35 Bar Soap Recipes
Crafting your own bar soap is a fantastic way to create personalized, natural skincare.
These DIY recipes let you control every ingredient, ensuring a gentle and nourishing cleanse.
From soothing oats and honey to invigorating peppermint, discover how easy it is to make beautiful, toxin-free soaps right at home.
Table of Contents
1. Soothing Lavender and Oatmeal Soap
This lavender and oatmeal soap is a dream for winding down.
The calming lavender essential oil pairs beautifully with ground oats, which are wonderfully soothing for sensitive skin and offer a gentle exfoliation.
It’s a perfect way to end a busy day, leaving your skin feeling soft and comforted.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Calming
- Soothing
- Gentle exfoliation
Pro Tip: Add a few dried lavender flowers to the bottom of your mold before pouring for a pretty visual touch.
Get the Recipe: Soothing Lavender and Oatmeal Soap
2. Refreshing Peppermint and Tea Tree Soap
Invigorate your senses with this peppermint and tea tree soap.
Peppermint oil offers a cooling, refreshing sensation, while tea tree oil is known for its beneficial properties for clear skin.
It’s a fantastic choice for a morning boost or a deeply cleansing shower, leaving you feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Cooling
- Invigorating
- Cleansing
Pro Tip: Consider adding dried peppermint leaves for extra texture and a subtle visual cue of its refreshing properties.
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Peppermint and Tea Tree Soap
3. Honey and Rosemary Antioxidant Soap
This delightful soap combines the natural humectant power of honey with the revitalizing benefits of rosemary.
Honey is super moisturizing, drawing hydration to your skin, while rosemary helps refresh and invigorate.
It’s a deeply nourishing bar that leaves your skin feeling soft and cared for.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Moisturizing
- Antioxidant-rich
- Revitalizing
Pro Tip: For an extra touch, sprinkle dried rosemary leaves into the mold before pouring.
Get the Recipe: Honey and Rosemary Antioxidant Soap
4. Simple Two-Oil Soap with Coconut and Olive Oil
This straightforward cold process soap recipe uses just two essential oils: coconut and olive oil.
It creates a lovely, hard bar with fantastic lather and great moisturizing qualities.
It’s an ideal starter recipe for anyone new to making soap from scratch, offering a clean and simple way to achieve a nourishing bar.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Lovely lather
- Long-lasting bar
- Moisturizing
Pro Tip: Feel free to jazz this simple bar up with ground oatmeal or your favorite skin-safe essential oils.
Get the Recipe: Simple Two-Oil Soap with Coconut and Olive Oil
5. Two-Ingredient Homemade Bar Soap with Kaolin Clay
This incredibly simple homemade bar soap uses just two ingredients: a goat’s milk melt and pour soap base and white kaolin clay.
The kaolin clay helps cleanse your skin without drying it out, making it perfect for the whole family, including babies and those with sensitive skin.
It’s a wonderfully gentle and effective everyday soap.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Gentle cleansing
- Non-drying
- Suitable for all skin types
Pro Tip: If you notice air bubbles on the surface after pouring, a quick spritz of isopropyl alcohol can help them disappear.
Get the Recipe: Two-Ingredient Homemade Bar Soap with Kaolin Clay
6. Gentle Oatmeal and Honey Goat Milk Soap
This melt and pour soap recipe creates a beautiful bar with oatmeal and honey, perfect for both face and body.
Goat milk provides a creamy base, while ground oats offer soothing properties and a touch of exfoliation.
Honey adds a lovely moisturizing touch, making this a wonderfully gentle soap for all ages.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Soothing
- Moisturizing
- Gentle exfoliation
Pro Tip: Mix the ground oats and honey into a paste before adding to the melted soap base to ensure they incorporate evenly.
Get the Recipe: Gentle Oatmeal and Honey Goat Milk Soap
7. Vanilla Honey Coffee Bar Soap
This vanilla honey coffee bar soap is a treat for your skin.
The coffee grounds provide a fantastic natural exfoliant, helping to reveal smoother, brighter skin, while antioxidants fight free radicals.
Honey adds a touch of moisture, making this bar both invigorating and nourishing.
It’s a must-try for softer, healthier-looking skin.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Exfoliating
- Anti-aging
- Smoother skin
Pro Tip: Using fresh coffee grounds will give you the best texture for exfoliation and the highest antioxidant content.
Get the Recipe: Vanilla Honey Coffee Bar Soap
8. Easy DIY Lavender Soap
Create a wonderfully fragrant and calming bar with this easy lavender soap DIY.
