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Camouflage Hemp Oil Soap Recipe | A Cold Process Soap Recipe from Grandma's Kitchen
Make rustic camouflage soap with this hemp oil-inspired cold process recipe featuring shea butter, kaolin clay, oats, and a rugged woodland design. Cold process camouflage Hemp Oil Soap.
VEGAN HANDMADE SOAP
Heather | Soapmaking Hobby
9/14/20266 min read
Camouflage Hemp Oil Inspired Cold Process Soap
A Rugged Woodland Batch from Grandma’s Soap Box
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From the archives. I found this gem in my camera roll. Trigger warning! This was before I started wearing my nitrile gloves through the whole Soap-making process.
Grandma always said the woods had their own way of matching colors. There were soft greens beneath the trees, warm brown bark, charcoal shadows, and patches of golden moss, all tucked together as naturally as pieces in an old country quilt.
That woodland patchwork was the inspiration for this Camouflage Hemp Oil Soap.
The recipe begins with a generous helping of olive oil, joined by coconut oil and rich shea butter. Hemp oil gives the formula its special character, while a little castor oil helps bring bubbles to the finished bar. Kaolin clay and finely ground oats add the simple, old-fashioned touches that always seem right at home in Grandma’s soap box.
Once the oils and cooled lye solution were carefully combined, the batter was divided into four containers. Each portion received its own camouflage shade: charcoal, green, olive camo, or earthy brown. Spoonful by spoonful, the colors were placed into the wooden mold without worrying about perfect lines. The beauty of camouflage is in its irregular pattern, and every little spoonful helped create the look of shadows and leaves scattered across the forest floor.
A rich scent such as, Cracklin’ Birch or Irish Spring Type, or a Cavalier fragrance suited the batch beautifully, carrying the cozy suggestion of weathered wood, crisp air, and a quiet walk beneath tall trees. Something without vanillin, so the colors stay true.
Grandma would have smiled at the mess on the worktable and reminded me that handmade things often look their best before we try too hard to tame them.
When the loaf was finally cut, every bar held a different woodland pattern. One showed broad patches of green like moss spreading across an old log. Another carried dark charcoal markings that looked like shadows slipping between the trees. No two bars were alike, and that was exactly what made them special.
This is a sturdy, rustic soap with an outdoorsy feel, a fitting bar for gardeners, hunters, campers, and anyone who feels most at home beneath a canopy of trees. Yet beneath its rugged appearance, it is still a thoughtfully handmade soap, created one batch at a time with a gentle, conditioning recipe beneath the rugged design.
Grandma would have called it a soap made for muddy boots, flannel shirts, and long days spent outdoors. I simply call it a little piece of the woodland, tucked carefully into every bar.
A little rugged, a little woodsy, and perfectly at home in Grandma’s soap box.
-Soapmaking Hobby 🪵
Trigger Warning!! This video is from the archives and was made before I wore my nitrile gloves through the entire Soap-making process… I know, I know…
🪵Camouflage Hemp Oil Soap Recipe
This rustic cold process soap combines olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, hemp oil, and castor oil. The batter is divided into four earthy colors to create a woodland-inspired camouflage pattern. Kaolin clay and finely ground oats add a traditional finishing touch, while Cracklin’ Birch is a fitting fragrance suggestion for its warm, outdoorsy character.
Batch Details
Total oils: 77 oz
Superfat: 5%
Water: 28.52 oz
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH): 10.55 oz
Approximate soap weight before curing: 120.89 oz
Sodium Lactate approximately 1.5 Tbsp (optional for harder bars)
Oils
34.65 oz olive oil 45%
16.94 oz coconut oil, 76 degree 22%
15.40 oz shea butter 20%
6.16 oz hemp oil 8%
3.85 oz castor oil 5%
Additives
2 tablespoons kaolin clay
2 tablespoons finely ground oats or colloidal oats
Fragrance
Up to 4.81 oz fragrance oil
Suggested fragrance: Cracklin’ Birch
Always check the fragrance manufacturer’s current skin-safe usage rate before adding the full calculated amount.
