Soap with essential oil not only smells beautiful but also has many valuable properties – from aroma to reducing irritation. But how to use essential oils in soap making? It’s not that easy! That’s why in this article we explain how to do it safely and effectively. We also suggest which oils will work best for beginners.

What are essential oils?

In ancient times, essential oils were considered a great treasure, and only a few possessed the knowledge of their extraction and application. Nowadays, essential oils are widely known and used in both cosmetics and aromatherapy. They are volatile mixtures of chemical compounds (such as esters, ethers, aldehydes, and ketones) with intense aromas and diverse properties. They originate from dried or fresh parts of plants – leaves, flowers, stems, seeds, and roots.

The most popular method of obtaining oils is steam distillation. Did you know that it takes a vast amount of plants to produce a single portion of essential oil? For instance, a tiny bottle of rose oil is the essence extracted from kilograms of rose petals! This makes high-quality, natural essential oils (without artificial fillers) valuable and probably not the cheapest.

The most popular essential oils used in soap making

Just starting the adventure of creating soap enriched with essential oils? Here are the products you should look out for:

• Lavender oil – known for its relaxing properties. It helps reduce stress, relieves muscle tension and promotes better sleep. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is good for skin prone to irritation and redness.
• Sandalwood oil – it is characterized by a warm, sensual scent, known from many perfumes. It also aids in emotional balance, reduces tension, and can assist in skincare by moisturizing and soothing irritations.
• Rose oil – perfect for enthusiasts of floral scents. Valued for its antioxidant properties that help regenerate the skin, reducing signs of aging. So such an essential oil in a hand soap will work perfectly!
• Tea tree oil – this is for fans of fresh, energizing, herbal aromas. Oil has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used to fight acne, to soothe irritation and scars.

How to make essential oil soap?

Dosage

Essential oils are the essence of plants; highly concentrated products containing specific chemical compounds. Therefore, there’s no need to use a large amount of oils – just a few drops added to a batch of soap can provide a significant effect! Importantly, an excessive amount of essential oil can be dangerous when in contact with the skin. Therefore, use oils sparingly and add them to the soap base in proper proportions.

Typically, they are used in amounts ranging from 0.5% to 3% concerning the total mass of the soap. For example, use lavender oil at a maximum concentration of 3 percent per 0.48 oz (or 13.6077 grams) of soap base, and rose oil at a maximum concentration of 0-1 percent per 0.016 oz (or 0.45 grams) of soap base. This way, you won’t overdo the intensity of the scent, and the soap will be safe to use.

This is important! Before choosing a specific oil based on its properties or scent, perform an allergy test: apply a small amount of oil to a small area of skin and observe for at least a few hours for any allergic reaction. If there’s none, you can confidently use the product. However, if you experience burning, itching, and/or redness, quickly wash the skin and refrain from using that particular oil in your soap.

Blending essential oils

Of course, you can add more than one essential oil to your soap. It’s an opportunity to create a unique, beautiful scent! However, to make the fragrance last more effectively, adhere to the following principles:

• The top note should consist of 30% of the entire oil blend; this role suits fruity and floral oils the best.
• The middle note comprises 60% of the blend; use floral, spicy, or citrus notes.
• The base note is 10% of the final blend; we recommend using woody (like sandalwood), oriental (such as vanilla), or green oils (like patchouli).

Remember, while combining several oils, do not exceed the recommended concentration. Additionally, we don’t recommend randomly blending oils. Some scents work wonderfully together, while others should never be mixed in the same soap. For example: lavender oil can be paired with basil, lemon, rosemary, or patchouli. Sandalwood oil complements geranium, lavender, lemon, rose, and ylang-ylang oils, while rose oil works well with lavender, sandalwood, patchouli, or geranium oil.

Adding essential oils to soap

If you want to add several essential oils to your soap, start by measuring the required amount of each and mix them together to achieve the desired scent.

Then, add the oils to the soap base – it’s best when the soap emulsifies and/or thickens to a light or medium trace.

Mix thoroughly and pour the mixture into the mold as soon as possible.

Cover the mold to reduce the “escape” of fragrance.

Be extremely careful at each of these stages – prevent the solution from coming into contact with the skin or, especially, the eyes. Goggles, gloves, and an apron are a must-have in the soap-making process.

Summary

We hope that now you know how to use essential oils in soap making and that it will open up a whole new dimension of fun for you!

If you’re looking for tried and tested soap recipes ready to use, you’ll find them here! Soapmakingfriends is a database of over 30,000 unique formulations. Among them are recipes for soaps with essential oils. For example: 👉 Coconut Milk with Lemon, Orange, and Grapefruit Essential Oil. 👈 Click and check it out!