Homemade Soap Recipe - Make Your Own Soap!

This homemade soap recipe is so easy to do, you can make batches of soap and give them as gifts!

Making your own soap may seem intimidating, but don't worry - you can do this! The recipe uses a purchased soap base, so you don't have to touch lye or caustic chemicals.

Soap bases, fragrances, dyes and molds can be purchased online at JoAnn Fabrics or Brambleberry.com. The soap base is melted, fragrance or other additives are added, then the soap is poured into molds to set. It's that easy to create your own DIY beauty treatment!

Natural Olive Oil Soap

This is a basic homemade soap recipe that is rich and moisturizing. Fragrances can be added as you wish.

- Cut 6 - 8 oz. of coconut oil soap base; cut into small pieces (about 1" square)

- Put soap base into glass bowl or measuring cup (2 cups), cover with plastic wrap, and melt in the microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave as needed until melted. Do not overheat the soap - just melt until smooth. CAUTION: melted soap will be HOT! (Soap base can also be melted in a double boiler; bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer to allow base to melt).

- If you choose to add colorant or dye, add a few drops or colored soap shavings while soap base is melting.

- After base is melted, add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and 10 - 15 drops of essential oil for fragrance. Let the soap cool a bit before adding fragrance; it will be stronger and last longer. Stir carefully to mix thoroughly and avoid bubbles.

- Coat soap mold with olive oil to prevent sticking, and CAREFULLY pour soap into molds. Allow to harden, 5 - 8 hours. Spray the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol to prevent bubbles from forming on the surface as it dries.

See - simple!!

This recipe makes ONE bar of soap; adjust amounts as needed for more bars (1 lb. of soap base makes about 3 - 4 bars of soap).

Oatmeal Soap

I love oatmeal soap - it's just so soothing!

Oatmeal soap can soothe itchy skin (as from a rash), or exfoliate and absorb excess oil in teenage skin. Adding honey to oatmeal soap helps to moisturize and soften skin. Here's an easy homemade soap recipe for oatmeal soap:

- Melt soap base as above.

- When soap base has melted, let it cool just a bit. Add 1 Tablespoon of oatmeal per bar of soap (you can grind oatmeal in a blender to make a finer exfoliant). Stir carefully to distribute oatmeal throughout the soap. Add fragrance at this point also; vanilla or milk and honey scents are nice, as is lavender).

- Pour into molds and let harden, as above.

For a really soothing soap, add dried lavender flowers and lavender essential oil with the oatmeal.

For teenage skin, add a few drops of tea tree oil, an antiseptic which helps heal blemishes.

For a moisturizing soap, add 1 Tablespoon of honey with the oatmeal.

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