First up from the herb garden - my very own homemade soap with herbs and citrus! I thought this would be a lovely homemade Mother's Day or Teacher Appreciation gift. I picked up some plain, unscented glycerin soap and added herbs from the new garden and some citrus.
How to Make Homemade Soap with Herbs and Citrus
I love the smell and bright green color of mint! Finely dice fresh mint and add to the soap after the glycerin is melted. I also diced up some fresh rosemary and combined it with lemon zest. A great combination!
Melt and pour soap is so fun and easy - you can do just about anything with it. Glycerin soap can be a beautiful work or art because it's clear and you can see the fun add-ins, like herbs and spices, exfoliating ingredients, and even fun surprises your kids will love.
You can also use shea butter soap base or even goats milk soap base. Both are creamy and moisturizing and also make pretty soaps with ingredients like roses, cocoa, and rosemary.
How to make soap with fresh herbs and citrus
Supplies needed
- Glycerin soap (sold at craft stores)
- Assorted herbs & citrus - I used basil, mint, rosemary, orange and lemon
- Food processor
- Glass bowl or measuring cup
- Plastic spoon or scraper
- Soaps molds - any plastic or cardboard container will do
- Cooking spray
Instructions
1. Melt soap
Put the soap blocks in a glass bowl & melt in the microwave for 30 second intervals until melted. Stir every so often to break up big chunks.
2. Prepare additives
While melting, puree the herbs and squeeze out excess water in a paper towel. For citrus, zest the peel. You'll need about 1 tablespoon of additives for each cup. FYI - Orange + basil = an unattractive muddy green brown color.
3. Get containers ready
You can buy cute molds at the craft store, but any plastic container will work, even your Ziploc containers. Though you might want to use something you can just pitch in the recycle bin when finished rather than trying to clean.
Use old milk cartons or even yogurt cups. I've used an old creamer carton to make a soap 'loaf' that you can slice into bars. Spray with cooking spray and wipe out excess.
4. Add purees
Once glycerin is melted, let it stand & cool for a few minutes. Before it sets too much, add the additives. Keep stirring to ensure they don't all float to the bottom. When you have the color you want (more time stirring = darker color) pour into a container.
5. Setting the soap
Let the soap sit on the counter for about an hour to completely set. If you get bubbles on the top of the soap (and it bothers you) spritz them with rubbing alcohol and they'll go away.
Then put the soap mold in the freezer for another hour or so. Then it should pop right out. Slice the soap with knife, if needed, and give them to someone you love. Use the soap within 3 months because the mix ins will eventually start to brown.
Homemade Citrus + Herb Soap
Equipment
- Food processor
- Glass bowl or measuring cup
- Plastic spoon or scraper
- Soap mold – any plastic or cardboard container will do
Materials
- 1 pound glycerin soap base sold at craft stores
- 3 tablespoons Fresh basil, mint, rosemary, orange and lemon or any other herbs you like
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Put the soap blocks in glass bowl & melt in the microwave for 30 second intervals until melted. Stir every so often to break up big chunks.
- While the soap base is melting, puree the herbs and squeeze out excess water in a paper towel. For citrus, zest the peel. You’ll need about 1 tablespoon of additives for each cup (or about 3 tablespoons for a pound of soap base).
- Once glycerin is melted, let it stand & cool for a few minutes. Before it sets too much, add the additives. Keep stirring to ensure they don’t all float to the bottom.
- Spritz your mold with nonstick cooking spray and wipe out the excess. Then, pour the soap into the container.
- Let the soap sit on the counter for about an hour to completely set. If you get bubbles on the top of the soap (and it bothers you) spritz them with rubbing alcohol and they’ll go away.
- Put the soap mold in the freezer for another hour or so. Then it should pop right out. Slice the soap with knife, if needed, and give them to someone you love.
Notes
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.
244
Eleanor A Connolly says
I have a ton of fresh basil I grow, I had always wanted to use it in home made soap, but was told that it would only turn brown and would look moldy. Does this happen? I would love to do Lemon/Basil!
Aileen Manalang says
Hello,
What are additives? Your recipe says 1 tablespoon of additives per each cup. Each cup of what? :) thank you :)
Smc says
The additives were the basil and the lemon zest per cup of melt and pour soap.
Mae says
Do you think michaels would sell the unscented soap bars? im trying to make my own with liquid castille soap.
Luna says
Yes, I was just there yesterday and they have heaps :)
lynne says
Can you use liquid Vegetable glycerin?
Oksana says
I wanna know more about smell))
Thanks for teaching!!
Raya Robinson says
I like thus. What were your combinations of the gerbs
Megan says
Can you use dried herbs and if so how much?
Cindy Jensen says
I had a glycerin soap company for years.... You really want to avoid putting your soap in the freezer or in the refrigerator to cool. It can cause the soap to "sweat". Also, you can pick up silicone baking molds at second hand stores and use them for soap. Bread pans work particularly well for bars. Silicone ice cube trays make amazing guest bathroom or gift soaps. My favorite cheap mold tip is Pringles cans. Pour your melted soap into a Pringles can and let it cure, then you cut the bottom of of the can and simply slide the tube of soap out and slice it into round bars ! They always come out lovely! You can also use a pasta cutter to get wavy bars! * sigh * I miss making soap LOL
Merrily M Willis says
i have avoided Pringle cans because I thought that the foil liner would be an issue - especially with cold process soap?
Jackie says
This is a great site! I tried the orange zest and dry basil. I know it says it looks brown but if you mix it just enough and not too much it looks and smells amazing!!! Thanks so much.
Drene' says
How much of each ingredient is required for the herbal and citrus soap?
dora says
can i let it set in the fridge instead? as i do not have a freezer :/
Stephanie Gerber says
Of course! That will work just as well :)
Susanna says
You need to be a part of a contest for one of the highest quality sites on the web.
I most certainly will highly recommend this web site!
Riens Handmade soap says
Yes, these are the kind of herbal soaps I enjoy creating. These are gorgeous soaps too!!