Cold Process Vegan Soap Recipes for Soft, Nourished Skin

Creating your own cold process vegan soap is a rewarding and creative experience that allows you to craft beautiful, ethical, and skin-loving soap bars right at home. Unlike commercial soaps, handmade cold process soaps retain nourishing glycerin and can be customized with your favorite plant-based oils, butters, and essential oils.

This method involves mixing lye with oils to trigger saponification, resulting in a luxurious soap that’s gentle, moisturizing, and free from animal-derived ingredients.

Whether you’re a seasoned soap maker or a curious beginner, this detailed guide will walk you through a simple yet effective cold process vegan soap recipe. You’ll learn the essential ingredients, equipment, and step-by-step instructions to make your own eco-friendly soap.

Plus, we’ll share tips for personalizing your soap with colors, scents, and textures. Ready to dive into the world of artisanal soap making?

Let’s get started on crafting your perfect vegan soap bars!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This cold process vegan soap recipe is perfect for those who want a natural, cruelty-free alternative to store-bought soaps. It uses only plant-based oils like coconut, olive, and castor oil, which provide a balanced combination of cleansing, moisturizing, and gentle lathering properties.

The recipe is beginner-friendly but yields professional-quality soap bars that feel luxurious on your skin.

Another reason to love this recipe is the flexibility it offers. You can easily customize the scent with your favorite essential oils, add natural colorants like spirulina or turmeric, and even incorporate exfoliants such as ground oats or coffee grounds.

Plus, cold process soap lasts longer and is environmentally friendly since it avoids synthetic detergents and harsh chemicals.

Ready to craft soap that’s good for your skin and the planet? Keep reading for all the details!

Ingredients

• 340g Olive Oil – Provides moisturizing and conditioning properties
• 227g Coconut Oil – Adds cleansing power and fluffy lather
• 113g Castor Oil – Boosts lather and helps moisturizing
• 128g Shea Butter – Nourishes and hardens the soap
• 142g Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) – Essential for saponification (handle with care)
• 380g Distilled Water – Used to dissolve the lye
• 30-40 drops Essential Oils (e.g., lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus) – For fragrance
• Optional: Natural colorants like spirulina powder, activated charcoal, or turmeric
• Optional: Exfoliants like ground oats, coffee grounds, or poppy seeds

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale – For precise measurements
• Stick blender – To blend oils and lye mixture thoroughly
• Two heat-safe mixing bowls or containers – One for oils, one for lye solution
• Protective gloves and goggles – Safety first when handling lye
• Soap mold – Silicone molds work best for easy removal
• Thermometer – To monitor temperatures of oils and lye
• Spoon or spatula – For mixing and scraping the soap batter
• Measuring spoons – For adding essential oils and additives
• Newspaper or towels – To protect your workspace

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Workspace and Safety Gear: Before beginning, cover your work surface with newspaper or towels. Wear gloves and goggles to protect yourself from lye splashes.
2. Measure the Distilled Water: Using your digital scale, carefully measure 380g of distilled water into a heat-safe container.
3. Slowly Add Lye to Water: In a well-ventilated area, slowly pour 142g of sodium hydroxide into the water (never the other way around). Stir gently until dissolved. The solution will heat up; set aside to cool to about 110°F (43°C).
4. Measure and Heat Oils: In a separate bowl, weigh out the olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, and shea butter. Gently warm the oils until the solids melt, then allow the mixture to cool to around 110°F (43°C) as well.
5. Combine Lye Solution and Oils: When both the lye solution and oils are at similar temperatures (100-110°F), slowly pour the lye solution into the oils. Use the stick blender to mix until you reach a light trace — this looks like a thin pudding consistency.
6. Add Fragrance and Additives: At light trace, add your chosen essential oils and any natural colorants or exfoliants. Mix gently but thoroughly to incorporate.
7. Pour into Mold: Pour the soap batter into your prepared mold. Tap lightly to release air bubbles and smooth the top.
8. Insulate and Cure: Cover the mold with a towel or blanket to keep heat in as soap saponifies overnight. After 24-48 hours, unmold and cut into bars. Allow the bars to cure in a cool, dry place for 4-6 weeks before using.

