Safety first: gloves and goggles are a must! As well as good ventilation and a positive outlook! You might want to wear long sleeves, too.

Safety first: gloves and goggles are a must! As well as good ventilation and a positive outlook! You might want to wear long sleeves, too.

Measuring the olive oil. In this recipe, I needed 16 oz of it.

Measuring the olive oil. In this recipe, I needed 16 oz of it.

Combining lye with water (NEVER the other way round, as you will have a small Vesuvius eruption in your kitchen). This recipe calls for 2 oz of lye in 6 oz of water - preferably distilled.

Combining lye with water (NEVER the other way round, as you will have a small Vesuvius eruption in your kitchen). This recipe calls for 2 oz of lye in 6 oz of water – preferably distilled.

Gently heating the olive oil is needed so that both the lye solution and the oil component are of approximately the same temperature. Lye, when dissolving in water, creates quite a lot of heat.

Gently heating the olive oil is needed so that both the lye solution and the oil component are of approximately the same temperature. Lye, when dissolving in water, creates quite a lot of heat.

Hand mixer, or hand stick, of however you else you wanna call it. Speeds up the saponification and makes for less elbow grease! Definitely get yourself one of these if you're thinking of making soap.

Hand mixer, or hand stick, of however you else you wanna call it. Speeds up the saponification and makes for less elbow grease! Definitely get yourself one of these if you’re thinking of making soap.

When you notice that your mixture thickened, you add your colorants and scents. I used <a style=

http://nygoodhealth.com turmeric for a beautiful yellow shade of my final product!” src=”https://www.ravenscourtapothecary.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tumblr_mu3vh4zvbP1skpqb9o9_1280-1024×682.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”682″ /> When you notice that your mixture thickened, you add your colorants and scents. I used turmeric for a beautiful yellow shade of my final product!

everything you will need for a basic soap recipe. Note: there is no caustic soda in the picture, while vinegar is there mainly for cleaning and safety (neutralizing lye if necessary) purposes.

everything you will need for a basic soap recipe. Note: there is no caustic soda in the picture, while vinegar is there mainly for cleaning and safety (neutralizing lye if necessary) purposes.

Stir some more until everything is mixed evenly.

Stir some more until everything is mixed evenly.

Finally, pour the saponified mixture into your mold! Leave it for 24 hours. When you look at it the next day, it should be hardened and look just like your normal bar soap! You can then cut it.

Finally, pour the saponified mixture into your mold! Leave it for 24 hours. When you look at it the next day, it should be hardened and look just like your normal bar soap! You can then cut it.

Zesty Tangerine is scented with a joyous and uplifting tangerine essential oil.

Zesty Tangerine is scented with a joyous and uplifting tangerine essential oil.

The first time I ever made soap: it was super fun! This was my first attempt at making a cold process artisan soap, let’s call this one a Zesty Tangerine soap. So I donned my goggles and gloves and got going! This basic soap recipe is based on olive oil, and turmeric and tangerine essential oil.