Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

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

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

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

Whichever method you decide to use, I urge you once again to run the recipe through a lye calculator before starting. This habit is important to develope, 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!

Simple Starter Vegetable Oil Soap

This 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. If you're lucky and have a Super Walmart nearby, you should be able to find almost all of them there.

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	225 gr.	7.9 oz.	25%
Crisco	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%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
32	17	63	21	20

*Note - The high olive oil content of this bar will make it a harder bar than the SoapCalc numbers indicate. This homemade soap recipe will need to be cured between 4 - 6 weeks.

Simple Starter Soap with Lard

This recipe, like the one above, is also 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. If you're lucky and have a Super Walmart nearby, you should be able to find almost all of them there.

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
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%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
36	17	59	21	23

*Note - The high olive oil content of this bar will make it a harder bar than the SoapCalc numbers indicate. This homemade soap recipe will need to be cured between 4 - 6 weeks.

Basic Vegetable Oil Soap

This is the 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.

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	360 gr.	12.699 oz.	40%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	125.632 gr.	4.432 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
45	20	51	20	24

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

Basic Vegetable Oil Soap with Castor Oil

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Castor Oil	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	125.041 gr.	4.411 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
43	20	52	29	32

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

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.

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Palm Oil	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Olive Oil	540 gr.	19.048 oz.	60%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	121.145 gr.	4.273 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
35	14	62	14	21

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

Olive Oil Soap II (No Coconut/No Palm)

This soap has been designed for those with a sensitivity to Coconut and Palm oils.

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Olive Oil	657 gr.	23.175 oz.	73%
Crisco	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Castor Oil	45 gr.	1.587 oz.	5%
Beeswax	18 gr.	0.635 oz.	2%
Distilled Water	297 gr.	10.476 oz.
Lye	114.597 gr.	4.042 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 33%; Super Fat/Discount = 5%

Dissolve 2 Tbsp. of icing sugar in a small amount (2 Tbsp.) of the distilled water and add it right after the lye and oils are combined. Leave the soap for a few days before cutting because it is very soft to start.

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.*

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
16	0	79	5	21

*Note - Since this recipe is a Castile type soap, the soap qualities numbers are not impressive. It is quite hard after a long cure (6 - 8 weeks) and does have a good bubbly lather due to the castor oil and sugar.

Apricot Kernel Soap

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Apricot Kernel Oil	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	125.927 gr.	4.442 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
44	20	52	20	23

Avocado Oil Soap

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Avocado Oil	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	125.396 gr.	4.423 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
45	20	50	20	25

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

Palm Free Avocado Oil Soap with Castor Oil

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
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%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
39	20	55	25	24

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

Cocoa Butter Soap

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Cocoa Butter	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	125.336 gr.	4.421 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
46	20	50	20	26

Basic Homemade Soap Recipes

Cocoa Butter Soap with Castor Oil

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Castor Oil	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Cocoa Butter	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	124.746 gr.	4.4 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
44	20	51	29	33

Shea Butter Soap

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Palm Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Olive Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Shea Butter	90 gr.	3.175 oz.	10%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	124.451 gr.	4.39 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 8%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
44	20	51	20	24

Basic Lard Soap

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Lard	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Grapeseed Oil	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Crisco	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	128.692 gr.	4.539 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 5%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
44	20	50	20	24

Basic Lard Soap with Castor Oil

Base Ingredients	Grams	Ounces	Percentage
Coconut Oil	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Lard	270 gr.	9.524 oz.	30%
Grapeseed Oil	135 gr.	4.762 oz.	15%
Crisco	180 gr.	6.349 oz.	20%
Castor Oil	45 gr.	1.587 oz.	5%
Distilled Water	326.07 gr.	11.502 oz.
Lye	128.661 gr.	4.538 oz.

Water as % of Oils = 36.23; Super Fat/Discount = 5%

Soap qualities as per SoapCalc.

Hardness	Cleansing	Condition	Bubbly	Creamy
43	20	51	25	27

If this small selection of basic homemade soap recipes isn't quite what you are looking for or you're wanting more of a challenge, try the soap recipes on the main Homemade Soap Recipes page.

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