Making your own natural, cold process peppermint eucalyptus soap at home is easier than you think! With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can create beautifully scented, skin-loving bars of soap. This homemade soap not only smells refreshing but also offers soothing and moisturizing benefits for your skin.

I love making soap with mostly natural ingredients, like this Charcoal Turmeric acne soap. This batch of Peppermint Eucalyptus soap was especially fun to make because I’m creating several batches for bridal shower favors. Since they’re for gifts, I cut them slightly smaller than usual. The shower has a farmer’s market theme, and I’m making four different varieties: Peppermint Eucalyptus, Honeysuckle Lemon, White Tea Ginger, and Lavender. Stay tuned for tutorials on those soaps as well.

For this soap, I used my no-fail soap recipe that you can download free here —it’s a total game-changer! I call it my “no-fail” recipe because it consistently produces hard bars with a rich, bubbly lather and a luxurious 5% superfat for extra moisture.

I originally developed this recipe when I was selling soap, making sure it appealed to everyone—so yes, it’s completely vegan-friendly! Designed with beginners in mind, it works with a small rectangular soap mold (you can grab one on Amazon here for a great price). If you’re making cold process soap at home, give this recipe a try—you probably already have most of the oils in your kitchen!

Ingredients

For the Peppermint Eucalyptus Soap, you’ll need a variety of oils, lye, water, eucalyptus essential oil, peppermint essential oil, mica powder (optional for color), titanium dioxide (optional) and any additional additives you’d like to include in your soap. I topped mine with crushed eucalyptus leaves.

• Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) – 150g
• Distilled Water – 336 g
• Olive Oil – 369 g
• Coconut Oil – 567 g
• Shea Butter – 28 g
• Cocoa Butter – 28 g
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil – 1 oz.
• Peppermint Essential Oil – 1 oz.
• Mica Powder
• Titanium Dioxide
• Eucalyptus Leaves

Do you want to change the ratios or fats used in this recipe? Click here to use my free online lye calculator and formulate your own recipe.

Prepare Your Oils and Fats

Oils and butters are the foundation of your soap. They determine how moisturizing, cleansing, and bubbly your final bars will be.

1. Weigh out your oils, fats, and butters.
2. Heat them until fully melted and combined.
   • Tip: Coconut oil melts quickly, but cocoa and shea butter take longer.
3. If using a microwave, heat in 30-60 second bursts, stirring in between.
4. Set aside to cool to around 100°F.

Prepare Your Lye Solution

Safety First: Handling lye requires extra care, as it is a strong alkaline substance. Wear gloves, goggles, and long sleeves. Keep children and pets away. Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling fumes.

1. Weigh out your lye and water carefully. I like to use ice made from distilled water because it lessens the time you have to wait for the lyewater to cool.
2. Slowly add the lye to the water (never the other way around!).
3. Stir gently until the lye is fully dissolved.
4. Allow the lye water to cool to around 100°F.

Combine Oils and Lye Solution

Now it’s time to bring everything together and start the real magic of soap making!

1. Ensure both your oils and lye solution are between 90-120°F.
2. Slowly pour the lye solution into the oils.
3. Use a stick blender to mix until you reach light trace (a thin pudding consistency).

At this stage, your soap mixture starts thickening as saponification begins. If you want to add any exfoliants like poppy seeds or dried herbs, this is a great time to mix them in!

Customize Your Soap

Now comes the fun part—getting creative with colors and swirls!

1. Add your fragrance oils and mix well. Note that not all fragrances are created equal. If you notice the soap thickening quickly, work as quickly as you can!
2. If using multiple colors, separate your soap batter into different containers and mix in colorants.

Step 6: Pour Into Mold

1. For this soap, I just did a simple in the pot swirl where you take all of the colors of your soap batter, pour it into one bowl, swirl slightly, and then pour it into the mold.
2. Tap the mold gently to remove air bubbles.
3. Use a skewer or spoon to create swirls on top.
4. Add eucalyptus if desired to the top for added decoration.

Let It Set

1. Cover the mold with saran wrap and let it sit for 24-48 hours.
2. During this time, saponification occurs (the chemical reaction that turns oils and lye into soap).

Unmold and Slice

1. Once firm, carefully remove the soap from the mold.
2. Slice into bars using a sharp knife or soap cutter.

If your soap is still too soft, leave it in the mold for another day before attempting to cut. A properly set soap will slice cleanly without sticking to the blade.

When cutting cold process soap with botanicals like leaves, petals, or oatmeal, place the botanical side against the bottom or side of the cutter. Cutting from the top down can drag the botanicals through the soft soap, ruining the clean cut.

Cure Your Soap

1. Place bars on a rack in a cool, dry place.
2. Allow to cure for 4-6 weeks for a harder, longer-lasting bar.

Curing allows excess water to evaporate, making your soap last longer in the shower. The longer the cure time, the better the lather and hardness!

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Enjoy Your Handmade Soap!

Congratulations! Your peppermint eucalyptus soap is now ready to use. With its refreshing scent and nourishing ingredients, it’s perfect for personal use or as a thoughtful homemade gift. Enjoy the process, experiment with new scents and designs, and happy soap making!