Easy DIY Natural Handmade Soap Recipe Without Using Lye or Caustic Soda

If you love DIY handmade gifts, or just enjoy using natural products that you've made yourself, then this project is for you. Here is a wonderful and fun recipe to play with that makes the best natural handmade soap you'll find without having to deal with the dangers of lye or caustic soda. Not only is it fun to make and far better for your skin than the junk in the store, but this recipe is fully customizable to suit whatever mood, flavor, scent, or property you want.

There are tons of ways to spice this up with your choice of additives such as:

Citrus, Ginger & Almond

Gardener's soap - with pumice, orange and tea tree

Floral facial soap - rosehip seed oil, rose, neroli and sandalwood essential oils

Basic Natural Handmade Soap Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups grated white unscented soap or Castile soap
  
• 1/2 cup oatmeal (or crushed almonds, or pumice, or your choice of additive)
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons almond oil (or your choice of nourishing oil)
  
• 5ml - 15ml essential oils or fragrance (depending on strength of scent)
  

Grate unscented, plain white soap (such as Dove or similar) or use natural Castile soap, and place into a Pyrex or heat-resistant glass bowl. Add 1/4 cup of water. No need to stir, in fact, don't stir it no matter how tempted you may be, it adds too many air bubbles to your mix. Make a double boiler by placing Pyrex into a pot of simmering water and heat gently until melted.

Remove from heat and add remainder of ingredients. Fold in ingredients very carefully to mix without adding any bubbles if possible.

Next is to pour into your mold. This is where it gets fun. You can use so many things to make your soap how you want it to look. Sure you can buy soap molds in fancy designs, but a Pringles can, or old ice cream box (smeared with petroleum jelly so it releases) work just as well.

Pour soap into your mold and tap mold gently to release any air bubbles, and place in the refrigerator to set. After it is set enough to release it from the mold you can remove it and place it on a rack to dry fully (for at least 3 weeks to fully cure).

After soap has cured, you can cut and wrap up your natural handmade soap to use yourself, or give as great gifts. *Just remember that food color is not suitable for making soap. You can use herbs and spices for coloring and added benefits. As well as essential oils to add fabulous properties to your homemade soap.

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More Soap Recipes on Associated Content