
Lye soap recipe with lard is a great way to create a nourishing and moisturizing soap that's perfect for sensitive skin. This recipe uses lard as the primary fat source, which provides a rich and creamy lather.
Lard is an excellent choice for soap making because it's high in triglycerides, which help to create a stable and long-lasting lather. According to the recipe, using 1 pound of lard will yield a soap that's 50% lard and 50% other oils.
To get started, you'll need to mix the lard with distilled water and lye in a well-ventilated area. The recipe specifies a 50% lye solution, which is important to note as it will affect the pH level of the soap.
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Recipe
To make a lye soap recipe with lard, you'll need to start with a basic recipe that makes about 2.5 pounds of soap. This recipe is straightforward with only three ingredients, and you can customize it by adding essential oils just before pouring the soap into a mold.
The recipe requires safety gear, including glasses, gloves, and an apron, to protect yourself from the lye. A kitchen scale is also essential for measuring the ingredients accurately.
A stainless steel double boiler is necessary for mixing the lye and water safely. You'll also need a heatproof container with a pour spout to make the soap-making process easier.
To mix the soap, you'll need an immersion blender to break down the lard and lye mixture. A large mixing bowl is also necessary for combining the ingredients.
If you're planning to make a lard soap, you might want to consider using a sleeping woman soap mold to give your soap a unique shape.
Here are the basic ingredients and equipment you'll need:
- 3 ingredients (lard, lye, and water)
- Safety gear (glasses, gloves, apron)
- Kitchen scale
- Stainless steel double boiler
- Heatproof container with pour spout
- Immersion blender
- Large mixing bowl
- Sleeping woman soap mold
Ingredients
To make lye soap with lard, you'll need the right ingredients. Lard is a key component, and you'll need 2 pounds of it, as found in Example 1.
Lye is another crucial ingredient, and you'll need 4 ounces of it to get started. Example 1 also mentions 12 ounces of water, which will be used to create the lye solution.
You can also add other oils to create a unique blend, like in Example 2, where lard is combined with coconut oil, mango butter, and bergamot essential oil.
The lye concentration is important to note, and it can vary depending on the recipe. Example 3 mentions a lye concentration of 35%, which is a good starting point.
Here are some key ingredients and their quantities:
Example 4 provides a more precise measurement of the ingredients, including 1000 grams of lard and 133 grams of lye.
How to Make
To make a lye soap recipe with lard, you'll need to start by rendering lard if you're making your own. You can get lard from your butcher or local farm, or use cleaned up "filtered" bacon fat.
Wear safety gear, including gloves, goggles, and a mask, to protect yourself from the lye. Make sure the area is well-ventilated to avoid inhaling the fumes.
To prepare the lye, weigh it into a small plastic cup using a scale, and then add it to distilled water in a separate container. Stir until the lye is fully dissolved, and then let it cool.
Melt the lard over medium heat in a water bath or on short bursts in the microwave. Add olive and essential oils to the melted fats.
Once the lye and oils have cooled to slightly above room temperature, pour the lye solution into the oils in a thin stream. Be careful not to splash or spill.
Use an electric stick blender to blend the mixture in bursts of a few seconds until it reaches a light to medium trace, or a light pudding consistency.
Here's a step-by-step guide to making lye soap with lard:
- Render lard if making your own
- Weigh lye into a small plastic cup
- Add water to a separate container
- Create a lye water mixture by adding lye to the water and stirring until fully dissolved
- Melt lard over medium heat
- Add olive and essential oils to melted fats
- Let lye and oils cool to slightly above room temp
- Pour lye solution into oils
- Blend until soap batter is at light to medium trace
- Pour soap mixture into soap mold
- Spritz top lightly with rubbing alcohol to reduce soda ash (optional)
- Let rest for 1-2 days
- Unmold bars of soap after 48 hours
- Let soap cure for 4-6 weeks
Remember to always follow safety precautions when working with lye, and be patient as the soap mixture takes time to cool and set.
Lye Soap Recipe Options
You can choose from one of the five lard soap recipes available.
Click here for cold process soap making recipe directions, which will guide you through the process.
If you're new to soap making, consider starting with one of the simpler recipes to get a feel for the process.
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5 Recipes to Choose From
If you're looking to create your own lye soap, you have 5 recipes to choose from. Choose from 1 of the 5 lard soap recipes available.
You'll need to consider the fats, oils, and butters you want to use in your soap making process. Fats, oils, and butters are essential components of soap making, and you can find recipe directions for cold process soap making by clicking here.
Basic
If you're new to lye soap making, it's a good idea to start with a basic recipe to get a feel for the process. There are 5 lard soap recipes to choose from, including one that's 100% lard.
The Basic Lard Soap recipe is a great place to begin. You'll need 390 grams of lard, 150 grams of coconut oil, and 60 grams of cocoa butter. These ingredients are the foundation of a good lard soap.
To make this recipe, you'll need to follow the cold process soap making recipe directions, which can be found by clicking here.
Here's a summary of the Basic Lard Soap recipe:
Remember to weigh your ingredients, as this will ensure accuracy and consistency in your soap making process.
Olive
Olive oil is a popular choice for soap making, and it's easy to see why. It's a gentle and moisturizing ingredient that creates a mild and nourishing soap.
One recipe that uses olive oil is the Lard and Olive Soap recipe, which makes about 2 pounds of soap that produces 6-7 bars of soap.
The recipe calls for 270 grams of olive oil, which is a significant portion of the total ingredients. This is because olive oil creates a harder and more durable soap.
Here are the ingredients for the Lard and Olive Soap recipe:
- 300 grams lard
- 270 grams olive oil
- 30 grams castor oil
The recipe also requires 79 grams of lye (sodium hydroxide) and 228 grams of distilled water.
Soap Characteristics
Lye soap is known for its high pH level, typically ranging from 9 to 10, which is due to the presence of lye in the recipe.
A well-made lye soap can last for a long time, often lasting several months to a year or more, depending on usage and storage conditions.
The addition of lard to the recipe gives the soap a rich, creamy lather and a moisturizing quality that is beneficial for dry skin.
Creamy
I've found that creamy soaps are a delight to use, especially when they're made with a combination of oils that create a rich, velvety texture. This is exactly what happens when you use lard, palm kernel oil, and wheat germ oil together.
One of the key ingredients that contributes to the creamy texture of this soap is lard, which is used in the amount of 240 grams. I've found that this amount provides just the right balance of moisture and nourishment for the skin.
Palm kernel oil and wheat germ oil are also essential components of this soap, with 120 grams of each used to create a smooth and creamy lather. You can't go wrong with this combination, trust me!
If you're looking to add a bit of extra moisturizing power to your soap, you can also use cocoa butter and avocado oil. In the recipe I've come across, 60 grams of each of these oils are used to create a soap that's not only creamy but also deeply nourishing.
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Notes on Pigments

