Ingredients: (can be halved)

o Olive Oil = 56 Ounces (100% of total oils)

Step 1) Our very first step is to make the lye solution for our castile soap recipe. Measure out
208 grams of dry lye into a heat and chemical safe container. Be sure to measure out your lye in
grams as using this small unit of measurement is much more accurate than measuring in ounces.

Next, measure out your 17 ounce distilled water portion. Be sure to do this in a heat and
chemical safe container.

For this castile soap recipe, we are actually using a little bit less water than we normally would to
create our lye solution. This "water discount" is highly recommended when making a 100% olive
oil soap as it will help to create a harder bar and reduce your finished product's cure time. Most
castile soap recipe formulas produce very soft products as there are no solid oils within a true
castile soap, so we will do whatever we can to promote hardness within this batch.

Keep in mind that this slight "water discount" will result in a stronger lye solution which will
consequently be more caustic and dangerous. So, as always, be sure to wear all the appropriate
soap safety equipment, like goggles and rubber gloves, when making this batch. I also highly
recommend that you keep a bottle of vinegar nearby to pour over any accidental lye spills.
Vinegar will neutralize sodium hydroxide.
Finally, pour your dry lye into your measured out distilled water and stir simultaneously with a
heat and chemical safe mixing utensil.

As you combine the lye and water, you will notice instantly that your solution will begin to
rapidly increase in temperature. This reaction will also produce a strong, noxious fume. Be sure
to avoid breathing in these lye vapors and always create your lye solution outside or in a wellventilated area away from children and pets.
At this point, your lye solution has been created successfully. Place a thermometer into the liquid
and set it safely off to the side for future use. We will need this lye solution to drop in
temperature to below 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2) Next, we need to measure out our soap making oils into our stainless steel soap making
pot. Because this is a true castile soap recipe, we will only need to measure out our 56 ounces of
Soap Making Resource's grade olive oil.

Step 3) Unlike most of our other soap recipes, this true castile soap recipe does not have any
hard oils within its formula that require melting, however, we still need to warm up the olive oil
to approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit using a low setting on our cooktop burner. Place a
thermometer into the olive oil and begin to heat it up. Be sure to monitor your oil's temperature
constantly as you don't want it to overheat.

Step 4) While our olive oil is heating up and our lye solution continues to cool, we are going to
prepare the additives needed for our recipe. For this castile soap recipe, our only additives will be
the two essential oils found within our essential oil blend.
In separate containers, measure out 43 grams of Soap Making Resource's grapefruit, pink
essential oil and 32 grams of Soap Making Resource's bergamot essential oil. These two natural
essential oils blend wonderfully together!

I personally like to measure out my essential oils for my blend in separate containers like this
because it allows me to remove a specific essential oil if I accidentally over pour one of them
while preparing the blend. Obviously, if you were measuring your essential oils into each other,
removing a specific oil, if need be, would not be possible as they would have already mixed
together.

Now combine the essential oils into one container so that the blend is ready to be added to your
batch when the time comes.

Step 5) While we were preparing our grapefruit-bergamot essential oil blend, our oils have most
likely warmed to the desired temperature. Remember, for this batch, we want the olive oil to
have a temperature of around 110 degrees Fahrenheit before we use it to make our pure castile
soap. Keep in mind that our olive oil doesn't have to be exactly 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This
temperature is simply an approximate preferred temperature for making this castile soap batch.
Somewhere in between 100 degrees and 110 degrees Fahrenheit will be just fine for making this
batch successfully.
Remove your soap making pot from the burner and check the temperature of your olive oil. If the
olive oil is above 110 degrees Fahrenheit, you can cool it down by placing your soap making pot
in a sink filled with ice water. At this point, you should also check the temperature of your lye
solution as you can also use this same method to cool down your lye if needed.

If your lye solution has fallen to an unacceptable temperature, keep in mind that you can always
carefully use a "hot water bath" to bring the temperature of your lye and water mixture back up
to your desired temperature. To accomplish this, use the same exact method as described above,
except fill your sink with hot water instead of cold ice water. Of course, if you need to raise the
temperature of your oils, you can always put the soap making pot back onto your cooktop burner
and warm them using the same low heat setting.
Step 6) At this point, your olive oil and lye are adjusted to your desired temperature and your
additives are prepared and ready to be added to the castile soap recipe batch when they are
needed. We are finally ready to make soap!
Slowly pour your lye solution into the warm olive oil and mix manually using a heat and
chemical safe mixing utensil.