Using a goat’s milk melt and pour base, you can simply melt, add dried lavender and lavender essential oil, and pour into molds.
It’s a simple way to make beautiful, great-smelling soap that’s perfect for pampering yourself or for gifting.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Calming scent
- Soothing properties
- Easy to make
Pro Tip: Cut the melt and pour soap base into small cubes to ensure even and quick melting.
Get the Recipe: Easy DIY Lavender Soap
9. Pink Himalayan Salt Soap
This pink Himalayan salt soap is a luxurious spa treatment for your skin.
The salt acts as a natural exfoliant, clarifying pores and leaving your skin feeling wonderfully smooth and clean.
While it’s great for a deep cleanse, remember to use it periodically to avoid over-drying.
Your skin will feel as fresh as after a day at the beach!.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Exfoliating
- Detoxing
- Clarifying
Pro Tip: If pink salt isn’t available, fine-grained sea salt or table salt (without additives) can be used for similar exfoliating benefits.
Get the Recipe: Pink Himalayan Salt Soap
10. Sugar Soap Scrub Bars with Essential Oils
These delightful sugar soap scrub bars offer a wonderful three-in-one treat for your skin.
The sugar gently exfoliates, revealing softer, glowing skin, while the soap cleanses and the added butter moisturizes.
You can customize them with your favorite essential oils for a scent that uplifts or calms you, making your shower routine feel like a spa experience.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Exfoliation
- Cleansing
- Moisturizing
- Glowing Skin
Pro Tip: For an extra moisturizing scrub, try using brown sugar, as its natural molasses content adds a touch of hydration.
Get the Recipe: Sugar Soap Scrub Bars with Essential Oils
11. Rose Petal Sugar Scrub Bars with Shea Butter
Indulge in these incredibly cute and easy-to-make rose petal sugar scrub bars.
Infused with rose essential oil and shea butter, they not only smell heavenly but also work wonders for your skin.
The sugar buffs away dead skin cells, while shea butter deeply hydrates, leaving your skin feeling incredibly soft and rejuvenated.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Deep Hydration
- Skin Softening
- Soothing Properties
- Gentle Exfoliation
Pro Tip: Adding dried rose petals not only enhances the visual appeal but also offers gentle exfoliation and a beautiful, delicate scent.
Get the Recipe: Rose Petal Sugar Scrub Bars with Shea Butter
12. Melt and Pour Soap with Lavender and Spearmint
Whip up a batch of wonderfully scented and skin-loving soap bars with this simple melt-and-pour recipe.
Combining spearmint and rosemary essential oils creates a refreshing and invigorating scent, while the melt-and-pour base makes it super easy to achieve beautiful, homemade bars in just a few hours.
These bars are moisturizing and can be customized with fun add-ins like dried herbs.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Invigorating Scent
- Moisturizing
- Easy to Make
- Customizable
Pro Tip: If you prefer a lighter scent, start with fewer drops of essential oil and add more until you reach your desired fragrance strength.
Get the Recipe: Melt and Pour Soap with Lavender and Spearmint
13. Oatmeal Honey Soap for Soothing Skin
This natural oatmeal honey soap is a beginner-friendly recipe that yields incredibly nourishing bars.
The soothing properties of oatmeal combined with the moisturizing benefits of honey create a gentle soap that cleanses and calms the skin.
It’s perfect for everyday use, leaving your skin feeling soft and comfortable.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Soothing
- Moisturizing
- Gentle Cleansing
- For All Skin Types
Pro Tip: To make powdered oatmeal for your soap, simply grind rolled or cut oats in an electric coffee grinder until they are a fine powder.
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Honey Soap for Soothing Skin
14. Lemon Coconut Milk Soap for a Tropical Treat
Transport yourself to a tropical paradise with this lemon-scented coconut milk soap.
The zesty lemon essential oil provides an energizing aroma, while creamy coconut milk creates a luxurious, nourishing lather that feels amazing on your skin.
This soap bar is wonderfully moisturizing, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Refreshing Scent
- Creamy Lather
- Nourishing
- Soft and Smooth Skin
Pro Tip: Use pure coconut milk without added ingredients for the creamiest and most nourishing soap base.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Coconut Milk Soap for a Tropical Treat
15. No-Lye Sensitive Soap with Calendula Oil & Chamomile
This wonderfully gentle soap is perfect for sensitive skin, avoiding harsh lye.
It’s infused with soothing calendula oil and healing chamomile essential oil, which not only smells lovely but is known to calm irritation.
