Solid soap into liquid castile. Castile soap: made from scratch. What is soap used for?
Good day to all! Today I’ll talk about solid castile soap produced by Meela Meelo, and my impressions of it.
I love Castile soap and buy it all the time, mostly from Herb. I use liquid for washing, and lump, depending on its softness and composition, either for household needs (washing dishes, vegetables and fruits), or for skin - creasing hands, body and even face.
What is Castile soap?
This is a soap made from 85-90% Extra Virgin Olive Oil (first cold pressed). The remaining 10-15% of oils are most often coconut or castor oil to give the soap at least some hardness and improve foaming.
Due to this composition, the soap is considered very soft and gentle on the skin.
Since unrefined olive oil has a pronounced yellow-green color and a characteristic odor, these properties cannot disappear without a trace when making soap. Castile soap without additives has a yellowish-olive color and a characteristic odor.
Castile soap lathers quite weakly even in warm water and produces a very fine, “creamy” lather.
Real Castile soap is very difficult to find. Typically, manufacturers only call their soap “Castile,” although it is not made from olive oil. Or they go for tricks, like, for example, Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap Bar. That is, it’s kind of like Castilian, but “Coco.” And it doesn’t even smell like olive oil in the composition.
Soap from Meela Meelo is declared to be “real” Castilian - with 85% olive oil:
Ingredients: low-temperature saponified cold-pressed olive oil (85%), low-temperature saponified coconut and palm oils, cold-pressed olive oil, vitamin E.
As you can see, no dyes or flavors. Where is the green color and characteristic olive smell? There is none of them.
The soap is creamy in color and does not smell of anything. Supplied in a clear plastic wrapper. It weighs 100 grams and costs 329 rubles on the official website.
The square bar fits quite comfortably in the hand, although I would have preferred a more familiar and thicker format.
Foams quite well, with noticeable bubbles. Which, it seems, shouldn’t happen from the real Castile...
Impression
I use soap to wash my face as cleaning step No. 2 (after hydrophilic oil), as well as for my body and hands, and I bathe my daughter with it. I like the soap for its gentleness even on delicate and sensitive skin, and the lack of dryness after using it.
It has only one drawback - the soap becomes very limp. Storing it in a soap dish with a drain of water helps, but not completely, even after a single use and proper drying, its top layer becomes sticky to the touch and “melts” into the bars of the soap dish.
Final opinion
Everything would seem to be fine, but... The question haunts me: where is the characteristic color and smell that should be preserved when cooking real Castile? For example, the Aleppo soap I bought not so long ago fully corresponded to the descriptions, but here...
In amateur photos of soap makers, Castile soap is exactly as I imagined it: green, yellow-green or brownish-green. The “relative” of Castile soap, Marseilles, looks the same.
Naturally, I'm paranoid. In severe form. So I asked this question to the manufacturer. The answer I received was the following:
The olive oil from which Castile soap is made has a light green, straw color. During the saponification process, it brightens and the resulting soap turns out to be light and creamy. The shade of the oil depends on the type of olive and much more, not only on the refining process. For soap making we use unrefined olive oil.
From other manufacturers, including foreign ones, Castile soap is also light, creamy, with a maximum of a slight olive tint.
You can look at iHerb; most manufacturers have castile soap of this creamy shade.
Next there was a link to the herb, where I saw my many acquaintances, whom I bought several times. And which have nothing to do with “real” Castile soap - the same Kirk or Dr. Woods. In the first there is no olive oil at all, in the second it takes the place of only an additional component. And not the 85% that Meela Meelo claims.
Has anyone ever encountered natural, undiluted, straw-colored, cold-pressed olive oil? I've never come across something like this in my life. Apparently, the exclusive contract for the supply of such oil belongs exclusively to Meela Meelo.
In general, the “guessing game” with the compositions tired me out quite a bit. I like the manufacturer to lay out everything clearly so that everything is clear and obvious when reading the ingredients. No miracles. I don’t want to invent why aloe and green tea suddenly smell like perfume, and why olive oil stops being green.
Therefore, in order to save my nervous system, I will no longer buy this soap.
But if you are a less suspicious person, and by and large you don’t care what kind of oil it contains, then I can recommend it. I liked its properties and have no complaints. The fact that it gets very wet is a normal phenomenon for natural soap.
