I have listed some of my favorite herbs and spices for soap-making, and have provided resources where you can find recipes, lye calculators, etc. Hopefully, they will guide you to becoming a successful soaper, and may even inspire you to start your own herb garden.

A List Of My Favorites

Cinnamon

Who doesn’t love the scent of cinnamon? We all know that cinnamon is a favorite spice for baking, and for use in scented candles. It is just as popular for use in soap. To give soap that same aromatic appeal, soap makers often infuse their wares with cinnamon essential oil.

Powdered cinnamon can be added in small amounts to handcrafted soaps. This wonderfully versatile spice pairs well with most fruity scents, one that probably comes to mind easily is apple-cinnamon. It works just as well with combinations of goat’s milk, oatmeal, vanilla, aloe, and honey. This combination is reminiscent of fresh-baked oatmeal cookies. Cinnamon lends a beautiful color to your soaps giving them a natural appeal without added colorants. Soap recipes that use powered Cinnamon can be found on several sites, two of my favorites are listed below.

Country Hill Cottage

Rustic Wise

Pumpkin Pie Spice

When I think of autumn, the first thing that pops to mind is the scent of pumpkin pie spice! It reminds me of bonfires with family and fall festivals. What is not to love about this nostalgic scent?

A small amount of pumpkin spice used in combination with pumpkin seed oil, honey, vanilla, and goat’s milk creates one of the most lusciously scented soaps to be found. It was one of my top-selling soap blends. Below is a link to a wonderful Pumpkin Spice Soap.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Soap Recipe

Ginger and Gingerbread Soap

Another nostalgic scent is that of ginger. Who doesn’t remember the scent of gingerbread baking in a warm oven? Ginger can be blended with vanilla, honey, and oat milk to produce a gentle and soothing scent similar to that of gingerbread. Gingerbread soap is a wonderful hand soap to display or use in your kitchen. Ginger works well with fruit based scents of apple and pear. The more fruity blends are well suited for luxury baths. Either way, ginger soap always finds a place on my list of favorites. I have provided a link to a very educational YouTube video for making cold process soap with turmeric, ginger, and honey. I love her video and think that you may as well.

Turmeric Ginger & Honey Soap

Peppermint

Peppermint is one of my favorite herbs to use in soap. It is essential for any herb garden as it is easily grown in pots and small areas. Mint will fill your yard with its stimulating fragrance especially in the early morning and after rain showers. Dried peppermint leaves can be crushed and added to soap in small amounts, along with peppermint essential oil.

Peppermint blends well with many other herbs such as lemon verbena, rosemary, or sage. One of my favorite blends made use of peppermint essential oil, honey, cocoa butter, and vanilla. Many sites offer free soap recipes and even videos that you can watch to help you learn the ropes. The Nerdy Farm Wife uses mint from her garden. I love this amazing site and the recipes offered there.

The Nerdy Farm Wife

Anise

Anise is best known for its use in candy, such as black licorice ropes and black jellybeans. But, did you know that it has long been used traditionally in fisherman’s soap? Some believe that it attracts fish. Others have said that they use it when fishing because it removes the human sent from their hands and prevents them from tainting the bait. Whether or not these old fish tales hold truth, I have found that anise soap bars make a nice kitchen soap.

I use ground anise seeds to make a hand-scrub soap. Many soapers use anise seed essential oil instead. As with any essential oil, take care to keep it off your skin in its undiluted form, especially if you are pregnant. Read warnings of any essential oil that you intend to use, and follow directions and recipes carefully. Below is a link for yourbeautyblog’s Fisherman’s Soap. It uses a soap base instead of handmade soap.

Yourbeautyblog

Rosemary

Did you know that in aromatherapy it is thought that Rosemary offers both stimulating and uplifting qualities? Artisan soaps combine the benefits of aromatherapy with the calming abilities of a hot bath to offer up an affordable home spa experience.

One of my favorite blends is derived from using Rosemary and lavender essential oils. Rosemary offers a clean and slightly spicy scent to soaps. In its dried form, it offers a pretty texture to soaps when used in small amounts.

I was lucky enough to have a grandmother to teach me, but I would have loved to have had the resources available today. YouTube offers many soap-making tutorials. This YouTube Video Tutorial on making cold process Rosemary Soap is very easy to follow.

