Handmade soap: tips and recipes to make at home

Producing soaps at home is not difficult, it is cheap and can generate profit – both financially and in terms of health! After all, most of the industrialized soaps available on the market are manufactured using a series of chemicals that can end up causing allergies and other harm to the skin.

“The main advantage is controlling what your family and clients are using. By opting for natural plant extracts, moisturizing oils and butters, allergies and aggression caused by chemical products are avoided”, points out Lê Bottaro, artisan at the Lê Bottaro studio, who has been working with the production of soaps since 2007.

In addition to the skin benefits of using natural products, making soaps at home can bring a great economic advantage. With little investment, it is possible to make a good amount of bars or liquid soaps, helping to save on the purchase of products for the family.

Another attractive option is to sell self-made soaps, generating even more economic benefits. Spending little, you can have a high income and still work on your own and without leaving home! Those who like to make handicrafts can find in soaps a great opportunity to start their own business.

How to make soap step by step

Making soaps at home is much simpler than it may seem. Although special care and attention is required in the execution, the recipes can be prepared with practicality and without major complications.

For your soaps to be of quality, it is essential to pay attention to the origin of all the raw material used in production. “Care must be taken in the choice of ingredients and opt for quality suppliers. Low price is not always a guarantee of quality! All ingredients must be registered with Anvisa, as it is the artisan’s guarantee of having a good raw material in hand”, advises Lê Bottaro.

The artisan also warns that bases with a lot of alcohol can end up drying the skin and recommends the use of ingredients such as glycolic plant extracts, dried herbs and flowers, butters, oils, glycerin, honey and their derivatives.

Check out how to make some types of soaps:

body soaps

Bar:

• Glycerin base;
• Almond oil;
• Clove powder;
• Star anise;
• gray clay.

Melt the glycerin in an enameled pan over low heat. When it is liquid, add a few drops of almond oil and two spoons (coffee) of cloves and mix well. In the mold, put some of the mixture. Then add a little anise and gray clay in each mold. Then cover everything with the glycerin mixture. Leave in the molds until the soap dries completely and unmold.

Liquid:

• 200 ml of liquid soap base;
• 800 ml of water;
• 30 ml of essence of your choice;
• 10 ml of glycolic extract;
• cosmetic dye;
• amphoteric.

In a container, mix the liquid soap base with the water, adding the water gradually. Then add the essence, glycolic extract and coloring. Then add the amphoteric until you reach the desired point and texture. Stir throughout the process. When it reaches the point, let the mixture sit for 24 hours before putting the soap in the package.

Exfoliating:

• 1 bar soap of your choice;
• Water;
• Passion fruit seeds.

Grate the entire bar of soap. In a pot, add water until the liquid is a finger above the grated soap. Cover the pot tightly and let the mixture stand for two days, until the soap is completely dissolved in the water. If not, add more water and let it sit for another day.

After this step, you already have a liquid soap. To make it exfoliating, remove the passion fruit seeds and grind them in a blender. Add the seeds (washed and dried!) to the soap and mix well.

hand soaps

Bar:

• 1 kg of glycerin base;
• 70 ml of essence;
• 100 ml of lauryl;
• cosmetic dye;
• 50 ml of calendula extract.

Cut the glycerin base and melt it in an enameled pan. With the base completely liquid, add the essence of your choice, the lauryl, the marigold extract and a few drops of the coloring and mix well. Pour the mixture into molds and let it dry naturally or in the freezer.

Liquid:

• 1 grated bar soap;
• 100g of glycerin base;
• cosmetic dye;
• Water.

Add about 500 ml of water to the grated soap, bring to a boil and stir until the soap dissolves completely. Then add the glycerin base, the coloring and another 400 ml of water. Stir well until the glycerin melts and forms a homogeneous mixture. Let it rest for 24 hours.

face soaps

Bar:

• 3 spoons of cinnamon;
• 4 spoons of honey;
• 1 bar of facial soap.

Cut the soap into pieces and melt it. Add the honey and cinnamon, mix well to form a homogeneous paste. Pour the mixture into a mold and let it rest until the bar hardens. You can speed up the process by putting it in the fridge. The recipe yields one bar of soap.

Liquid:

• Coconut soap;
• avocado oil;
• Almond oil;
• Geranium essential oil;
• Honey;
• Water.

