Can you make soap without chemicals?

You can't make soap without using an alkali to convert the oils into soap. If you are just trying to avoid handling the chemicals you could buy a “melt and pour” soap but since you used the words “make organic soap” I seriously doubt that's what you had in mind.

What is a replacement for lye in soap?

Still, some soap-makers make a point of positioning themselves as lye “alternatives,” insisting – for example – they use glycerin instead, or make their soap without the involvement of lye.

What are the 3 main ingredients in soap?

Handcrafted soaps made from scratch require three things to become soap: oil, water and lye . It is the chemical reaction between these ingredients that turns them into soap. Most soap also has other ingredients added to provide benefits to the soap, or to color or scent it.

How do you make soap with only natural ingredients?

using only natural ingredients? Cut your natural soap base, shea butter and melt in a double boiler, mixing dry oats, dry flowers and a few drops of any oil you like. until fully incorporated. Add to silicone molds and wait until completely solid.

What happens if you make soap without lye?

Lye is needed to convert oils into soap. Without it, you can stand there stirring until the cows mosey home and never have anything in your pot other than oil and water . (To dig deeper into the how and why lye is needed to make soap, check out this article: 8 Common Questions About Soap Making With Lye.)

Can natural soap be made without lye?

Technically speaking, you cannot make soap without lye. Even most store-bought soaps have lye, albeit it is under clever names you might not recognize under the ingredient list. Lye itself doesn't have to be listed, but you'll notice things like sodium cocoate (coconut oil already reacted with lye).

Is soap with lye bad for you?

While it might sound scary — and is certainly dangerous in it's original form — lye isn't something you should worry about in your soap because the lye is no longer active in the soap after the soap has cured .

What is soap without lye called?

The secret to making soap without lye is called melt-and-pour soapmaking. With this technique, the lye work is already done and all that's left is the fun part–crafting your own unique varieties of soap!

Where can I get lye naturally?

The Basics of Making Lye One way to produce lye in your home kitchen is with rainwater and hardwood ash , which you will have to collect. You need a wooden barrel, metal containers for the ashes, a rain barrel to collect the water, and safe containers to capture the leached lye water.

What is the easiest homemade soap to make?

If I were to choose a simple soap recipe that you can make at home it would, without a doubt be 100% coconut oil soap . I love this stuff, not least because you can make it from just 3 ingredients, one of those being water.

What is the main ingredient in soap that kills bacteria?

Ingredients. Triclosan and triclocarban are the most common compounds used as antibacterials in soaps.

Is it cheaper to make your own natural soap?

If you are in dire financial straits, do not take up soap making as a way to save money. The upfront costs of the tools are a real consideration. It is still cheaper (short term) to buy the world's cheapest soap.

What is the safest way to make soap?

Soapmaking is a popular home activity, but potentially hazardous chemicals are often involved. Use of pre-made soap bases, or “melt and pour” products , is a safer way to make homemade soap.

All Natural Homemade Soap Bar Recipes (2024)

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20+ natural homemade soap bar recipes that are great for beginners and experienced soap makers. Plus, I’m sharing a few tips and tricks for how to make natural bar soaps at home.

You can easily make your own soap bars at home with these soap recipes!

It is so important to learn a new practical skill. And DIY soap making is such a great and valuable skill to have!

Learning how to make your own soap bars from scratch is also very satisfying. I love making homemade products for our home. There’s always a sense of accomplishment when making things from scratch.

When I make a natural bar soap, I don’t like to use any ingredient which could be toxic. So I personally avoid any artificial dyes, perfumes, and additives that can be questionable.

Homemade natural soap bar recipes

Not ready to make your own soap bars? Try these amazin g all natural artisan soaps and organic body care products.

When I make a natural bar soap, I don’t like to use any ingredient which could be toxic. So I personally avoid any artificial dyes, perfumes, and additives that can be questionable.

All Natural Homemade Soap Bar Recipes (1)

The recipes that I’m sharing in this post don’t contain any of those questionable ingredients that we are trying to avoid. Instead, they are all naturally made.

Methods of making homemade soap

There are 3 basic methods of making soap at home.

