🌾 Old‑School Soap with a Local Twist

🌾 Old‑School Soap with a Local Twist
From The Rooted Woman Blog

If you’ve ever wanted to wash your hands in something your grandmother might’ve made, minus the mystery lard and questionable bucket, this one’s for you.

This old-school soap recipe blends the best of traditional methods with locally inspired, skin-loving ingredients. It’s a down-to-earth, no-fuss recipe that brings together natural fats, plants, and herbs to create a bar of soap that’s both practical and nourishing.

✨ What’s In It & Why It Matters

Ingredient	Purpose	Backed By
Olive or sunflower oil	These oils form the base of the soap and help retain moisture, thanks to their high oleic acid content.	Healthline notes they improve hydration and skin barrier function.
Beeswax	Makes the bar harder and helps lock in moisture with a protective layer.	Dermatology Times says beeswax keeps the skin barrier strong and supple.
Oats	Gently exfoliate and soothe irritated skin. Bonus: oat oil boosts moisture and encourages skin/hair growth.	New Directions Aromatics highlights its soothing properties.
Honey (optional)	A natural humectant, honey pulls moisture into the skin and keeps the bar nice and moisturizing.	Healthline confirms it locks in hydration and shine.
Lavender or rosemary oil	These essential oils add scent and gentle antimicrobial benefits. Rosemary also supports scalp health.	Cleveland Clinic backs its anti-inflammatory and hair growth perks.

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🛠️ Two Ways to Make It: Traditional or Simple

Method 1: Traditional Cold Process Soap (with Lye)

⚠️ Heads up: Lye (sodium hydroxide) is necessary for traditional soap, but it requires caution. Gloves, goggles, and good ventilation are a must. Don’t let it scare you off though, soap is just oil and lye having a chemistry party.

You’ll Need:

• 16 oz (2 cups) olive or sunflower oil

• 2 oz beeswax

• 2.2 oz lye

• 6 oz cold water

• 2 tbsp finely ground oats

• 1 tbsp raw honey (optional)

• 10-15 drops lavender or rosemary oil

Steps:

1. Melt Oils: Gently heat your oil and beeswax until fully melted.

2. Make Lye Solution: Slowly add lye to cold water (never the other way around). Stir until dissolved and let cool to about 104°F.

3. Blend: When both the oils and lye are around the same temp, slowly mix them together while blending with a stick blender until it reaches “trace” (pudding-like consistency).

4. Add Good Stuff: Stir in oats, honey, and essential oils.

5. Mold & Cure: Pour into silicone molds. Let set for 24 hours, then unmold and cure for 4-6 weeks in a cool, dry place.

Method 2: The Easy Way (No Lye Needed)

Perfect for beginners, kids, or anyone who doesn’t feel like dealing with caustic substances today.

You’ll Need:

• 500g natural glycerin or goat-milk soap base

• Same botanicals and oils as above

Steps:

1. Melt the soap base gently over low heat.

2. Stir in ground oats, honey, and essential oils.

3. Pour into molds and let harden. Done!

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🌱 Rooted Wisdom

The Rooted Woman knows that sometimes healing starts with the smallest rituals, like washing your hands in something you made yourself, from ingredients you trust. This isn’t just soap. It’s your grandmother’s kitchen, your backyard garden, your local bees buzzing in the sun.

🌿 Herbal Shampoo for Hair That Remembers Its Roots

Nettle‑Rosemary & Soapwort | A Gentle, Wildcrafted Cleanse

There’s something powerful about washing your hair with the same plants your ancestors walked past every day  or used themselves. This recipe isn’t just about clean hair. It’s about remembering. Reclaiming. Returning.

Today on The Rooted Woman, I’m sharing a simple, time-tested recipe for an herbal shampoo made from stinging nettle, rosemary, and soapwort root, with the option to stir in honey and apple cider vinegar for a little extra nourishment. These are plants you can grow, forage, or source from local herbalists right here in Southern Ontario.

This one’s for the aunties, the medicine women, and the do-it-yourselfers who prefer mason jars over marketing claims.