Cold Process Lemon Soap Recipe: A Summertime Soap for the Kitchen

This is a nice and simple cold process soap recipe that's palm free with only four oils. Lemon zest is added first to the oils, then to the soap batter for a pretty, lemony bar.
Full Recipe:
(or print it out here! heartscontentf...)
Ingredients and Supplies:
(my favorite source for oils and lye is nurture soap: nurturesoap.com?aff=326)
4.27 ounces lye
9.5 ounces water
11 ounces olive oil
11 ounces coconut oil
6 ounces shea butter
2 ounces castor oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided
0.4 ounces sodium lactate
3 tablespoons of fragrance oil (optional, I used, a fresh citrus scent: nurturesoap.co...)
10 inch silicone mold: amzn.to/37LRf4Y
stick blender: amzn.to/3fAzqIQ
digital scale: amzn.to/37JQkSF
Instructions:
1. Measure out the lye and the water in separate, non-reactive containers, using a digital scale. Combine the lye and the water and stir until dissolved. The lye solution will heat up as the result of a chemical reaction. Be careful of fumes, heat, and the corrosive solution. Set the cup aside to cool in a very safe place.
2. Measure out the oils in separate containers and place them in a pot. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest. Melt over medium low heat until fully melted and about 130-140 degrees. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Check the temperature of both solutions after an hour or so. Before proceeding, they should be around 90-100 degrees. It is best if they are within ten degrees of each other. Add the sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Before blending, have your soap mold, last teaspoon of lemon zest, and fragrance ready. Put on gloves and googles.
3. Pour the lye solution into the melted oils and blend with a stick blender until you reach trace. Trace is reached when the soap forms a batter and the stick blender leaves a trail when dragged across the top of the pot. Once trace is reached, add the fragrance and remaining lemon zest and stir in by hand. Immediately pour the soap batter into the mold.
4. Place in a turned off oven or other draft-free place and allow to set for 24 hours. Turn out the loaf of soap and slice into bars. Allow to bars to cure in a well-ventilated space for at least 2 weeks before using. Since this soap has a high percentage of olive oil, it will last longer if allowed to cure for 4 weeks.
Next made soap before? First watch my soap making basics video to understand the process a little better: • Complete Beginners Gui...
And check out my soap making playlist to see more tutorials in action: • Soapmaking
Heart’s Content Farmhouse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualified purchases.

[@EliseRoseCrochet]

I can almost smell the fresh lemon! These look beautiful!

[@saidurrahman-mz2xe]

I believe your advice will play an important role in the healthcare of people. Thank you very much

[@boop7313]

As a frustrated beginner soaper and a lover of natural & animal friendly things, I"m so grateful for you & your channel. Thankyou thankyou thankyou so much! x

[@deepinside663]

This is very clear and enticing :-) it makes me want to jump in and start making my own

[@donnadavis235]

When making fruity soaps, I use a little corn starch ad it helps the scent. I used Kumquat and it was Amazing!

[@boop7313]

Omg what a wonderful tip! thankyou x

[@gozde8137]

thank you for the tips. Could you tell me this amount?

[@audreystar4868]

How do you do that if you don’t mind to share😊

[@bebetaylor3547]

Greetings ! I just made your lovely recipe & put it in my oven, as per your instructions. It has the most wonderful scent and looks like lemon pudding 🤩🍋. Thank you for your awesome videos!

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

thank you so much for the kind comment bebe! i hope you enjoy your lemon soap ❤️

[@rockyusa2012]

Thanks for the video. I just attempted to make my first ever batch of lemon 🍋 soap 🧼 . 🤞 it will turn out good.

[@ltconyers78]

Thank you so much for this video. Everything you said made so much sense. Seeing as I am a newbie to this, I really appreciate your explanation of how things should look and feel. Beautiful presentation. Thanks again. I'm excited to try this!

[@denisedavis9387]

This will be my soap to make. Thank you for sharing

[@mysticmungus]

Thank you, a lovely clear tutorial.

[@jamesnicolecachuela3545]

Thank you for your videos. I am starting my soap making business. and you helped me a lot ever since you started the videos

[@sherriecanning9007]

I just found your channel . Thanks for all your amazing soap recipes ,

[@shorty8256]

Love your video so wonderful that you added the ingredient measurements and the instructions can be printed...thanks so much you are the best!!!

[@karendunn8612]

I love your recipes they are wonderful and make beautiful soap. Thanks for being here to help us soapers along.

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

thank you karen i am happy to do it! ❤️

[@emob6881]

This was great! I love your wash cloth!

[@angelinagarcia112]

Thank you so much u are so patient in explaining

[@HuemorDGAP]

Lovely video and the soap looks like it smells delish!

