Easy & Natural Homemade Soap Recipes for Beginners

Best Handmade Soap Recipes for Beginner Soap Makers

Have you ever wondered what it takes to make your own handmade soap? You may be surprised to hear that it’s actually not that difficult! With a bit of know-how, the right supplies, and some simple ingredients, anyone can craft their own natural soap at home.

There are a ton of benefits to making your own soap, and the biggest one is that you control the ingredients. While store‑bought bars can include unnecessary additives, homemade soap recipes let you choose nourishing oils, gentle scents, and fun add-ins that fit your skin and preferences.

Basic Supplies & Safety

Before you dive in, gather a few basics: a soap mold, heat‑safe measuring cup, silicone spatula, digital kitchen scale, 99% isopropyl alcohol in a mister (for popping bubbles), and optional soap colorants and essential oils. If you’re making cold/hot process soap (with lye), add safety gear: gloves, goggles, a thermometer, a stick blender, and a well‑ventilated workspace. Always add lye to water (never the reverse) and follow trusted instructions.

Melt & Pour Homemade Soap Recipes

Epsom Salt Soap

Pretty and practical! Epsom salts can help relieve muscle soreness—perfect for a relaxing shower. (It even reminds me of the blue in our Dawn dish soap tips.)

• Epsom salt
• Melt & pour base (clear glycerin or goat’s milk)
• Soap colorant
• Essential or scented oil
• Spray alcohol & bar molds

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Coconut Shea Butter Soap

Luxuriously soft skin with just two ingredients plus a mold—great for first‑timers.

• 6 cubes shea butter melt & pour base
• 15 drops coconut fragrance oil
• Soap mold

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Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Soap

Fall in a bar! Goat’s milk base and oats are soothing; cinnamon adds warmth.

• 5.5 oz goat’s milk base
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp quick oats
• Fragrance oils: apple + cinnamon
• Soap mold

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Honey Lemon Soap

Beginner‑friendly, no lye, and smells like sunshine—great for gifts.

• ½ lb clear glycerin base
• Soap mold, honey, lemon zest, lemon EO

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Seascape Soap

Melt & pour with a show‑stopping ocean swirl. Worth the extra steps for a giftable bar.

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Pumpkin Spice Soap

Basic melt & pour base + pumpkin spice fragrance = instant fall vibes.

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Watermelon Soap

Adorable, fast (~15 minutes), and kid‑approved for supervised crafting.

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Popsicle Soap

Only about 10 minutes to make—fun fruity scents and bright colors.

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Cold/Hot Process Homemade Soap Recipes (with Lye)

Natural Soap for Eczema (Neem)

Moisturizing oils + neem can be soothing for dry, itchy skin. This is a lye‑based recipe—follow safety precautions.

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Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bars

Not technically soap, but made similarly and great for a low‑waste shower routine.

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Natural Dog Soap

Pet‑safe oils + neem and EO blend to cleanse and help deter fleas. Always check sensitivities for your breed.

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Dandelion Soap

Advanced technique, beautiful bar. Dandelion tea and infused oils create a nourishing, rustic look.

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Cinnamon Cocoa Soap

A dramatic swirl and cozy scent. Requires lye experience—review instructions carefully.

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Honey & Oatmeal Soap

Gentle exfoliation with finely ground oats plus soothing honey—great for sensitive skin.

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Pine & Peppermint Soap

Woodsy‑fresh scent blend with spirulina color for a deep green bar—awesome gift for guys.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Soap

Bright citrus with poppy seed exfoliation. Hot‑process method for quicker cure.

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Cucumber Soap

Cooling cucumber and French green clay help calm and clarify skin.

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Vapo Rub Shower Melts

Technically not soap, but a great DIY for cold season—release Vapor rub vapors for relief from congestion.

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Homemade Soap Recipes: FAQ

More Easy DIYs You Might Like

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