It’s hard to put in words just how wonderful this natural honey soap recipe smells, it’s just one of a few soaps that I can’t walk past without having a little sniff.
Both of the homemade honey soap recipes featured below can be made as individual soap batches, they are excellent on their own but perfect as a layered oatmeal & honey soap that will give you the best of both worlds.
- A mild smooth side with a gentle scent of honey and beeswax.
- An exfoliating scrubby side with its rich lovely smell of orange, clary sage, and honey.
Each recipe gives a 2 pound batch of soap so if needed there’s plenty enough to make a few bars on their own along with the layered batch.
Smooth Natural Honey Soap Recipe
First, let’s have a look at making the smooth honey soap.
There’s no extra added scent in this natural honey soap recipe, just the wonderful mild aroma of honey and beeswax. It’s a hard long lasting bar of soap with a creamy texture that’s suitable for all skin types.
Ingredients
- 15 oz (425g) Shortening (vegetable fat)
- 10 oz (283g) Sweet Almond Oil
- 7 oz (198g) Olive Oil
- 2 oz (57g) Beeswax (preferable white if using as a layered batch)
- 5 oz (142g) Lye (Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda)
- 10 oz (283g) Distilled Water
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
Method
Watch How To Make Basic Cold Process Soap
If you haven’t made soap before, take a few minutes to watch the video and basic steps for making CP soap at home.
Specifics To This Recipe:
Use the cold process soap making method plus the following recipe specific steps:
- In Step 4 – Mix lye and oil between 120 and 140.
- In Step 6 – Add honey at trace and stir thoroughly.
Photos From Making This Soap:
The Ingredients | Gently Melt Oils  |
Add Honey At Trace | Pour Soap Into Mold  |
Honey, Orange & Oatmeal Soap Recipe
The texture of this natural honey soap recipe can be altered to suit the individual by grinding the oats finer in a blender or grinding with a pestle and mortar.
Or for an extra special bar try substituting half the oatmeal with finely ground dried orange peel, this compliments the orange essential oil beautifully.
It’s an exfoliating soap bar suitable for all skin types.
Ingredients
- 10 oz (283g) Shortening (vegetable fat)
- 12 oz (340g) Olive Oil
- 10 oz (283g) Coconut Oil
- 2 oz (57g) Beeswax
- 5 oz (142g) Lye (Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda)
- 11 oz (312g) Distilled Water
- 2 oz (57g) Oatmeal
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 1 tablespoon Orange essential oil
- 1 tablespoon Clary Sage essential oil
Method
Use the Cold Process Method plus the following recipe specific steps:
- In Step 4 – Mix lye and oil between 120 and 140.
- In Step 5 – At trace sprinkle in the oatmeal then add the honey and essential oils and stir thoroughly.
Photos From Making This Soap:
The Ingredients | Gently Melt Oils |
Sprinkle In The Oatmeal At Trace | Spoon Into Containers |
Allow To Set | Honey, Orange And Oatmeal Soap |
Creating The Double Layered Soap
Although I’ve made this layered honey soap in a long slim mold (just wanted to try it really) I have to say I think I would prefer to make this soap in a slightly larger and shallower mold than the one in the photo below. So that the soap is a little more square and it sits flat, with the scrubby side on top and the mild honey soap on the bottom.
Take a look at the finished individual cut soaps and you’ll see that I’ve made this one with the scrubby and the smooth side both showing when sitting flat. To be honest it’s not that big of a deal it’s still a fabulous soap but I would prefer it the other way (felt I had to mention that).
- Make the smooth honey soap recipe as instructed above.
- Pour it into the mold up to about the half way mark.
- Cover and leave to set in the usual way then put it to one side for a week.
- After the honey and beeswax soap has been left to sit for a week make the honey, orange and oatmeal soap recipe as instructed.
- Pour the honey, orange and oatmeal soap into the mold on top of the honey and bees wax soap filling it up to the brim.
- Cover and wrap the honey soap in a towel then leave to set in for a good 48 hours before removing from the mold and cutting into bars.
I hope you enjoy learning how to make soap at home and I’m sure you will love this natural honey soap recipe, it really does smell wonderful and makes a fantastic homemade gift idea.
