Making your own soap at home might sound intimidating at first, but trust me, it’s not as scary as it seems! Once you get the hang of it, the process is straightforward, rewarding, and even fun. Plus, homemade soap is economical, customizable, and allows you to control exactly what goes into it. No more mystery ingredients—just pure, natural goodness.
This is the entire soap-making process we use, step by step, so you can confidently create your own bars of soap.
But, before we do that, I just wanted to explain why you should make your own soap:
There are plenty of reasons:
- Cost effective: Homemade soap is much cheaper than buying high-quality, natural soaps from stores.
- Ingredient control: You know exactly what’s in your soap—no harsh chemicals or artificial additives.
- Customizable: Add your favourite herbs, flowers, and essential oils to create unique scents and benefits.
- Sustainability: Making soap at home reduces packaging waste and allows you to use eco-friendly ingredients.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:
- 300g lye crystals (sodium hydroxide)
- 670g distilled water
- 1000g coconut oil
- 1000g olive oil
You can also customize your soap by adding herbs and flowers like rosemary, lavender, rose petals, or calendula. Essential oils are another great addition for fragrance and therapeutic benefits.
Tools you’ll need
To make soap, you’ll need the following tools:
- A molding container (silicone molds work great)
- A hand blender
- Bowls for mixing
- A glass jar for the lye and water solution
- A thermometer to check temperatures
- Protective gear: gloves, goggles, and long-sleeve clothing
Safety first: working with lye
Lye (sodium hydroxide) is a key ingredient in soap-making, but it requires careful handling. Here are some safety tips:
- Wear protective gear: Gloves, goggles, and long sleeves are essential.
- Work in a well-ventilated area: Lye releases fumes when mixed with water.
- Add lye to water, not the other way around: This prevents dangerous splashes.
- Neutralize spills immediately: If lye touches your skin, rinse it off with vinegar and wash thoroughly with water.
Step by step soap making process
Follow these steps to make your own soap at home:
- Measure your ingredients
- Start by carefully measuring all your ingredients. Accuracy is key in soap-making.
- Prepare the lye solution
- In a glass jar, pour the distilled water.
- Slowly and carefully add the lye crystals to the water (never the other way around). Stir gently until the lye dissolves.
- The mixture will heat up quickly – set it aside to cool.
- Melt the oils
- Melt the coconut oil and olive oil together in a mixing bowl until they are in liquid form.
- Allow the oils to cool to a temperature close to the lye solution. Both should be within 10 degrees of each other (around 100°F to 120°F is ideal).
- Combine the lye and oils
- Using a hand blender on low speed, slowly pour the lye solution into the melted oils.
- Blend the mixture until it reaches “trace.” This is when the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
- Add herbs and essential oils
- Once the mixture reaches trace, add your chosen herbs, flowers, or essential oils. Stir gently to combine.
- Pour into molds
- Pour the soap mixture into your molding container. Smooth the top with a spatula if needed.
- Let the soap sit undisturbed for 1-2 days to harden.
- Cut and cure
- Once the soap has hardened, remove it from the mold and cut it into 1-inch bars.
- Allow the bars to cure for at least 6 weeks in a well-ventilated area. This curing process ensures the soap is fully hardened and free of any residual lye.
Tips for success
- Experiment with add ins: Try different combinations of herbs, flowers, and essential oils to create unique soaps. For example, lavender and rosemary make a calming blend, while eucalyptus and peppermint are invigorating.
- Be patient: The curing process takes time, but it’s worth the wait. Properly cured soap lasts longer and has a better texture.
- Start small: If you’re new to soap making, begin with a small batch to practice the process.
Making your own soap at home is a rewarding and creative hobby that anyone can master. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also enjoy the satisfaction of crafting something useful and beautiful. One of the top reasons why we make our own soap at home is that it ensures it’s free from harsh chemicals and strange additives, giving you a natural, skin-friendly alternative to store-bought options.
So, gather your ingredients, put on your safety gear, and give it a try. You’ll be amazed at how simple and enjoyable soap-making can be!
