Found an old family soap making book and gave it a shot

I was cleaning out my attic last month and stumbled upon my great aunt's handwritten notebook full of soap recipes. She used to make all her own cleaning stuff back in the day, something I never really thought about until now. I decided to try one out with just lye, olive oil, and some lavender from my yard. It was a bit tricky at first, getting the measurements right, but the process felt really satisfying. In my experience, homemade soap lasts longer and doesn't come in all that plastic packaging. Your mileage may vary, but I've cut down on so much waste since I started. It's kind of a lost skill now that everything is store bought, but I think it's worth reviving. Plus, knowing exactly what goes on my skin gives me peace of mind.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jamie4d ago

Wonder if those old recipes used plants from her own yard too. Makes you think about how people used what was right outside their back door.

kellyjones4d ago

My grandma's jam recipe just lists "berries from the hill." Now everything comes wrapped in plastic from miles away. That kind of local knowledge feels totally lost now.

hannah_perry3d ago

Seriously, my friend tried to make her great aunt's pickles and the recipe just said "creek water." She used tap and they tasted totally wrong.