Prepare four containers for the soap batter:
Charcoal
Green
Olive or camouflage green
Brown
Use skin-safe soap colorants or micas according to the supplier’s recommended usage rates.
Cold Process Method
Put on safety goggles, gloves, long sleeves, and an apron. Prepare your workspace in a well-ventilated area.
Slowly sprinkle the sodium hydroxide into the water. Never pour water onto the lye. Stir carefully until the solution is clear, then set it aside to cool.
Gently melt the coconut oil and shea butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the olive oil, hemp oil, and castor oil.
Add the kaolin clay and finely ground oats to the cooled melted oils. Blend until evenly dispersed.
Prepare the four camouflage colorants in separate containers.
Pour the cooled lye solution into the oils. Use a stick blender in short bursts until the batter reaches a light emulsion.
Stir in the fragrance before the batter reaches trace. Divide the batter among the four color containers and blend each portion by hand.
Spoon or pour the colors randomly into the mold, alternating shades to form irregular camouflage patches. Avoid creating perfectly even layers.
Tap the mold gently to help release trapped air. Allow the soap to remain in the mold until firm enough to unmold and cut.
Cure the bars in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for four to six weeks.
Grandma’s Note
Do not fuss too much over where each color lands. The charm of camouflage soap is found in its wandering patches and unexpected patterns. Every slice of the loaf should look a little different, just like the shadows, moss, bark, and leaves scattered across the woodland floor.
Safety reminder: Always verify the water and sodium hydroxide amounts with a trusted soap calculator before making the recipe. Follow established lye-safety practices throughout the entire process.
Gallery
Camouflage Soap in the making.
🍃Grandma’s Little Note About Hemp Oil
Grandma always said Hemp seed oil is valued in soapmaking for its naturally rich fatty-acid profile, particularly its linoleic and linolenic acids. it lends a gentle, conditioning character to a bar of soap. Its natural woodland shade also seems right at home among the greens, browns, and charcoal patches of this camouflage design.
Hemp oil is a delicate and costly oil, so a little goes a long way. At 8% of this recipe, it brings its special qualities while the coconut oil and shea butter lend strength and hardness for a balanced finished bars.
Keep the bottle tucked away in a cool, dark cupboard and use it while it is fresh. As Grandma might say, take good care of your ingredients, and they will return the favor.
🪵Quick FAQ: Camouflage Soap
🪵What gives this soap its camouflage appearance?
The pattern is created by layering and spooning several earthy colors. I chose green, olive, brown, and charcoal, one spoonful at a time into the mold.
🪵Is every bar identical?
No. Each cut reveals a different pattern, making every bar one of a kind.
🪵What type of soapmaking method was used?
This camouflage soap was created using the cold process method. And a spoon and plop method, not really sure what to call it ;)
🪵Will the colors remain exactly the same while curing?
The colors may soften or deepen slightly as the soap cures. This is a normal part of handmade soapmaking. Choose a fragrance that does not discolor or speed up trace.
🪵How long should cold process soap cure?
Allow the bars to cure in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for approximately four to six weeks.
🪵How should the finished soap be stored?
Keep the bar on a well-draining soap dish and allow it to dry between uses. Store unused bars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
🪵Is the camouflage pattern only on the surface?
No. The colors are layered throughout the loaf, so the woodland-inspired design continues through each bar. Fight your temptation to swirl this loaf!
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From My Little Soap Corner 🤍
I make each bar in a cozy little 4x12 foot workshop, just a simple setup and a love for soapmaking. Some of the backgrounds and scenes you see are AI-created or enhanced to reflect the warm, rustic feel I imagine for my soap shed. I love creating handmade soap and digital soap-making journals and scenes. This journal is little storytelling nostalgia. Join me in a world of soap-making imagination. - Heather 🌼🫧
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