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Men can be tough to shop for, so I’m glad to provide, as my contribution to Melissa Norris’s Homemade Christmas series, a fun and frugal gift idea for the man in your life. If you’ve never made soap before, don’t worry. I promise you this will be simple and safe. We’ll be using melt-and-pour soap, with the lye already incorporated.
Homesteading was on my heart for many years due to my early exposure to the lifestyle whenever visited the old Bohemian homestead that had been in my family for generations. I yearned to live this way, but something always held me back.
I made a stab at gardening, studied herbs, learned soap making, considered building a cob home, and did my best to provide wholesome food for my family. But I wouldn’t have called myself a homesteader. It wasn’t until I went through life challenges that helped me focus on what matters most that I was able to adopt the term. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m enjoying the journey.
I love giving gifts from the heart that come from my God-given abilities. I have free printable planning pages to help you organize your holiday activities, Christmas decorations, and Christmas dinner. These three pages are my gift to you. You’ll find a link to download them at the end of this post.
Homemade Cinnamon-Oatmeal Shaving Soap in a Mason Jar
My house smells a lot like Christmas right now because I just finished making homemade cinnamon-oatmeal shaving soap that smells like fresh-baked cinnamon rolls. My husband gave it a big thumbs-up, so yay! (He doesn’t know that this soap is going to be under the tree for him.) Shhh!
By far the safest and easiest way to make soap is through the melt-and-pour method. Someone else does the grunt work, but you get to step in for the creative part. Nice. I created the beautiful shaving soap in a canning jar in about half an hour, using things you commonly use in the Kitchen. (Here’s how to make your own melt-and-pour goats milk soap for bar soap)
Resources for Homemade Shaving Soap in a Mason Jar
Ingredients
1 pound shaving soap base, which is a block of soap you can melt and turn into your own awesome creation. Your soap base can be made from either goat’s milk or glycerin. For my shaving soap, I chose glycerin, since its clearness shows off the cinnamon color of the soap. 1 pound honey melt and pour soap base you can also use goat’s milk or glycerin melt and pour bases
2 tablespoons of bentonite clay is nourishing for the skin and helps give the soap ‘slip,’ so a razor can glide across your man’s face.
2 tablespoons of colloidal oatmeal adds silkiness to the soap and soothes skin.
Favorite fragrance or essential oil, just make sure it’s a safe oil for external use.
2 teaspoons powdered organic cinnamon from a reputable company like Mountain Rose Herbs. Cinnamon has a wide range of health benefits, including antiseptic properties.
One 16-ounce canning jar or two 8-ounce canning jars
Shaving brush of your choice
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon-Oatmeal Shaving Soap in a Mason Jar
Cut the soap block into 1-inch blocks, if you want to make melting the soap faster.
Pre-measure the bentonite clay and colloidal oatmeal so they will be ready to add to the soap quickly once it melts.
Place the soap block pieces into the top of your double boiler. Add enough water to the bottom pan to just touch the pan, above. Turn the burner heat to medium-high and wait for the water to boil.
Heat your canning jar or jars either in the dishwasher, hot water, or in a water bath in a small pan.
Whisk the melting soap block until no solid pieces remain. Turn off the burner at once. It’s important not to overheat your soap. If you are using a thermometer, for best quality, it shouldn’t go above 130 degrees.
Whisk in the colloidal oatmeal and bentonite clay until combined.
Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder and whisk to combine.
Add 10-15 drops of oil and whisk to combine.
Remove the top pan of the double boiler and the canning jar or jars from the stove.
Place the canning jars on a heat-proof surface and carefully add the soap. Use a funnel if you need to. Any remaining soap can be rolled into soap balls.
Celebrate your accomplishment while the soap cures. It only takes a day!
1 pound shaving soap base, which is a block of soap you can melt and turn into your own awesome creation. Your soap base can be made from either goat’s milk or glycerin. For my shaving soap, I chose glycerin, since its clearness shows off the cinnamon color of the soap. 1 pound honey melt and pour soap base you can also use goat’s milk or glycerin melt and pour bases
2 tablespoons of bentonite clay is nourishing for the skin and helps give the soap ‘slip,’ so a razor can glide across your man’s face.
2 tablespoons of colloidal oatmeal adds silkiness to the soap and soothes skin.
Favorite fragrance or essential oil, just make sure it’s a safe oil for external use.
2 teaspoons powdered organic cinnamon from a reputable company like Mountain Rose Herbs. Cinnamon has a wide range of health benefits, including antiseptic properties.
Instructions
Cut the soap block into 1-inch blocks, if you want to make melting the soap faster.
Pre-measure the bentonite clay and colloidal oatmeal so they will be ready to add to the soap quickly once it melts.
Place the soap block pieces into the top of your double boiler. Add enough water to the bottom pan to just touch the pan, above. Turn the burner heat to medium-high and wait for the water to boil.
Heat your canning jar or jars either in the dishwasher, hot water, or in a water bath in a small pan.
Whisk the melting soap block until no solid pieces remain. Turn off the burner at once. It’s important not to overheat your soap. If you are using a thermometer, for best quality, it shouldn’t go above 130 degrees.
Whisk in the colloidal oatmeal and bentonite clay until combined.
Add 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder and whisk to combine.
Add 10-15 drops of oil and whisk to combine.
Remove the top pan of the double boiler and the canning jar or jars from the stove.
Place the canning jars on a heat-proof surface and carefully add the soap. Use a funnel if you need to. Any remaining soap can be rolled into soap balls.
Janalyn Voigt is a homesteader who just happens to also be an inspirational novelist. She is published in medieval epic fantasy and has just signed a contract for Montana Gold, a western historical romance series set during Montana’s goldrush.
Old Bohemian Homestead, Janalyn’s homesteading blog, honors her Bohemian ancestry and pioneer heritage.
Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.
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