● ❤ ● Thanks to everyone who stopped by! ● ❤ ●
I'm glad that my review was useful to you.
Castile soap is the only natural soap made from 90% extra virgin olive oil. Soap contains other types of oils to give it a solid consistency, usually oils.
The production of such soap is expensive, because it is based on olive oil, and not the petroleum products that have become familiar to us. Soap is rarely found in Russia due to high price, logistics problems and production difficulties.
In the Middle Ages, Castile soap was used by the aristocracy, but after the Industrial Revolution it was replaced by more affordable synthetic solutions. Even today, during the renaissance of organic cosmetics, Castile soap is a rare guest in our homes. Besides the fact that it is clearly more expensive than its competitors, we also don’t know anything about it!
Soap may vary depending on the manufacturing method. So the soap, which has a bright aroma (it retains essential oils), is prepared using a hot method, so it is soft to the touch. Hard castile soap, which is cold processed, is aged for 6 to 10 months, during which time the essential oils evaporate, so solid soap does not have a strong odor.
Only soap made from 90% Extra Virgin oil can have such a name. If you see any indication that the soap contains a large amount of oil, but it does not reach 90%, this is a fake.
Real soap has a pleasant aroma, it may foam slightly, but after it the skin becomes soft and pleasant to the touch. This soap should not dry out the skin, but you can expect it to moisturize the skin thanks to the glycerin. In order for soap to foam like the synthetic solutions we are used to, modern manufacturers can use third-party additives. Such soap is still considered Castile if the volume of olive oil exceeds 90%.
When analyzing this type of soap, the content of oleic acid is assessed, from which the volume of olive oil used in the preparation of the product can be determined.
Since Castile soap belongs to the “premium” segment, aloe, shea butter, and essential oils are often added to it. That is, the soap ingredients are also of the highest quality.
Soap is made from unrefined oil (it has big amount beneficial properties) or refined oil (it is soft and pleasant, but contains fewer nutrients).
If you are not a chemist and are not going to test soap in the laboratory, then the following signs will help you
Beneficial properties of Castile soap
It's all about the olive oil. It contains many useful substances, including the fatty acids we need. First of all, we're talking about about oleic acid (85% of content). It improves skin tone and softens hands.
In addition to acids, soap contains and, which come not only from olive oil, but also from additives such as Angolan tree bark, oats, and marula oil.
Disadvantages of this soap
First of all, the disadvantage is the price. It can be significantly higher than the solutions we are used to, which already satisfy our needs. Secondly, Castile soap consists of oil, so it does not have the hardness we are accustomed to. If water gets on the soap, it will become soggy and may turn into an unusable paste. Castile soap must be stored in a soap dish with water drainage.
Without the use of third-party additives, Castile soap foams weakly, has a yellow-olive color and a specific odor. It is changed by adding, but the main smell still remains and is not boiled off during cooking.
Buy Castile soap
The American brand, known for the most affordable (but high-quality), has released a series of hygiene products, which included Castile soap. At the moment, this is the most affordable option for purchasing this type of soap. The manufacturer used as an additive, so the soap has a pleasant smell.
Today we will prepare classic Castile soap, invented several centuries ago, using the accelerated method and get Castile soap from scratch using the hot method. This is completely natural soap, according to the original recipe, will contain olive oil, lye and water. The maturation process of such soap is accelerated by heating the whipped oil-lye mass in a water bath or in the oven, followed by passing through the gel stage.
Castile Soap Recipe
Soap recipes should always be at hand, it’s more convenient to check whether everything has been done, so it’s better to write out or print out the ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
To make soap you will need: a scale, a measuring cup, a strainer for an lye solution, a water bath vessel, spoons with long handles, a mixer, a thermometer, a pH meter or litmus paper, protective equipment (goggles, gloves, a respirator), ingredients, and soap mold.
Ingredients for handmade soap:
- 200 g – olive oil
- 95.2 g – ice water (ice)
- 23.7 g – alkali NaOH
- We clear the workspace of unnecessary items, open the window for ventilation, prepare all the necessary equipment and ingredients, put on gloves, cover our face with a respirator, cover our eyes with goggles, and close the door from strangers.
- We weigh the pre-frozen water in a glass of the required volume.
- We weigh the lye separately.