It’s a simple melt-and-pour recipe that replenishes the skin with every wash, leaving it feeling soft and cared for.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Gentle for Sensitive Skin
- Soothing and Healing
- Moisturizing
Pro Tip: You can easily make your own calendula-infused oil by letting dried calendula petals sit in a light oil like sunflower or almond oil in a warm window for a few weeks.
Get the Recipe: No-Lye Sensitive Soap with Calendula Oil & Chamomile
16. Creamy Banana & Heavy Cream Soap
This soap recipe is all about luxurious creaminess! Bananas add a natural sweetness and contribute to a wonderful lather, while heavy cream provides rich moisturizing benefits due to its high fat content.
It’s designed to create a velvety smooth bar that leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft and pampered.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Rich Lather
- Deeply Moisturizing
- Creamy Texture
Pro Tip: To achieve that beautiful speckled effect from the banana, use a ripe banana and avoid the gel phase during the soap making process by putting the mold in the freezer.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Banana & Heavy Cream Soap
17. Gentle Baby Soap with Lavender & Shea Butter
Crafted with extra care for delicate skin, this baby soap is a blend of nourishing oils like olive and almond, plus moisturizing shea butter.
The touch of lavender essential oil adds a calming scent, perfect for little ones.
It gently cleanses without stripping moisture, promoting soft, happy skin.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Ultra Gentle
- Moisturizing
- Relaxing Scent
Pro Tip: While this soap is gentle, it’s not tear-free, so be mindful around your little one’s eyes. A longer cure time will result in a harder, longer-lasting bar.
Get the Recipe: Gentle Baby Soap with Lavender & Shea Butter
18. Moisturizing Shower Soap with Shea Butter & Castor Oil
This cold-process soap is designed for a fantastic shower experience, offering a great balance of cleansing and moisturizing.
It boasts a rich, bubbly lather thanks to castor oil and is enriched with shea butter for a luxurious feel.
Your skin will feel wonderfully soft and hydrated after every wash.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Abundant Lather
- Deeply Cleansing
- Highly Moisturizing
Pro Tip: Adding sodium lactate is a great optional step to make your bars harder and easier to unmold. It helps them last longer too!
Get the Recipe: Moisturizing Shower Soap with Shea Butter & Castor Oil
19. Cold Process Olive Oil & Shea Butter Soap
This recipe creates a classic olive oil soap enriched with shea butter, known for its deeply moisturizing and nourishing properties.
It offers gentle cleansing that won’t strip your skin, making it perfect for all skin types.
Enjoy a soothing, naturally beneficial bar that promotes a healthy complexion.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Deep Moisturization
- Antioxidant Protection
- Gentle Cleansing
- Soothing Irritated Skin
Pro Tip: For a beginner-friendly approach, try the melt and pour method using an olive oil-based soap base.
Get the Recipe: Cold Process Olive Oil & Shea Butter Soap
20. Hot Process Sea Salt & Coconut Oil Soap
Create spa-like exfoliating bars with this hot process sea salt soap recipe.
Combining the cleansing power of coconut oil with sea salt, these bars buff away dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling fresh, clean, and incredibly soft.
They’re also designed to be longer-lasting and have a lovely, rustic charm.
Key Ingredients:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Tallow Beef
- Avocado Oil
- Castor oil
- Cocoa butter
- Sea salt
- Distilled water
- Sodium hydroxide (lye)
Benefits:
- Gentle Exfoliation
- Soft, Clean Skin
- Long-lasting Bars
- Luxurious Spa Experience
Pro Tip: Adjust the amount of sea salt based on your preference for exfoliation; 50-100% of the oil weight is a good starting point.
Get the Recipe: Hot Process Sea Salt & Coconut Oil Soap
21. Melt & Pour Eucalyptus Soap
Whip up a refreshing and soothing bar with this easy melt and pour eucalyptus soap recipe.
The eucalyptus essential oil offers wonderful skin-soothing benefits, helping to calm irritation and leaving your skin feeling clean and revitalized.
It’s a quick and simple project perfect for beginners.
Key Ingredients:
- Melt and pour soap base
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- Dried eucalyptus leaves (optional)
- Colorant (optional)
Benefits:
- Skin Soothing
- Antibacterial Properties
- Refreshing Scent
- Deodorizing
Pro Tip: Experiment with eucalyptus essential oil blends like grapefruit eucalyptus or peppermint eucalyptus for unique scents.
Get the Recipe: Melt & Pour Eucalyptus Soap
22. Cozy Apple Cider & Shea Butter Soap
Embrace the warm scents of fall with this super nourishing apple cider soap.
