We all need soap. It cleanses our skin, leaves it feeling fresh and smelling amazing! But we can make it even better by using only natural, organic soap ingredients.
So I made it my task to formulate some of the very best organic soap recipes I’ve ever made. I think I succeeded in this. Organic soap is such a luxury that everyone should be able to experience. If you’re like me, you’ll use nothing but this stuff!
Let’s take a look at my first recipe, my gorgeous green clay and wheatgrass soap!
Green Clay and Wheatgrass Soap
This organic soap smells amazing and is suitable for both face or body. I’ve chosen oils that will create a nice hard bar, with lots of bubbles. They are also readily available and easy to work with.
The wheatgrass is what gives the soap its lovely green coloring. It’s super moisturizing and packed full of skin-loving properties, including soothing, healing, and rejuvenating.
If you can’t get hold of any organic wheatgrass you could substitute it for nettle leaf powder, which is another good natural colorant in soap making.
Green clay isn’t actually very green, in fact, it can often look more beige than green so it only contributes a little to the color of this soap. Having said that, the green clay is great for drawing out impurities, leaving the skin squeaky clean.
Watch How To Make This Soap
Natural Organic Soap Recipe With Green Clay & Wheatgrass
Ingredients
- 360 grams Olive Oil
- 315 grams Coconut Oil
- 45 grams Cocoa Butter
- 45 grams Avocado Oil
- 135 grams Castor Oil
- 127.64 grams Soapmaking Lye
- 255.28 grams Distilled Water
- 15 grams Bergamot Essential Oil
- 10 grams May Chang Essential Oil
- 7 grams Palmarosa Essential Oil
- 2 tsp Wheatgrass (powdered)
- 1 tsp French Green Clay
Equipment
- Spoon or Spatula
Instructions
- If you are new to soapmaking, please refer to my basic cold process soap guide, read that in full before you try to make this soap.I always find it best to prepare everything before I start making my soap. So I make sure I have my mold, stirrers and blender within reach, and that all the ingredients have been weighed out. Then Put on your protective clothing, mask gloves and glasses
- Pour your lye into the distilled water, and stir until dissolved.127.64 grams Soapmaking Lye, 255.28 grams Distilled Water
- Add the green clay and wheatgrass powder to the lye water, stir until well incorporated. The clay and grass won't fully dissolve so it will look a bit grainy. Set a side in a safe place to cool.1 tsp French Green Clay, 2 tsp Wheatgrass
- Place the oils and butters into a good size heat proof container . Do not add the essential oils at this point. Gently heat the oils in the microwave until the solid oil and butter has been melted.360 grams Olive Oil, 315 grams Coconut Oil, 45 grams Avocado Oil, 135 grams Castor Oil, 45 grams Cocoa Butter
- Check the temperature of the oils and lye regularly. You want them both to cool to around 120 to 90f. Once lye and the oils have fallen to around 120f – 90f it's time to mix them together.
- Carefully pour the lye into the melted oils and give the batter a good stir with a silicone spatula.
- Grab your stick blender and blend the batter using 30 second intervals until you reach trace (when a small mound of batter takes a few seconds to blend back within the mixture)
- Add the essential oils to the batter and stir until fully incorporated. This can be done with a few short blasts with the stick blender or manually with a spatula.15 grams Bergamot Essential Oil, 10 grams May Chang Essential Oil, 7 grams Palmarosa Essential Oil
- Once you have a good thick trace, pour or spoon the batter into the mold. Level out and tap the sides of the mold to make sure the soap gets into all the corners.
- Use a spoon to make a wave pattern on the top of the soap and set aside for 24 hours to harden. Then, release the soap from the mold and cut into slices. Although the soap should no longer be very caustic, it will still be too harsh on the skin so you will need to cure it for around 4 weeks before using.
Organic Soap With Mustard Seeds
This soap is also believed to offer you extra energy, so be sure you use it before a hectic day or night out!
Ingredients:
This recipe will make 6 bars. Links are included to view information on each organic ingredient.
