- 1,000 g of olive oil
- 128 g of caustic soda
- 300 g of water
Here is a simple and cute recipe for making a home-made Marseille soap using the cold method. It was Elisa, a friend of ours who suggested it.
Making soap at home is easier and gives more satisfaction than what you think: there are two methods, the hot one and the cold one. We also talk about it in our book, "Il primo sapone non si scorda mai" (The first soap is never forgotten), where you can find many recipes to start self-producing in full autonomy and awareness
We use the cold method to make Marseille soap at home:
“It was back in 2007, I still didn't know that soon I would meet Lucia & Luigi. I was already taking my first steps into the magical (I'm not kidding!) world of soap making. I had this idea in my head of a large pot on the fire, and a huge ladle to turn and turn the dense substance that was bubbling hours and hours inside ... for me the fools who made soap at home looked a bit like Maga Magò and Amelia. Instead I met Rossella, my Soap Master who made me discover cold saponification. And in 20 minutes I already had my soap there to take shape in a plastic container. And then I met Lucia & Luigi, by the sea, with one of their first stands. And I realized that there were other fools like me messing around making soaps.
The satisfaction of making your own soap is priceless. It is truly magic. "
Preparation
Put on the apron. Put on the gloves and mask.
Weigh the olive oil and soda. Finally, weigh the water (it must be about one third of the weight of the oil).
Pour the caustic soda into the water. Important: never put water on the caustic soda and do not breathe the fumes that give off during the chemical reaction.
Wait for the temperature to drop to about 45 °.
Heat the oil to 45 °.
When both liquids have a temperature of about 45 °, pour water + caustic soda into the oil.
Mix very quickly (it is faster with an immersion blender) until the soap reaches the so-called “trace” phase.
The consistency is much denser, the color lighter and it remains on the surface if the liquid is poured from above, tracing marks.
At this point it can be poured into the molds.
Keep the soap in the molds, wrapped in a blanket, for at least 24 hours.
Remove it from the molds (better with gloves), cut it into pieces and put it to age for at least a month (preferably two) in a dry and airy place not affected by direct sunlight.
How to use
Use as a normal soap.
