesthetically pleasing results, or simply take too much time. However, hot process soap making offers a uniquely relaxed and forgiving approach compared to its cold process counterpart. There's no need for meticulous temperature monitoring or trace controlling, eliminating concerns over fragrance acceleration or ricing. Hot process soap making not only economizes on fragrance usage—requiring just half the amount due to complete saponification—but also proves to be cost-effective. This tutorial showcases how to embrace the inherently rustic charm of hot process soap by crafting designs that mimic the natural beauty of stone, particularly focusing on how to create a stunning turquoise hand soap.

Contrary to common belief, creating hot process soap does not entail a lengthy process; in fact, this soap cooks in under an hour. An ingenious shortcut involves using the hot lye solution to melt the solid oils, thereby bypassing the wait for oils to melt and ingredients to cool. The cooking interval provides a perfect opportunity to ready your colorants and fragrance, making the recipe for hot process soap as time-efficient as cold process soap from inception to completion. This method not only simplifies soap making but also results in each stone soap being uniquely beautiful, akin to natural stone.

This palm-free recipe incorporates two luxurious butters and is enriched with copious amounts of avocado and hemp oil, complementing the vibrant turquoise design. Essential additives like sodium lactate and buttermilk are stirred in post-cook, vital for maintaining a fluid batter and ensuring ample workability. To cater to vegan preferences, substitutions like coconut or soy yogurt can effortlessly replace buttermilk.

Natural turquoise showcases a spectrum of hues. For those aiming to replicate specific varieties such as Sleeping Beauty or Persian turquoise, a mere ½ tsp of Titanium Dioxide can be blended into your color mix to achieve the desired shade. This hot process soap recipe is versatile, allowing adaptation to resemble other minerals devoid of uniform banding, such as marble, lapis lazuli, granite, and more. Delve into the diverse world of stones for inspiration and feel free to adjust this technique to suit your preferred recipe or mold size. With water constituting 30% of the oils, exclusive of the buttermilk added later, following a similar liquid ratio guarantees satisfactory results. For assistance with calculations or adjusting your recipe, our video tutorial on using Soap Calc is an invaluable resource.

Embrace the art of hot process soap making with this turquoise soap guide. Not only does it demystify the process, but it also opens up a world of creative possibilities, making it an ideal project for both beginners and seasoned soap makers looking to explore the beauty of natural stone through soap making.

Hot process soap making is an intermediate-level project that yields approximately 20 bars, each weighing about 4 oz. This method involves cooking the soap, which accelerates the saponification process, allowing the soap to be used sooner than the cold process method. With a cure time of 3-6 weeks, you'll have artisanal soaps ready for use, gifting, or selling in no time.

Preparing and cleaning up after making your turquoise hot process soap takes about 25 minutes. The actual soap-making process takes around 1 hour, with a total commitment of 1 hour and 25 minutes from start to finish. The curing period ranges from 3 to 6 weeks, depending on your preference for hardness and lather quality.

To ensure a smooth soap-making process, gather the following supplies beforehand:

• Digital Scale
• 6 qt Slow Cooker
• Safety Goggles and Protective Gear, Including a Face Mask
• Funnel Pitcher
• Latex or Nitrile Gloves
• Small Sieve or Tea Strainer
• Silicone Spatula and Pipettes for Essential Oils
• Stick Blender and Mini Cordless Mixer
• Measuring Spoons and Small Paper Cups
• 5 lb Loaf Mold
• Wire Soap Cutter or Knife
• Bottle with Fine Mist Sprayer for 91% Isopropyl Alcohol

These tools will help you accurately measure ingredients, ensure safety, and achieve the perfect consistency and design for your turquoise soap.

For this turquoise hand soap, you'll need a balanced blend of oils, butters, and other components to achieve the ideal texture and moisturizing properties:

• Coconut, Cocoa, and Mango Butters for hardness and moisture
• Avocado and Grape Seed Oils for a silky feel
• Castor Oil for lather
• Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and Distilled Water for the soap base
• Buttermilk or Plant Milk Yogurt for creaminess
• Sodium Lactate for hardness
• Neon Blue and Chromium Oxide Green Pigments for the turquoise color
• Pearl Black Mica for depth and shimmer
• Spearmint and Eucalyptus Essential Oils for scent

This combination of ingredients not only ensures a beautiful, turquoise-colored soap but also provides a refreshing and invigorating scent profile, ideal for hand soap.