[@MegaFairandsquare]

You’re so amazing with your instructions and details. I have made your famous Oatmeal recipe and everyone love love it. I also made this recipe and tweaked it a little bit with 11 oz Distilled water topped with .40oz Fresh Lemon juice using Lemon E.O. It came out as a hard bar and smelled so divine. I understand when soaping with citric acid to increase the lye amount to .624g of Lye per 10 g of citric acid. What would be the lye increase in this case. Honestly, I can’t remember if I did increase the Lye amount since I plan to make a larger batch. Thank you for sharing!

[@jeannedecker964]

Great instructions. Thank you !

[@vondy4everrbd4ever24]

Looks beautiful 🥰

[@da5449]

Thank you for your video 🙂

[@sillygoose9666]

Thx I enjoyed this 👌

[@suzanfatthy5989]

Thats so pretty 💛💛💛

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

thank you susan! ❤️❤️

[@vasq82]

Hello, thanks for the recepi, i want also to put lemon juice into the soap. Will it neutralize the Naoh and the oils?

[@melissajones6271]

i just love your videos! Could i substitute chamomile-infused water for the water in this recipe?

[@drtabassummaniyarnamole5700]

Thanks for the beautiful soap recipe....... it's really shattering that I forgot to add the Shea butter which resolidifies really fast after melting. While rebatching should I add the specific quantity of Shea butter along with a little water....... please help me

[@pennyemery3286]

Hi, great video! A question from a new soap maker…if I want to resize the recipe, you have provided the % of oils and butters but don’t I also need info on lye and water ratios? Thank you!

[@xtubeit8265]

The OCD in me is elevated to the max....I'm completely unhinged! Great recipe and video, thank you!

[@nurarashid6932]

Hi! wonderful video but i have a question. if i were to not have shea butter could i just use more amount of coconut oil instead?

[@AC-np4dn]

Lovely video ,thank you for sharing . Can i ask is the lemon zest dried or fresh lemon zest ? Thank you

[@mary-ruthflores4107]

Glad you are wearing eye protection but where are your gloves and long sleeves. You can get someone hurt if they follow you. The “old pot” should be stainless steel and not aluminum!!! The lye will degrade the aluminum

[@38msjoyce]

Exactly my thoughts

[@janamoran189]

Sweet Sister ❤️. I MUST try this !! Do you also sell bars ??

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

I do locally but I don't ship! It sounds like so much work to deal with 😂

[@champval579]

Hi, I just discover your channel and really enjoyed your video. I have a question could you make the same soap without the sodium lactate? I have research it but cannot find the answer. Plus would you use then sodium lactate in every soap receipe as it hardens the bars of soap. Thank you very much.

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

the sodium lactate is optional. it will make the bars harden quicker, but they will still harden without it. in this recipe, I recommend it because the soap is on the softer side. if you leave it out, it will just take a bit longer for the bars to cure. no big deal. hope this helps :)

[@sonypooh]

I love your channel. I’m so glad I found it. I am looking to start making soap and am wondering if you have any recommendations for vegan soap? Is sodium lactate required? Do you have a video on clean up? Seems like cleaning the mixture could be hazardous. Idk I’m just learning the process. Thank you!

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

hi sonia! most soap is vegan unless it uses lard or tallow. if you are concerned about environmental issues, you may want to use only palm-free recipes (like this one!) cleaning up CAN be trickty, you're right. what i do is wipe everything down the best I can, then let it sit until what's left turns into soap and doesn't have any of the "raw" lye". then i wash my hand the next morning!

[@stef1lee]

Soap maker veteran here ‐ for safety purposes, since you're using caustic soda, you're going to want to have on hand a spray bottle of white vinegar and run a dish pan with hot soapy water and white vinegar for quick clean up. White vinegar is a neutralizer for caustic acid (lye) and is recommended to have in your work area for accidental spills. I work in the oil, gas and chemical field and we utilize vinegar as a neutralizer when replacing acid rod pumps. My absolute recommendation would be to invest in 1 - 2 soap making books. They will outline supplies, the ingredients and why certain additives are used. The majority of the books I've purchased are guides and manuals for quick reference when creating and planning my next batch. If you are not comfortable with lye and creating from scratch, you can always buy pre-made bases, referred to as melt and pour, but those soap bases are NOT pure with limited ingredients. They can contain commercial additives which is no different than store bought soaps and the one thing most soap makers are trying to get away from. Melt and pour blocks are quite expensive, too. Buying in bulk, if you're going to be a full time crafter, is the absolute way to go. In the playstore, there is an app called Saponacalc. You'll always want to run your ingredients through a saponification calculator (saponification is what you get once your soap has gone through all the phases in the 4 - 8 week cure time and there are no more traces of lye. There are test strips available to use and check the acid level in your soap before packaging) unless a recipe is very specific from another crafter. Most will tell you to run the recipe through a saponacalc first. Happy crafting ! Your Soaper friend from Southeast Texas ❤

[@varshadevnani5710]

how many months or weeks would this soap be good to use for ? is it degrees F or C ?

[@lifeasmomo]

I don’t have Castor and Shea butter, can I just use Olive and coconut ?

