Most perfume lovers know that one of the best ways to make your perfume last longer is by washing your body with a soap that complements the perfume you are planning to wear. The soap then not only complements the perfume but actually helps it stay potent throughout the day.
The only problem is — it’s not easy to find a soap that smells just like your perfume. In fact, many people don’t even know which notes make up their favorite scent. And what if you make your own perfume?
Never fear, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 soap recipes for making your very own perfume-scented DIY soap at home!
How to Make DIY Melt and Pour Soap
Melt and pour soap is one of the easiest methods of soap-making and is ideal for beginners. It’s also ideal for those who want to experiment with different scents.
You will need to go out and purchase some ingredients, but most can be found at your local craft and grocery stores. Most importantly? You’ll need to buy the essential oils necessary for your signature scent.
1. Buy a Melt and Pour Soap Base: You will need to buy a special soap base rather than melt a bar of unscented soap. Unscented soap will not work.
You can find soap base in most arts and crafts stores, or you can buy them online. Clear or white glycerin are popular choices, but they also sell olive oil, shea butter and goats milk bases as well.
2. Cut the Soap Base: Slice the base into 1-inch chunks to help it melt faster. These don’t have to be exact since they will be melting, however, you will want to use a clean, sharp knife for best results.
3. Melt the Soap Base: You can do this in the microwave or in a saucepan. If you choose to use the microwave, place the chunks in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until they are melted.
If you use a saucepan, use a double-boiler method as if you were melting chocolate.
4. Stir and Allow to Cool: Make sure there are no lumps or chunks in your base. Once it’s a smooth consistency, allow the base to cool to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you add dyes or fragrances to the soap while it’s too hot it can affect the color and fragrance of the finished product.
5. Stir in Dye or Pigment Powder: Now is the time to add some color! Add a soap-making dye or pigment powder of your choice. About ⅛ teaspoon of dye or pigment powder per 1 pound of soap should do the trick. Remember – this may stain your skin!
6. Add in Your Essential Oils: This is the fun part. Use our essential oil combination recipes below to create your own fragrances. For every 1 pound of soap you will need between 0.16 and 0.44 ounces of essential oils. More on this below!
7. Pour into Soap Molds: Pour the mixture into your desired soap making molds. These can be found alongside the other soap making supplies at your local arts and crafts store (or online). They are usually sold in either plastic or silicone. If you’d like you can also use silicone baking molds instead.
If it’s a large mold, you may need to cut your soap into smaller pieces. When you’re done pouring, gently tap the mold to send any air bubbles to the surface.
8. Allow the Soap to Cool Naturally: Resist the urge to put it in the fridge or freezer, allow it to cool at room temperature for 12-24 hours. When it’s mostly dry, release the soap from the mold. If the edges are still damp you may need to let it cool a bit longer, simply place it on a wire rack for a couple of hours.
10 Perfume Soap Recipes for Scented Soap
The perfect amount of essential oil to put in soap will vary. Experts say that you’ll want between 0.16 and 0.44 ounces of essential oil per pound of soap. 0.16 ounces will produce a very light scent strength while 0.44 will produce a very strong scent strength. You can use this handy calculator to figure out how much you will need.
For these recipes, we’re going to be using mid-range strengths around 0.35 ounces. However, some of these will vary slightly depending on the amount of different oils needed.
We looked at the heart, base and top notes of some of the most iconic perfumes and came up with the below designer-inspired recipes.
1. Chanel No. 5 Blend
- Jasmine: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- Rose: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Sandalwood: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Bergamot: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
2. Philosophy Amazing Grace Blend
- Lily of the Valley: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- Musk: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Bergamot: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
3. Marc Jacobs Honey Blend
- Orange Blossom: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Honey: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Vanilla: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Pear: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
4. DG Light Blue Blend
- Jasmine: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- White Rose: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Cedarwood: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Granny Smith Apple: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
5. Lancome La Vie est Belle Blend
- Iris: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Jasmine: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Vanilla: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Black Currant: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
6. Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Blend
- Passion Fruit: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- Peony: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Vanilla: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
7. J’Adore Dior Blend
- Sandalwood: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- Rose: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Jasmine: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
8. Flowerbomb Blend
- Jasmine: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Freesia: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Rose: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Patchouli: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Bergamot: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
9. Gucci Bloom Blend
- Tuberose: 100 drops or 1 teaspoon
- Jasmine: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Rangoon Creeper: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
10. YSL Opium Blend
- Jasmine: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Rose: 50 drops or .5 teaspoon
- Vanilla: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Patchouli: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Sandalwood: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
- Mandarin: 30 drops or .3 teaspoon
Now you have everything you need to make your very own perfume-inspired scented DIY soap!
Of course, we don’t have the exact recipe for each of these essential oil fragrances, so the mixtures will not be exact and are not meant to be used in place of your perfume. However, they will carry many of the same notes, making them the perfect pairing for your favorite fragrance.
Tracy Thomas says
I have never seen pear essential oil or rangoon creeper let alone granny smith apple? Where do you purchase these? I doubt my local craft store carries these? Are these essential oils or are they perfume or fragrance oils?
Fiona Harrison says
Exactly what I was thinking, there is a huge difference between essential oils and fragrance oils