Rice Bran, Buttermilk and Shea Cold Process Soap Recipe

This soap is silky smooth, and lovely to use, it's an old favourite of ours!  We have left this batch uncoloured as this gorgeous silky smooth soap is fabulous absolutely naked, but do colour your soap if you prefer a coloured soap.

If you are just starting out, please take note that as you will be mixing the sodium hydroxide in less water than normal, please take extra care when mixing the lye and water.

This recipe calls for a TOTAL of 470g of liquid, so I have divided this amount up as you can see in the ingredients quantities for the Sodium Hydroxide (Lye), water for the Buttermilk and pureed cucumber separately.  This recipe suits our Wooden Loaf Mould with Silicone Liner and our Flexible Mould - Loaf (Regular).  If you are using the Silicone Loaf Mould, have a couple of single cavity moulds handy as there will be a little soap over.

Ingredients:

• 300g Coconut Oil
• 500g Olive Oil
• 300g Palm Oil, Sustainable
• 100g Rice Bran Oil
•   50g Shea Butter, Organic
• 176g Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
• 220g Distilled Water
• 100g pureed fresh Cucumber - to be added to Sodium Hydroxide when cool
• 3 tablespoons Buttermilk Powder
• 150g hot Distilled Water - used to mix with the Buttermilk Powder and set aside to add at trace
• 45g/ml Cucumber Melon Fragrance

You might like to choose to use Essential Oils instead, for example:

• 15g/ml (2 - 3 teaspoons) Lime Essential Oil
• 2 - 3g/ml (½ tsp)  Clove Bud Essential Oil
• 20g/ml (5 teaspoons) Valencia Orange Essential Oil

• 3 teaspoons Sodium Lactate Plus
• Flexible Mould - Loaf (Regular) or Wooden Loaf Mould with Silicone Liner

Equipment:

All your regular Cold Process Soap making equipment including Safety Gear including Goggles and Gloves
Jug to hold 2 litres traced soap
Small beaker to hold the Fragrance - helpful, not essential

Method:

If you are a beginner, we recommend you make a plain batch without the additives first before attempting this soap so that you know what to expect.   For how to make soap from Scratch, please see our Cold Process Soapmaking Instructions.  You can also watch Soap Queen's You Tube Series on Cold Process Soapmaking.  I like to pour when it's at light to medium trace and insulate well to encourage gel.

Step One: 

Prepare the liquids:

Mix the Sodium Hydroxide and 220g Distilled Water and set aside to cool.
Mix the Buttermilk Powder with 150g HOT Distilled Water and set aside.  (I give this a blast with my stick blender to make sure it is well dissolved).
Puree the whole cucumber (including the seeds) and then weigh the slushy liquid into a small jug or cup.

Step Two:

When the lye water is at approximately 35°C carefully add the Sodium Lactate Plus.
Now mix in the cucumber puree, stirring by hand.
Now combine the lye water with melted oils and bring to light trace as normal.
Add the buttermilk mixture and blend in using the stick blender - a couple of quick blasts will mix this through well.
Then add Fragrance Oil (or the Essential Oils if you choose to use these), and stir through well to combine.
Pour into the mould.
Cover and insulate as usual.

Unmould in a week or so, slice and allow to cure for a minimum of 6 weeks.

If using "add to the trolley" you will also need to purchase Olive Oil, Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) and Distilled water from the supermarket.