Sage

Sage is an herb often used by traditionally Native Americans as a healing herb. It is also used in cleansing ceremonies. I find the scent of sage very calming, and I’ve used it in several blends of my soap. Often, I use dried sage in small amounts in combination with Clary sage essential oil.

Peppermint-sage soap is a family favorite at our house. Another blend that I have made combined small amounts of dried sage and chamomile, with other additives that included ground oatmeal, goat’s milk, Clary sage essential oil, and chamomile essential oil. Sage can be grown in most home herb gardens.

The Sage offers a Cold Process Soap that uses an oil infusion made from dried sage. Their site also offers the use of such tools as a  Lye Calculator, a Fragrance Calculator, and a measurement Convertor.

Chamomile

Chamomile is best known for its use in tea because of its soothing and relaxing qualities. Many think it shares those same qualities when added to soap. This gentle scent combines well with many different herbs and essential oils. As you research soap recipes, I do not doubt that you will run across many that include chamomile. In my experience, when customers see chamomile listed as an ingredient they are more likely to buy the product.

Again, I am listing The Sage as a recipe source. Although, this is a different recipe than the one I have used in the past it looks to be just as good. I can’t wait to try it for myself.

 Basil

Basil is a plant that can be easily grown in kitchen gardens. It comes in a variety of different scents. I am planting a new herb garden this spring, and intend to grow several varieties of basil. Two that I am planting are the lemon and cinnamon scents. As you well may have guessed I intend to do a bit of experimenting with basil in my soap making this year.

Hearts Content Farmhouse Homestead Recipes and Tutorials: This site is focuses on topics that are related to homesteading . She offers tips on cooking, canning, and soap making among other interesting subjects.

Hearts Content Farmhouse Homestead Recipes and Tutorials

Thyme

Thyme has been used as a healing herb throughout history. In his book, The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, Salvatore Battaglia talks about the historical use of Thyme Essential Oil saying that, “It was extensively used to medicate gauze and wool for surgical dressings. It resembles carbolic acid in its action, but it is less irritating to wounds and in its germicidal action is greater.” I am not making a medical claim. Yet, I have found Thyme soap to be good to use as a gardener’s soap. My personal favorite incorporates Thyme, Jewel Weed, Chamomile, and Plantain.

The Soap Queen offers a nice Thyme and Witch Hazel Soap recipe on their site that I plan to try.

Seed and Plant Sources:

Below you will find links to companies that sell herb seeds: Most seed companies offer tips for your planting zone.

 Kitaza Seed Company: This company carries seeds for many of the herbs that I have listed.  

Burpee: If you have been into gardening very long, you probably know Burpee as a trusted supplier of seeds and plants. This is one of my husband’s favorite companies to buy from.

Now you are ready to add a bit of nature

into your soaps!

Soap making can be a very rewarding hobby, or side income. Always read recipes carefully. Follow safety procedures closely and consistently. Never let children or pets in your work area.

I hope that you have found some of the resources helpful. Good luck in your journey to producing Natural soaps.

Happy Soaping and gardening!

Thanks for Stopping by,

Vikki

The post 10 Herbs and Spices You Can Use In Soap (That Are Likely In Your Pantry) appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

I knew even as a child that soap making would be part of my future. It was a tradition that I wanted to carry on. Though Grandma didn’t use additives in her soap, another of my mentors showed me how those simple additions changed a utilitarian necessity into a luxury. Whether you are an avid gardener and are looking to find a way to utilize your botanical treasures, or simply love the idea of producing pure products to use on your skin, making artisan soaps can be an amazing hobby, or even a nice side income.

If you love quality skin care products and don’t mind a bit of work, then crafting soap may be for you. I have listed a few things that I would have liked to have known when I started out, along with basic information to get you started along your soaping journey.

What Produces Soap

Lye is another name for sodium hydroxide. It is the chemical used in soap production. It comes in both a liquid and solid crystal form. All soap heats up somewhat from the chemical reaction of the lye, water, and oils as it is being made in a process known as saponification. Lye can be purchased at online soap supply sites. It is a very dangerous if used incorrectly. Precautions need to be taken in storing and using lye, and disposing of empty containers.

Two Methods Of Soap Production

There are two methods for producing soap, hot process and cold process.

Cold Process Soap: When soap is produced without an additional heat source, it is known as “cold process soap”.

