Détox is the name of Atelier Populaire’s original lemon-scented cold-process soap recipe. It combines coconut, castor and avocado oils, with more avocado oil and lemon essential oil added at the end. Here, the name describes the recipe; it is not a claim that a soap removes toxins from the body.
The original quantities make a starting mixture of up to 200 g, approximately two small bars. Its lemon-oil amount is an upper limit, not a universal safety dose for every lemon oil. Check the current supplier’s suitability and maximum use level for rinse-off soap before making this version. If you cannot verify the exact oil, choose the separate essential-oil-free Douceur recipe.
Prepare safely before you begin
This is an adult soapmaking activity involving corrosive sodium hydroxide. Wear chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles, an apron, long sleeves and closed shoes throughout preparation and unmoulding. Work in a ventilated space, away from children, pets, food and distractions. Use containers compatible with sodium hydroxide; do not use aluminium. Keep clean running water immediately accessible.
Use only the ready-made 30% sodium hydroxide solution specified below. The listed mass is the mass of the solution, not of solid caustic soda. Do not substitute drain cleaner, another concentration, baking soda or soda crystals. Do not add water. Read the supplier’s label and safety data sheet first. The INRS handling precautions (in French) explain the chemical hazards.
If lye touches skin or eyes: start rinsing immediately with plenty of running water for at least 15 minutes and seek urgent medical help. Remove contaminated clothing; remove contact lenses only if easily done. If swallowed, rinse the mouth, do not induce vomiting and call a poison centre or emergency medical service immediately. Keep the container or label available. Do not try to neutralise lye on the body with vinegar or another acid.
Equipment
- A reliable scale able to measure the listed quantities accurately
- A lye-compatible mixing bowl and a separate measuring container
- A small dish for the oil added at the end
- An immersion blender, not a jug blender
- A flexible spatula
- Small individual silicone moulds reserved for soapmaking
- A water bath for melting the coconut oil, and the protective equipment listed above
Clean the equipment before starting. Reserve soapmaking equipment for that purpose and prepare the moulds before mixing.
Ingredients and original quantities
| Stage | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lye solution | Ready-made sodium hydroxide solution at 30% | 65 g |
| Main oils | Coconut oil | 75 g |
| Main oils | Organic virgin castor oil | 12.5 g |
| Main oils | Organic virgin avocado oil | 37.3 g |
| Final oil addition | Organic virgin avocado oil | 6.2 g |
| Fragrance | Organic lemon essential oil | 4 g maximum in the original recipe; subject to the supplier’s lower limit, if any |
At the original 4 g ceiling, these amounts total 200 g before curing. With a smaller verified fragrance amount, the starting mass is lower. Do not add water or extra oil to make the total back up to 200 g. Do not substitute another oil, lye concentration or essential oil without a properly recalculated and assessed formula.
Essential oils are concentrated ingredients, not food ingredients for this activity. Avoid skin and eye contact with the undiluted oil and follow its label restrictions. This scented homemade soap is not presented as suitable for babies, children, pregnancy or sensitive skin. The ingredient-list guide explains fragrance allergens.
Weigh each stage separately
- Weigh the coconut oil, castor oil and 37.3 g of avocado oil for the main oil mixture.
- Melt the coconut oil in a water bath at around 60°C, as specified in the original recipe, then combine it with the other main oils. This is a melting temperature, not a requirement to heat the lye.
- Carefully weigh the ready-made 30% lye solution into its own container. Keep it separate from the oils for now.
- Weigh 6.2 g of avocado oil and the checked amount of lemon essential oil into the small dish for the final addition.
Mix and pour
- Blend the main oils until uniform.
- Switch the blender off before pouring. Slowly and carefully add the measured lye solution to the oils, keeping the container close to the mixture to limit splashes.
- With the blender head submerged, blend carefully until the mixture becomes uniform and thickens. Stop the motor before lifting the blender.
- Stop blending and add the reserved avocado oil and lemon essential oil. Blend to incorporate.
- Pour into the prepared moulds promptly, as the mixture thickens quickly. Keep your gloves and eye protection on: fresh soap batter is still caustic.
Unmould and cure
Cover the moulds with cling film and leave them undisturbed in a safe place. The original recipe gives 24 hours before unmoulding; if the soap is still too soft to handle, leave it longer. Unmould with gloves. Then let the bars cure for one month in a dry place away from light, children and pets.
Curing is part of the process, not a way to correct a weighing error or an incorrectly formulated batch. If the ingredients, concentration or amounts were wrong, or the batch has separated, do not use it on the skin. Obtain advice from an experienced soapmaker. A homemade bar has not undergone the safety assessment of a marketed cosmetic.
Use and related reading
After successful manufacture and curing, the intended use is washing the hands, body and face. Keep out of the eyes and stop using it if it irritates the skin. See how to keep a finished soap dry between uses.
Read the sodium hydroxide guide before handling lye. The DIY soapmaking kit is a separate product with its own instructions: follow its supplied booklet rather than substituting kit ingredients into this recipe.