DIY SOAP RECIPES
DIY SOAP BAR RECIPES
Have you ever tried making soap from scratch? This is one of my favorite DIY projects to do. I absolutely LOVE mixing the ingredients and adding scents and texture to create exactly what I want.
There is a lot of creativity that goes into DIY soap making!
A number of years ago I ran a little Etsy shop called Shadow Mountain Naturals and I sold handmade soap bars. The shop has been closed, but I still love soap making. My favorite soaps to make were honey + oatmeal, beer + orange, black pepper (a favorite with the guys), and pink grapefruit (a favorite with ME!). The combinations are endless and you can do a lot of experimenting to create the perfect soap for YOU!
When it comes to soap making procedures and ingredients, there is a lot to choose from as well. Cold-process soap uses a saponification process with lye and a liquid of your choice. This is the most challenging process as it takes some special supplies and you really have to be careful with the lye. But it does create an awesome bar of soap!
Melt and pour soap making is much simpler and involves just what is says…melt and pour…and the addition of essential oils, herbs, and spices of your choice. Most of the bar recipes below use the melt and pour method. Amazon is a great resource for supplies of all kinds!
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Lower in the post I am showing some awesome liquid soap recipes. And even farther below I am talking about sugar and salt scrubs. Technically these are not soaps, but they make amazing gifts and they leave your skin feeling wonderful. Trust me on this and make some for yourself and your friends!
How to make pretty soap is all in the DIY soap bar recipes and tutorials below. Seriously, most of these are display-worthy as well as bath-worthy!
You will notice that a lot of the herbs and spices you add to your soap recipe also add visual interest. Keep in mind that they add exfoliating qualities too!
EASY MELT AND POUR SOAP RECIPES FOR BEGINNERS
Lavender Oatmeal Soap {Garden Therapy}
Coconut Shea Butter Soap Bars {Simply Stacie}
Goat’s Milk Citrus Soap {Hello, Wonderful}
Fresh Lemon Poppy Seed Soap {Glue Sticks Blog}
Honey Oatmeal Handmade Soap {Creative Me, Inspired You}
Lavender Honey Lemon Soap {Sisoo}
If you make homemade soap bars, you might want to package them as gifts, so let’s chat about that.
My #1 choice is Kraft Paper. You can check out ideas in my post Farmhouse Style Gift Wrap.
Simply wrap a single bar like a present and decorate with ribbon, greenery or whatever suits your look. Butcher paper and tissue paper is white and works well also.
Making your own tags is an option too. That way your soap recipients know what kind it is. Baker’s twine is a perfect way to attach your tags as it adds some cuteness.
Two websites that I LOVE for soap making ideas are Bramble Berry and Lovin’ Soap Studio. Both have tons of soap recipes, ingredient ideas, and packaging tips. They post lots of creative ideas for beginners and advanced soap makers alike. And they talk about all manner of soap making. Believe me, it is easy to get lost in these websites for hours!
Cranberry Vanilla Shea Butter Soap {Simply Stacie}
Sugar Soap Scrub Bars {Country Hill Cottage}
Homemade Lavender Soap {A Pumpkin And A Princess}
DIY LIQUID SOAP RECIPES
Making your own liquid hand soap is very simple! Plus you have the added benefit of all-natural ingredients.
Use liquid soap as a body wash or hand wash, and leave some by the kitchen sink for washing.
If you use mild ingredients, the whole family can enjoy them. Even the little kids in your home!
When I am choosing ingredients for soap making I stick to the lower-priced essential oils since you do not need food-grade quality. But I generally stick to organic when it comes to additions like herbs, spices, and dried peels.
To be honest, the organic ingredients are not much more expensive than the regular stuff.
When you start soap making it can feel like an expensive hobby. One way to keep the cost down is to continue doing it. Once you have soap molds and oils and additions, you can keep using them until they are gone.
Another way to save money is to make soap with friends. Share the upfront costs and the hobby becomes quite affordable.
Check out these DIY liquid soap recipes!
DIY Liquid Hand Soap With Rosemary And Grapefruit {Modern Homestead Mama}
DIY Foaming Hand Soap {Jenni Raincloud}
3 Ingredient Liquid Hand Soap {Mom 4 Real}
Mulled Cider Liquid Hand Soap {A Life Adjacent}
Lavender Spruce Shower Gel {Humble Bee And Me}
DIY SUGAR AND SALT SCRUB RECIPES
Have you ever tried using a sugar or salt scrub? If not, you are truly missing out!
Scrubs are a great way to exfoliate and soften your hands after washing. Seriously, if you are a gardener, you NEED to try one of these.
I absolutely love the Apricot Sugar Scrub. It is so pretty and smells so good that I am tempted to eat it. LOL!
Homemade Apricot Sugar Scrub {A Pumpkin And A Princess}
Lavender And Lemon Hand Scrub {Easy Peasy Creative}
Sugar Scrub With Himalayan Sea Salt {Eco Loving Mama}
DIY Key Lime Sugar Scrub Cubes {A Cultivated Nest}
Lavender Sugar Scrub {April Golightly}
There you have it, friends!
My hope is that this beautiful list sparks your interest in making DIY handmade soap. Choose from options like goat’s milk, essential oils, lavender, honey, and oatmeal.
Use these recipes and tutorials are jumping-off points for your imagination and creativity.
Personally, I am not a big fan of lavender so I would just trade up another herb in its place to create a soap that I love.
Friends, if you try one of the tutorials I would love to know. Just leave a comment or email me to let me know!
Happy soaping!
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