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A bottle of homemade liquid Castile soap in a soap dispenser next to a washcloth.

Easy, Beginner DIY Liquid Castile Soap Recipe

Last Modified: January 26, 2019 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // June 4, 2021 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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Made with only olive oil, this pure liquid Castile soap is easy to make and mild. It's perfect for cleaning face, body, and around the house. #soapmaking #castilesoap #liquidsoap #thethingswellmake #miy

Made with only olive oil, this pure liquid Castile soap is easy to make and mild. It’s perfect for face and body, and for cleaning around the house.

A homemade liquid Castile soap in a soap dispenser next to a washcloth

A couple of years ago, I showed you how easy it was to make a basic beginner soap, even if you’ve never done it before.

Making solid soaps can be a lot of fun, but not everybody likes using bar soap. Many people prefer using something in a dispenser like a shower gel or a liquid soap.

I made many different types of bar soaps before attempting to make a true liquid soap. There aren’t as many resources about making liquid soaps, so I had to do a lot of trial and error before posting this first liquid Castile soap recipe.

Once you find a good recipe, it’s pretty simple to make. While it does take a little more time and effort than whipping up some bars of cold process soap, I think you’ll find that it’s well worth it, especially when you take a look at the price of a store-bought liquid castile soap.

How does liquid soap differ from bar soap?

The main difference between bar soaps and liquid soaps is the type of lye used to make them. Liquid soaps are made with KOH, or potassium hydroxide, rather than NaOH, or sodium hydroxide.

You can read more about the different types of lye in my post about lye and why it is needed in soap.

While some people like to make a “liquid soap” of sorts by diluting bar soaps in water, you can’t really get a true, transparent liquid soap that way. Some people are happy with the result, but every time I’ve tried it, I’ve ended up with a gloopy mess. It doesn’t have the same cleaning power as either a bar soap or a true liquid soap, and the texture and appearance aren’t the same either.

What is pure Castile soap?

Technically, by definition, Castile soap is a type of soap made with only olive oil. The name “Castile” soap originates here in Spain. (You can read more about the origin of Castile soap and other soaps in my post with a recipe for pure Castile bar soap.)

Over the years, the definition of Castile soap has broadened to include other types of vegetable oils such as coconut oil. Dr. Bronner’s liquid Soap, which may be the most famous commercial liquid Castile soap, actually has a greater percentage of coconut oil than olive oil. (I made a Dr. Bronners liquid Castile soap copycat recipe for those who are interested!)

When it came to making a homemade liquid Castile soap, though, I was a bit of a purist and made the real deal: a soap made with only olive oil.

Olive oil in soap

Soaps made with different oils have different properties.

Soaps made with olive oil are more conditioning for your skin than soaps made with coconut oil. On the other hand, they don’t lather up as much as a coconut oil soap, nor do they leave you feeling squeaky clean in the same way (partly because they are more conditioning).

Some people find pure Castile bar soap to be “slimy” and not cleansing enough. On the other hand, pure coconut oil bar soap can be drying.

  • Pure coconut oil soaps are great for general cleaning and for laundry. That’s why I made my homemade laundry soap only with coconut oil.
  • Pure olive oil soaps tend to be gentle on the skin and great for gentle body cleansing.

Read my post about the properties of different oils in soaps.

Ideally, you’d combine different oils to get the qualities you want for your soap. That’s exactly what they did when they formulated Dr. Bronner’s soap, and what I did when I showed you how to make a basic beginner soap which uses a combination of olive oil and coconut oil.

Combining liquid soaps

When you make a bar of soap, you have to decide what combination of oils you want to use from the very beginning and your entire batch will have that very same combination.

With liquid soaps, though, you have the advantage of being able to combine your various soaps after the fact, making it easier to experiment with smaller combinations until you find the perfect soap for your need.

That’s why I made a pure liquid castile soap, using only olive oil, and then later made a pure liquid coconut oil soap. Once you’ve made both of them, you can combine them, as needed to get the type of soap you want.

Two jars of homemade liquid soap: one coconut oil based and one olive oil based. The olive oil based soap is becoming more opaque.
My two, big jars of liquid soap. The liquid soap made with coconut oil is on the left. The liquid soap made with olive oil is on the right.