Made with real apple cider and shea butter, this soap is wonderfully moisturizing, especially for normal to dry skin.
The natural hue from the apple cider gives it a beautiful, cozy look without any artificial colors.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Moisturizing
- Cozy Autumn Scent
- Nourishing for Skin
- Natural Color
Pro Tip: For added texture, stir in ground oatmeal after the soap has thickened slightly before pouring into the mold.
Get the Recipe: Cozy Apple Cider & Shea Butter Soap
23. Soothing Oatmeal Honey Soap
This gentle bar soap is a treat for your skin, combining the nourishing properties of honey with the natural exfoliation of oatmeal.
It’s perfect for all skin types, offering a creamy lather that cleanses without stripping.
Enjoy a soft, smooth feeling after every wash, knowing you’re using pure, beneficial ingredients.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Nourishing
- Naturally exfoliating
- Soothing
Pro Tip: Add a touch of cosmetic glitter for a subtle shimmer, or press a few extra oats into the top before it hardens for extra texture.
Get the Recipe: Soothing Oatmeal Honey Soap
24. Moisturizing Honey Oatmeal Soap with Shea Butter
Indulge your skin with this creamy, moisturizing honey oatmeal soap.
The combination of raw honey and oatmeal makes for a powerhouse bar that cleanses, exfoliates, and hydrates.
It’s wonderful for dry, sensitive, or mature skin, leaving it feeling soft and revitalized.
Shea butter in the base adds an extra layer of deep nourishment.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Deep pore cleansing
- Moisturizing
- Anti-aging properties
- Gentle exfoliation
Pro Tip: Experiment with different essential oil blends like stress away, vanilla, or orange for a custom scent experience.
Get the Recipe: Moisturizing Honey Oatmeal Soap with Shea Butter
25. Refreshing Mint Poppy Seed Soap
This invigorating mint poppy seed soap is your go-to for a refreshing and exfoliating cleanse.
The poppy seeds gently buff away dead skin cells, while peppermint essential oil leaves your skin feeling cool and soothed.
It’s a must-try for smooth, revitalized skin with a delightful minty aroma.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Exfoliating
- Soothing
- Helps with skin inflammation
- Invigorating scent
Pro Tip: Use a goat’s milk melt and pour base for an extra gentle and moisturizing bar, perfect for sensitive skin.
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Mint Poppy Seed Soap
26. DIY Shampoo Bars with Cocoa Butter and Essential Oils
This easy-to-make shampoo bar uses a melt-and-pour base infused with nourishing cocoa butter.
It’s a fantastic way to achieve healthier hair, leaving it feeling soft and conditioned.
You can customize it with your favorite essential oils like lavender or rosemary for a delightful scent and added hair benefits.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Moisturizing for hair
- Soft and conditioned feel
- Customizable scent
Pro Tip: Allow your hair a transition period when switching to shampoo bars, as it may take a little time to adjust.
Get the Recipe: DIY Shampoo Bars with Cocoa Butter and Essential Oils
27. Sparkling Clean Dishes with Homemade Coconut & Castor Oil Bar Soap
Get your dishes sparkling clean with this simple, money-saving homemade dish soap bar.
It combines the powerful cleansing of coconut oil with the great lather of castor oil, making dishwashing a breeze.
Adding a touch of lemon fragrance can give it a wonderfully fresh scent.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Powerful cleaning
- Cost-effective
- Reduces plastic waste
Pro Tip: Use hot water when washing dishes with this bar soap for the best lather and cleaning power.
Get the Recipe: Sparkling Clean Dishes with Homemade Coconut & Castor Oil Bar Soap
28. Nourishing Herbal Soap with Shea Butter & Essential Oils
Create a truly nourishing soap bar tailored to your skin’s needs with this herbal soap recipe.
It features moisturizing oils like shea butter and olive oil, infused with the goodness of herbs and pure essential oils for a gentle, skin-loving cleanse.
These bars feel amazing and bring the benefits of nature right to your sink.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Moisturizing
- Gentle on skin
- Customizable with herbs and scents
Pro Tip: Experiment with natural colorants like turmeric for yellow hues or spirulina for green to make your soaps visually stunning.
Get the Recipe: Nourishing Herbal Soap with Shea Butter & Essential Oils
29. Soothing Honey Lemon Lavender Soap with Goat Milk Base
This delightful melt-and-pour soap recipe is perfect for beginners, featuring a nourishing goat milk base infused with honey and refreshing lemon and lavender essential oils.
It cleanses gently while leaving your skin feeling soft and hydrated.