- 6 1/2 oz (184g) Olive Oil
- 3 1/4 oz (92g) Sunflower Oil
- 2 1/2 oz (65g) Palm Oil (from sustainable sources)
- 2 1/2 oz (65g) Coconut Oil
- 1 oz (28g) Sweet Almond Oil
- 1 1/2 oz (40g) Beeswax
- 8 oz (227g) (230ml) Distilled water
- 2 1/4 oz (65g) Lye (Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda)
- 2 teaspoons (7ml) Lemongrass essential oil
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Lime essential oil
- 1/2 teaspoon (5ml) Rosemary essential oil
- 2 drops Benzoin essential oil
- 2 tablespoons Mustard Seeds
Specifics To This Recipe
Use The Cold Process Soap Making Method plus the following recipe specific steps:
- In Step 4 – Combine the oils and lye when both temperatures reach 130° f (55c)
Photos From This Recipe:
Organic Soap With Seaweed
This organic soap recipe carries a wonderful sea aroma. Seaweed is incredibly purifying, it’s packed with nutrients and will help to stimulate blood circulation. The sage offers anti-fungal and antiseptic qualities that can reduce sweatiness and soothe muscles and joints.
Overall this is first-rate organic soap recipe. It boasts a rich and creamy consistency that will invigorate and uplift you, as well as make you feel relaxed and well-balanced.
Ingredients:
This is a small batch recipe making around four bars. Again, links are included to view information on each organic ingredient.
- 8 1/2 oz (240g) Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 oz (40g) Avocado Oil
- 2 oz (50g) Coconut Oil
- 2 oz (50g) Palm Oil (from sustainable sources)
- 1 oz (30g) Beeswax
- 6 oz (170g) Distilled water
- 2 oz (55g) Lye (Sodium Hydroxide/Caustic Soda)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) Grapefruit essential oil
- 1 teaspoon (6ml) Orange essential oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (2ml) Petitgrain essential oil
- 2 tablespoons (1/2 oz)(15g) of Dried Seaweed
Specifics To This Recipe
Use The Cold Process Soap Making Method plus the following recipe specific steps:
- In Step 4 – Combine the oils and lye when both temperatures reach 130° f (55c)
Photos From This Recipe:
Did you make your own soap using seaweed? What other ingredients did you use?
Blending and Mixing Essential Oils
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There is absolutely nothing ‘organic’ about lye which is not found in nature.
Hi fitzsimmons thanks for the comment as it brings up an interesting point.
It is true that Lye is not organic but during the process of making soap there is a reaction known as saponification where all of the the Lye is consumed leaving you with an organic end product.
You cant make soap without Lye & to be honest people have been using lye to make soap for centuries, its not organic, but it is one of the allowable non-organic ingredients included in USDA organic standards since their inception.
Honestly, I’m not sure why it’s not considered natural. It’s the ashes of hardwood trees with the same water repeatedly run through it. Then it dries and your left with lye. What’s not organic about hardwood trees. The government’s of the world seems to think it’s safe to put lye in our foods, pretzels are an example
Just wondering if there is any alternative to palm oil?, thanks,
Hi , there I used She butter instead … I’m sure any butter would work however be sure to check what ratio is require per batch ( 1 % , 5 % )
Thank you for this beautiful website! Wonderful recipes and great idea’s
These are infact great recipes for soap making. I am going to try the seaweeds recipe soon.
Great post with detailed step by step guide. Hope I’m gonna make soaps one day like this one 🙂
Thank for sharing your recipes and tips it’s very helpful for beginners like me
Nice one, but what about adding the likes of Sandal wood, cinnamon, turmeric, dead sea salt, papaya, camwood..etc?
Hi Gold,
The best thing about soapmaking is that you can totally make it your own! While I haven’t tried adding dead sea salts to my own soaps before, all of your suggested additives can impart gorgeous color, fragrance, and goodness to any soap! Some lovely suggestions, thanks!
This is a nice website and lovely, but I suggest to add aloe Vera, thanks.
I love all your products,and your hand work
Hi Angela
I’ve been interested in making safe and quality organic products like shampoos and soaps. I was looking at developing these home made ideas and going into the commercial market with eco packaging.
What would you suggest on this idea..
Hi Zia,
That sounds like an amazing idea! I’m sure you will find it very rewarding and satisfying work. My suggestion would be to pay close attention to regulations placed upon the cosmetics industry by your government. Don’t let these strict rules catch you out! This isn’t exactly my area of expertise, so I would encourage you to do your own research. But good luck with your business! Let me know how you get on.
I am interested in making some soap baskets that will be for sale. How or what do I need to do for clearance as far as the government is concerned? I will now sell through a local shop, but may be on Etsy or Shopify eventually. I am going with the organic but also see lye as a part of the recipe. What can Lye be replaced with?
I appreciate your help.
Thank You!