Coconut oil liquid soap vs. liquid Castile soap

When I first started making liquid soap, I assumed that liquid soaps would be just like bar soaps. The difference between a pure Castile bar soap and a coconut oil-based bar soap is HUGE!

I was very surprised to find, though, that liquid soap made with coconut oil was actually quite similar to that made with olive oil. Sure, the olive oil-based liquid soap was darker in color than the coconut oil-based liquid soap. For me, that was probably the most notable difference.

Yes, the coconut oil soap does make a bubblier lather than this one and may be slightly more drying. It does give more of a “squeaky clean” feeling.

In the end, though, the difference isn’t as pronounced as I expected. In fact, I normally just make the coconut oil liquid soap recipe these days. I can buy refined coconut oil cheaper than olive oil, but also love the look of a lighter-colored soap. I also love the fresh, subtle scent of the coconut oil soap when left unscented.

Both soaps give a decent lather. They are also both relatively mild for skin. If you have sensitive skin, though, this soap is probably the better choice.

Those who have very sensitive skin may find that they have issues with the higher pH of any soap. In those cases, it may be best to use something like my DIY Baby Wash and Shampoo. (I made it pH balanced for a baby’s delicate skin.)

Ingredients

This soap uses 4 main ingredients: olive oil, potassium hydroxide, water, and glycerin.

You can use extra virgin olive oil or a lighter olive oil. What is important, though, is that you are using pure olive oil. (If it’s not pure olive oil, it may need a different amount of lye.)

For the water, it’s best to use distilled water. Tap water has minerals and may have other impurities that can affect the clarity of your soap.

Overhead view of ingredients for liquid Castile soap in bowls

Why use glycerin when making liquid soap?

One of the methods of making liquid soaps is called the glycerin method. It replaces part of the water with glycerin.

Adding glycerin moves the soap-making process along more quickly. Because I wanted to share a beginner liquid soap recipe, I chose the glycerin method to have this soap be as quick and fool-proof as possible.

Using glycerin may have some other benefits:

  1. The resulting soap paste dissolves very easily in water. I don’t need to heat the water nor do I need to leave it for days at a time. I can cover my soap paste with distilled water and usually, in a couple of hours, I have a beautiful, clear liquid soap effortlessly.
  2. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture into the skin. I find that even my liquid coconut oil soap doesn’t feel drying, despite the fact that it hasn’t been superfatted at all. I think the extra glycerin helps to make a really great, hydrating soap that is clear and doesn’t need extra oils. (I think my homemade glycerin bar soap has the same benefits.)

Materials

Immersion blender

Slow cooker

Kitchen scale

Procedure

Making a liquid Castile soap isn’t difficult and it can save you a lot of money.

To get the clearest soap we can, we’ll use a hot-process method. That means that we will be cooking the soap. During the cooking process, the saponification process will complete and our soap will be ready to use immediately afterwards. (Liquid soap doesn’t need a curing time in the same way as bar soap does.)

The easiest way to make this and have it come out perfectly is to use a slow cooker. If you don’t have access to a slow cooker, though, you can also try baking it in the oven. (I showed how I used this method in the post and video for the coconut oil liquid soap.)

Making the lye solution

Weigh out the glycerine, water, and potassium hydroxide (KOH).

Add the glycerin to the water and then carefully add the KOH to the water and glycerin mixture. (Not the other way around!) Make the lye solution in a well-ventilated area.

Stir the KOH into the water until it dissolves. It will be cloudy at first, but then it will clear up.

  • pouring glycerin into a bowl of water
  • Pouring potassium hydroxide into water and glycerin
  • A bowl of a cloudy lye solution

Making the soap paste

Measure out the olive oil and heat it over low heat directly in the slow cooker.

Slowly add in the the KOH mixture to the warm olive oil, and gently stir them together over low heat.

Once combined, use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients together in the slow cooker. In a few minutes the mixture will begin to thicken and look like mayonnaise. Soon after, it will look like a creamy pudding. (If you aren’t doing this over heat, it will take a bit longer.)

  • Pouring olive oil into a slow cooker
  • Pouring the lye solution into a slow cooker
  • using an immersion blender to blend the oil with the lye solution
  • Overhead view of blending the soap, slightly thicker
  • Overhead view of blending the soap, even thicker and more opaque
  • Overhead view of a creamy pudding-like soap mixture in a slow cooker

A few minutes later, the mixture will begin to look grainy and look like mashed potatoes or applesauce. Continue to blend.