Remember, this lye solution is stronger than normal due to our water discount, so use
precautions when pouring!
Keep stirring your olive oil and lye mixture manually until you achieve an even texture and
color.

Now that the oil and lye components have been initially combined, pour in your grapefruit and
bergamot essential oil blend. Doesn't it smell incredible!

Stir in the essential oils until once again you achieve an even texture and color.

Now, to speed things up a bit, begin mixing your castile soap recipe batch with your stick
blender.

Keep mixing until your batch achieves trace. You can test for trace by dribbling a small amount
of soap batter onto the surface of the rest of your batch. If the dribbled soap sets on top of the rest
of the batch, even if just for a few moments, you have reached trace and your soap is ready to
pour into a mold.

Step 7) Now that your castile soap recipe batch is complete, pour the soap into a mold. This is a
5 pound batch, and as you can see in the picture below, we are using a Soap Making Resource 5
pound acrylic log soap mold.

Step 8) Allow your soap to set in the mold for approximately 24 - 36 hours, or until the log is
hard enough to remove from the mold without damage. Keep in mind that because this is a true
castile soap recipe and our formula was made up of 100% olive oil, it may take longer to solidify
than most batches.
As you can see in the picture below, it is very easy to remove your soap log from a Soap Making
Resource no-line acrylic mold without damage. Simply set the soap pusher stands beneath the
mold and slide them into the appropriate base holes, apply an even downward pressure and pop

the soap log right out. Simple! Be sure to check out our video demonstration on how to use a
Soap Making Resource acrylic log soap mold!

Step 9) Next, cut your soap log into individual bars. You can use a wire soap loaf cutter or a
guided soap cutter to accomplish this step. Of course, either method will allow you to slice even,
professional looking bars quickly and easily. As you can see in the picture below, for this batch,
we decided to use the Soap Making Resource wire soap loaf cutter.

Step 10) Finally, set your finished bars on a rack to cure.

For most cold process soap batches, I recommend that you allow your soap to cure for about 4 6 weeks. This castile soap recipe, however, will require a bit more time to adequately harden.
Many castile soap makers allow their finished bars to cure for about 4 - 6 months before using or
selling them! I know... it's a long time, but I can tell you that it is definitely worth the wait! Now
keep in mind that your freshly made castile soap is perfectly safe to use after just a few days, but
this extended cure time will allow your bar to become a harder, gentler and longer lasting
product.

Alternative Way:

The recipe is simple. 100% olive oil. So determine how many ounces of oils your mold holds
and go with that. My mold holds 48 oz of oil. I like to do a 5% superfat with castile so that will
give me 6.2 oz lye for 48 oz of oil. I take a steeeeeeeep water discount when making castile. I
usually do equal amounts of water and lye. Since my recipe calls for 6.2 oz of lye, Ill use 6.2 oz
of water.
*Please note that doing such a high water discount makes your lye solution much more potent
and dangerous if splashed on you. Wear gloves, goggles, shoes and long sleeves to help protect
against splashes. Since your solution if much more concentrated make sure that the lye crystals
are completely dissolved before adding to your oils.
For all my soaps I use Bertolli (regular) olive oil. Ive never used any other type of olive oil so
cant comment on how different types of olive oil behave differently. Olive oil is traditionaly
slow to trace but with such a steep water discountit wont take long at all to trace.
To start. Make your lye solution. Let it cool down a bit. I usually determine mine ready when it
is warm to the touch. (Not hot and not room temp. Sorry, I dont take temps!)
Measure out your olive oil. I leave it at room tempI dont worry about heating it up or making
it the same temp as the lye solution.

Add your lye solution carefully to the olive oil. Be careful with splashes!

Stickblend until your soap reaches trace.

I like to let it sit for a minute or two before pouring it into the mold. Olive oil can sometimes
seem like it is well emulsified and then all of the sudden separate. So after you think youve

reached tracelet it sit for a minute. Its not going to thicken up or sieze on you so you can take
your time to make sure its properly mixed. I love reaching trace and then lazily mixing by hand
with a spatula. Its a bit soothing and somewhat hypnotic.
Pour it into your mold.

Cover and insulate as usual. Since were using such a high water discountyour soap will
probably not gel. No worries thoughthis soap is rock hard after about 2 days in the
mold. Normally we thinkhigh olive- must not cut right away. But youll find that this is super
hard after a day or two and ready to cut.

Be sure to cure your castile in a cool dry place without the bars touching (as that can trap
moisture). Cure them for at least four months. The longer the better!