07 March 2011

Simple Soap

This is a very easy soap recipe, ideal for the beginner soap maker as there is no mixing caustic soda or precise measuring.  Be sure to use Lux flakes, don't substitute another laundry soap.

4 cups Lux flakes
1 cup milk*
1/2 cup powdered milk*
Pure essential oil for fragrance (optional)

1.  Spray your soap moulds with cooking spray, this stops the soap from sticking.
2.  Add the Lux flakes to an old stockpot or large saucepan.
3.  Add 1/2 cup milk and stir over a low heat. Continue stirring and adding milk until all the soap flakes have dissolved.
4.  Keep stirring until the soap reaches the consistency of mashed potato, quite thick and lumpy. This is when you add the milk powder and stir. The milk powder will make the mixture creamy and smooth.  It should be a pourable consistency.
5.  If you are using essential oils, add them now.  Depending on how strong you want the scent to be, use between 2 and four teaspoons of pure essential oil.  Stir well to mix the essential oil through the mixture.
6.  Pour into your moulds and leave for 24 hours to set.
7.  Remove from the moulds and place soap on a cake rack to cure for at least a week. The longer the soap cures, the harder the cakes will be.

*I use silicone cake moulds as they are relatively cheap and available from $2 shops and the different shapes make pretty soaps
*Keep this pot just for soap making, do not use it for cooking food in once it's been used to make soap.
*Milk - you can use either cows or goats milk in this recipe
*Milk powder - full cream gives the best result. Skim can be used in a pinch but the soap won't be as smooth and creamy and won't have a rich feel to the lather
*This soap doesn't create a huge lather, but rather a nice, silky froth
*Only use pure essential oils if you are going to be using this soap for hands, hair etc


  1. Just want to confirm that this soap is for use on the body i.e Shower

  2. Yes it is - Lux is pure soap flakes. You can substitute your own grated soap if you want to - as long as it's pure soap it will be fine.

    Soap making is one of those things we have been convinced is too hard to do at home - those marketing gurus do their job so well.

    It's actually very simple, and cost effective to MOO soap.

  3. Hi
    Thanks for this. I saw your comment about a seperate saucepan and wondered if I used a stick blender to mix the soap would I need to only use it for soap making or could I wash it and then use it for food? Sarah

    1. I have a cheap stick blender (about $8 from Kmart) that I use just for soap making.

      If you are just making this soap, then a separate stick blender isn't necessary. If you are making soap with lye then yes, it will be for safety's sake.

      A separate pot just for soap making (NOT aluminium) is also a good idea. You use some rather strong chemicals to make soap and they are best not even accidentally ingested.

  4. Could you use coconut or almond milk? Or all powdered milk?

    1. Hi, I don't normally reply to anonymous posts, but this is a good question.

      I wouldn't use anything other than cow or goat milk. Almond and coconut milk have a different composition to the animal product.

      If you were going to use reconstituted milk powder for the 1 cup of milk, make sure it is full cream, it will give you a richer lather.

  5. how much of each product would you use to make a 1KG block. I have a timber soap making box 11" x 3.1/2". thanks.

  6. Hi, I'm wondering about adding things to this soap? It might be a nice thing for gift giving if colours could be added... If I add food colouring to this, do you know if it is likely to stain skin while showering?

    1. Bek you can't use food colouring for soap, it doesn't take and will stain everything from skin to face washers. Your soap will end up blotchy and disgusting looking (can you guess how I know ;) ) too. There are soap dyes you can get, they are in a powder form. You can also try some natural dyes i.e. coffee, honey (makes a gorgeous creamy coloured soap). I usually leave my soap the colour it is, and this depends on the colour of the oils I use, and add scent (if its going to be used quickly - the scents can fade and even smell quite off if they're left for a while i.e. I wouldn't scent soap I was making now to give as a Christmas gift). Sometimes I'll add rose petals or buds but most often I choose a pretty mould and leave them as is.

    2. Thanks Cath! Good to know. I'm a complete newbie to soap making! Honey sounds lovely, I might give that a go.

  7. I have coloured powder I use to make chocolates with. Could I use this in soap making.

    1. If it's a food colouring then no, it will look blothcy and you run the risk of it staining everything, including you! You can buy dyes for soap making if you'd like coloured soaps.



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