If, at any point, the mixture becomes too thick to blend with the immersion blender, switch to mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon. It’s also a good idea to take breaks during the blending process so as not to burn out the blender.

As you continue to blend, it will start to get creamy again. It is now time to cover it and cook it for a while.

  • Overhead view of thick soap mixture in a slow cooker
  • Overhead view of a grainy soap mixture in a slow cooker
  • Overhead view of a grainy soap mixture in a slow cooker being smoothed with a spatula.

Cooking the soap paste

Cooking the soap paste will allow the soap to finish the saponification process and will also help achieve a perfectly clear liquid soap immediately. The process will take 3-4 hours, and you will want to check on it and stir it up every half an hour or so.

As you cook the mixture, it will begin to thicken up and become more translucent.

  • Soap paste being cooked in a slow cooker
  • overhead view of the soap paste as it is cooked further
  • photo of a cooked soap paste on a spoon over a slow cooker

To check for “doneness,” we will look to see if our paste is dissolving into a completely clear liquid soap. To do this, take a small amount of the soap paste and dissolve it in water, and look to see if the water is clear once the soap paste is dissolved.

If the liquid is cloudy, you should continue to cook the soap in the slow cooker. Let it cook another half an hour before checking on it again. If it dissolves clear like the soap in my picture, you are finished making the soap paste.

  • Small amounts of soap paste in water in a glass with a spoon in it.
  • Liquid soap paste dissolved in a glass over a white paper

Note: If you aren’t using distilled water, the soap paste may stay cloudy no matter how long you cook it! (For more reasons your soap paste may be cloudy, read my post about troubleshooting liquid soap problems.

How to dilute the soap paste

Once you have made your soap paste, you’ll need to dilute it to obtain a liquid Castile soap.

To dilute a soap paste you can:

  1. Let it dissolve by itself into water over the course of several hours (or overnight).
  2. Speed up the process by warming the water and soap paste over the stove or other heat source (like the slow cooker).

For clear soap, use distilled water. That will also help ensure the water is free of contaminants and the soap will keep as long as possible. By choosing distilled water, not only are you keeping the possibility of microbial contamination to a minimum, but you are also ensuring that minerals and other substances in your tap water won’t cloud your soap.

If you are making small batches that are going to be used relatively quickly (and aren’t concerned about clearness), you can probably get away with tap water without any issues. I still recommend using distilled water when possible.

Read more about how to dilute a soap paste here.

  • soap paste in jars with water
  • a soap dispenser with a funnel next to a jar of liquid soap
  • dispensing liquid soap from a foaming dispenser

Customizing your liquid soap

How else can you personalize your soap?

Adding fragrances

Unlike with bar soap, you can add in additives like essential oils after the fact. So, you don’t have to divide your batch at trace and work quickly to make soaps with a variety of fragrances. Instead, you can make a large batch of concentrated liquid soap paste base. The soap paste can be stored away and keeps well for a very long time. (I’ve successfully stored soap pastes for several years without issues.)

You can then add in the essential oils or fragrance oils as you dilute the soap paste. This gives you the freedom, even months after making the soap, to play with fun combinations.

At the time of dilution, I mix the soap paste with distilled water and then I add essential oils to give my soap a personalized fragrance.

Does it need a preservative?

Whether or not liquid soap needs a preservative is a controversial subject. Personally, I don’t use one as the pH of soap is high enough that it’s not a favorable environment for the growth of most of the microbes that we’re trying to avoid.

If I were going to sell a liquid soap, though, I’d do proper microbial testing of the liquid soap to see if a preservative was needed or not. Most natural preservatives on the market aren’t effective at the high pH of soap anyway. (Euxyl® K 900 is an exception and would be a great preservative to consider for using in soap.)

For more liquid soap FAQ’s, read my post How to Make a Liquid Soap: Start Here.

Video

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A bottle of homemade liquid Castile soap in a soap dispenser next to a washcloth.

