How To Make Soap: DIY Unscented Soap Recipe

This handmade soap focuses on returning to the basics with 3 simple cold process recipes. Each of these products creates an odorless soap bar that nourishes and cleanses your skin. Read on to learn how to make plant-based soap that is 100% vegan.

Lately I’ve been yearning for a return to simplicity, so to speak. This is probably because I worked hard on my book. Garden alchemyThis is about following processes that nature has already set up for us and reconnecting with the earth. Or maybe because January is always good for feeling like a fresh, empty table. If you can relate to it, you will love this project!

Simple handmade soap

When I started making soap years ago, I was happy to have the opportunity to make beautiful soap bars that are colored with natural herbal ingredients and perfumed with essential oils. Every time I made a batch, I felt like an artist being given an empty panel that was colored (and perfumed!) As I wanted. If you’ve tried making soap, you know exactly what I’m talking about! It’s so much fun creating and trying new recipes.

I have experimented and shared a lot with different methods, recipes and ingredients over the years some of my favorite soap recipes on the blog. I used phytonutrients to infuse the oils, added powdered plant powder to add color, and just topped them with dried petals for a little decoration.

But even if you remove the paint and fancy swirls, homemade soap is so nice. I love how these bars look like delicious truffles that look good enough to eat!

During my soap trip I do a lot of sample bars to test the different ratios and blends of vegetable oils together to see how each behaves when no plant substances, colors or other elements are added to the soap.

I have quite a few stocks of test soaps and that’s what my family likes to grab and use in the shower! My son in particular is at an age when he is sensitive to smells (even natural, child-friendly scents like lavender and orange), and the test sticks are just right for him.

When we started the New Year on a clean slate, I wanted to introduce three of my favorite recipes that show you how to make plant-based soap that is unscented for sensitive skin (or noses!).

How to make soap

There are many decisions you have to make in soap making before you even start the process, e.g. B. Which method you will use. For this recipe, you also need to choose the oil mix you choose for your soap. Here’s what you need to know:

3 methods for natural handmade soap

First of all, there are three main methods that I like to use when making handmade soap:

• Cold process – If done correctly, the cold process gives me a natural and healthy basic bar that I can use alone or add scents and colors to. The production of soaps in the cold process requires some experience due to the chemistry and the ingredients involved. If this is your first time, I’ve shared the steps along with photos to guide you in this post how to make cold process soap.
• Hot process – similar to a cold process. With this method I make soaps with tea, beer and wine. This post from The Nerdy Farm Wife contains great step-by-step instructions Oatmeal honey soap in a crockpot.
• Melt and pour – This is a great soap making option for someone new to soap making or short on time. The most important thing in the production of melt and pouring soap is the purchase of a soap base without additives. I have a helpful post about Melt and pour soap making and resources So you can choose the most natural ingredients. I also have a book called Good Clean Fun: THE idea book for creative melting and pouring soap projects.

How to Make Cold Process Unscented Soap: 3 Recipes to Try

Each of these three unscented soap bases is vegetable and vegan. This attempt to return to nature leads me more and more to herbal, simple beauty recipes like this one.

Read below about each base and who it might be good for. Once you’ve chosen which non-scented soap base you’d like to try, I’ll show you how to make soap – with or without fragrance.

Foam mixture: 75/25 coconut oil / olive oil

Sometimes you just want a good foam. In this case, create your base with 75% coconut oil and 25% olive oil as the base. This combination gives you the best possible foam. In addition, this is also the hardest homemade soap and therefore lasts the longest. It is ideal for scrubbing in the kitchen or after gardening.

The downside here is that it can be a little dry for people with dry skin like me. I don’t use this mixture in the shower or in the winter months when my skin is already dry, but if you don’t have dry skin and like a hard, bubbly bar that lasts long, this could be the perfect one for you!

ingredients

Moisture blend: 25/75 coconut oil / olive oil

At the other end of the spectrum, if I want the bar to be more moisturizing and more luxurious, I’ll reverse the ratios of 75% olive oil and 25% coconut oil. This bar is fairly soft and doesn’t last nearly as long as the other bars. It also doesn’t have a lot of foam.

However, it is quite moisturizing and feels silky on your skin after washing. If you have dry skin, you will love it!

ingredients

Balanced mixture: 50/50 coconut oil / olive oil

If you like foam AND a silky, moisturizing soap, a 50-50 olive oil-coconut oil blend is the way to get both (without going overboard).

This is my favorite recipe for handmade vegetable-based soap because it has a balance between hardness, good foam, and glycerin feel for moisturizing.

ingredients

Add scents to the homemade soap

Each of the three handmade soap bases mentioned above is ideal for unchanged use, without smells or color. However, if you want to experiment, you can certainly use them as the basis for adding natural botanical-based hues and scents.

The easiest way to do this is to add 15 ml of essential oils to the oil base of your choice and then prepare as indicated below. If you want to take care of sensitive skin, try adding calendula, lavender or chamomile oil instead of essential oils. These offer herbal benefits and are good for sensitive skin.

Ingredients for DIY soap

materials

Steps to make homemade soap

These instructions show how to make soap using the cold method, and are great if you’ve made soap before. If this is your first time, please follow the step-by-step tutorial how to make cold soap.

1. Protect your skin, eyes and clothing with safety equipment such as glasses and working gloves.
2. Weigh all ingredients on one frame.
3. Gently heat your oil base mixture in a Stainless steel pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave. If you are using a microwave, heat the oils at high speed for two minutes and then at shorter intervals until they reach 115 ° F.
4. Add water to a in a well-ventilated area heat-resistant 4-cup measuring cup. Add very slowly Lye into the water with stirring. Keep stirring until everything has dissolved, being careful not to inhale the vapors.
5. As soon as the lye has dissolved, place the glass container with the lye / water mixture in an ice bath and cool it to 115 ° F. If your oils drop below 115 °, you can reheat them if necessary.
6. When both the lye / water mixture and oils are at 115 ° F, slowly pour the lye / water into the oils while mixing with one Hand blender.
7. Mix the mixture quickly until it has the consistency of pudding.
8. Pour the mixture into one Soap mold.
9. Cover the form with cardboard and towels and place it in a warm place (like the top of the fridge) for 48 hours.
10. Remove the soap after 48 hours.
11. Place each bar on a wire rack in a cool, dark place to harden for four weeks.
12. Enjoy!