Making your own soap is a fun hobby, but it also means you get to create your ideal soap. Try making soap with coconut oil—a fantastic way to pamper your skin with natural ingredients. In fact, coconut oil has numerous benefits for the skin, and making your own soap gives you the freedom to know exactly what’s in it. In this blog, you’ll find everything you need to know about making soap with coconut oil. We’ll discuss the benefits of coconut oil, provide a step-by-step guide, and answer the most frequently asked questions.

Keep reading to discover:

• How to make your own coconut oil soap
• The benefits of coconut oil
• What you need to make soap at home
• Frequently asked questions about making soap with coconut oil

How to make your own coconut oil soap

Making soap with coconut oil is simple and fun. Follow these steps to create your own natural soap that smells great and is good for your skin.

1. Gather your ingredients: You’ll need coconut oil, olive oil, lye (sodium hydroxide), and water. You can also add essential oils for fragrance or dyes for colour.
2. Put on protective gear: Lye is a caustic substance, so always wear long sleeves, gloves, safety glasses, and an apron.
3. Make the lye solution: Slowly add the lye to the water (never the other way around) and stir carefully until fully dissolved. Allow this mixture to cool.
4. Heat the oils: Melt the coconut oil and combine it with the olive oil. Heat to about 37°C.
5. Mixing: Slowly add the cooled lye solution to the oils and mix well. Use an immersion blender to blend until the mixture thickens (this is called reaching "trace").
6. Adding fragrance: If desired, add essential oils for scent and dyes to give your soap a lively colour.
7. Pour and harden: Pour the mixture into soap moulds and let it harden for 24 hours.
8. Cut and cure: Remove the soap from the mould and cut it into bars if needed. Let the soap cure for 4-6 weeks in a well-ventilated area.

Making 100% coconut oil soap: Simple and pure

Want to keep it even simpler? You can choose to make a soap entirely from coconut oil. This type of soap is particularly firm and creates a rich lather, which is ideal for deep cleaning. You only need three basic ingredients: coconut oil, water, and lye (sodium hydroxide). The process is straightforward:

1. Melt the coconut oil and prepare the lye solution by carefully mixing the lye into water (never the other way around).
2. Slowly add the lye solution to the melted coconut oil and mix until you reach "trace," where the mixture thickens. You can use an immersion blender to speed up this process.
3. Pour the mixture into soap moulds and let it harden for 24 hours.
4. After unmolding the soap, let it cure for 4-6 weeks.

The result? A powerful, natural soap that's particularly suitable for oily skin types or as a household soap. Since 100% coconut oil soap can be a strong cleanser, it's perfect for true lovers of pure and effective soaps!

Which coconut oil soap is best for my skin type?

100% coconut oil soap is known for its strong cleansing properties and ability to produce a rich lather. However, because it is so effective at removing oils from the skin, it can be drying, especially for those with dry skin. This makes 100% coconut oil soap more suitable for people with oily skin who may benefit from its strong cleansing action.

For people with dry skin, 100% coconut oil soap may be too drying unless it is extra "superfatted" (where some of the oil is left unsaponified to hydrate the skin). For dry skin types, it's often better to choose a soap that includes other soothing and moisturising oils, such as olive oil or almond oil, in addition to coconut oil.

The benefits of coconut oil

Coconut oil is a popular ingredient in homemade soap, and for good reason. Here are some benefits of using coconut oil in your soap:

• Moisturising: Coconut oil helps to hydrate and soften the skin, which is especially beneficial for dry skin types.
• Cleansing: It has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it an effective cleanser.
• Rich lather: Soap made with coconut oil produces a rich, creamy lather that feels luxurious on the skin.
• Long shelf life: Coconut oil has a long shelf life, meaning your soap won’t spoil quickly.

The supplies you need to make coconut oil soap

Before you start, make sure you have the following supplies:

• Coconut oil: One of the main components of your soap.
• Olive oil: Adds extra softness.
• Lye (sodium hydroxide): Essential for the saponification process.
• Water: To create the lye solution.
• Essential oils: For fragrance and additional skincare benefits.
• Soap moulds: Silicone moulds work best because they are flexible.
• Protective clothing: Gloves, safety glasses, and an apron.
• Kitchen tools: A scale, thermometer, stirring sticks, and mixing bowls.

Q&A about making soap with coconut oil

Many people have questions about making soap with coconut oil. Below, you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions.

How much coconut oil should be in soap?

The exact percentage of coconut oil can vary, but a commonly used ratio is 30-40% of the total oil content.

Which oil is suitable for soapmaking?

In addition to coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, and castor oil are popular choices for soap making.

How long should soap cure?

Homemade soap usually needs to cure for 4-6 weeks to thoroughly neutralise the lye and harden the soap.

What does lye do in soap?

Lye reacts with oils in the saponification process, turning fats into soap and glycerin.

Can you make soap without lye?

While lye is essential for the traditional saponification process, you can use melt-and-pour methods without directly handling lye. Check out this blog where we explain exactly how to make soap without lye.

How do you add colour to soap?

To colour your soap naturally, use natural dyes like turmeric, spirulina, or cocoa. Dyes created specifically for soap are also available.

Can I add scents to my soap?

Yes, by adding essential oils, you can give your soap wonderful scents.

Can I make soap with my kids?

Absolutely! Making soap together is a fun and creative activity where children can learn more about the soap's chemical processes, scents, colours, and shapes. Just be sure to keep children away from handling lye—let them watch safely or opt for a melt-and-pour soap base. Want to know more about making soap with kids? Read this blog.

More soapmaking

Are you hooked and want to experiment more with soap making? Try different combinations of oils, scents, and dyes to create your own unique creations. There are endless possibilities to let your creativity run wild and fill your bathroom with handmade, natural soaps. Read here about how to make your own liquid soap. Or, perhaps it is important for you to know exactly what goes into your soap? In this blog, you’ll learn how to make your own natural and organic soaps.

Making your own coconut oil soap is not only a fun and creative activity but also a wonderful way to pamper your skin with natural, homemade products. With the right supplies and a bit of patience, you can create beautiful soaps that are perfect for yourself or as gifts. So, what are you waiting for? Get started and discover the magic of homemade coconut oil soap!