- Let's prepare an alkaline solution; to do this, carefully introduce the alkali into the ice. Beginners, do not be alarmed, a chemical reaction will begin with the release of heat. Therefore, we leave the alkaline solution for a while so that it cools a little.
- Measure out the olive oil and pour into a large container.
- When the temperature of the alkaline solution differs from the temperature of the olive oil only within 10 0 C (measured with a thermometer), introduce the solution, filtering it through a sieve into the oil (not vice versa).
- First mix the oil-lye solution with a spoon, and then connect the mixer.
- Beat the mixture until a trail appears following the mixer - this is called a stable trail. After a minute, check again for traces. Due to the large amount of olive oil, the mass may separate again, do not be alarmed, you just need to beat it up and check again for traces.
- The castile soap, which has been reduced to traces, is sent to a water bath with a lid, to speed up the passage of the gel stage, and therefore to speed up the maturation process. Periodically open the lid and thoroughly mix the soap mass, adding a little water if necessary.
- During the process, you need to check whether all the alkali is gone and whether the soap is not stinging. Some professionals test the soap on the tongue; if it stings, then continue cooking. You can check with a pH meter or strips of litmus paper, pH≈8.
- After a few hours, we reach the gel stage and remove the soap from the water bath.
- Hot transfer the castile soap from scratch into the molds and tap well on all sides.
- We leave the soap to harden in the mold from several hours to a day.
- We take the dried soap out of the mold and, if necessary, cut it into smaller bars.
Making handmade soap:
The Castile soap recipe we proposed allows you to make soap that can be used immediately after hardening. However, over time, such soap only becomes more noble. Due to the absence of dyes and fragrances, the soap is completely hypoallergenic, lathers well and is suitable even for children.
How to make new castile soap from old castile soap
Sometimes over time, it seems to us that the boiled piece of soap is not as good as we would like. Or, for example, you want to make soap with additives from an existing bar. The Castile soap recipe described above is simple and does not contain any auxiliary components, be it color or aroma. Therefore, such soap, once brewed, can easily be digested again, ennobling it. You can also digest unsuccessful Castile soap, when something went wrong with the color, the aroma has disappeared, etc., we advise you to collect all the remnants and remnants and make a new one from the old one.
How to make new one from old Castile soap? Perhaps even easier than making Castile soap itself from scratch. In this case, you will not have to work with alkali. The alkaline reaction took place at the gel stage during soap production.
So, there are pieces of unsuccessful Castile soap and its remnants.
Step-by-step instructions for making soap:
- We weigh all the castile soap (to understand the number of components added and the size of the mold), this is our soap base.
- Three grated soaps.
- We send the soap shavings to heat in a water bath, adding ≈10% liquid (water, chamomile infusion, milk, etc.).
- Stirring constantly, bring the soap to homogeneous mass. Add liquid if necessary.
- For better melting, you can add honey, sugar or sorbitol diluted in water.
- If desired, you can add superfat in the form of selected oils.
- Well-melted Castile soap can be enriched with whatever your heart desires. You can divide the entire volume into several parts and add different dyes to each, and then pour multi-colored soap in layers. You can add dried flowers or scrubbing particles to homogeneous, non-hardened castile soap. This castile soap can smell like your favorite aroma thanks to fragrances and essential oils.
- Place the castile soap saturated with the selected ingredients into a mold of suitable size, tapping on all sides to remove any accumulated air bubbles.
- We leave the soap to “rest” in the mold for several hours.
- We remove the frozen soap from the mold onto a cotton towel and leave it to sit for a while to remove excess fat and moisture.
DIY Castile Soap:
As a result, from an old, unattractive bar of soap, a completely new Castile soap is obtained with the properties, colors and aromas acquired during the manufacturing process, as planned.
First, let's weigh all the necessary ingredients, following safety rules when working with alkali. Do not neglect masks and respirators; even the lightest alkali vapors strongly irritate the nasal mucosa.
Weigh out the olive oil, water and lye: 
Let's prepare an alkaline solution. It is better to first place the container with water in cold water to avoid excessive heating of the alkaline solution, since alkali releases upon contact with water a large number of heat. Following safety precautions, pour the lye into the water and mix. Let the alkaline solution cool to room temperature. 
As soon as the temperature of the alkaline solution and the oil is approximately equal, pour the solution into the oils and begin mixing. 
It is better to use a blender for mixing. It will take 10 to 20 minutes for future Castile soap to form a trace, depending on the intensity of stirring. 
