Old-Fashioned Rose Soap Recipe

Ingredients

1 handful of fresh or dried rose petals
10 oz (283 g) water
4.14 oz (117 g) sodium hydroxide
15 oz (425 g) rose petal-infused olive oil
1 oz (28 g) rosehip seed oil
8 oz (227 g) coconut oil
4 oz (113 g) shea butter
2 oz (57 g) castor oil
2 tsp rose kaolin clay (optional, for color)
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) rose absolute or geranium essential oil (optional)

For the Rose Petal-infused Olive Oil

This is a quick method for making rose petal-infused oil. Fill a glass canning jar about one-fourth to one-half the way with dried rose petals. Next, fill the jar almost to the top with olive oil.

Set the uncovered jar down into a saucepan containing a few inches of water, forming a makeshift double-boiler of sorts. Place the pan over a low burner and heat for about two hours. Keep an eye on things while you do this to ensure that all of the water doesn’t evaporate. Keep the water at a low simmer, not boiling.

You don’t have to be precise, but try to keep the temperature somewhere around or under 115F(46C) so you don’t accidentally cook your rose petals. After two hours have passed, remove the jar from the pan and allow it to cool. Strain it through a fine-mesh strainer and/or a layer of cheesecloth and measure the amount you need for the recipe. The rest can be stored in a jar kept in a cool, dark place, for about a year.