Try these easy-to-make melt and pour facial soap bars complete with skin healing herbs, moisturizing oils and soothing shea butter. Lightly scented with lavender essential oil, this facial soap recipe will keep your skin clean and refreshed.

small wooden basket fulled with several bars of facial soap

Throughout most of my teenage years I managed to be acne free. It wasn’t until my late teens into my college years that I had blemishes on my face and some times even my back. To combat the acne, I did what most are told to do, use an oil-free cleanser containing harsh ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. For quite a long time I battled breakouts, trying varying cleansers and creams to unclog pores and reduce blemishes. Little worked and some even made my acne worse.

Had I known what I do today about that health of your microbiome effecting your skin and that clarity can come using natural ingredients like herbs, I doubt I would have struggled so long with poor skin.

Well that is water under the bridge.

Now that I am in my mid thirties, consuming real, gut healthy foods and creating my own skincare products, my skin is soft, silky and in good shape. I enjoy making the basic body care items for my family, knowing that each formula uses safe, non toxic ingredients. Lip balm, hand cream and bath salts are just some of my favorites. When I discovered how to make liquid face wash at home, I was so pleased with the results, I haven’t purchased a commercial cleanser for years.

That same beloved face wash recipe can now be transformed into a facial soap bar. It’s perfect for traveling and contains only natural ingredients. The best part is that it is quick to make and does not require any special soap making supplies or handling lye. Scroll below to find the printable recipe. May it nourish and soften your skin as much as it has mine!

How to Make Shea Butter Soap Recipe Without Lye

Soap making without lye, also known as sodium hydroxide is possible! The trick is to use a melt and pour soap base such as shea butter or cocoa butter. Making shea butter soap or whatever base you choose is great for beginners, safe to use and even your kids can help you create a beautiful bar of homemade soap. So what is melt and pour soap? I’m glad you asked! Read on to learn how to make melt and pour soap.

What is Melt and Pour Soap?

Melt and pour soap is a form of soap making that is ready to be used immediately. The cold or hot process of using lye and the lengthy curing time has already been completed for you. All you need to do is melt the soap base and personalize it with your chosen scents, colors, exfoliants or botanicals. It is truly the easiest way to make soap at home. Learn about 8 of the most popular soap bases to use including goat’s milk, oatmeal and shea butter in this post.

yellow bar of soap set amongst a variety of greenery

Where to Buy Melt and Pour Soap Bases

Amazon
Our Earth’s Secrets
Bramble Berry
Bulk Apothecary
Wholesale Supplies Plus

Learn about the best melt and pour soap bases in this article.

How to Add Herbs to Melt and Pour Soap

To infuse your facial soap bar with the beneficial properties of fresh or dried herbs, you will need to steep them into your soap base as it melts. Over low heat, add your chosen soap base and desired herbs. Once the soap base has almost completely melted, infuse the herbs into the soap for a minimum of 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Never allow your soap base to boil. After the allotted time is up, the soap should now be packed full of the best herbal components as well as a beautiful new color. Some of my favorite herbs to infuse are calendula, plantain, sage and dandelions.

Tools You May Need To Make Melt and Pour Soap

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. In any case, I only link to products we actually use on our homestead and that I believe can truly benefit to you. See my full disclosure here.

Saucepan
Quart size glass canning jar
Spatula
Fine mesh strainer
Kitchen scale
Soap mold

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Facial Soap

Easy and safe to make
Made with shea butter to help soothe and moisturize dry skin
Soap is infused with calendula to help repair damaged skin
Contains sweet almond oil to help reduce inflammation without clogging pores
Lavender essential oil is wonderful for healing and calming many skin conditions
Frankincense improves skin by slowing signs of aging and reducing acne marks
Great for normal to dry skin

3 bars of herbal facial soap sit in a stack on a piece of lace

Facial Soap Recipe Melt and Pour

In this DIY facial soap recipe you’ll find skin soothing herbs, moisturizing shea butter, anti-inflammatory oils and variety of other skin-loving ingredients to keep your face clean and healthy.

Makes: Four 2.5-ounce soap bars

Ingredients

10 ounces (284 g) shea butter soap base
1 1/2 tablespoons (2 g) dried calendula flowers, optional
1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin
1/2 tsp sweet almond oil
1/2 tsp organic olive oil
7 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
4 drops tea tree essential oil

How to Make Homemade Face Soap

melting soap base in saucepan to make homemade soap

Chop the shea butter soap base into one inch cubes to make melting quicker. In quart size heatproof glass canning jar, combine the calendula flowers and shea butter soap base. Set the jar on top of a saucepan with a few inches of water inside the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and melt for 5 minutes.

Loosely cover the bowl with a plate or heatproof lid to keep the soap environment warm and steamy. Once the soap base starts to melt, continue to infuse on low for another 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove the bowl from heat, discard the calendula flowers. Thoroughly mix in the vegetable glycerin, sweet almond oil, olive oil and all 3 essential oils. Pour the melted soap into your silicone mold. Allow to cool and harden completely for 1-3 hours before removing the soap from the molds. Store facial soap bars in a cool, dry place.

How to Use a Facial Soap Bar

Wet your face and the bar of soap. Rub the bar between your hands until it begins to lather. Apply to your face and massage into skin. Rinse with warm water. Follow with a moisturizer or toner.

Herbal Facial Soap

Materials

10 ounces (284 g) shea butter soap base
1 1/2 tablespoons (2 g) dried calendula flowers, optional
1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin
1/2 tsp sweet almond oil
1/2 tsp organic olive oil
7 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
4 drops tea tree essential oil

Instructions

Chop the shea butter soap base into one inch cubes to make melting quicker. In quart size heatproof glass canning jar, combine the calendula flowers and shea butter soap base. Set the jar on top of a saucepan with a few inches of water inside the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and melt for 5 minutes.
Loosely cover the bowl with a plate or heatproof lid to keep the soap environment warm and steamy. Once the soap base starts to melt, continue to infuse on low for another 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Remove the bowl from heat, discard the calendula flowers. Thoroughly mix in the vegetable glycerin, sweet almond oil, olive oil and all 3 essential oils. Pour the melted soap into your silicone mold. Allow to cool and harden completely for 1-3 hours before removing the soap from the molds. Store facial soap bars in a cool, dry place.
To use face wash, wet your face and the bar of soap. Rub the bar between your hands until it begins to lather. Apply to your face and massage into skin. Rinse with warm water. Follow with a moisturizer or toner.