I make a lot of homemade soap.
Goat milk soap from scratch using goat milk from my own goats is my favorite but sometimes even I use melt and pour soap bases.
The decision on what type of soap base to use depends on what properties I want that soap to have, what I bases I have on hand already made up (I prepare my bases in large quantities, shred them and then store them as soap shreds) and - if I am making soap for someone else - what their preference is.
Over the years I have come up with some interesting scents, but somehow I keep coming back to the same basic ten ways to scent homemade soap that everyone loves.
Here are my ten "go-to" soap scent recipes.
Before adding in scent or other additives, have your soap base pre-melted.
Sometimes during the mixing process I have to pop my glass container that I mix everything in back into the microwave to melt the soap a bit more but typically this is unnecessary.
I pour the melted soap into a large glass measuring cup and cover it with a piece of Saran Wrap.
This keeps the soap warm while I am working with it in most cases.
1. Peppermint
Hands down, peppermint is my all time best-selling soap.
Sometimes I mix and match the scents like peppermint-chocolate, but truthfully just plain peppermint sells.
I've been told by customers that the scent in the morning really helps get their day off to a great start.
This scent is easy to make and the peppermint essential oil is not overly expensive.
My basic recipe is 1 teaspoon of peppermint essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add the peppermint essential oil to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
2. Chocolate
I have tried lots of chocolate recipes but found one recently that beats all the others hands-down.
This one takes a few more ingredients, but is well worth making.
I used ½ pound of goat milk soap base and ½ pound of shea butter soap base.
Once the soap is melted, stir 1 teaspoon almond oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla essential oil into the goat milk soap base.
Set aside.
Stir 1 teaspoon dark cocoa powder and 2 teaspoons honey into the melted shea butter base.
Pour the shea butter base mixture into the molds filling them halfway up. Top off with the goat milk mixture and use a bamboo skewer to swirl the soaps together.
3. Lavender
My basic recipe is 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add the lavender essential oil to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
4. Vanilla
My basic recipe is 1 teaspoon of vanilla essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add the vanilla essential oil to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
5. Patchouli
My basic recipe is 1 teaspoon of patchouli essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add the patchouli essential oil to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
6. Citrus
There are two popular citrus soaps that I make.
One is a coconut-lime and for it I found a coconut-lime pre-mixed soap scent that I was able to use.
I simply add one teaspoon of the essential oil mix to one pound of pre-melted soap.
The citrus recipe I prefer however is this one - melt one pound of soap base, add in 1 teaspoon jojoba oil, ½ teaspoon bergamot essential oil, ¾ teaspoon lime essential oil and one teaspoon lemon essential oil.
7. Milk And Honey
Use a goat milk base soap for this recipe, melt 2 pounds of the base, then add in 2 teaspoons vanilla essential oil and 1 Tablespoon of honey.
You can make this plain or add in some old-fashion oatmeal to give it an exfoliating quality.
The amount of oatmeal is one cup.
Be sure you do not use quick cooking oats.
8. Rosemary-Spearmint
My basic recipe is ½ teaspoon of spearmint essential oil and ½ teaspoon of rosemary essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add both essential oils to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
9. Cinnamon-Chocolate Swirl
My basic recipe is ½ teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil and ½ teaspoon of chocolate essential oil to one pound of soap base.
I simply add both essential oils to the top of the melted soap and use a bamboo skewer to stir it into the soap.
10. Caffe Latte
This is an exfoliating soap that I started making due to the request for a coffee scented soap.
Start with 2 pounds of melted soap divided in half and once cup of vanilla flavored coffee complete with the grounds.
Add 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla essential oil to half the melted soap.
Stir well with a bamboo skewer.
Add 1 Tablespoon vanilla flavored coffee, 2 Tablespoons coffee grounds and 1 ½ teaspoons of the vanilla essential oil the other other half of the soap and stir well with a bamboo skewer.
Pour the two soaps side-by-side into the mold, then swirl to incorporate.
That's it. My ten ways to scent homemade soap.
I'll leave you with a few tips I've learned along the way.
I love Bamboo skewers to mix scents and combine soaps.
They are cheap and I can just toss them when I am done.
I do not have to worry about scents mingling between soaps either.
Bubbles will form on the top of your poured soaps.
Buy a small refillable spray bottle, fill it with rubbing alcohol and spray the top of the soap before you work with it.
This will solve the bubble problem.
Give your soap time to cool in the mold before you try to remove it.
Overnight is generally sufficient. I have found I can remove soaps within a few hours if I am in a hurry.
If the soaps don't want to come out, freeze them.
If they still don't want to come out, carefully run the frozen soap under hot water - but be prepared for the soap to fall out.
Cure soap at least 4 weeks.
It makes for a nicer, better scented, longer lasting soap.
Turn the soap several times a day so all sides cure properly.
If you see what looks like droplets of water forming on the top of your soap, it is likely essential oils.
This is a sign of a high quality soap.
Simply allow a fan to blow over the soaps to help with evaporation.
I have also lightly dabbed a paper towel on the soaps to remove some of the condensation.
Be prepared for your home or work area to have a strong scent of whatever essential oils you used for several days.
I'd love to hear from you if you have any tips or tricks to share or even a favorite soap recipe.