Not all colorings are oil soluble, so always check before using them. This is crucial to ensure the coloring works well with your soap.
The pigments I've used are oil soluble, so I mix each color with 2 teaspoons of olive oil to fully dissolve them. A milk frother is a great tool for this job, as it speeds up the process.
You should also check if the coloring is suitable for cold process soap and that it doesn’t bleed. This is especially important for creating a beautiful, marbled design.
To achieve a good marbling effect, pouring the soap from a height is key. Start pouring one of the colors into the corners of the mold, using around half of the jug.
Using water-soluble colors requires mixing them with 2 teaspoons of water instead of oil. Make sure to fully dissolve them before proceeding with the recipe.
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Cooking and Preparation
When buying lard from the grocery store, look for lard without BHA and BHT. You can find lard without these preservatives, but it may need to be kept in the fridge or freezer before using it.
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If you find natural lard, you can use it for soap making, but remember that it may have an expiration date. This is because natural lard is more prone to spoilage than lard with preservatives.
For soap making, use only rendered lard, which has been heated to melt and separate from any other ingredients.
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Cooking
When buying lard from the grocery store, look for it without BHA and BHT, as they're synthetic antioxidants that aren't ideal for natural cooking.
Lard from the grocery store is often shelf-stable due to these preservatives, but it's best to opt for natural lard if possible.
Natural lard may need to be kept in the fridge or freezer before using it, and it may have an expiration date.
You can also find lard in tubs by the meat section or buy it directly from the butcher for a more natural option.
Rendering lard at home is a great way to have control over the ingredients, and you can use leaf lard and follow a tutorial to do it.
Rendered lard is what you want for cooking, as it's been heated and separated from any impurities.
Related reading: Recipes for Microwave Ovens
Make It!

To make soap, you'll want to start by measuring out all your ingredients on a kitchen scale, as accuracy is key in soap making. This will help you get the closest measurements possible.
For cold-process soap making, you'll need to combine the lard, mango butter, and coconut oil in a double boiler over low to medium heat. You want to melt the oils together gently.
Make sure to lean away while you stir the lye water mixture, as the chemical reaction creates strong fumes you won't want to breathe in. To cool down the lye water, set it in an ice bath.
Once your oils and lye water have reached 115°F, you can combine them in a large mixing bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend your mixture together until it reaches a trace.
To add a pleasant scent to your soap, blend in your essential oils.
Choosing the Right Mold
Choosing the right mold is crucial for making soap. I've used plastic Tupperware, wood, and glass molds with great success, but they do need to be lined with waxed baking paper for easy soap removal.

Plastic Tupperware and wood molds can be a bit tricky to work with. They're not the easiest to use, but they can still produce great results.
Flexible silicon molds are a game-changer for soap making. They're incredibly easy to remove the soap from once it's hardened.
However, silicon molds do require some support. They're very flexible and can flop around, so it's best to stand them on a solid surface like a book or cutting board.
Equipment
To make the most of your cooking and preparation, you'll want to have the right equipment on hand. A silicone soap mold can be a versatile tool for various recipes, while a basic stick blender is perfect for mixing and pureeing ingredients.
A heatproof jug is a must-have for safe and efficient heating of liquids. Glass mixing beakers are ideal for measuring and mixing small quantities of ingredients.
Some specific equipment you might need includes:
- Silicone Soap Mold
- Basic Stick Blender
- Heatproof Jug
- Glass Mixing Beakers
- Digital Scales
- Lazer Temperature Gun
- Spoon or Spatula
A spoon or spatula can be used for mixing and scraping the sides of bowls, while a lazer temperature gun is handy for precise temperature readings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lard is a natural ingredient, making it very safe for the skin. With a high oleic fatty content, it’s very moisturizing while providing gentle conditioning. Lard soap can be a bit smelly if you don't add any essential oils to the recipe, but bergamot and grapefruit essential oils are a great combination to cover up any smell.
Lard contains vitamins A and D, which are great for the skin for reducing inflammation and protecting from free radicals and UV. This makes lard soap a great choice for people with sensitive skin.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ratio of lye to lard for soap making?
The ratio of lye to lard in Becky's recipe is 5.4 oz lye to 40 oz lard. This specific ratio is ideal for making a large quantity of soap, but may not be suitable for average household use.
Can you use lard in soap making?
Yes, you can use lard in soap making, but the quality of the soap may vary depending on the recipe and composition of the lard used. Using lard in soap making can result in a unique and beneficial soap, but it's worth considering the properties of lard to get the best results.
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