Easy DIY Liquid Castile Soap Recipe

Made with only olive oil, this pure liquid Castile soap is easy to make and mild. It's perfect for face and body, and for cleaning around the house.
4.59 from 46 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep time: 30 minutes
Active time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 5 lbs. soap paste
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Materials

  • 6.52 oz. KOH This is not lye (NaOH) that is used in bar soap!
  • 32 oz. olive oil
  • 11.55 oz. water
  • 8 oz. glycerine
Switch units back – Convert units

Instructions

  • Measure out the olive oil and add it to the slow cooker on low heat.

Make the lye solution

  • Weigh out the glycerine, water, and potassium hydroxide (KOH).
  • Mix the water and glycerin.
  • Carefully add the KOH to the water and glycerin mixture. (Not the other way around!) Do this step in a well ventilated area.
  • Stir the KOH into the water until it dissolves. It will be cloudy at first, but then it will clear up.

Make the soap paste

  • Slowly add in the the KOH mixture to the warm olive oil, and gently stir them together in the slow cooker.
  • Once they are mixed together well, use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients together. In a few minutes the mixture will begin to thicken and look like mayonnaise. It will later look like a creamy pudding.
    A closeup of a thick soap paste in a slow cooker with an immersion blender in it.
  • Shortly afterward, the mixture will begin to look grainy like mashed potatoes or applesauce. Continue to blend.
    A grainy looking soap paste, in a stage that looks like mashed potatoes
  • As you continue to blend, it will start to get creamy again. Once you reach this point, you can stop blending with the hand held blender and can leave the soap paste cooking covered in the slow cooker.
    Closeup of a glossy looking soap paste that is starting to get translucent

Cook the soap paste

  • As you cook the soap, it will continue to thicken and will become more translucent. To achieve a clear liquid soap we'll need to cook the soap paste for 3-4 hours. During that time, check on it and stir it up every half an hour or so.

Check for doneness

  • To check for "doneness," we will look to see if the soap paste dissolves clear. To do this, take a small amount of the soap paste and dissolve it in distilled water. If the resulting soap is clear, the soap is finished cooking. If it's cloudy, continue to cook the soap paste for another half an hour before checking on it again.

Dilute the soap

  • To make a liquid Castile soap, dissolve some of the paste in distilled water. I ususally use a ratio of one part soap paste to 2-3 parts distilled water. It can be left overnight to dissolve on its own, stirring ocassionally, as needed. You can also use heat to speed up the process.

Notes

  • A slow cooker is perfect for this sort of job because it will gently warm without burning, and keeping things at a steady temperature. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can bake the paste in an oven or cook it in a double boiler.
  • Take breaks while blending so as not to burn out the motor of your immersion blender. 
  • If at any point the mixture becomes too thick to blend with the immersion blender, switch to mixing with a wooden spoon.
  • If you’ve cooked for more than 3-4 hours and it still isn’t clear, there may be other issues. Tap water can give a cloudy soap. For other possibilities, check my post on troubleshooting liquid soaps. 
  • This recipe makes 4.5-5 lbs. soap paste which can be diluted to 10-20 lbs. soap or more. That ends up being 1-2 gallons, or more, depending upon the desired concentration.
  • Keep in mind that liquid soap is not as thick as commercial gels and surfactants. Liquid soap is of a thinner consistency and doesn’t need to be thick to be concentrated and work well.
  • Undissolved soap paste can be stored in glass or plastic containers in a cool dry place for more than a year. (I’ve had some for several years without problems.) 
Tried making this? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!

DIY liquid body soap recipe:

If you would like to combine this soap with a liquid coconut oil soap to obtain a bit more lather and a squeaky clean feeling, try using this ratio:

60-70% liquid Castile soap (made with only olive oil)
30-40% liquid coconut oil soap (for bubbly lather, link goes to the recipe post)
Essential oils of choice.

Mix all of the ingredients together, and keep a bottle in the shower to use instead of shower gel.

Add essential oils for fragrance. Lavender essential oil gives a lovely herbal scent. I also like citrus blends using lemon and bergamot.

What are your favorites?

This post was originally published on June 29, 2016. It was rewritten and republished in June of 2021, adding new information, more photos, and video.