Before embarking on this tutorial, it's essential to thoroughly peruse all provided instructions. Ensure your safety by donning goggles, closed-toed footwear, full-length sleeves and trousers, and protective gloves when handling lye or raw soap. Confirm the absence of small children or pets in the vicinity to maintain a focused and safe environment. When preparing your lye solution, opt for a stainless steel or polypropylene container, like a Funnel Pitcher, steering clear of glass or unsuitable plastics. Exercise caution with heated oils and utilize disposable pipettes for essential oil measurement to avoid direct contact with plasticware. Precisely weigh all ingredients and assemble your equipment prior to commencing your work.

Step 1 – Melting the Butters and Oils and Preparing the Lye Solution for Your Hot Process Soap Recipe
Initiate by combining the solid oils and butters in your slow cooker, setting it to high.
Carefully add the lye to distilled water within a funnel pitcher, stirring gently with a silicone spatula to dissolve.
Gradually pour the hot lye solution over the solid oils in the slow cooker, stirring gently. The lye's heat will liquefy the oils.
Incorporate the liquid oils.

Step 2 – Advancing the Soap to Trace and Cooking
Stick blend the mixture until it reaches a medium trace. Secure the lid and maintain high heat for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3 – Readying the Additional Ingredients
While the soap undergoes cooking, ready the other components. Mix buttermilk and sodium lactate in a small cup, stirring until dissolved.
Portion each colorant into separate paper cups, setting the Black Pearl Mica aside. Add about 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, or just enough to saturate, to both the Hydrated Chromium Green Oxide and the Blue My Mind Neon Pigment, blending with a mini mixer. Transfer about two-thirds of the Hydrated Chromium Green Oxide mix into the Blue My Mind Neon Pigment cup, combining well. Adjust the green-to-blue ratio according to your preference for the turquoise soap hue.

Step 4 – Completing the Soap Cooking
Upon noticing the soap's edges turning slightly translucent, about 10 minutes in, it's time to stir. Initially, the soap might become quite hard, but this is normal; stir as effectively as possible.
Continue cooking, stirring intermittently. The soap will soon soften to an applesauce consistency.
The soap is perfectly cooked when it appears slightly translucent and glossy, usually after 30-45 minutes, depending on your slow cooker's heat setting. To slow down the process, adjust the cooker to a lower setting. It's preferable to slightly undercook the soap than overdo it.
Integrate the buttermilk mixture, stirring for a minute to amalgamate and cool the soap down. It should be creamy and easy to stir.
Blend in the essential oils thoroughly.

Step 5 – Coloring and Layering the Soap in the Mold
Incorporate about two-thirds of the neon blue/hydrated chromium oxide green mixture into roughly three-quarters of the soap. The extent of mixing is up to your preference for color distribution. For more white patches, mix less vigorously. Add the rest of the color mix if desired.
Introduce about ½ teaspoon of hydrated chromium green to an uncolored soap section, mixing well. Creating layers with varying green, blue, and turquoise shades will lend your finished turquoise hand soap a natural, stone-like appearance.
Distribute soap spoonfuls into the mold, then lightly dust with Black Pearl Mica using a tea strainer for a light, even coverage. Avoid excessive mica at the mold's base.
Generously mist the mica-dusted sections with alcohol to even out the mica, ensuring it fills the soap's crevices.
Repeat layering with more soap, Black Pearl Mica, and alcohol spray. For a finer matrix look, use smaller soap amounts; for vein-like patterns, opt for larger spoonfuls.
For an intriguing mottled effect, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of mica directly into the soap in the cooker, roughly incorporating it with the spatula's edge without stirring.
Finalize by pressing the remaining soap into the mold, expelling air pockets by employing a bouncing spatula motion.
Optionally, lightly dust the soap's surface with a bit of mica, followed by an alcohol spray to disperse the mica. Firmly tap the mold against a surface 3-4 times to release any trapped air bubbles.

Step 6 – Cutting and Polishing the Bars
Slice the soap into bars at your desired thickness using a wire cutter or knife. Initially, the bars may appear rough, akin to natural stones, but will enhance with minor adjustments and polishing. Trim edges with a vegetable peeler.
Polish each bar with a moist paper towel.
Should you discover any small holes, easily mend them with soap peelings, smoothing over with your finger and a moist paper towel.
Although these soaps are fully saponified, they'll remain somewhat soft due to the recipe's high water content. Allow your hot process soap recipes to cure for 3-6 weeks in a ventilated area for harder bars and creamier lather.