Soap recipes vary from exceptionally simple, requiring only a few steps, to particularly difficult where many ingredients are required. Soap making goes beyond putting together the recipes; however, and today’s homemade soaps often look like
works of art.
Polka Dot Soap
This creative soap will look terrific in a modern bathroom and will also dress up the soap dish in the children’s bathroom as well.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds “melt and pour” glycerin soap base
- 3 different liquid colourants (your choice of colour, non-bleeding variety)
- 3 small bowls
- Circular cookie cutter (about 1 inch)
- Square silicone brownie pan
Directions
Create the dots by melting a small portion of the soap in one of the glass cups and then adding a few drops of the colourant into the mixture. Put the mixture into the brownie pan and allow the mixture to harden. Take the colored sheet out of the pan and repeat the process for the other two colours. Cut dots out of each sheet with the circular cookie cutter. Then melt more soap and pour a thin layer of the melted soap into the brownie pan. Allow the soap to harden for a short time and then put a layer of dots down. Add more clear soap to the pan and put another layer of dots down. Then finally add the rest of the soap and allow the mixture to harden.
Tip: Spraying the surfaces with a bottle of rubbing alcohol reduces bubbles.
Olive Oil Soap
There are a few different ways to make olive oil soap and the result usually depends on what type of olive oil is used.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces water
- 6.5 ounces lye
- 5 ounces coconut oil
- 40 ounces olive oil
- 5 ounces palm oil
Directions
Since this is lye-based soap, it’s more advanced, and all the standard materials will be required (cooking pots, measuring cups, ladles, etc). To make the soap, measure and melt the oils on the stove until they’re around 100 degrees.
Combine the lye and the water. Add the oils and the water together and use a stick blender to mix for about a minute. Pour the soap into a mold and allow it to cure in a warm place.
Blue Sugar Scrub Soap
This recipe makes small sugar-cube soaps that last just a single-use, and which may also be made in other colors if the soap maker wishes.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces clear glycerin soap
- 2 ounces grapeseed oil
- 6 ounces white sugar
- Blue liquid colorant
- Raspberry fragrance
- Small square soap molds
Directions
Melt the clear soap and mix it with the grapeseed oil. Add the blue colorant to the mixture and ensure it’s thoroughly combined. Add the fragrance and mix again.
Add the sugar and stir until it’s well blended. Pour the mixture into the small square soap molds. Allow to harden.
Laundry Soap
Save money on detergent by making this simple soap for the laundry.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds of lard
- 8.4 ounces lye
- 20 ounces water
- 2 ounces of fragrance (optional and soap maker’s choice)
- Grater
Directions
Heat and mix the lye and water together. Melt the lard. Mix the heated lye mixture into the lard and then add fragrance. Pour the solution into the soap mold and allow it to harden for at least a day. Cut the soap into squares and after about a week, grate the soap for use as detergent.
Lemon Scented Soap
Lemon is a terrifically fresh scent for the bathroom. This wonderful recipe is simple and easy to make.
Ingredients
- Goat’s milk soap base
- Lemon essential oil
- Lemon zest (around 4 lemons)
Directions
Melt the soap base in the microwave. Stir in the essential oil and the zest.
Pour into soap molds and allow the mixture to harden.
Chocolate Brownie Soap
This soap will smell just like a chocolate brownie, but remember that it’s not edible!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces coconut oil
- 10 ounces olive oil
- 6 ounces distilled water
- 2.25 ounces lye
- 1 tablespoon castor oil
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla oil drops
Directions
Since this is lye-based soap, it’s more advanced, and all the standard materials will be required (cooking pots, measuring cups, ladles, etc). Measure and melt the oils on the stove and then combine the water and lye in a separate container. Mix the oils and the lye solution together until it’s fully blended. Slowly mix in the cocoa powder and then add a few drops of vanilla. Pour the mixture into the soap mold and allow it to cure in a warm place.
Zucchini Soap
A zucchini-based soap is a terrific exfoliating agent, and this recipe is very simple to make.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds melt & pour soap
- 1 medium zucchini (pureed)
- 4 teaspoons rosehip oil
- 2 tablespoons vitamin E oil
Directions
Melt the soap and add the zucchini and oils. After the mixture is fully combined, pour the soap into molds and allow it to cure for about 3 days.
Vegan Soap
Many soap recipes require lard, and that means the soap isn’t vegan. The following recipe is great for anyone who doesn’t want to use animal products.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces water
- 1 ounce castor oil
- 4 ounces coconut oil
- 2 ounces olive oil
- 1 ounces sweet almond oil
- 1 ounce cocoa butter
- 7 ounces palm oil
- 2.2 ounces lye
Directions
Since this is lye-based soap, it’s more advanced, and all the standard materials will be required (cooking pots, measuring cups, ladles, etc). Combine the water and lye in a single pan. Then combine all the oils together. Mix these components together and then stir in the cocoa butter. Pour the mixture into the soap molds and allow it to cure in a warm place.
Simple White Soap
Everyone should know how to make basic, white soap. This simple recipe is a great option for beginners.
Ingredients
- 41 ounces cold water
- 14 ounces lye
- 74 ounces tallow
- 32 ounces vegetable oil
- 3 ounces cocoa butter
Directions
Heat and combine the lye and the water. Heat and combine the remaining ingredients. Stir the two batches together and then pour the final mixture into a soap mold. Allow it to harden for a few days.
