Wow, this has been a very easy and fun process of making decoctions and adding in the fabulous extracts into our cold process soap. I have deciced to do a ginger decoction now, so I have gathered my supplies and I’m ready to start, first I will clean and cut up some ginger root and place into a sauce pan, add water (I need at least 6 oz for the recipe), so adjust the water amount to your needs. Then I brought the mixture to a boil and turn heat down to let simmer for 20-30 minutes. This will be the water portion that I will be using in making my next batch of soap. I am listing the soap recipe below and using 6 ounces of the ginger decoction that I am creating.
Caution – Please make sure that you allow time for your hot decoctions to cool before you add them to any lye.
Supplies Needed:
| Ingredients Palm Kernel Oil Coconut Oil Olive Oil Lye Water Decoction of choice |
Equipment Scale Microwave Safe Container Spoons Pipettes Immersion Blender Soap Bucket Gloves Soaping Goggles Soap mold of choice |
Recipe:
| Recipe in Grams 170.1 Palm Kernel Oil 141.75 grams Coconut Oil 141.75 grams Olive Oil 62.37 grams Lye 177 mL Water/Decoction |
Recipe in Ounces 6 oz Palm Kernel Oil 5 oz Coconut Oil 5 oz Olive Oil 2.20 oz Lye 6 fl oz Water/Decoction |
Recipe in Percentages 38% Palm Kernel Oil 31% Coconut Oil 31% Olive Oil Q.S. Lye Q.S. Water/Decoction |
I’m still using the same soap recipe as I did when making the soap with infusions, powders, and decoctions. This will give you a base for any ideas and suggestions when trying the infusions, powders, or decoctions in your soap batches.
Begin by weighing the sodium hydroxide and adding it to the ginger water. Now, weigh all of the oils into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Add the cooled lye solution to the cooled oil mixture. Our target temperature is about 120°F because this is a small batch (1 lb). We do not want the soap to overheat and volcano out of the mold. When the tempeture is reached mix the oils and lye solution together with an immersion blender, continue mixing until trace is achieved then pour into a mold and allow to sit for 24 hours. Cut the soap. Allow the soap to cure. Longer curing time will result in a harder bar. If you want to add more or less of the decoction do a second batch so you can compare the difference and your personal choice. Try a half and half mixture; or a one fourth to three fourths mixture or the full amount of water could be your decoction, just like I have done in this recipe.
I have noticed that when adding this decoction that I am getting a slight creamy color to the soap. When adding decoctions to my soap I am most interested in adding beneficial elements of the ginger into the soap and not worrying too much about a significant color change. If I want to make a color change then adding the botanical powders would be the best option.
 Ginger Decoction, Lye  Soap with Orange and Ginger Decoction |
 Mixing Lye with Ginger Water |
 Blending Soap, Ginger decoction with oils |
 Blending until trace |
Love this idea. Thanks.
So, I have seen lotion recipes with carrot seed oil, but it is so expensive. I’m wondering if I could make a carrot decoction, and use it as the water base in my lotions and get the same benefits of the carrot seed oil. What do you think?
Could. I think you would be better off making a lotion with an oil that is infused with carrots. This brings the oil soluble benefits of the root but it presents fewer issues than a decoction would present in terms or preservatives. Oil, alcohol, water: choose one or more. In this case I would choose oil and I think I would bypass the majority of hurdles.