• Before beginning make sure you can work distraction free for at least two hours. Work in a clean environment, if working in a kitchen put away all food and drinks. Tie back your hair if it's long and wear your safety equipment.

Weigh Out Ingredients

• In separate bowls weigh out all ingredients. Weigh the water in a heat proof glass measuring cup or stainless steel bowl. Weigh out the lye last.
• Add fat and oils (excluding essential oils if using) to a stainless steel bowl or pot. Set the oils on the stove to melt over low heat. Stir occasionally while the fat melts.

Make Lye Solution

• Pour lye into the weighed out water, never the other way around. "Snow falls on the lake." Stir with a stainless steel fork or whisk until the lye is fully dissolved. The lye solution will get hot, do not inhale any fumes.
• Set aside in a safe place to cool.

Check Temps & Make Soap Batter

• When the fat has completely melted, check the temperature of the oils and lye solution. We want our oils to be 140F or under and within ten degrees of the lye solution. If too hot, wait for the oils to cool for a few more minutes before checking the temps again.
• Once the temperatures are within our desired range pour the lye solution into the oils. To prevent too much bubbles, pour over the shaft of your immersion blender and burp your immersion blender before turning it on to release any air bubbles trapped under the bell.
• Pulse for 20-30 seconds and stir gently. Repeat until the batter reaches a thin trace, similar to the consistency of gravy. This can take 3-5 minutes.

Make Chocolate Swirl

• Pour half of your soap batter into a clean bowl/container. (Long spouted measuring cups work really well for this).
• Sift cocoa powder into the soap batter and whisk to combine. Pour chocolate soap into the plain soap base to make "spots". See post for reference photo's. You can gently swirl these spots or leave them as is.

Mold, Cut & Cure

• Pour soap into mold. Cover or simply set aside to saponify for the next 24 hours.
• Unmold soap and cut into one inch bars. Each will weigh between 4-5oz before curing.
• Store bars in well ventilated area to cure for the next 4-6 weeks before use.