Cream Lavender Soap

(By Shining Raven-wing)

Making soap is an exciting, daring way to celebrate the our

maternal ancestors. This recipe uses lye, which is traditional to 

the art of soap-making, and was originally produced using ashes from 

the cooking fire,. Now, luckily, we can get lye at the local market. 

Lavender is fabulous for all skin types, and has a reputation for 

cell regeneration, which is an added bonus if you have dry, aging or 

damaged skin. Lavender is also known for its emotionally balancing 

properties, as it both relaxes and stimulates. Cloves act here as an 

anti-bacterial ingredient, while also lending a quiet energy to the 

mind. This is a very basic soap recipe yielding approximately 8 bars 

of soap.

You will need the following ingredients and materials:

One pound of lard*

4 Tbs Pure Lye

8 Oz. warm tap water

20 drops Lavender essential oil

1 Tbs. Dried lavender

1 Tsp. Ground cloves

A medium-sized glass, plastic or ceramic mixing bowl**

A pyrex measuring cup or large plastic yogurt container

A large bowl half-filled with ice and a bit of water.

A wooden or plastic spoon

A steel or plastic tablespoon

A plastic or glass mold 

Vinegar

*Lard is found in the baking section of most grocery stores. 

You will need pure lye, like Red Devil: you can usually find it 

in the same section as Drano. You can substitute vegetable fat, 

such as crisco, for a similar product.

**Never use aluminum when making soap: this includes bowls, spoons 

and tin foil. Lye dissolves aluminum. If at anytime lye comes into 

contact with your skin, flush the area with vinegar, and then wash 

well. Lye will feel slippery on your skin. 

Directions: 

Step 1: In the smaller container, measure 8 Oz. warm tap water. 

Carefully add four tablespoons of Lye (always add lye to water, 

never the other way around). The water and lye react together to 

create quite a bit of heat: stir the solution and let it sit to 

cool. Do not inhale the fumes. 

Step 2: Heat the lard until it is liquid and then pour it into the 

larger bowl. The easist way to do this is to microwave it in the 

bowl for around 40 seconds, but a stove will work just as well. 

Step 3: Let the two bowls and their contents cool to body temperture. 

This can take up to half an hour. To test the temperture of the lay, 

DO NOT stick your finger in it: feel the outside of the container. 

If you're in doubt, wait another five minutes.

Step 4: When they have both cooled sufficiently, slowly add the lye 

to lard, stirring constantly.

Step 5: Place your container in the ice bath and continue to stir 

until your soap "traces." Tracing occurs when you can dribble soap 

from the spoon and it leaves its mark on the soap. At this point, 

the soap will have a consistency similar to sour cream. 

Step 6: Add the Lavender oil, lavender flowers and clove powder. 

Stir and pour into your mold.

Step 7: Cover the mold with a cloth and store in a dry place for 

24 hours.

Step 8: Uncover the mold. After another 24-48 hours, unmold your 

soap. Cut into bars, and let them cure for 4 weeks.

Step 9: Use your soap! 

Other Soap Flavors:

Slimming Soap: 

For a Woman: Use Geranium Oil and  Sweet Fennel Oil

For a Man: Use Cypress Oil and Sweet Fennel Oil

For Protection and Healing:

Sandlewood Oil, Myrhh Oil and Yarrow Flowers

For Love:

Substitute Rose Water for plain, and add a handful of dried rose 

petals.

For Sunshine:

Grated Orange  and Lemon Peels

Castile Soap: 

Substitute 3/4 lard with 12 OZ Olive Oil

Butter Soap:

Use Butter instead of Lard

For Psychic powers:

Vioet Oil and Violet Flowers.