Spring is here and we are seeing dandelions everywhere!
Whether you love them or consider them a weed, why not make use of these common flowers in soap?
Keep reading to discover more with our dandelion soap recipe...
Why Use Dandelions in Soap?
Dandelions contain a multitude of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin D. It brings hydrating properties and can help improve overall skin health.
It is suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin, oily skin and dry skin. Dandelions are said to have great healing properties that help reduce irritation and inflammation on the skin.
Let's have a go at our dandelion soap recipe...
Makes 9-10 bars of soap
This recipe uses a 5% superfat
Takes 1 hour making time and 4-6 weeks curing time
Equipment:
To make our dandelion cold processed soap recipe, you will need:
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Digital scales
- Digital thermometer
- Stick blender
- Soap mould or DIY alternative
- Silicone spatula
- Heatproof bowl
- Plastic measuring jugs, ideally 2x 1L and 1x 2L
Ingredients:
- Olive oil 320g | 347ml
- Shea butter 160g
- Coconut oil 256g
- Mango butter 32g
- Castor oil 32g | 33ml
- Dandelion flowers 25g
- Water 240g | 240ml
- Sodium hydroxide 112g
- Chamomile essential oil 8g | 9ml
- Lavender essential oil 8g | 9ml
- Geranium essential oil 8g | 9ml
- Sunflower yellow mica powder 15g
Method:
1. Make the dandelion infusion
- Boil the kettle and weigh it out
- Add the dandelion flowers to the boiling water
- Leave to infuse overnight
2. Mix the sodium hydroxide solution
- Put your gloves and goggles on
- Open the window, the fumes are unpleasant
- Weigh the sodium hydroxide
- Weigh the water from your dandelion infusion
- Top it up with more water to 240g if necessary
- Add the sodium hydroxide to the dandelion infusion, not the other way around
- Mix well until combined. Careful, it will get hot!
- Leave to cool
3. Weigh and heat the oils
- Weigh out the olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, mango butter and castor oil in a bowl
- Gently heat the oils in a double boiler or microwave, until everything has combined and melted
- Make sure to stir occasionally to help the solid oils melt
- Once melted, leave to cool
- In a separate jug weigh the essential oils and mix together
- Weigh the yellow mica powder and mix it into the essential oils
4. Check the temperatures
- Check the temperature of your melted oils, they should be between 35C and 40C
- Reheat them or leave them to cool more if necessary
- Test the temperature of the sodium hydroxide solution, it should be between 25C and 40C
- Leave to cool if necessary, but don't reheat if it's too cool. Just heat the oils a little more to compensate
- When the temperatures are right, pour the sodium hydroxide solution into the oil mixture
5. Blend until trace
- Using an electric stick blender, blend the mixture in short bursts
- Watch for the mixture starting to thicken
- Test for trace by dripping soap batter on the surface of the mixture. If the drips sit on the surface then your mixture has reached a trace
- When your soap has reached a light trace, add the essential oil mixture
- Mix and blend until combined
6. Pour into moulds
- Pour the soap mixture into your mould (explore our silicone soap mould collection)
- Tap the soap mold to get rid of air bubbles
- Decorate the top with a spatula or spoon
- Leave on a flat surface for 48 hours before unmoulding
7. Unmould and cure
- Take your soap out from the mould
- Cut the soap into even sized bars
- Put the bars with gaps in between them, and leave to cure for 4-6 weeks.
Continue Reading
Now you've tried our dandelion soap recipe, why not continue learning?
- Want to try more handmade soap recipes? Try a traditional cold process soap recipe!
- Love using coconut oil? Take a look at our coconut body oil recipe!
- Looking for a simple melt and pour soap recipe? Have a go at our argan soap recipe!
Did you enjoy making dandelion soap? Comment below and let us know!