Tips & Variations

“Always add lye to water, not water to lye, to avoid dangerous reactions.”

For a vibrant green hue, add 1 teaspoon of spirulina powder at trace. For a deep black soap, use activated charcoal powder.

To add exfoliation, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ground oats or coffee grounds into the soap batter before pouring.

If you prefer a sweeter scent, try blending sweet orange and vanilla essential oils. For a refreshing scent, mix peppermint and eucalyptus.

Experiment with different molds like wooden loaf molds or silicone shapes for fun designs.

Patience is key: do not rush the curing process, as it allows excess water to evaporate and the soap to harden, making it last longer and perform better.

Nutrition Facts

Note: While soap is not consumed, understanding the role of oils helps in customizing for skin type and preferences.

Serving Suggestions

Cold process vegan soaps make fantastic gifts and can be wrapped beautifully with natural twine and recycled paper. Display them in your bathroom on a wooden soap dish to keep dry and extend their lifespan.

Pair your handmade soap with a matching Personalized Wooden Recipe Box or a set of organic cotton washcloths for a spa-like experience. For more creative kitchen and bath DIY ideas, check out the Personalized Recipe Book Stand.

Interested in more homemade craft recipes? Try your hand at the Pecan Crackers Recipe for a delicious snack to enjoy after your soap-making session!

Conclusion

Making cold process vegan soap at home is a beautiful blend of science and creativity, allowing you to control every ingredient that touches your skin. This recipe provides a solid foundation using gentle, plant-based oils and butters that produce a moisturizing, lather-rich soap perfect for daily use.

With the freedom to customize scents, colors, and textures, you can create unique bars tailored to your personal preferences.

Besides being kind to your skin, homemade vegan soaps are environmentally friendly and cruelty-free, aligning with a mindful lifestyle. With patience and care during the curing process, you’ll enjoy long-lasting soaps that make wonderful gifts or personal indulgences.

Dive into the rewarding journey of soap making and explore more inspiring recipes like the Peda Recipe Ricotta Cheese or the Pb2 Peanut Sauce Recipe to satisfy your culinary curiosity beyond the bath!

{“@context”: “https://schema.org/”, “@type”: “Recipe”, “name”: “Cold Process Vegan Soap”, “image”: [], “author”: {“@type”: “Organization”, “name”: “GluttonLv”}, “description”: “A gentle, moisturizing cold process vegan soap made with natural oils and no animal products. Perfect for sensitive skin and environmentally friendly.”, “prepTime”: “PT30M”, “cookTime”: “PT24H”, “totalTime”: “PT24H30M”, “recipeYield”: “1 loaf (about 10 bars)”, “recipeIngredient”: [“16 oz olive oil”, “8 oz coconut oil”, “8 oz palm oil (sustainably sourced)”, “4.5 oz distilled water”, “2.9 oz sodium hydroxide (lye)”, “1 oz shea butter”, “1 oz castor oil”, “1 oz essential oils (lavender or eucalyptus)”, “0.5 oz kaolin clay (optional for texture)”, “1 tsp vitamin E oil”], “recipeInstructions”: [{“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Wear protective gear and prepare your workspace.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Slowly add lye to the water and stir until dissolved. Let cool.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Melt oils and shea butter together until fully liquid.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Combine cooled lye solution with oils and blend to trace.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Add essential oils, vitamin E, and kaolin clay; stir well.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Pour mixture into mold and cover.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Insulate mold and let soap set for 24 hours.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Unmold and cut into bars.”}, {“@type”: “HowToStep”, “text”: “Cure bars in a dry, ventilated area for 4-6 weeks before use.”}], “nutrition”: {“calories”: “0”, “proteinContent”: “0g”, “fatContent”: “0g”, “carbohydrateContent”: “0g”}}