Weigh water in a plastic container. After putting on eye protections, mask, and gloves, weigh lye in a zip close bag and take the water and lye outside. Pour lye into the water and allow to cool to aroun 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful not to breathe in the steam coming off of the lye water for the first few minutes.
7 ounces filtered water, 4.8 ounces lye
When both oils and lye water are approx. 9o degrees Fahrenheit, pour the lye water into the oils and blend with a hand or stick blender on and off until it begins to thicken (trace).
At light trace, add the essential oils and clay (optional) and blend well.