Category: Cleaning & Laundry, Cleansers, Soaps, & Gels, Soap Making

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We'll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nahid

    February 2, 2022 at 9:19 PM

    Hi, Tracy. Thank you for your precise recipe and proper instruction. Can I ask a question, when should I add essential oil to this soap?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      February 12, 2022 at 1:43 PM

      Hi Nahid,
      I add it when I dilute the soap, along with the distilled water. (I generally just go by my nose as I never come anywhere near the upper limits of how much can be used- around 3% for a wash-off product.)
      I write more about it in my post about diluting a liquid soap.

      Reply
  2. MapleX Naturals

    October 26, 2021 at 8:12 AM

    Informative pointers on how to go about making a liquid castile soap.. Great read!

    Reply
  3. Maria K.

    September 23, 2021 at 3:39 PM

    5 stars
    Hi Tracy,

    Finally a well- explained recipe for liquid soap 🙂

    Can I just ask you, I want to run the recipe to the soap calc, how much lye concentration do you use and superfat? I normally use 33-35 % and 5% superfat for soap bars, but not sure if it’s the same for liquid?

    Thank you in advance 🙂

    Maria

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      September 28, 2021 at 2:02 PM

      Hi Maria,
      I generally don’t superfat my liquid soaps because the excess oils can make them cloudy. I haven’t found them to be harsh.
      For liquid soaps, I use the SBMCrafters advanced lye calculator with the default for liquid soaps for the concentration. I explain more about my method in my post about how to use a lye calculator.

      Reply
  4. Hannah

    September 18, 2021 at 5:45 PM

    Great information and instructions! Thank you 🙂
    I am going to try making this. Just a quick question, can I use extra virgin olive oil?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      September 29, 2021 at 5:43 PM

      Hi Hannah,
      You’re welcome!
      Yes, of course!
      I used to always use extra virgin olive oil because olive oil is pretty inexpensive here in Spain and it’s what I generally had on hand for cooking. I now generally use a more inexpensive olive oil to save money because I haven’t noticed much difference either way.
      The only change that you shouldn’t make (without running it through a lye calculator first) would be to use pomace instead of olive oil. Pomace has a slightly different saponification value, so may use a slightly different amount of lye.

      Reply
  5. Mariam

    August 25, 2021 at 10:06 AM

    Hai Tracy. Thank you for the recepies.
    I like to try it but for a small volume cause my pot is small.

    Can i cut down the size of all ingredients by 50% to make it half?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      October 11, 2021 at 8:23 PM

      Hi Mariam,
      Yes, of course! That’s fine.
      If you look at the servings section of the recipe card, it should allow you to toggle the quantities up or down to calculate the changes for you!

      Reply
  6. Prue Jeffrey

    August 17, 2021 at 4:35 AM

    What temperature should the slow cooker be on in the initial mixing process and what temperature in the 3 to 4 hour cooking process? My slow cooker has 3 settings, warm, low and high. I was going to use high to heat the oil then low for mixing then warm for the 3 to 4 hours cooking.
    Also I saw another castille video where the ingredients that stick to the sides should be removed as they cause cloudiness, being not cooked properly. Should I scrape the sides in as I blend to avoid that outcome?
    Thanks for such interesting recipes!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      October 11, 2021 at 8:45 PM

      Hi Prue,
      Yes, I generally try to scrape the sides as I periodically mix the soap. There may be times when this is difficult or even impossible, but as it softens, you should be able to do so with a spatula.
      As for the temperature, I generally use the low setting the whole time, but you could definitely start a bit higher to help move the process along. Turning to warm may be enough. These days the slow cookers stay quite warm on “warm”. 😉
      If you find that it doesn’t look like it’s cooking well enough, you can always move it back up to warm.

      Reply
  7. Maryanne

    July 3, 2021 at 3:15 PM

    If you had to guess a shelf lift for the final diluted liquid soap would would you estimate? I know it will vary just trying to get a ball park idea. thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      July 10, 2021 at 6:48 PM

      Hi Maryanne,
      I can’t really say, but I’ve had it for more than a month (or two) at a time without any issues. I’d still aim to dilute what you think you’ll use within a month or two, but it probably keeps much longer than that without issues. If you notice any changes in scent, color, etc., toss it, but I’ve never had that happen. 😉
      If you’re really concerned about it, you can try using a preservative like euxyl® PE 9010. I’ve recently come across it online and it seems to work in high pH ranges. (I haven’t personally bought or used it yet.)

