How To Make Soap with 10 Easy Methods

One of the first things you might want to learn in DIY beauty is how to make soap. I’m telling you, it’s magical! One day you just have a bunch of ingredients and the next you’ve got homemade soap that you can feel and smell!

Plus, you get all the hydration and pampering store-bought soap lacks. What are you waiting for? Try any of these homemade soap recipes and you might get a new addiction:

5 Ways to Make Soap Bars

1. Glycerin soap

Glycerin melt-and-pour soap is a clear soap base that doesn’t contain any of the other additives such as shea butter or goat’s milk. Because it dries clear, it’s perfect for coloring and for embedding objects such as dried flowers and herbs like these herbal citrus soaps or these herbal spice soaps.

2. Shea butter soap

Most shea butter soap bases contain about 5% shea butter, which gives it a smooth, creamy consistency and an off-white color like in these soaps on a rope. It’s creamy and is great for adding colors, essential oils, or other ingredients like activated charcoal and cocoa.

3. Goat milk soap

Goat milk soap is chock full of vitamins, proteins and minerals that nourish dry skin and support skin health. Perfect for sensitive skin, these copycat Fresh Farmacy bars use goat milk and healing calamine to soothe parched, easily-irritated skin.

4. Cold process soap

You’ve mastered melt-and-pour and now it’s time to try your hand at cold process soap with lye. We’ll show you step-by-step how to make it with this lemon poppy seed soap.

5. Jelly soap

Create your own rainbow jelly soaps at home with gelatin, Castile soap and essential oils. Kids will love helping make them–and they make bathtime a lot more fun too!

5 Ways to Make Liquid Soap

6. Whipped Soap

Creamy, dreamy and full of moisturizing oils, once we show you how to make whipped soap, you’ll never want to use regular soap again! And because it’s loaded with good-for-you oils like coconut and palm, it can be used as a shaving cream, face wash, or even as a deep conditioner for your hair.

7. Liquid hand soap

If solid soap is not your thing, try a liquid soap made with relaxing lavender. Essential oil liquid soaps are easy to make and have a natural antibacterial effect. For tough jobs, try charcoal-infused soap.

8. Foaming hand soap

Foaming hand soap can be as simple as Castile soap and water. But we like gentler versions like this DIY antibacterial foaming hand soap that uses soothing coconut oil and fresh-smelling essential oils. Your hands will also appreciate this honey almond foaming soap!

9. Dish soap

Make a homemade dish soap that’s gentle on skin but still powerful enough to get dishes gleaming. Add power ingredients like super washing soda and soap flakes for a dish soap that tackles grease.

10. Homemade body wash

Homemade body wash is not only natural and good for you, but also affordable and good for your wallet. We’ve rounded up 11 recipes so get a bottle of Castile soap and get creative!

This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.