Perfect for those with sensitive skin, this homemade glycerin soap recipe makes a hard bar of soap that lathers nicely while gently cleansing and moisturizing your skin.
Watch how I make glycerin soap
Making a translucent glycerin soap is really a two part process.
First, you have to make the soap, using a hot process method. (I use my slow cooker which works perfectly for both parts of the process.)
After you have made your soap, you need to dissolve the soap crystals to help allow the light to pass through the soap, making it translucent. To do that, you will use a combination of several different “solvents.”
On my first two attempts, I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to dissolve the crystals. I wasn’t careful to keep the slow cooker well sealed, and I didn’t leave the solvents to work longer, or add more of them, to try to get a more translucent soap.
If getting a more translucent soap is important to you, I’ve given you a range of different solvent values for you to experiment with. I chose to add an amount somewhere in the middle of the given range of each particular solvent. You may want to try adding a smaller amount, and increase, as needed, until your soap gets more translucent. Using a stronger alcohol will also probably help you get a clearer soap.
If you’re really picky about getting translucent soap, I’d suggest reading the book, Making Transparent Soap: The Art Of Crafting, Molding, Scenting & Coloring by Catherine Failor. Her techniques are the ones that most people follow when making both translucent solid soaps and translucent liquid soaps. She has another book about Making Natural Liquid Soaps. If you’re interested in making liquid soaps, I have a couple of liquid soap recipes up on the blog. (You can choose to make a liquid castile soap, or a liquid coconut oil soap, or make both and combine them to get the best of both worlds.)
Choosing oils for a glycerin soap recipe
Because we are going to be using solvents to dissolve some of the soap crystals, it’s best to use oils that make a harder bar of soap. This will help ensure you’ll still end up with a hard, long lasting bar of soap despite the solvent process.
In general, oils that are solid at room temperature tend to make harder bars of soap. (Olive oil can also make a hard bar of soap, but it usually requires a long curing process to get it to harden.) Tallow and coconut oil are great oils for this type of recipe; not only because they make a nice hard bar of soap, but they are also said to be good for making a translucent, rather than cloudy, glycerin soap.
Castor oil is another common oil used in translucent soap making, not because it’s a solid oil that makes a hard bar of soap (because it isn’t, of course), but because castor oil is said to be somewhat of a solvent on its own.
Even after using the solvents, this recipe made very hard bars of soap, and I really love the way it lathers. The coconut oil adds to the cleaning factor of the soap and helps make a bubbly lather. The castor oil helps stabilize that lather. This was the first time I used tallow for making soap because it’s not very easy to find here. (I wanted to make my own, but couldn’t get any butchers to save beef fat for me for rendering tallow.) I have to say that I really love it, and plan on using it more often.
LIQUID SOAP MAKING (DUAL LYE & VEGETABLE GLYCERIN METHOD)
FAQ
Can I use liquid vegetable glycerin to make soap?
How do you make liquid glycerin?
Is liquid glycerin the same as liquid soap?
What is the ratio of glycerin to soap?
How do you make glycerin based soap?
In a double boiler or heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the vegetable glycerin. Once melted, add the liquid castile soap and distilled water to the melted glycerin. Stir until well combined. If desired, add 1 tsp of essential oil for fragrance. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
What are the ingredients in liquid vegetable glycerin soap?
The main ingredients in liquid vegetable glycerin soap are vegetable glycerin, liquid castile soap, and distilled water. Some recipes may also include essential oils for fragrance and other ingredients such as herbs or exfoliants for added benefits. How long does liquid vegetable glycerin soap last?
How do you make glycerin?
To make the glycerin, mix equal parts coconut oil and olive oil, then add water and lye. Heat the mixture for 10-15 minutes until it reaches 125° F (52° C), add salt, and let it cool. Keep in mind that lye is an extremely caustic substance, though, so it must be handled with care.
Can you use liquid vegetable glycerin soap for hair?
Liquid vegetable glycerin soap can be used for hair, but it is not recommended as a regular shampoo. It can be used as a clarifying shampoo or as a treatment for dry or damaged hair. It is important to use a small amount and to rinse off thoroughly to avoid any irritation.