      Reply
  8. Pam

    June 13, 2021 at 9:54 PM

    5 stars
    What all do you use this soap for besides liquid bath/shower/hand soap?

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      June 16, 2021 at 3:06 PM

      Hi Pam!
      You can use it pretty much how you would use any liquid Castile soap. I use it to clean surfaces around the house and for handwashing dishes, etc.

      Reply
  9. Karina el nakhel

    April 2, 2021 at 8:18 PM

    Hi. I tried my liquid soap recipe by using a automatic slow cooker with blender
    Ingredient:
    505g olive oil
    75g coconut oil
    120g Kohn
    378g distilled water
    After cooking I got 1000g of paste
    So I diluted with 3kg of distilled water for 2 hours almost but the next day, I found that my liquid soap is getting solidified more and more.
    Why? If u can help me
    Thank you
    Karina

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      May 25, 2021 at 6:44 PM

      Hi Karina,
      I’m sorry for the crazy late reply. The lye calculator I use has been showing security issues for the last couple of months. I was having a hard time bypassing it to check the numbers for you so I kept putting off answering. I finally switched browsers and computers to check today because it doesn’t look like they are fixing the issue! Overall, it looks good. I normally make my liquid soaps without superfatting, so it showed me 123g of KOH.
      I’m not sure why it woudl get solid. I’ve always used glycerin in place of some of the water because I’ve read that not only does it make the process go faster, but it makes for easier dilution. It also gives a better skin feel since most people don’t really superfat liquid soaps (or at least not by much) to avoid cloudiness and/or separation.
      So, without having made one without glycerin, I’m not sure what the normal look of it is. It doesn’t seem like it should get solid, though. Were you ever able to resolve it?
      You’re sure you used KOH and not NaOH? (That may seem like a dumb question, but it wouldn’t be the first time I saw that issue!)
      Maybe read my post on troubleshooting liquid soap. Your issue wasn’t really addressed, but maybe one of the other issues makes you think of something?

      Reply
  10. Joy

    February 24, 2021 at 4:10 AM

    Hi Tracy,
    This is my first time trying this recipe and I’m struggling with getting my soap to transition to the partially translucent phase. It just stays in the creamy white pudding phase. I seemed to be having similar difficulties to Darci, where mine went through 2 mashed potato phases and then stayed in a solid phase. I tried leaving it on low heat for a couple hours with no phase change to a more workable texture. Heeding your advice to Darci, I tried leaving it for a couple days (not on heat) to see if it would dissolve out clear, but it didn’t. So I put it back in the slow cooker on low, now it’s a soft workable creamy pudding texture. But after another 4 hours on the heat and another blending session, it still won’t dissolve clear. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I’m hoping the whole batch isn’t a lost cause.

    Reply
    • Tracy Ariza, DDS

      February 24, 2021 at 4:01 PM

      Hi Joy,
      If you used the correct ingredients and followed the recipe, I doubt it’s a lost cause.
      What type of water did you use? I’ve heard from people who had issues with cloudy soap and it ended up being a water issue. When they switched to distilled, things cleared up.
      Did you use weight ounces? These are by weight and not with liquid ounces- that has been another issue I’ve seen.
      I’d suggest mixing some of the paste with some water (preferably distilled) and seeing what happens…
      But not immediately- By that, I mean mix it with water and allow it to rest diluted for a day or two to see if it clears up. (Sometimes soap needs time to “sequester”.)
      Then just test it as a cleanser…
      Does it foam? Does it appear to clean?
      There may be some reason that yours isn’t going clear- which could be due to some difference in one of the ingredients. (Is it surely 100% olive oil? What type of lye, what type of water?) If there are just subtle differences in your ingredients vs mine, it still should make a useable soap- it just may not be as clear as mine.

      Reply
      • Joy

        February 25, 2021 at 10:06 PM

        Hi Tracy,
        Thank you so much for all your tips, tricks, and trouble-shooting. I was able to get it to work by diluting it in some reverse osmosis water! That’s what I was doing wrong!

        Reply
        • Tracy Ariza, DDS

          February 26, 2021 at 9:49 AM

          I’m so happy to hear it worked out!

          Reply
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Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
Oh, the things we'll make!...

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