Cold process – cold process soap takes about 4-6 weeks to cure before using the soap.
Hot process – heated and cooked for awhile, typically in a crock pot as it needs a constant heat source. Can be used once it cools.
Melt & pour – easy process without use of measuring out fats, liquids, lye. Simply cut, melt and pour into soap molds. Can be used once it’s cooled.

Is lye required?

The way that the saponification process works, animal fats or vegetable oils are reacted with sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) to produce soap.

Simply said, yes it is needed when making a making cold and hot process soaps.

When working with sodium hydroxide, aka lye, be sure to work in a well ventilated area. And be sure to wear protective gear, such as eye goggles, gloves, long sleeves, etc.

However, you can make melt and pour soap bars without having to deal with the lye solution.

While I’m raising littles, I prefer to work with melt & pour soap bases. Because the dangers of working with lye are just too risky while they are toddling around the home.

All Natural Homemade Soap Bar Recipes (2)

Additive ideas

dried herbs & flowers
coffee grounds
activated charcoal
honey
oatmeal
clay
seeds: apricot, raspberry, cranberry, etc
milk powder
aloe powder
shea butter
cocoa butter
loofah

How to naturally color soap bars

There are many natural ingredients that can be used to color natural soap bars. I’m going to highlight a few of the most common and easily available options for homemade soap.

Red / pink: beetroot powder, rose pink clay
Orange: ground or shredded carrots, annatto seed
Yellow: turmeric, curry powder, ground chamomile
Green: alfalfa, spinach, green tea powder, spirulina
Blue: indigo root
Purple: alkanet root
Black: activated charcoal
White: kaolin clay
Gray: bentonite clay

Generally you will infuse with the oils you are using for the soap bar. Some other options are to blend into the soap mixture.

For best results, follow the specific recipe when you’re beginning with your soap making journey.

Natural ingredients

When making your own soap bars, you can make it with the ingredients that you choose and the fragrance oils, additives, and colorants that you prefer.

The recipes that I’m sharing in this post don’t contain any of those questionable ingredients that we are trying to avoid. Instead, they are all naturally made with great ingredients.

The featured soap recipes in this post are great for both beginning and experienced soap makers.

There are recipes for making your soaps completely from scratch and also many simple melt and pour soap recipes. So there’s really a little bit of something for everyone!

Be sure to check out this list I that put together with a few soap making supplies that will come in handy!

Homemade Soap Bars

Here are recipes for making your soaps completely from scratch and also many simple melt & pour soap recipes. So there’s really a little bit of something for everyone!

Clay and Charcoal Soap Recipe

This super easy DIY Clay and Charcoal Soap Recipe is incredibly beneficial. It uses a melt and pour goat milk soap base. And it can easily be made vegan friendly by changing the soap to plant based soap.

DIY Oatmeal Easy Soap Recipe

This DIY Cinnamon & Oatmeal Easy Soap Recipe is so simple to make. Using a melt and pour soap base that contains clean ingredients. And because it is all plant based, it is Vegan friendly too.

Easy DIY Rosemary Vanilla Essential Soap

Photo Credit:thriftyjinxy.com

Easy DIY Rosemary Vanilla Essential Soaps recipe! It is so easy and inexpensive to make. And it is so much better than any store bought soap you can get! I love a soap recipe with herbs and essential oils, don’t you?

Easy Melt and Pour Soap Recipe: Rosemary Citrus

Photo Credit:www.lifenreflection.com

Together with a refreshing rosemary citrus melt and pour soap recipe! Combining lemon, sweet orange, and rosemary essential oils for scent. Along with lemon and orange peel for color. And goat milk soap base to suspend fresh rosemary within the soap, just because it’s pretty!

Soothing Lavender Soap Recipe with Frankincense

Photo Credit:natashalh.com

Soothing lavender soap recipe with frankincense. It’s fantastic for everyday use, but it also makes a nice non-food Valentine or a great DIY wedding favor.

Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating DIY Soap Making Recipe Anyone Can Make!

Photo Credit:www.lifenreflection.com

This homemade soap recipe came from my love of grapefruits’ fresh, sweet, citrus aroma.

