How to Make Homemade Soap

Soap Making 101

Have you ever wondered how to make soap? Soap Making is easier than you think! With just a few minutes and some creative ideas, you can make a batch of handcrafted artisan soap, create fun soap for your kids, or even make beautiful gifts.

We have a super quick and straightforward Soap Making Recipe for you! It only takes a few minutes, melts, and pours!

For Soap Making Supplies, you can find supplies at online retailers. You can also find glycerin soap blocks, molds, and food coloring at your local craft store.

At Skin Perfection, we carry essential oils that can also be found at your local health food store.

Ingredients and Supplies for Soap Making:

• Double Boiler
• Candy Thermometer
• Glycerin Soap Blocks
• Soap Molds – any shape, seasonal shapes recommended
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Essential Oils (optional)
• Food Coloring (optional)
• Toys (optional)
• Herbs, Dried Flowers (optional)
• Jojoba Beads for Exfoliation (optional)
• Twine, Cardboard, Labels for packaging (optional)

How to Make Handmade Soap

Melt the glycerin soap blocks in a double boiler until the candy thermometer's temperature reaches 150°F. Add essential oils, food coloring, any additives, and exfoliants. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into molds and let cool. If bubbles appear, spray with rubbing alcohol.

When the soap has cooled, pop it out of the shell. Then, add any finishing touches. Now is the time to add any fun or holiday packaging. For example, you can wrap your soap with small cardboard pieces and dried flowers and tie them with twine for a finished look.

Soap for Kids:

Melt the double boiler's glycerin soap blocks until the temperature on the candy thermometer reaches 150°F. Pour soap mixture 1/2 way, let set, place the toy or trinket in the liquid, then finish filling the mold with the soap mixture.

Holiday Soap Ideas:

Instead of using a rectangular mold, use shapes! Here are some simple ideas.

• Snowflakes
• Hearts for Valentine's Day
• 4-leaf clovers for St. Patricks Day
• Sun - circles or 3-d sphere
• Flower (3-d mold)
• Gingerbread
• Birthday cake
• Tree

Making Soap with Layers

2 Layer Bars

Place the glycerin soap blocks in the double boiler. Melt the double boiler's glycerin soap blocks until the temperature on the candy thermometer reaches 150°F. Add the desired amount of essential oils and food coloring. Stir until thoroughly combined. Then, pour half-way into a mold, and let set. Spray with rubbing alcohol. Repeat for the second layer; melt and pour. Once the soap has cooled, pop it out of the shell and slice one-inch blocks. Then, add any finishing touches or packaging.

3-Layer Bars

Place the glycerin soap blocks in the double boiler. Melt the double boiler's glycerin soap blocks until the temperature on the candy thermometer reaches 150°F. Next, add Essential Oils and food coloring. Stir until completely dissolved. Pour 1/3 of the way into a mold, and let set. Spray with rubbing alcohol so that the layers adhere to each other. Wait 15 minutes to pour the next layer. Melt the glycerin soap block for the 2nd layer, heat to 150°F, then add any additional essential oils and food coloring.

Stir until the mixture is well blended, then pour the 2nd color until the mixture reaches 2/3 full in the mold. Spray with rubbing alcohol to remove any bubbles so that it will adhere to the next level. Repeat for the third and final layer. Spray with rubbing alcohol. Sprinkle glitter on top if desired. Let sit overnight—pop out the shell when the soap has cooled. Gently push down on the mold to pull out the soap. Cut from the side to avoid the layers from splitting, and use a serrated knife. Lastly, add any finishing touches or packaging you desire. 

Soap Making Supplies

• Double Boiler - melts the waxes, butter, and oils used in soap making. It is also used in lotion making. The purpose of a double boiler is to gently and evenly heat ingredients. You can use a saucepan directly on the stovetop but risk scorching your mixture.
• Funnels - small funnels make pouring your liquid into molds or bottles easy. You can find them in plastic or stainless steel.
• Droppers - excellent for measuring small amounts of liquid ingredients by the drop.
• Pyrex - measuring cups with spouts that already have the measurements etched on the glass. Pyrex makes pouring liquid measurements a snap. Glass is easy to clean and sanitize. These are worth the small investment.

Soap is great for both cleaning the body and hand washing. However, there are times when hand washing isn't possible. What to do? Make a hand sanitizer you can take with you anywhere on the go!

Natural Hand Sanitizer

You'll love the convenience of a hand sanitizer. Small bottles of hand sanitizer are super simple and easy to make. In less than 10 minutes, you can make a whole batch to keep your kids and family safe from germs. In today's world, it's good to have extra protection against viruses.

Sanitizing Spray

The natural hand sanitizer is a light misting spray. It is vegan, gluten-free, paraben-free, and doesn't contain phthalates. You must use at least 70% alcohol—yield: 4 1-ounce bottles for any sanitizing mist.

• 78 ml Alcohol (99% Isopropyl or organic)
• 31.8 ml Deionized or Distilled Water
• 18 ml Vegetable Glycerin
• 0.15 ml Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil
• 0.15 ml Eucalyptus Essential Oil
• 0.2 ml Citrus Burst Essential Oil
• 4.8 ml Leucidal Liquid SF Max

Add alcohol, distilled water, and vegetable glycerin in a glass bowl. Then add a preservative. Next, add in the essential oil and blend for approximately 2 minutes. Finally, fill them into airless bottles with a funnel.

DIY Gel Hand Sanitizer

• 64% Alcohol (99% Isopropyl or organic)
• 30% Deionized or Distilled Water
• 2% Hydroxyethylcellulose - thickener that makes a crystal clear gel
• 1% Vegetable Glycerine
• 2% Leucidal Liquid SF Max
• 1% Essential Oils - we have a few of our favorite scent combinations below

Foaming Hand Soap

• Deionized Heavy or Distilled Water
• 2 Tbs. Unscented Castile Soap
• 1 Tbs. Organic Coconut Oil from Plant Therapy
• 10 drops Essential Oils - we have a few of our favorite scent combinations below

Fill an 8-ounce foamer bottle with distilled water, but leave 1" from the fill line. Add Castile soap, organic coconut oil, then essential oils. Place the lid on tightly and shake. Done. Easy peasy.

Essential Oil Scents

Energizing

• 10 drops Citrus Burst (an uplifting blend of Pink Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, May Chang, Mandarin, and Sweet Orange.)

Calming

• 4 drops Lavender
• 6 drops Chamomile

Relaxing

• 4 drops Peppermint
• 6 drops Orange

Homemade Disinfecting Wipes

• 1/2 c. Witch Hazel
• 3 Tbs. Liquid Castile Soap
• 1/2 c. Distilled Water
• 20 drops Lemongrass
• 10 drops Tea Tree

Add Witch Hazel and essential oils together in a large glass wide-mouth jar. Shake well. Drizzle Castille soap into the mixture. Do not shake, as it will cause bubbling.

Cut up cotton squares from old towels or t-shirts and add. Lid. Store in a cool, dry place like a pantry.

Natural Anti-Aging Hand Soap 

• 1 c. water
• 1 oz. Castile soap
• 1/4 tsp. anti-aging essential oil

Add water and Castile soap into a jar. Add in essential oils, lid, and shake.

About the Author
Kari Thomas wrote this article.