Virgin Mary Soap

In a simple 1-step process using readily-available starting materials I show how you can make your very own soap. The soap can be cast into the shape of your choice: I have elected to make Virgin Mary Soap.

Step 1: Purchase Raw Materials

You're going to need a large quantity of coconut oil, palm oil, sodium hydroxide, and fragerence (usually an essential oil). These materials can be acquired from the "internet."

Comments

[Bigev]

This feels like the "Pope on a rope" soap. Almost sacrilegious, but strangely fun. I loved it.

[Bigev]

RE: A picture for all interested.

[nachobobs]

After washing with her would she just be called "Mary"?

[Luxordo5]

wouldn't get be rude to use the soap figure of mary? we might get crucified.

[pancho del rancho]

yea i wouldnt do this its just a mocker

[Gamernotnerd]

Yes when she goes to "Bad Places" we might go to hell D=

[keikothemeowmeow]

>_> That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw this. "Now what type of bad place could I put Mary in?".

[Insaneisfun]

Already on my way. So why not. Nice instructable.

[jessyratfink]

These materials can be acquired from the "internet."

For some reason that cracked me up. :P

I also love that the Virgin Mary is great for cleaning behind your ears!

[cn]

I gotta try this at some point. I wonder how the price of materials compare to buying soap at the store.

[Singingwolf]

It depends on how big your batches are and what oils you use as a base.

Biggest thing with store bought soaps though, is that most of them aren't soap anymore. Most of them are "deodorant bars" or "beauty bars" etc... very little (if any) soap is in them. Instead, many of them are synthetic detergents. Most of the ones that are actually soap (like Ivory) have the natural glycerin (which is a by product of the soap process/saponification) stripped out.

Long before I started making my own soap (rather recent, in fact... my first batch is curing right now) I was investing in hand made, cold processed soap. Even at $4 a bar, it was worth it.

[armchair_enthusiast]

Making biodiesel fuel can be done at home, and leaves glycerine as a by-product. I've heard that glycerine can be made into soap. Where would it fit into the soap-making process you've described?

[Singingwolf]

Actually, cold process soap (called that because you don't cook the lye/fat mix to speed up the chemical reaction) keeps the natural glycerin from the fats intact. You wouldn't need to add any more.

Most of the glycerin soaps on the market have extra glycerin added, as well as sugar and sugar alcohols (for a translucent soap) added. I think that most, if not all, glycerin soaps on the market use either vegetable or animal fat based glycerin. That glycerin is usually produced, ironically enough, by mass market soap production where they skim off the glycerin during the cooking process (hot processed soap, much faster results since the saponification is completed by the time the cooking is done) and sell it for cosmetics. (Yes, there is a reason that Ivory soap is so very harsh...)

[The Full Belly Project]

If you want to learn how to do that go here: http://www.permaculture.com/permaculture/About_Permaculture/glycerin.shtml

[Paco]

(removed by author or community request)

[The Full Belly Project]

the problem is you would probably have a hard time finding a mold of allah since Muslims don't believe in creating images depicting him, or for that matter depicting his messenger Muhammed. But rumor has it Muhammed was tall and a red head. But if your interested in an artistic depiction here is one that's on top of the US Supreme Court: http://bokertov.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mohammed_at_us_supreme_court.jpg

[Arrgh406]

"internet"?

[rnx]

oh yes. fight club flashbacks. with enough soap you can blow up about everything.

[SirGrok]

The first rule of Fight Club is....

[fourgotten]

To make soap that is more readily useable, you can try the hot method. Basically, stir faster and keep applying heat (with the hot method, your soap will reach trace very quickly). I'll see if I can find good step-by-step instructions for hot-method saponification. However, if you try the hot method, you must let the soap cool a bit before adding some additives (such as... say... honey) otherwise you could with up with some RATHER strange results (say, the soap spontaneously boiling over and onto your floor)...

[talbotron22]

Yes, she's a little unwieldy. Of course how you use your soap is up to you, but I like to keep it whole. I find that the various parts of the soap conform to my nooks and crannies. For example the area behind my ears is very clean right now.

[colin]

Is it just me, or is that Virgin Mary soap almost a foot tall? That's, umm, well, a lot of soap. How exactly do you use it while showering? Do you snap off an arm or a leg periodically? Or do you soap up with the whole thing?