Homemade Lavender Soap Bars

Photo Credit:learningandyearning.com

This simple lavender soap recipe is naturally colored with purple clay and scented with lavender essential oil. Be sure to use a light colored olive oil so the purple color really shines through.

Easy Homemade Goat Milk Soap

This is great tutorial for making homemade goat milk soap using a melt and pour base and essential oils. Create a combination all of your own or use my favorite blends!

Dead Sea Mud & Salt Hot Process Soap Recipe

Photo Credit:www.healingharvesthomestead.com

So simple, with only four oils….but it delivers a wonderful lather, cleansing and exfoliation, all while being incredibly conditioning for the skin. The essential oils also have anti-bacterial properties and are super refreshing! What more could you ask for in a natural, handmade sea salt soap recipe?

Loofah Soap with Jojoba Beads & Essential Oils

Photo Credit:happiestcamper.com

When combined with goats milk soap and essential oils, loofah soap provides deep moisturizing qualities that give your skin a healthy glow. The jojoba beads add an exfoliating property that leave your skin silky smooth.

Basic Bastille Soap Recipe with Essential Oils

Photo Credit:www.yourbeautyblog.com

Formulated with a high percentage olive oil in combination with additional soapmaking oils, Bastille soap is a modern twist on traditional Castile soap which is made using only olive oil.

A Hot Process Rose Petal Soap Recipe

Photo Credit:www.healingharvesthomestead.com

This Rose Petal hot process soap recipe is the perfect choice! It's quick and easy to make too.

How to Make Dried Herb Soap

Photo Credit:projectzenstead.com

This easy-to-make soap uses a melt-n-pour soap base and dried mint, chamomile and rosemary from the garden! It’s flavored with essential oils and smells as good as it looks!

How to Make Herb Infused Homemade Soap

Photo Credit:learningandyearning.com

This recipe uses both herb infused oil and herbal tea. Making an herb infused oil really is as simple as steeping quality herbs in a quality oil. Time and warmth are needed to allow the volatile oils in the herb to become infused in the oil.

Make Your Own Loofah Soap (Moisturizing and Exfoliating)

Photo Credit:learningandyearning.com

Sometimes our skin, particularly our feet and elbows, need a little extra lovin’ care. Moisturizing and exfoliating them goes a long way in keeping them soft and smooth.

Honey Comb Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

Photo Credit:www.yourbeautyblog.com

Honey is a great natural additive for soap, but I also made the soap look like a honeycomb both in color and texture. The technique that I used is so simple to do, too. You can make this honey melt and pour soap recipe in about 15 minutes.

Watermelon Soap Recipe with Real Watermelon Fruit

Photo Credit:www.yourbeautyblog.com

This watermelon soap recipe is a great way to enjoy your favorite summer fruit year round and naturally fight aging!

DIY Pumpkin Spice Goat Milk Soap

Photo Credit:thriftyjinxy.com

This DIY Pumpkin Spice Goat Milk Soap recipe is simple to make using only two ingredients and, of course, smells amazing.

Goats Milk and Honey Soap Recipe for Beginners

Photo Credit:practicalselfreliance.com

Goats milk contains natural vitamins that help to nourish skin and honey is a natural antimicrobial that helps to make a creamy, bubbly soap.

Mango-Avocado Anti-Aging Super Moisture Soap Recipe

Photo Credit:www.healingharvesthomestead.com

Plus, Two Variations: Pink Grapefruit, Cinnamon, & Patchouli OR Lavender-Lemon-Palmarosa

Make your own 100% coconut oil soap at home

Photo Credit:piwakawakavalley.co.nz

Two recipes, one for a 0% superfatted coconut oil soap to use purely to make your own washing powder. The second is a 20% superfatted pure coconut oil soap – basically the 1/4 moisturizing cream, without all the extra cruddy chemicals and processing that goes with it.

Homemade Goats Milk and Honey Soap ~ Easy Melt and Pour Recipe

Photo Credit:practicalselfreliance.com

Goats milk and honey soap is a beautiful handmade gift to make or receive. By using a goats milk melt and pour soap base, you can skip the risk of dealing with lye and the hassle of milking a goat. The resulting soap is still handcrafted with love right in your home kitchen, and the shape, add-ins, and scents are all your own.