Hot Process Soap: If an additional heat source is used to actively boil the soap (such as a hot plate, crock pot, or open fire to speed the saponification process) then it is “hot process soap”.

Making hot process soap can be a temperamental process. In my opinion, cold process soap is both easier to make, and often produces a more reliable result. Most beginning soap makers start out using the cold process method. I will also add here, that although you can buy melt-and-pour premade soap to add fragrance to, it is not truly a homemade, hand-crafted artisan soap. Still, I have friends that used melt-and-pour before moving on to making soap from scratch. It may be a good place to start.

Creating A Wonderful Product

Additives to soap can include colorants, herbs, dried flowers, botanical infusions, essential and fragrance oils, and extra oils and fats for superfatting. Though additives can make your product more visibly appealing and aromatic, keep in mind that any substance that comes in contact with skin may be either an allergen, or skin irritant, for some individuals. In fact, both of our kids are allergic to chocolate and cocoa butter. I made all of the soap that we used at home for this very reason. Always label your soap listing all ingredients, especially if you intend to sale your soap.

Things To Know Before You Start:

• Use only Stainless Steel Pots (never use aluminum as it can explode).
• Utensils can be stainless steel, plastic, or wood (never aluminum )
• Always wear eye gear and gloves.
• Keep children and pets away from lye.
• Never use items that have been use for soapmaking for cooking or serving food
• Read all instructions carefully.
• Keep a list of safety precautions on hand to review each time before you begin. It is often when we have gained experience that we become complacent of safety procedures.

I would advise that you find a book or resource that teaches soap making basics, including safety tips and measures. As much experience as I have, I never work without protection on my hands, and eyes. I cannot emphasize enough that working with lye can be dangerous. Understand the risks involved and follow safety instructions to the letter. I also wear long sleeves, and work boots. Lye can splash easily, or spills may occur. Never let kids near your work area, and make sure any containers that have held active lye are never in the reach of a child or used for food. Also, as your soap is curing, make sure that it is out of reach of pets or children as it will still contain active lye, which can be dangerous if ingested, or if it meets the skin.

Selling Your Product

Selling Soap has rules and regulations. Do your research to find out what standards have been put in place in your state before marketing your product. Again, to avoid any issues with allergens, if you use your soap molds for different soap blends, make sure that is stated as well. Also take into consideration whether you are required to have a business license, and if you need liability insurance.

What I Wish I Had Known

When I started making soap, the first thing that I did was purchase soap molds. Looking back, I wish that I had thought about using plastic containers from bought items such as yogurt, butter, etc. They may not make the prettiest soap, but as long as the container is thick enough to not collapse, or melt easily, it should work. Just make sure that you have enough containers on hand to hold your finished soap. Always take care when ladling your soap into molds, and wear gloves during the complete soapmaking process and clean up. Later, if you decide to stick with soap making you can invest in larger, or prettier, molds.

All oils and fats have different saponification values.

Essential oils and Fragrance oils are not the same thing.

Buy only the basic supplies at first (I tend to get excited and spend too much when starting a new hobby).

Recourses, Recipes, and Supplies

My favorite site for buying soap making supplies is Bramble Berry, but there are many sites online that sell supplies. Several of these sites will offer free saponification calculators and free recipes. My favorite book on soaping is Soapmaking For Fun and Profit. This book has an amazing overview of terminology, safety precautions, and other considerations (especially for those interested in selling their product). For me it is my soapmaking bible.

Below is a short list of sites that offer supplies, and books that I use as resources. None of the sites, or authors, are affiliates to this blog. They simply are some that I prefer.

Online Resources:

https://www.brambleberry.com/ (This site offers a lye calculator, recipes, and supplies. They also offer how to videos on YouTube).

https://www.amazon.com   (They offer soap molds and mica powder for coloring soap).

https://nurturesoap.com/   (This site offers a lye calculator, fragrance calculator, and supplies. They also have a nice blog worth checking out.)

Video Link

YouTube Video for beginners: Elly’s Everyday Soap Making Tutorial https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kc7duzDEa6Y

Books:

Natural Soapmaking, by Marie Browning;

The Complete Soapmaker, by Norma Coney;

 Soapmaking For Fun & Profit, by Maria Given Nerius.

The Foxfire Book, Volume 1, by Eliot Wigginton 

Thanks for dropping by,

Safety First, and Happy Soaping!

Vikki

The post So You Are Thinking About Making Soap appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.