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Oregon Trail
Soap
---------- The name'Oregon
Trail Soap' was inspired by our location near the old 'OregonTrail' and
the
fact that our soap is natural, much like the pioneers may have used. Nothing has been added, and nothing has been taken away. Each cake is handmade, hand milled, and hand packaged, and contains all of the natural skin softening glycerine, unlike many commerical soaps. No perfumes, colorants, chorides, bromides, iodides, or phosphates added. Not only is it wonderfully gentle to the skin, but it is friendly to the environment as it is 100% natural. Most commercial manufacturers add chemical agents to assist in separating the skin softening glycerine, from their soap. The glycerine is then sold separately. This is not the case with 'Oregon Trail Soap'. Each cake weighs approximately 2 1/2 ounces and is being offered to you for $ 1.00 plus shipping. |
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More About Our Handmade Soap ---------- bleed after using commercial varieties. Now I use our handmade soap and for the first time in years I am able to close my hands without pain. I wish I'd taken up soap making a long time ago. When one of my sons, Jake, first tried using it he laughed! "My hands are squeaking!" he exclaimed. For the first time he'd experienced squeaky clean' skin. Sometimes 'New and Improved' just can't compare with 'Tried and True'. |
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The Soap Making Process
Oil, water, and lye are combined to produce soap. That's all that is
needed, though great care must be taken due to the fact ------- that lye init's raw state is very caustic and will burn the skin. When combined with water even the fumes may leave the skin with a sun burned feeling and breathing them can be dangerous. Also, when lye is combined with water the chemical reaction will cause it to reach temperatures near boiling therefore one must consider the containers and utensils used tomake soap. Only stainless steel, or heatproof glass or plastic will do as lye will react with other metals such as aluminum. So the first part of making soap can be hazardous unless safety measures are adhered to. When the lye solution and the oil are at approximately 120 degrees, they are combined and stirred every 15 minutes for several hours until the mixture comes to trace. (During this time, glycerine is formed in the soap.) Trace is a pudding like consistency. At that point it is poured into a plastic lined container where it is left to cure for two weeks while the lye loses it's caustic nature. Milling is next. The soap is finely grated and melted over low heat.Once it is back to trace it is poured into moulds, chilled, and removed from them. For the smoothest soap possible, I go through this process twice. Once the soap has been milled it is left to cure another weekand is then packaged and labeled. CARE - Homemade soap ... the pure, straight stuff is softer than commercial soaps. To get the most from your cake of 'Oregon Trail Soap' put it in a well drained, dry area when not in use. If this 'rule of thumb' is adhered to, each cake of soap will be long lasting. |