If you’re looking to create a conditioning and nourishing soap bar, try this sunflower soap recipe!
Sunflower oil is derived from the seeds of the sunflower plant and is a lightweight oil. It is known for having great conditioning properties and it can help retain moisture in the skin by forming a protective skin barrier.
When sunflower oil is used in soap, it creates a softer soap bar that is gentle, creamy and feels amazing on the skin!
Let's have a go at our sunflower soap recipe…
This recipe makes 9 -10 bars of soap
Sunflower Soap Recipe
Equipment:
To make our sunflower 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
Method
1. Mix the sodium hydroxide solution
- Put on your gloves and goggles.
- Open a window, the fumes are unpleasant.
- Weigh the water.
- In a separate bowl, weigh the sodium hydroxide.
- Add the sodium hydroxide to the water not the other way around.
- Mix well until combined.
- Leave to cool, it will be hot.
2. Weigh and melt the oils
- Weigh the sunflower oil, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter into a heatproof bowl.
- Melt over a pan of boiling water, or using short bursts in the microwave.
- Stir regularly.
- Once melted, leave to cool.
3. Weigh the essential oils and mica powder
- In a separate jug, weigh out the lemon essential oil, may chang essential oil and sunflower yellow mica powder.
- Mix them together until fully combined.
4. Test the temperatures
- Test the temperature of the sodium hydroxide solution. It should be between 25C and 40C.
- Leave it to cool if necessary, but don't reheat it if it's too cool.
- Test the temperature of the oil mixture. It should be between 35C and 40C.
- Leave it to cool or reheat if necessary.
- Once the temperatures are correct, add the sodium hydroxide solution to the oil mixture.
5. Blend until trace
- Stir with the hand blender, and blend with short pulses.
- Watch for the soap batter starting to thicken.
- Test for trace by dripping soap batter on the surface of the mixture. If the drips sit on the surface before disappearing, your mixture has reached trace.
- Stop blending once your soap has reached trace.
- Add the essential oils and mica powder mixture.
- Mix and blend a little until combined.
6. Pour into moulds
- Pour the soap into your soap mould.
- Tap on the work surface to get rid of air bubbles.
- Insulate with towels.
- Leave on a flat surface for 48 hours.
7. Leave to cure
- Unmould your soap and cut it into equal sized bars.
- Place the bars with a space in between.
- Leave to cure for 4 - 6 weeks.
Continue Reading
Now you know how to make a sunflower soap, why not try more recipes?
- Want to explore more cold process soap making? Try our pumpkin soap recipe!
- Take your melt and pour soap making to the next level with this layering soap recipe!
- Learn how to make a homemade candle with this rapeseed and coconut wax recipe!
Let us know how you got on with this sunflower soap recipe! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook or use our hashtag #thesoaperyuk
