Grammaw's Lye Soap

My sister got this at a church circle meeting during the 70's. It's called Grammaw's Lye Soap. I call it the best complexion bar ever.

• 3 lbs. lard or strained meat drippings
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• 2 1/2 pints water
• 1/4 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
• 1 can Lye

Directions

Mix ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl. Stir with wooden or plastic spoon. (Lye will react to metal of any kind) Stir constantly until it's the consistency of cake batter. Pour into a box lined with waxed paper. The box in which soap is placed to set up should be on several layers of folded newspaper sections and should be about the size that will fit 2 six packs of cola drinks. Cover with a heavy towel. Allow to set for 24 hours or untill solid. Use rubber gloves to cut into bars. Let it age for about 2 weeks before using. Lye will be very caustic during the mixing and setting process so this should be kept out of the reach of pets and small children. After it ages, it is wonderful for complexion problems and for dry skin. All bar soaps have lye in them so there is nothing to fear. I used it for years until I got too trifling to make it. It costs just pennies a bar.

By MartyD from Houston,TX