I may have found a new hobby… making homemade soap. I usually shy away from bars of soap, because years of using them growing up brought back memories of dried out skin. But these days, walk the soap aisle in the organic section of a grocery store and you’ll find it lined with an array of beautiful handmade soaps in a variety of intoxicating scents and colors. Soap making is something of an art form now, each block a carefully made combination of natural oils and ingredients designed to address the needs of different skin types. I was inspired to try making my own, and now that the first batch is done, I can’t wait to try more.
There are a couple of different ways to make soap. To make it from scratch, it requires a chemical called lye that can be dangerous to work with. Since I don’t know enough about it yet, I opted for the much easier method of using a glycerin soap base. You can find these at some craft stores (I got mine at Michael’s) or online. I used a shea butter glycerin soap base, for the moisture-retaining properties of the shea butter.
I knew immediately that I wanted to make an oatmeal soap. Oatmeal is known for its soothing effect on skin and its ability to reduce irritation and dryness. The texture also acts as a natural exfoliant, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Homemade Oatmeal Soap
Makes about 7 bars
Materials:
2 lbs shea butter glycerin soap base
1 cup organic rolled oats
2 tbsp almond oil
2 tbsp raw honey
You’ll also need a soap mold or pan – I used a soap mold that I got at Michael’s.
Start by melting the glycerin soap base – you can do this in the microwave or in a pot over the stove. I blended the rolled oats before adding to the soap to give it a finer consistency. Mix in the oats, honey, and almond oil, and stir thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into the mold and let it sit for about 4-5 hours to harden. You can also put it in the fridge to harden faster.
I sprinkled some rolled oats on top, but you can skip this step if you’re worried about them clogging the drain. I love the effect it gives, and I can’t wait to try doing this with different herbs and spices!
Once the soap has cooled and hardened, unscrew the screws of the mold and slide off the sides.
Use a soap cutter or sharp knife to cut the soap into bars.
This soap is so heavenly. It’s perfect to use as we near the end of winter to prepare your skin for the sunny spring days ahead. I love the idea of wrapping some in parchment paper and giving them as gifts to friends and family.
More projects for the week ahead from the BLDG 25 blog
Follow Julia on Instagram and Twitter.
I also enjoy oatmeal bath :) Great for skin hydration.
Love this! Looks so easy. TFS!
Interesting but looks awesome!
I’ve always wanted to try making soap but I’ve always been afraid of the lye. It’s good to know that you can make it without lye!
Yum! I’m sure these smell amaaaaazing!
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
Love the idea! and the bars of soap look so beautiful!
Thank you for sharing!
I read this as oatmeal SOUP at first and thought, “Well that’s intriguing.” But oatmeal soap is cool too. And smart because let’s face it, I’m never going to use an oatmeal face mask that’s just going to clog up my sink – but soap is so much more manageable. xo
http://kemptish.blogspot.com
Love the photos and great tips it is a must try :) http://bauchlefashion.com
I don’t think I’ll be able to get these soap bars out of my head today.
I can’t wait to try this out myself!
Your photos are also fantastic!
Thank you :)
Elise
http://coffeeandpine.blogspot.ca
These are amazing! I would love to give them as presents. I always do something handmadesweet for my friends
http://www.etsy.com/shop/wildcity
the soap bars are lovely. i am interested in making this recipe too. thank you for sharing.
how long do the soap bars last before they go bad? what kind of paper can i use to wrap the soaps? thanks again…
I love making homemade soaps. The ingredients change almost every day, but I am always happy I make my own soap. bulkapothecary.com/categories/soap-making-supplies.html
Where did you get the shea butter glycerin? I would like to give these a try for Christmas presents with some lovely cinnamon and orange essential oils!
These soaps are amazing…thank you for the recipe! I added a few lavender flowers in with the oatmeal and a few drops of vanilla essential oil. They look and smell delightful!
Hello! I have a question: I want to make my soap with a rocky shape. How long should I live it hardening before I start molding it with my hands?
I RECENTLY SAW THIS TUTORIAL , DECIDED TO TRY MAKING OATMEAL SOAP MYSELF. I PURCHASED A SMALL PLASTIC MOLD AT MICHAELS , I WAS PLEASED WITH MY RESULTS. I SAW A LARGE MOLD THAT WAS USED IN ARTICLE . I SEEM TO BE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THAT MOLD. DID YOU USE SOMETHING TO PREVENT LEAKAGE ? I DECIDED TO TEST WITH WATER TO MEASURE HOW MUCH IT WOULD HOLD. THE WATER IS LEAK ING OUT OF MOLD. WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP THIS, DID YOU LINE YOUR MOLD
Hello. :)
The tutorial is great, the steps are very clearly explained, and the photos help a lot, too.
I wanted to ask you about the shelf life of this soap, since I see it’s completely natural, witn no preservatives or other chemical products.
Can you tell me how long I can store the bars once I’ve cut them and how I should store them )wrapped up in cloth or silk paper or…)?
Thanks a lot!
Hi,
We would like to invite all the users to use our SOAP CALCULATORS developed to calculate:
1. Lye for soap making
2. the % of GLYCERIN inside the soap.
3. the TFM (Total Fatty Matter) in the soap.
4. the soap moisture (water in the soap).
The soap calculators are here: http://www.soapworld.biz/soap-calculator.html
Bye !
I just made these soaps yesterday and they seem to have come out well but I was disappointed to find that you can’t smell the honey only the smell of oats. I think an added scent would make them much nicer gifts
Colloidal oats can be a reasonable substitute for oats. I add goat milk in my Honey Oats soap for a darker color.
I just made this recipe and the instructions failed to mention to keep stirring it until it hardens as all my oatmeal ended up on the bottom.
This is so awesome! The pictures show how easy it is to make a great product for personal use. And the comments that share experiences to enhance this natural soap. Going back to nature is a much more healthier alternative for personal hygiene. Thank you all for sharing!
How did you keep the Oatmeal evenly distributed while it was in the mold? All of mine settled to the bottom.
Use the Suspension version of base. It lets anything you add to it “float” in the soap and be scattered throughout.
Hi,
Did you cook the rolled oats and drained them before adding it to the mixture?
No cooking…the oats will be raw, but it is nice to put them in a small blender or other appliance to get them in small pieces…they are very good for your skin,
I have a question. Has anyone tried adding witch hazel to this recipe and did it turn out okay? My granddaughter loves soap with witch hazel and has asked me to make her some.