Turn on the blender for 15-20 seconds, then turn it off and let the soap settle. And so on until we see a light trail. 
Next, you can prepare the form. You can pour this soap anywhere, the main thing is to make sure that the soap can be easily taken out and in the mold without breaking or crumbling. Castile soap is quite soft, so it is better to use collapsible molds made of wood or plastic. Gradually the soap thickens and the trace becomes thicker and thicker. 
You can wait until the soap thickens well to make it easier to put into the mold. 
The photo clearly shows how thick the soap has become. However, it does not lose elasticity and is just as easy to work with. 
Next, you can put the soap to mature in a dry, dark place. The gel stage can be omitted. It will be possible to remove it from the mold in 2-3 days, and then you can cut it. But to use it, at least a month later, ideally, six months after preparation.
But if you want the soap to have a more even color, smooth surface and uniform texture, run the soap through the gel stage. To do this, leave the soap in the mold for an hour and a half at a temperature of about 50 degrees. For these purposes I use a barely heated oven; you can wrap the soap in a towel and place it on a hot radiator. After passing through the gel, the soap becomes more transparent, it is clear that the gel stage has passed evenly. 
Such soap also requires aging, just like soap that has not gone through the gel stage. Let the soap mature.
After 2 days, you can remove the soap from the mold and cut it. 
Cut - but do not wash) Put on the top shelf from one month to six months. Or better yet, ad infinitum. A piece that has lain for a couple or three years will have no price.
Traditional Castile soap is made from 90% olive oil. There is hardly any of it on sale: it is soft, gets wet quickly and is expensive for the manufacturer. If you brew it at home using a cold method, try to keep the mixture for at least six months. Keep in mind that the consistency will approach ideal only after a year.
Castile soap has been made since the Middle Ages. It is known for its soft, gentle effect, so it is often used to care for children. Delicate and creamy, it delicately cleanses the skin without causing allergies. When lathered, it forms a fine bubbly foam.
Hot Process Castile Soap Recipe
This cooking method is suitable if you don’t want to wait a year, but plan to use the soap the next day after cooking.
Required ingredients:
- 200 g olive oil;
- 95.2 g ice water;
- 23.7 g of NaOH alkali.
Necessary equipment:
- scales;
- dishes with measuring divisions and a container for a water bath;
- strainer for alkali solution;
- mixer;
- thermometer;
- spoon with a long handle;
- litmus test;
- soap mold;
- protective equipment - respirator, goggles, gloves.
The set of tools and ingredients is standard. This is why beginners master the Castile soap recipe first: it does not require any special skills.
Castile soap from scratch
Working hours: 1 hour.
Complexity: below the average.
- Release workplace, open the window and close the doors.
- Wear protective equipment: respirator, goggles, gloves. Alkali is a caustic substance. When it gets on the skin and mucous membranes, it corrodes them.
- Measure frozen water into a glass of the required volume.
- Measure out the lye separately.
- Prepare the lye solution: Add the lye to the ice in one gentle motion. The reaction will begin. Wait until the heat is released and the solution cools.
- Separately measure out the olive oil and place it in a bowl.
- Wait until the temperature difference between the oil and the alkaline solution reaches 10°C. To do this, use a thermometer.
- Add the lye solution to the oil, straining it through a sieve. Under no circumstances should you do the opposite!
- First, stir the resulting mixture with a spoon, then use a mixer.
- Beat the mixture until a trailing trail begins to appear from the mixer. Because there is a lot of olive oil in the mixture, it may disappear after a couple of minutes. There is nothing wrong with this: beat the solution again and check for traces again.
- Place the resulting mixture in a water bath to speed up the process - close the lid. Periodically lift the lid and stir the soap; if necessary, add water.
- Check to see if the alkali is gone. Professionals do this by testing the mixture on their tongue: if it stings, you need to continue cooking. We recommend using litmus paper.
- After a few hours, remove the soap from the water bath. By this point it should be at the gel stage.
- Place the mixture into the prepared molds and tap on all sides.
- Leave to harden: the recommended hardening time is at least 24 hours.
- Remove the dried soap from the molds; if necessary, cut into smaller pieces.
Ready! You can use Castile soap immediately after it hardens. However, we advise you not to rush: over time it will beneficial features are only getting stronger.
