DIY – Make Your Own Homemade Soap

Whether you want an idea for a fun DIY to do on a weekend or a great personalized gift, these delightful DIY soap ideas are sure to please. Up your bathtub relaxation game or create a great personalized gift with homemade soap made from totally natural, healthy ingredients. You can even make them extra cute and personal by using shaped ice trays or silicone baking pans as your soap molds.

Lavender Soap

Lavender essential oil is known for its health-enhancing, relaxing properties, like relieving headaches, anxiety, irritability, stress, and skin problems. Needless to say, this homemade soap is excellent for helping you kick back and relax.

What You’ll Need:

• Blender
• 6-cup canning jar with lid
• Large fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth
• Soap molds (you can buy soap molds, or go simpler with silicone baking trays or ice cube trays)
• 8 oz fresh lavender flowers and leaves, finely chopped
• Brandy (you don’t need to splurge – you just need a neutral alcohol to draw out the scent of the flowers)
• 2 lbs unscented castile soap bars
• 1 tbsp lavender essential oil (buy essential oils kept in dark bottles – exposure to light can reduce the potency of their medicinal herbal components. Store in a cool, dark place)

Directions:

Step 1: In blender, combine lavender flowers and leaves and brandy. Purée at high speed for 2 minutes.

Step 2: Pour lavender mixture into jar. Seal tightly and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Step 3: Place fine-mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl; strain liquid into bowl, discarding solids. Add soap to bowl. Set aside.

Step 4: Pour enough water into a large saucepan to come about 2 inches (5 cm) up the side; bring to a simmer.

Step 5: Set bowl on saucepan so that bottom of bowl is not touching simmering water; heat, stirring occasionally, until soap mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in lavender essential oil until well combined. Let cool slightly.

Step 6: Pour soap into molds. Let cool at room temperature until hardened. Unmold soaps. Let stand in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place for 4 to 6 weeks before using.

Almond Soap

Ground almonds add great exfoliating powers to this soap, removing dead cells on the surface to make skin look lighter and brighter. This homemade soap is great for a healthy cleanse.

What You’ll Need:

• Soap molds
• 1 lb neutral soap, cubed
• 1 cup Comfrey Infusion (see below)
• 8 oz finely ground almonds

Comfrey Infusion

• 6 cups water
• 2 oz dried comfrey root
• 1 oz dried comfrey leaves

How to Make It: In a large saucepan, combine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Place fine-mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl; strain infusion into bowl, discarding solids.

Directions:

Step 1: In a medium heatproof bowl, combine soap and Comfrey Infusion. Set aside.

Step 2: Pour enough water into a medium saucepan to come about 2 inches (5 cm) up the side; bring to a simmer.

Step 3: Set bowl on saucepan so that bottom of bowl is not touching simmering water; stir until soap is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in ground almonds until well combined. Let cool slightly.

Step 4: Pour soap mixture into molds. Let cool at room temperature until hardened. Unmold soaps.

Source: thenest.com