neem bar

1. Preparing the lye solution​

The first thing you’ll want to do is prepare your work space and organize your ingredients. Everything should be pre-measured and your should be prepared to safely make soap. That means wearing close toed shoes, long sleeves, rubber gloves, and eye protection.
The water should be measured into a heat-proof jug. Next, pour the Sodium hydroxide crystals into the water in an airy and well-ventilated place. Outside is best but an open window will do. There will be heat and steam so be careful not to breathe it in. Set the lye water aside in a shallow basin to cool.

2. Melt the solid oils​

The solid oils should be measured in a stainless steel pan. As soon as your lye solution is made, turn the hob on to its lowest setting and let the oils melt together. The oils to be added after Trace include neem oil which you might have in a solid form. Have this in a heat proof container and either keep it on hand to microwave or begin melting it using the double boiler method.

3. Take temperatures​

Don’t leave the oils unattended on the stove, whatever you do. You don’t want them hot, just barely melted. When they’re at this stage, pour the liquid oils (but not the neem or avocado) into the pan of melted oil. Stir and take its temperature. You want the oils a few degrees of 125°F (52°C).
Take the temperature of the lye solution now too. You want it within 10 degrees of the oils.

4. Mix the soap​

When the temperatures are right, pour the lye solution into the pan of oils through a sieve/strainer. This will catch any Sodium hydroxide that might not have dissolved. Now comes blending.
Dip the stick blender into the pan at an angle to reduce air in the head. Use it turned off as a spoon at first and stir the mix together gently. Bring the stick blender to the middle of the pan and hold it stationary against the bottom. Turn the stick blender on for a few seconds then turn it off and use it to stir again. With such a small batch I recommend not moving it around while it’s on since it can spit up soap batter. Just hold it still while pulsing, and use it to stir when it’s off.
The soap batter will begin coming to ‘Trace’ fairly quickly — in a matter of a couple minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when little trails of soap linger on the surface when it’s dribbled on.

5. Add the Neem & Avocado oils​

Next pour in the melted neem and avocado oils and stir them in well. All the other oils up to this point have reacted with the Sodium hydroxide and are turning into soap. These extra oils will have a better chance of free-floating in your bars if they’re added afterwards.
While the batter is still fairly liquidy (it does firm up quickly), pour it into your mould. This silicone soap mouldfits the recipe perfectly.

6. Hardening & curing your soap for eczema​

Set the soap aside either without covering, or lightly covering with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Leave it undisturbed for at least 24 hours if not 48. After this time you can take the bars out of the mould and cure them.
The soap will be safe to touch at this point but the water content needs to evaporate out. Space out the bars on a piece of grease-proof paper in a dry, dim, and airy place. Leave them there for a month before using. For full instructions on how to cure handmade soap head over here

Shelf-life & making Eczema Cream​

As for shelf-life, soap has a longevity of the closest best by date of the individual ingredients. If the olive oil expires next month, then your soap is only good until then too. Make sure you use high quality and in-date ingredients when soap making and creating other beauty products. If you’re looking to make a neem oil based eczema cream, I have a great recipe you can use over here.