Basic Body Wash and Hand Soap

Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a no-no in my house. Yes, it technically is natural, but I have an allergy to it, so I can't use just about all soap found on the market. In the case that I'm too lazy to make my deluxe body wash, this is my standby using goats milk castile bar soap.

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) bar of castile soap, any type
1 gallon distilled water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
essential oils (optional)

Store unused soap in a cool, dark place. If you're a nervous Nelly type, you can store it in the refrigerator.

Bring the water to a boil in a large non-reactive pot (stainless steel or glass). Grate the bar of soap on a metal box grater. Add the soap shavings and vegetable glycerine to the boiling water, stirring frequently, until the soap shavings are completely dissolved into the water. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let rest undisturbed overnight or for at least 8 hours. 

After it has rested, break up with an egg beater or with a hand mixer until smooth. If it is too solid, warm over the heat again, add a little distilled water and let cool again to test the consistency. Repeat until you reach the desired viscosity for your soap. 

Put a funnel into the now empty distilled water jug and ladle the soap into the jug. Ladle any extra soap into empty hand soap bottles or jars with tight fitting lids. 

Store any unused soap in a dark, cool place. It should have the consistency of snot (eww). If it is too thin, add more soap shavings. Too thick, add more water. Do not use typical bath bar soap as the extra additives in it will not come out correctly 9 out of 10 times.