[@bidergilette9952]

Would it still work ok if I add some poppyseeds along with the lemon zest?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

yes poppyseeds are great in this! add them at trace and stir in by hand

[@bidergilette9952]

Thank u! I love your channel! Ive made several of your recipes and cant wait to try this one!

[@kristinabene2674]

Hey Katie, so I don’t have a thermometer to check the lye. How long does it normally take for the lye to cool to around 100 degree or whatever the appropriate temperature would be? Thanks Kristin

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

Kristin hi Kristin I’m so sorry I’m just seeing this! It takes about 2 hours in my kitchen. My guideline is warm, not hot when I put my hand on my side of the cup. You can also just let it cool to room temp! The blending process will just take longer

[@cathydecuir1503]

Can I do this using frozen goat milk instead of water?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

yes!

[@AliceLee333]

Hey there! Love your videos! Quick question..when using fresh ingredients, such as aloe, cucumber, zest, etc should a preservative be added to prevent growth of bacteria? If so, then which in your opinion is the best to use?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

thanks jessica! as the soap goes through the curing process a lot of water is evaporated out and the water from something like herbs or zest should evaporate out with it, as long you aren't using big pieces. but cucumber is so wet i don't think it would work well. i've never added preservative to soap and i don't think you would want to. just stick with finely ground, drier additions and it will be fine :)

[@hessitanydedeus2827]

How can I best reduce the amounts to make a smaller quantity of soap?

[@nmcn8347]

Hi I love your videos! I just wanted to ask, how long should I wait for the Lye and water solution to cool before adding it to the oils?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

i usually wait until mine are about 100 degrees. it takes a few hours. some people wait longer and soap at around 80 degrees. just no hotter than 120

[@nmcn8347]

@@HeartsContentFarmhouse Great, thanks! I'm excited to try this, I've been a bit nervous about the lye though so I've been trying to do my research! Thanks so much! Love your videos!x

[@CarolinaGirlCreationZ]

If you have a second to reply, can you please share a link to the shea butter? I've looked at a number of resources and the reviews are horrible on the ones I've found. I LOVE lemon scented soap as does my mom, so I'd love to try this recipe. Haven't even made my first ever batch of soap yet. LOL! Edit: Also, is it safe to mix lye without gloves? (I've watched your safety video, so I'm asking since you aren't wearing any here. LOL!)

[@msdollie2099]

I purchase most of my butter and essential oils thru New Directions aromatics. Their products are quality and reasonably priced and great customer service. Always wear gloves. Just a little splash could cause skin irritation. err on the side of caution!

[@mrsupchurch2987]

You’re using a glass and knife to stir water and lye with. Are those kept just for soapmaking? Or is it safe to wash them and use as normal?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

Mrs Upchurch my glass I keep separate. The knife I do not. But most people will say that’s a terrible idea and everything should be separate (sorry this took me so long I wasn’t getting notifications for this video for some reason!)

[@luanne115]

Hi, Please help here,, Someone in the comments asked how much sodium lactate to use and you said you used 4 ounces however in one other of your soap recipes you said to use 1 teaspoon per pound of oils,, in this recipe your only using 30 ounces of oils so would you then onlt use about 2 teaspoons or less of sodium lactate and not 4 entire ounces ?

[@ltconyers78]

0.4 is not 4 ounces.

[@carolkatgara1661]

Where to get sodium lactate

[@catherineeng7036]

what did you add at 6:38? thanks!

[@danamclead2153]

Is this vegan friendly

[@roopad3765]

Hi mam, to avoid dryness of coconut oil, shall I reduce the coconut oil, n if I want to add beeswax, how much I can add

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

hi roopa, any time you change the oils in a soap recipe you are creating your own custom soap recipe and you'll need to run it through a soap calculator 😊

[@roopad3765]

@@HeartsContentFarmhouse thank you mam

[@dirtsailoroff-road5580]

so how long should you let soap cure before using it?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

this particular recipe i leave at least 3 weeks because its so soft- in general a week or two is fine. it lasts longer if it cures longer becauee more wateer evaporatees out

[@dirtsailoroff-road5580]

@@HeartsContentFarmhouse thank you so much! please do more soap recipies, I just bought most the equipment and things needed to get into it.

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

​@@dirtsailoroff-road5580 I definitely will! 😊😊😊

[@kaygaiter5942]

Hi I was wondering how much sodium lactate you add to lye water.?

[@HeartsContentFarmhouse]

.4 ounces but you can add up to double that amount!

[@roopad3765]

@@HeartsContentFarmhouse wat to substitute for sodium lactate

[@asthenamesuggests9513]

Hi, this may come across as offensive, but it would be better if you focus your camera more on the batter instead of your face. Its important for new soapers to see what was happening with the batter in each steps.

[@miamiranti9885]

i'm also wondering why wear eye protective gear but not wearing gloves & mask? 🤔

[@sarahfrazier8290]

How come you’re not wearing gloves 😬

[@fparradieguez]

You talk about safety you use goggles but did not use any gloves