When my grandmother was alive, she would tell me about her life growing up and how her family made a lot of their own products, including soap. Back then, lye was used to make the concoction for the soap base. Nowadays, there’s an easier way to do it. In just a few, easy steps, anyone can make their own soap at home. It’s all natural, which makes it healthier, and you can make several bars at once. This not only means you will have more than one bar on hand, but it will save you money in the long run.
In about ten minutes, you can have DIY soap using simple tools in a few short steps. For me, this was crucial, as I am not someone who enjoys spending hours in the kitchen, suited up from head to toe in gear to protect myself from dangerous chemicals and heat. This simple recipe is so easy, anyone can do it.
For your soap you will need:
- Double broiler, (or you can simply place a glass bowl inside a pot filled with a little water in the bottom to create steam)
- Melt and Pour soap base (you can research on your own but you can find them at bulk apothecary for a few dollars)
- Wooden spoon
- Essential Oil (any fragrance you choose or you can leave it out)
- Soap Mold Tray (I found mine on Amazon for about $5)
Once you have the necessary tools and ingredients, you can get started making your soap.
1. Fill the pot with enough water to cover bottom. Place glass bowl inside with 1lb of soap base.
Once you have your soap inside the glass bowl over your makeshift double broiler, turn the stove on med/high heat to begin melting your soap. Use the wooden spoon to stir occasionally. Once the soap begins to melt, the process won’t take much longer. If need be, you can cut your soap in half to speed up the process. I bought 2lbs of soap base, but 1lb will make approximately 4 bars of soap.
2. Continue to stir the soap base until completely melted.
Once the soap melts thoroughly, you can remove it from the heat and set aside. Continue to stir so as to keep it from forming “skin” on the top like hot milk.
3. Once the soap is cool, add your essential oil and mix.
I decided to use tea tree oil because of the smell and it is great for skin that is prone to breakouts. You could add lavender for sensitive skin, rose for a sweet smell, or ylang ylang for dry skin. Any of your favorite oils will do.
4. Pour the soap base into your soap mold.
I found that it was much easier to pour the soap into the mold using a measuring glass, since they usually have a pour spout. There’s no need to refrigerate your soap once it’s poured into the mold. Your soap will harden on its own pretty quickly, and the soap is easily removed from the soap mold. Voila! You have made your soap in 4 easy steps.
Some things to look for in soap bases:
Make sure your soap isn’t made with propylene glycol or parabens. I decided to use an oatmeal base soap, but you can certainly use whatever soap you like. I typically like to use a goats’ milk soap as well. It is useful for those who have sensitive skin. You could even add some Shea butter for extra moisturizing properties, especially if you have really dry skin. Do your own research and get creative with this recipe. You never know what you will find yourself making. It’s affordable, easy, and something the entire family could do together!
Featured photo credit: mrmac04 via mrg.bz
