If you’ve never tried making homemade soap before then we’re extremely sorry to tell you that you’ve been missing out on something very fun indeed! There’s just something so satisfying about making a soap that’s not only useful and great for protecting your family’s health, but that’s also the specific colour, scent, and ingredient combination you want because you made it custom to your tastes and needs.
How to make homemade soap?
In this time of heightened need for hand washing, making your very own soaps really is the perfect way to not only teach your kids about good hygiene, but also pass the time, give them more tools for washing their hands as much as possible, and making the entire process fun and creative while you’re at it. That’s why we’re always keeping our eyes peeled for great homemade soap tutorials that will help us try making all different kinds.
Best DIY Homemade Soap Ideas
Just in case you’re feeling as excited as we have been, if not more, by the idea of learning how to make your very own homemade soaps, here are 15 of the very best ideas, recipes, and scents that we’ve come across so far in our search for inspiration and guidance!
1. Homemade all-natural foaming hand soap
Have your kids always been totally enamoured with the idea of those foaming soaps that have become so popular but you find that the artificial ingredients that go into making so many of the scents that are sold in stores tend to irritate their very sensitive skin? Then we think you might have better luck trying your hand at this homemade version from Garden Therapy that has all the same fun foaming action but is all natural and therefore a little kinder to sensitive little hands!
2. DIY fluffy fun cream soap
Have we really got you feeling intrigued by this whole idea of making soaps with fun textures now but you can’t help wondering whether there might be other options out there? After all, if soap can be a foam, a liquid, or a solid, then it only makes sense that it can probably be made in other forms too, right? Savy Naturalista would have to agree with you! That’s why they’re here to walk you step by step through the process of making this fantastic and awesome feeling DIY fluffy cream soap that we actually tried. It was a huge hit with our kids!
3. Pretty 10-minute holiday peppermint soap
Are you looking for a recipe that’s pretty quick and easy and made with effective ingredients, but mostly that smells nice, fresh, and (most importantly) refreshing and invigorating? Then we’d definitely encourage you to give peppermint soap a try! Peppermint has all kinds of uses in aromatherapy, including clearing sinuses and easing migraine pressure. Learn how you can incorporate this great scent into a bar style soap courtesy of Happiness is Homemade!
4. Tea tree oil soap for acne prone skin
Rather than making just a hand soap, have you actually been thinking about looking into making your own natural face soaps because you haven’t had any luck with store bought products when it comes to reducing irritation on your face? Then we’d absolutely encourage you to check out this recipe from Everything Pretty that’s specifically formulated to benefit acne prone skin thanks to its use of tea tree oil, which is anti-bacterial and proven to help clear pores of potentially infectious blockages.
5. Bourbon, whiskey, and vanilla bean cold process soap
Just in case you’ve long been considering trying your hand at making block style soap but you’d like to collect and test out as many different techniques as you can find, here’s a great guide to making simple, basic cold process soap thanks to Lovin’ Soap! Besides teaching you the whole process step by step, their tutorial also shows you how to make yours beautifully scented like bourbon whiskey vanilla bean, which is gentle but irresistible.
6. Homemade lemon poppy seed soap
Did we really nail it when we started talking about the idea of making homemade soaps that have some kind of specific skin benefit in mind, but it wasn’t acne clearing that you were aiming to prioritize? Well, if exfoliation is something that your face and body alike are in need of then we think you’ll really appreciate this next recipe from Gluesticks that will also help you smell fresh and feel refreshed! It’s all thanks to their homemade lemon poppyseed scent.
7. 10-minute DIY pumpkin spice soap
Just in case you’re really just in the market for a soap that smells like other things you love, since you’re lucky to have discovered that most naturally homemade soap ingredients work for you and you don’t need specific considerations, then the pumpkin lovers will be very pleased indeed to discover this guide from Happiness is Homemade! They show you in careful steps how to make a bar soap that smells just like your favourite latte and fall flavour or scent, pumpkin spice.
8. Crisp cotton swirl cold compress soap
So long as your soap is natural, fun and simple to do, and smells gentle and fresh, are you actually quite interested in concentrating on the way it looks if you’re going to put in al, the time and effort it takes to make it yourself? Then we think you just might be the perfect person to give this beautiful crisp cotton swirl cold process soap featured in detail on Soap Queen a try!
9. Rustic hazelnut coffee soap
Just in case you’re still interested in a homemade soap that will exfoliate your skin but you’re also hoping to find one that invigorates its elasticity (or at least doesn’t smell like lemons because you find citrus scents too strong), here’s a fantastic alternative for your consideration! Take a better look at the tutorial featured on Mom Makes Joy to see how this hazelnut coffee soap that’t made with actual gently exfoliating coffee grounds is done in surprisingly few simple steps.
10. Fresh lime cilantro soap
Are you the kind of person who has always enjoyed scented bath products but you find that you like the smells a lot less when they’re very sweet or strongly fruity, so you’re looking for something a little different and more gentle? In that case, we’d be willing to bet that you’ll get along much better indeed with something like this recipe from Simply Stacie, which teaches you how to make a simple bar soap that smells like fresh lime and cilantro!
11. Thyme witch hazel clear skin facial bar
Just in case you’re still looking for a soap that will help promote clear skin but we’ve also just piqued your attention quite well in our talk of slightly less sweet or fruity scents, here’s a great option that might meet your needs a little better! This recipe from Soap Queen teaches you in great detail how to make a clear skin facial bar with thyme and witch hazel.
12. Avocado, cucumber, and oat soap
Have you actually been scrolling through our list hoping to find a recipe that’s a little more based in the world of hydration and smoothness, since your skin tends to get dry and cracker most of the year when the cold temperature affects air moisture? In that case, we’d absolutely encourage you to give this fantastically smooth recipe from Live Laugh Rowe a try! They walk you step by simple step through the process of making a bar that includes avocado, cucumber, and oats.
13. DIY gold fish bag melt and pour soap
Since you’re in complete control here by virtue of the fact that you’re making something custom, would you actually rather put most of your emphasis in your soap endeavours on novelty ideas that are a little more fun and might make an awesome gift? Then here’s something we tried recently that our kids just couldn’t get enough of! Take a look at the tutorial on Soap Deli News to learn more about this melt and pour soap technique and how they made one that looks just like a goldfish in a bag, like you might bring home from the pet store!
14. Cute neapolitan shea better soap pops
Have we caught your attention quite well indeed with all this talk of making something that looks really cool just for fun but you just haven’t seen the idea that makes your mind feel all made up yet? Then here’s another one to consider before we sign off! This sweet but gentle smelling soap looks just like a neapoolitan flavoured ice cream bar and is even made using real popsicle sticks. Just make sure no one takes a bit out of it! Get the full details for trying it out yourself on Cut Out and Keep.
15. DIY milk and honey soap
Are you actually still scrolling through our list thinking about how much you liked the idea of making a smooth, creamy, and gentle soap that will hydrate your skin and take are of those dry patches you’re prone to throughout parts of the year? Then we think you simply must take a look at this next idea from Happiness is Homemade that will help you prevent cracking and itchiness in the form of a DIY milk and honey bar soap!
Parting Words
Have you made another kind of fantastic DIY soap before that you were very happy with indeed but that you don’t see anything quite similar to here on our list? Tell us all about what you made and how you did it or link us to photos of your finished soap in the comments section!
