Second the glycerin soap suggestion. We used to make these as gifts all the time with the kids participating. Lots of little soaps made in all kinds of molds. We would put little tiny rubber toys in the ones for kids so that once the soap was gone they’s have little toy. Melted it in a ceramic jug in the microwave and it can be a food one – you just have to wash the soap off after.

We even had gift making parties for friends’ kids. Come over and make soap and bath salts and perfume and cookies. Bath salts are totally easy. Epsom salts and sea salt and nice smelly stuff. Perfume the same – high proof plain vodka and essential oils. Hardest part for the perfume is getting little cheap glass dropper bottles to put it in.

One year we made fizzy bath bombs. They are a bit harder but you can find instructions online.

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/f/cleaningsoappot.htm

The lye is dangerous prior to reacting with the fats and oils. After it reacts, it’s relatively harmless.

Analogy is table salt, which is sodium chloride. Sodium ignites in presence of water and chlorine gas (aka mustard gas) is dangerous. But when they’ve reacted together, goes real well with salt and vinegar chips and watermelon =D.

Can I make a suggestion–how about giving away a few of the soaps and the vanilla extract to your devoted blog readers? Like a contest! I’d love to win the soap!

Do you ever worry when you pick up things at Goodwill that somebody has absentmindedly dropped off “kitchenware” that is no longer food-safe?

On another note, this series makes me very grateful that I don’t have to give so many gifts to people. Seeing all that soap and vanilla panicked me a bit: homemade or not, I would go broke if I had to give gifts to that many people.

And someone else mentioned pets – lye is also very dangerous to pets. I keep mine in the garage, along with the washing soda (only mildly caustic) and borax. The oils I keep inside, though. I love making my own soap :)

My main question is about the lye. If it is such a dangerous ingredient, why is it used in soap? Is it really something we want to put on our skin and have absorbed into our body? Is there an alternative to this ingredient? I’m asking these questions genuinely as I would like to consider making these lovely bars of soap.

I usually make cookies and cakes for gifts but the calories are not always appreciated! This is an alternative that I am considering.

For those who are considering the costs: there are intangibles involved that are difficult to quantify.
-The joy and sense of achievement for creating something yourself
-The thoughtfulness implied by a handmade gift, especially one that has to be made in advance.

It’s hard to put a price on that!

Is there something that can be used other than coconut oil? I intensely dislike coconut anything.

Thank you.

Holy cow, man, one or two is enough! :)

Good article, though. I may try it… if I can overcome my sudden overwhelming fear of drain cleaner.