Avocado has many benefits for the skin, whether you eat it or use it topically. The oil contains pretty much the same benefits as the fruit such as healthy fats (like omega 3), phytonutrients and vitamins A, D and E.
It’s also rich in minerals, especially potassium, which helps penetrate the skin evenly, quickly and deeper than most other plan oils, making the skin smooth and moisturized.
Using avocado oil for soap making will increase the conditioning properties of your finished product and add creaminess to the soap’s lather.
- 33% avocado oil
- 30% palm oil
- 30% palm kernel oil
- 7% sweet almond oil
- Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE)
- Lye (NaOH)
- Distilled or Mineral Water
- Avocado Puree
Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE) is a natural antioxidant extract ingredient which will effectively extend the shelf life of your oils and combat oxidation in your homemade soaps. You need only a tiny amount – between .02% and .05% PPO. So, for 1000 grams of oil (a little over 2 lbs.) you’d use between .2 and .5 grams of ROE.
Avocado Puree: Using avocado puree tends to greatly reduce the amount of bubbles you get in your lather. To avoid that, reduce superfat to 3%. That will help you get luxurious, creamy lather and still keep some of the bubbles.
The important thing here is to make sure to get your avocado flesh very smooth. Use your stick blender to the flesh in a little bowl and process until all the bumps are gone and it’s 100% smooth. Add the avocado puree to the oils at light trace and mix some more until fully incorporated.
Since the vast majority of your puree is water, you can substitute half the water amount with puree.
Instructions Needed To Make Avocado Bar Soap:
Run the recipe through a lye calculator to find out much of each ingredient you’ll need for a given amount of soap. For instance, to make a small 1 pound test batch at 3% superfat, you would need the following:
- 5.28 oz avocado oil
- 4.8 oz palm oil
- 4.8 oz palm kernel oil
- 1.12 oz sweet almond oil
- 2.311 oz lye (NaOH)
- 6.08 oz total liquid (we’re using 3.04 oz water + 3.04 oz avocado puree)
- .1g ROE
- 0.7 oz essential oil of choice (optional)
Step By Step Guide On How To Make Avocado Bar Soap
Step 1: Start by lining your soap mold and weighting your ingredients. Prepare the avocado puree, making sure there are no clumps. It’s ok to make more than you’ll need.
Step 2: Carefully add the lye to the water (we’re only using half amount of water as the other half will be added in the form of avocado puree later on). Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Heat the oils in a pan until melted, add the avocado puree, ROE and mix well.
Step 4: When both the lye water solution and oils are around 125-135 degrees, slowly pour the lye water into your oils stirring at all times. Use a stick-blender in spurts to mix thoroughly.
Step 5: When the soap reaches light trace, add the essential oil (if using) and blend until incorporated.
Step 6: Pour into mold and let it set for 24 to 48 hours. Once the soap has hardened enough, unmold, cut and let cure in a well-ventilated area (preferably a cookie rack) for 4 weeks.