Basic Soap Recipes

Basic soap recipes are ones that have no frills, no additives and provide you with a clean slate to create your own soap making masterpieces.

Simply pick the soap recipe that suits your wants or needs and then start creating. Select a scent, pick a design idea, choose your additives...there are so many possibilities that you'll find it hard to decide what to try first.

All of the recipes listed below can be made using the cold process, room temperature or hot process methods of soap making.

Whichever method you decide to use, I urge you  to run the recipe through a lye calculator before starting.

This habit is important to develop because it ensures that all homemade soap recipes you use are correct when you start and it encourages you to start exploring on your own with new and improved formulas that you have created. 

Have fun and happy soaping!

Each homemade soap recipe on my site produces approximately 10 - 110 to 150 gram bars. 

Simple Starter Vegetable Oil Soap 

This basic soap recipe is a great one for those who are new to soap making. It contains ingredients that can be found at most grocery, drug and hardware stores.

Coconut Oil  -  225 gr.  |  7.9 oz.  |  25%

Crisco  Shortening  -  180 gr.  |  6.3 oz.  |  20%

Olive Oil  -  450 gr.  |  15.9 oz.  |  50%

Castor Oil  -  45 gr.  |  1.6 oz.  |  5%

Distilled Water  -  297 gr.  |  10.5 oz. 

Lye  -  126 gr.  |  4.4 oz. 

Water as % of Oils = 33

Super Fat/Discount = 5% 

Simple Starter Soap with Lard

This basic soap recipe, like the one above, is also a great one for those who are new to soap making. 

Coconut Oil  -  225 gr.  |  7.9 oz.  |  25%

Lard  -  180 gr.  |  6.3 oz.  |  20%

Olive Oil  -  450 gr.  |  15.9 oz.  |  50%

Castor Oil  -  45 gr.  |  1.6 oz.  |  5%

Distilled Water  -  297 gr.  |  10.5 oz. 

Lye  -  126.7 gr.  |  4.5 oz. 

Water as % of Oils = 33

Super Fat/Discount = 5% 

Basic Palm Free Vegetable Oil Soap

This is the recipe I now use to formulate my recipes with. It is palm free and contains castor oil for extra creaminess, enough coconut oil for big bubbles and a good amount of shea butter and olive oil for a lovely stable, conditioning lather.

Coconut Oil  -  225 gr.  |  7.9 oz.  |  25%

Shea Butter  -  225 gr.  |  7.9 oz.  |  25%

 Olive Oil  -  360 gr.  |  12.7 oz.  |  40%

Castor Oil  -  90 gr.  |  3.18 oz.  |  10%

Distilled Water  -  342gr.  |  12.06 oz.  

Lye  -  123.75 gr.  |  4.37 oz.  

Water as % of Oils = 38%

Super Fat/Discount = 5%

Basic Vegetable Oil Soap

This is the basic soap recipe that I started with back in 1998. It has stood me well for quite some time. It lathers well and produces a good, hard long lasting bar of soap. For a little extra bubbles try the version below with castor oil added.

Coconut Oil  -  270 gr.  |  9.5 oz.  |  30%

Palm Oil**  -  270 gr.  |  9.5 oz.  |  30%

Olive Oil  -  360 gr.  |  12.7 oz.  |  40%

Distilled Water  -  326.07 gr.  |  11.502 oz.  

Lye  -  125.6 gr.  |  4.43 oz.  

Water as % of Oils = 36.23

Super Fat/Discount = 8% 

**If you cannot find ethically sourced palm oil or would prefer to not use palm oil at all, it can be substituted with lard, tallow, shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, etc. Re-run the recipe through the lye calculator before making.

Basic Vegetable Oil Soap with Castor Oil

The addition of castor oil to this basic soap recipe, in my opinion makes all the difference. I just love big creamy bubbles and castor oil boosts the lather perfectly. I've used 10% in the following recipe but anywhere from 3% - 10% works well.

Coconut Oil  -  270 gr.  |  9.52 oz.  |  30%

Palm Oil**  -  270 gr.  |  9.52 oz.  |  30%

Olive Oil  -  270 gr.  |  9.52 oz.  |  30%

Castor Oil  -  90 gr.  |  3.17 oz.  |  10%

Distilled Water  -  326.1 gr.  |  11.5 oz.  

Lye  -  125.0 gr.  |  4.4 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23

Super Fat/Discount = 8% 

**If you cannot find ethically sourced palm oil or would prefer to not use palm oil at all, it can be substituted with lard, tallow, shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, etc. Re-run the recipe through the lye calculator before making.

Olive Oil Soap

A true castile soap contains only olive oil. I have found that though a castile soap is extremely mild, it does have a slightly slimy lather.

This homemade olive oil soap recipe has the addition of a small amount of coconut oil for cleansing and bubbles as well as some palm oil to provide a more stable lather.

Coconut Oil  -  180 gr.  |  6.35 oz.  |  20%

Palm Oil**  -  180 gr.  |  6.35 oz.  |  20%

Olive Oil  -  540 gr.  |  19.04 oz. |   60%

Distilled Water  -  326.1 gr.  |  11.5 oz.  

Lye  -  121.1 gr.  |  4.27 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23

Super Fat/Discount = 8% 

**If you cannot find ethically sourced palm oil or would prefer to not use palm oil at all, it can be substituted with lard, tallow, shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, etc. Re-run the recipe through the lye calculator before making.

Olive Oil Soap - Palm Free Version

Very similar to the recipe above, this version uses Shea Butter instead of Palm oil and has a touch of Castor oil for extra bubbles.

Coconut Oil  -  180 gr.  |  6.35 oz.  |  20%

Shea Butter  -  180 gr.  |  6.35 oz.  |  20%

Castor Oil  -  90 gr.  |  3.18 oz.  |  10%

Olive Oil  -  450 gr.  |  15.87 oz.  |  50%

Distilled Water  -  315 gr.  |  11.11 oz.  

Lye  - 122.05 gr.  |  4.3 oz.  

Water as % of Oils = 35

Super Fat/Discount = 5% 

Avocado Oil Soap - Palm Free

Another basic soap recipe that is palm free. This one contains Avocado oil and Shea Butter instead of Palm oil. I've also put in a bit of Castor oil for those bubble again...can you tell that I like bubbly soap?

Avocado Oil  -  180 gr.  |  6.35 oz.  |  20%

Coconut Oil  -  270 gr.  |  9.524 oz.  |  30%

Shea Butter  -  135 gr.  |  4.76 oz.  |  15%

Olive Oil  -  270 gr.  |  9.524 oz.  |  30%

Castor Oil  -  45 gr.  |  1.59 oz.  |  5%

Distilled Water  -  326.07 gr.  |  11.502 oz.  

Lye  -  126.28 gr.  |  4.5 oz.  

Water as % of Oils = 36.23

Super Fat/Discount = 5% 

---

Like This Page?