How about making your own soaps?
A homemade soap made from herbs and lemon peel. Are you tempted?
Don't worry, it's super simple. Even my children managed to make some (see photo at the bottom)!
All you need is some glycerin, fresh herbs and some citrus peel like lemon.
My favorite is the mint one. I love its smell and its beautiful green color! Just add finely chopped mint to the melted glycerine:
In fact, the interest is to perfume the soaps according to one's tastes. I also really like the combination of fresh rosemary with the zest of a lemon:
Without further ado, here is the super simple recipe for making your own homemade soaps. Watch:
- Fragrance-free glycerine soap
- Assorted aromatic herbs and citrus fruits (I use basil, mint, rosemary, sage, orange and lemon)
- A food processor for chopping
- A glass bowl or a measuring cup
- A plastic spoon or a plastic spatula
- Non-stick molds (or any plastic or cardboard container will do)
- A little oil
Dice the glycerine soaps. Put them in a glass bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds until liquefied. Stir as needed to break up large chunks.
While the soaps are melting, chop the herbs by hand or with the food processor. Combine them according to your mood. For citrus fruits, prepare the zest. You will need about a tablespoon for each soap. FYI, the orange/basil mix gives an unsavory green-brown color.
You can buy cute molds with shapes like these. But any plastic container will do. You can simply recycle a container (like a yogurt pot) that you throw in the trash when you're done. This avoids having to clean the molds. Remember to grease the mold with a little bit of oil to prevent it from sticking.
Once the glycerin is melted, allow it to cool for a few minutes. When the soap is still lukewarm, add the aromatics. Stir to mix them and prevent the herbs from all falling down. Add food coloring if desired. When you have the color you want (the more you stir, the darker the color), pour into the container.
Let the soap sit for about 1 hour. Then put in the freezer for an hour or two. It should come out with a nice shape. Slice with a knife as needed and gift it to someone you love :-)
And there you have it, you have made your own homemade soap :-)
Easy, isn't it? And what's more, it's still very fast!
Know that this homemade soap keeps very well for 3 months.
Did you know that you can also make homemade soap sheets? Very practical for traveling or camping!