The lovely scent is incredibly soothing, making it a perfect treat for yourself or a thoughtful gift.
Key Ingredients:
- Goat Milk Soap Base
- Raw Honey
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Vitamin E Oil (optional)
- Jojoba Beads (optional)
Benefits:
- Deeply moisturizing
- Gentle exfoliation
- Soothing aroma
Pro Tip: To keep the scent fresh and prevent moisture from settling, wrap your finished melt-and-pour soap bars tightly in plastic wrap.
Get the Recipe: Soothing Honey Lemon Lavender Soap with Goat Milk Base
30. Whipped Soap with Sweet Almond Oil & Essential Oils
Indulge in this luxuriously fluffy and creamy whipped soap! Made with a simple bath butter base and enriching sweet almond oil, it creates a rich, bubbly lather that feels incredibly soft on the skin.
It’s perfect for a pampering hand soap or a delightful body wash, and can be piped into jars for a beautiful presentation.
Key Ingredients:
- Bath Butter Base
- Sweet Almond Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Lemongrass Essential Oil
- Liquid Dye (optional)
Benefits:
- Silky smooth texture
- Rich, bubbly lather
- Luxuriously moisturizing
Pro Tip: Ensure your workspace and utensils are sparkling clean to prevent unwanted bacteria from growing in your finished whipped soap.
Get the Recipe: Whipped Soap with Sweet Almond Oil & Essential Oils
31. Gentle Baby Soap Bar with Cocoa Butter & Jojoba Oil
This gentle baby soap bar is crafted with soothing ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil, mango butter, and jojoba oil, creating a soft, creamy lather that’s perfect for delicate skin.
Lightly scented with lavender essential oil, it cleanses without stripping moisture, leaving your baby’s skin feeling soft and smooth.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Gentle cleansing
- Moisturizing
- Soft, smooth skin
Pro Tip: Always add lye to water, never the other way around, and ensure you work in a well-ventilated area for safety when making cold-process soap.
Get the Recipe: Gentle Baby Soap Bar with Cocoa Butter & Jojoba Oil
32. Dandelion Soap with Whole Plant Infusion
Celebrate the power of nature with this unique dandelion soap, made using the roots, leaves, and blossoms of the dandelion plant.
This all-natural bar is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, offering potential relief for skin irritations and leaving your skin feeling refreshed.
It’s a beautiful way to connect with foraging and natural skincare.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Rich in vitamins and antioxidants
- May soothe skin irritations
- Natural and nourishing
Pro Tip: Use dried plant parts in soap making to minimize water content, which helps ensure a better cure time for your bars.
Get the Recipe: Dandelion Soap with Whole Plant Infusion
33. Moisturizing Tallow Soap with Coconut & Olive Oil
This tallow soap recipe is designed for amazing skin benefits, combining grass-fed tallow with coconut and olive oil for extra lather and a beautiful finish.
It creates a wonderfully moisturizing and cleansing bar that feels luxurious on your skin.
You can customize it with your favorite essential oils for a delightful, natural scent.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Highly moisturizing
- Cleansing
- Creamy lather
Pro Tip: Always wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when working with lye, and have white vinegar on hand to neutralize any accidental spills on skin or surfaces.
Get the Recipe: Moisturizing Tallow Soap with Coconut & Olive Oil
34. Basic Cold Process Soap with Shea Butter & Olive Oil
Learn to make soap at home with this gentle, basic cold process recipe.
Combining olive oil, coconut oil, and shea butter, it creates a creamy, long-lasting bar that’s wonderful for most skin types.
This recipe offers a straightforward approach to soap making, resulting in lovely, mild bars you’ll be proud to use.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Mild and gentle
- Creamy texture
- Long-lasting bars
Pro Tip: Allow your homemade soap bars to cure for at least four to six weeks; this process helps them harden, become milder, and last longer.
Get the Recipe: Basic Cold Process Soap with Shea Butter & Olive Oil
35. Inexpensive Lard Soap with Lemongrass & Cedarwood
Create beautiful, inexpensive soap bars using rendered lard! This recipe combines lard with coconut oil and olive oil for a wonderfully creamy lather and moisturizing properties, making it great even for sensitive skin.
The addition of lemongrass and cedarwood essential oils gives it a refreshing, earthy scent.
Key Ingredients:
Benefits:
- Moisturizing
- Creamy lather
- Cost-effective
Pro Tip: To reduce waste and use a sustainable ingredient, render your own lard from bacon grease for soap making.
Get the Recipe: Inexpensive Lard Soap with Lemongrass & Cedarwood