Melt the coconut soap to a liquid consistency. Add all the other ingredients and stir well until a homogeneous mixture is formed. Place in molds, wait for the soap to harden and unmold. Let the product rest for 24 hours. Once this is done, grate the bar, add water until it covers the grated soap and let it rest in a covered container for about two days, until the soap is completely dissolved.

Exfoliating:

• 1 tablespoon of grated coconut soap;
• 2 tablespoons of sugar;
• Water or saline.

Mix all the ingredients well and the exfoliating soap is ready!

11 homemade and natural homemade soap recipes

Check out more soap recipes to make at home – there are liquid, bar and exfoliating soaps!

1. Glycerin soap with herbs: this recipe is very simple and natural, without lauryl or dyes. For this, you will only need glycerin base, essence and herbs of your choice. The result is a transparent bar, with the herbs appearing inside the soap.

2. Basic Handmade Soap: This is the basic recipe for making any handcrafted bar soap. With this base, you can adapt and add ingredients to get the type of soap you want.

3. Rosemary soap: this is a bar soap made from rosemary essence, coconut oil and olive oil. The preparation requires extra care, as it contains caustic soda as one of the ingredients. The recipe yields about 16 units.

4. Fennel Soap: Glycerin base, essence and fennel seeds are the main ingredients of this soap recipe. The preparation is simple and you can add coloring to a colored bar.

5. Exfoliating moisturizing soap: for this soap you will only need a moisturizing oil, liquid soap and sugar. The preparation is also very simple, just mix the three ingredients. As the preparation is practical, you can make the mixture each time you use it or make it in larger quantities to store (use a jar with a lid, in that case!).

6. Oatmeal and honey exfoliating soap: with natural ingredients, this is an exfoliating soap bar. Ingredients include rolled oats, honey, essences, glycerin and lauryl.

7. Exfoliating soap with clay: also in a bar, this recipe requires few ingredients – glycerin, sulfur clay, honey and essence. The indication is to use it to deep clean the skin and then apply a moisturizer.

8. Oatmeal exfoliating soap: for this recipe you will need a glycerin soap, oat flakes, body oil and moisturizer. The result is a bar soap that, in addition to exfoliating, moisturizes the skin. Glycerin soap can be substituted for beeswax.

Fruit shaped soap course

An interesting option for those who want to invest in a new business or invest in handicrafts as a way of supplementing their income is the creation and sale of handmade soaps. Soaps are easy to make, simple to sell and transport, and they don’t need much prior experience to make.

In this sense, opting for different formats, natural ingredients and other details that enhance the product is essential. Therefore, it is worth investing in a good course to prepare in an uncomplicated way to start production.

Learn more about the artisan soap making course

Care against contamination

When handling your soap, the equipment used is as important as the ingredients so that the result has quality. It is essential to follow some rules so as not to run the risk of contaminating the products and ending up compromising all your work.

The first point to be noted is the material of pans, pots and spoons used in the production. Avoid iron, stainless steel, aluminum and clay instruments, and watch out for plastics that can melt. Prefer silicone pots and spoons, resistant plastics and glass. As for pans, Lê Bottaro’s recommendation is to always use agate ones – enamelled pans -, as these do not release residue and do not react with the ingredients.

Also, take care of the melting process! “Always use electric stove. The old technique of melting in a water bath can contaminate the product, as the steam can cause moisture in the final result”, points out the artisan.

The preparation of the environment in which the soaps will be produced is also important in order to obtain good quality products. Even doing this at home, it is possible to prepare a corner with what is necessary for a safe production, just take some care.

“The place must be light and airy. It is necessary to have a clean space, reserved only for practice; handle materials with disposable caps and gloves; do not allow pets in the same environment; wash the products well and take care that the stock is always clean and organized. And avoid preparing the product near open windows, as dust can contaminate the soap”, advises Bottaro.

If the recipe contains lye as one of the ingredients, be extremely careful! Caustic soda is a dangerous and corrosive product that, in contact with the skin, can cause burns. When mixing with water, always add the soda to the water and never the other way around. When handling, the use of gloves, goggles, mask and long-sleeved clothing is essential.

Another important tip, especially for those who intend to sell the soaps produced, is to work with labels. “Always put labels on the final product, with data on ingredients used, expiration date and contact phone number for the artisan”, highlights Bottaro. The suggested expiration date of the professional is six months.

With the precautions taken, soap making can only bring you benefits. Write down the tips, check out the recipes and get your hands dirty!