True Castile 100% Olive Oil Soap (Body Bar Base Recipe #1)

I’m not going go on and on on my “soapbox” (pun intended, haha) about true Castile soap and what is considered modern Castile soap… but always check the label on anything called “Castile soap” as it is often made as a combination of olive and coconut nowadays. I get it in a way, coconut oil adds a shorter cure time, higher lather and makes for a harder bar (again, in a shorter time span)… so a bit of a soapmaker’s dream in terms of running a business, as you can understand. BUT with the growing population that is sensitive or allergic to coconut & palm, alongside those who are seeing more and more the ecological impact of cheap coconut & palm sourcing, you will be happy to know that the original recipe and old school Castile soap (named after its origin of Castile, Spain) is 100% OLIVE OIL. To get geekier on you for a moment: Castile Soap is 100% Olive oil, Bastille Soap is 95% Olive oil and 5% a different oil of choice, and all other soap, is…. soap :). The biggest thing about 100% olive oil soap (or actually all high olive oil soaps) is patience. Olive Oils soaps need to be cured for at least 3-6 months, compared to soaps containing coconut oil that only need to cure 6-8 weeks to cure. So patience and ahead of time planning of your soaping needs is key. So let’s get right to it!

The Recipe (32oz(2lb) batch = approximately 9 bars/loaf mold):

Lye: 4.12oz

water (distilled or purified is best): 10oz (no more than 11oz)

Olive Oil: 32oz

Yes- those are literally the only ingredients!! I hope you are now feeling less intimidated about this :). From this one recipe you can create an huge variety of recipes when adding a variety of essential oils, infusing your olive oil with herbs ahead of time, and additives like clays, etc.

For notes and instructions, see my Basic Supplies and Resources: https://truelovesoap.com/basic-supplies-and-resources/ and Basic Soap Making Instruction pages: https://truelovesoap.com/basic-soap-making-instructions

A Few Variations/Ideas for this Recipe

Activated Charcoal: Add 2-4 tsps of activated charcoal (make sure to get activated charcoal that is made from bamboo, NOT coconut shells, as it often is) into your water before adding the lye. Then proceed as usual with the basic soap making steps. A great bar for oily/acne prone skin without stripping. Adding in tea tree is also great for oilier, acne prone skin- just hand stir in 1.5oz of Tea Tree essential oil after blending the oils and lye to a trace, then pour the batch into your soap mold.

“Bug Off” Bar (for healing bug bites): After blending the olive oil & lye to a trace, stir in (with a silicone spoon) .75oz Lavender essential oil, .75oz Tea Tree essential oil, .5oz Peppermint essential oil. Then pour into mold as usual. This particular essential oil combination is great for healing bug bites…. you could use a combination of lemon eucalyptus & lemongrass for a daily bar that could help some during mosquito season.

Lemon Balm & Catnip: About 6 weeks in advance, fill a large glass jar (or more than one smaller glass jar) at least 1/3 full of dried lemon balm and catnip herb- then pour olive oil over to fill the jar completely. Ideally place jar in a window and shake every few days or so. Once ready to make this bar in about 6 weeks, pour the infused oil through a fine mesh strainer into your pot when you weigh out your olive oil. Proceed with the basic soap making steps- after blending the lye into the infused oils to a trace, hand stir in with a silicone spoon .5oz palmarosa essential oil, .5oz lemon essential oil, .25oz lemongrass essential oil, .25oz bergamot essential oil. Pour into mold. This is a bar that is healing & gentle.

Pure & Gentle: replace 2-4oz of water with a plain, whole milk yogurt (I use white mountain Bulgarian yogurt). Soap as usual. After blending the oil & lye to a trace, hand stir in with a silicone spoon 1.5oz lavender essential oil. Pour into mold. This is a very gentle bar, great for everyone, including babies, and the lavender scent will fade some, leaving a very light aroma when using. If you would like your lavender to stay a little stronger, replace .25oz of lavender with patchouli essential oil. The patchouli scent will not be noticeable in the cured bar, but helps the lavender scent to “stick”, so to speak. Another nice addition to this bar is to infuse lavender flowers in your olive oil ahead of time and use instead of plain olive oil (6weeks ahead). I debated on wether to add this recipe or not to this particular list. I make this bar as a hot process bar, which I have not added directions for at this point. But this could be made with the cold process method with good results.

Sunshine Soap: Stir in 1-2tbsp of lemon peel powder and 1tsp of yellow oxide pigment to the water before adding the lye. Soap make as usual. After blending the oil & lye to a trace, hand stir in with a silicone spoon .75oz lemon essential oil and .75oz orange essential oil. Pour into mold. Good for normal to oily skin, balancing and cleansing.

Sweet Dreams: About 6 weeks in advance, fill a large glass jar (or a couple of smaller ones) around 1/3 full of dried passionflower herb, then pour olive oil over the herbs until the jar is full. Ideally, place in a windowsill and shake every couple of days. Once infused, strain out the passionflower herb with a fine mesh strainer when weighing out your oil for soap making. Soap make as usual. Once oils and lye have been blended to trace, hand stir in with a silicone spoon .75oz lavender essential oil and .75oz spearmint essential oil. Pour into mold. This bar is both skin soothing and emotional soothing.

Rose Clay Castile: Stir in 2 tsps of rose clay to the water before adding the lye. Soap make as usual. After blending the oil & lye to trace, hand stir in with silicone spoon .5oz palmarosa essential oil, .5oz litsea essential oil, and .5oz bergamot essential oil. Pour into mold. Also great for normal to oil skin. Rose clay is a little less absorbent than activated charcoal, but is great for a little deeper clean/skin balance for oilier skin but does just as well with “normal” skin.

Or: Think of this base recipe as a blank canvas and create the bar combination that is perfect for you!