A collection of the most festive Christmas soap recipes, perfect for gifting or simply enjoying this holiday season.
When I was a kid, soap was just..soap. But now as an adult I can totally appreciate the gift of a beautifully made bar of soap. These gorgeous Christmas soap recipes are the perfect combination of pretty, useful, and great gifts!
Peppermint Bark Soap
This soap recipe looks exactly like peppermint bark candy. It has two layers of “chocolate” with “crushed candy canes” on top. It looks so real that you’ll need to label it carefully so no one tries to eat it! The soap is made with a goat’s milk melt-and-pour base, so you don’t have to worry about handling lye. Instead, you can focus on making it look beautiful. While there are other peppermint soaps on this list, this one really stands out.
Christmas Tree Cold Process Soap
This recipe from Humblebee & Me creates a loaf-style bar soap with a lovely swirl inside that looks like a Christmas tree, and it’s topped with gold mica. It’s a cold process recipe made with tallow, coconut oil, and a few other soft oils. This soap makes a wonderful holiday gift that can be enjoyed all winter.
Tree-Shaped Green Soap
If you want your soap to look just like a real Christmas tree, this is the perfect recipe. It’s super simple, even for beginners. All you need to do is melt a soap base, add fragrance and color, and pour it into a Christmas tree mold. Easy! This makes a great gift and is also adorable for kids.
Cold Process Gingerbread Soap
This cold process recipe uses real molasses and chai tea to create a holiday soap with authentic holiday ingredients. The recipe also includes spice essential oils for fragrance, making it a natural soap that’s still festive and charming. It’s a great option if you prefer cold process soap and want something a little extra cute.
Candy Cane Soap Recipe
This recipe is so cute! It’s perfect for winter with its layers and candy topping. The tutorial shows you how to make it using a melt-and-pour base that’s split into two parts. Every soap maker enjoys layering, and this one is sure to be a favorite!
Snowflake Glitter Soap
This cute soap recipe combines glitter and peppermint fragrance to create a crisp, wintry soap. The tutorial teaches you how to layer two sections: one glittery and one solid white. The end result is a beautiful snowflake-shaped bar. It’s another easy melt-and-pour recipe.
Spiced Orange Soap
This one might be my favorite! It’s a cold process recipe with a simple, natural look. The fragrance is spicy, filled with cloves, cinnamon, and other Christmas scents. It’s a great recipe that offers something a little different from the usual Christmas themes.
Apple Pie Soap
Sticking with the warm and spicy theme, this Apple Pie Soap recipe is another fantastic choice. The tutorial shows you how to use natural colorants and a blend of fragrance oils and vanilla to create an amazing scent that anyone receiving your Christmas gifts will love!
Lemon Kitchen Soap
This soap is the least “holiday” of all the recipes, but handmade gifts should be useful all year round, and this kitchen soap is perfect for that. Everyone will appreciate it! You can also use orange zest to give it a more festive touch.
Get the Recipe
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake Soap
Homemade soap is impressive, but cupcake soap takes it to a whole new level. It looks delicious like a real treat, but it’s actually just soap. It’s the perfect gift for someone who loves sweets!
Frankincense & Myrrh Hot Process Soap
Hot process is a great way to make soap because the bars are ready to use right away. If you need a quick gift, this recipe is perfect.
DIY Snowflake Soap
This snowflake soap is both impressive and simple. It uses a clear base with cute festive embeds. Kids will love it!
Cranberry Vanilla Shea Butter Soap
This melt-and-pour recipe is vanilla-scented and has real cranberries inside. It’s perfect for beginners and makes a lovely gift for anyone.
Christmas Spice Soap
This soap has a natural look with beautiful whole spices inside, making it perfect for the guest bathroom. You can add any Christmas fragrance oil for a festive scent.
Gingerbread Jelly Soap Recipe
These cute little soaps are made with a mix of gelatin and castile soap. They smell amazing and make great stocking stuffers.
Supplies for Handmade Christmas Soaps
Any recipe can be made festive. You just need the right color, fragrance, and maybe a festive mold
- Cinnamon fragrance oil available from Nurture Soap.
- My favorite fragrance oil, Comfort and Joy, is a blend of spruce and winter fruits.
- If you’re looking for a true pine fragrance, winter wonderland is a great choice.
Molds
- A beautifully styled Christmas tree mold that works well with any simple green soap.
- These snowflake soap molds are a beautiful choice too.
- And who doesn’t love gingerbread men! Use this mold with a spicy fragrance for adorable gingerbread soap.
Mica and Colorants
- Snowflake sparkle mica paired with a melt-and-pour base gives you the most beautiful sparkling soap.
- Gold dust glitter is another beautiful and festive choice!
Key Takeaways
- Start Simple: If you’re new to soap-making, start with melt-and-pour recipes. They’re easy, quick, and don’t require handling lye.
- Use Quality Ingredients: High-quality oils, butters, and fragrance oils make a big difference in how your soap feels and smells. Always choose skin-safe ingredients.
- Get Creative with Molds: Holiday-themed molds, like snowflakes or Christmas trees, add a festive touch to your soaps and make them even more special as gifts.
- Plan Ahead: If you’re making cold process soap, remember it needs to cure for 4 to 6 weeks. Plan your soap-making sessions early so your soaps are ready in time for the holidays.
- Label Clearly: Some soaps look so much like treats that they could be mistaken for food! Label your soaps clearly to avoid any mix-ups.
- Customize for Sensitive Skin: If you’re gifting soaps, consider the recipient’s skin type. Use gentle, fragrance-free ingredients for those with sensitive skin.
FAQs
Do I need any special equipment to make Christmas soaps?
Not really! Most recipes just need basic kitchen tools like measuring cups, spoons, and a microwave or stovetop. If you’re doing cold process soap, you’ll need a stick blender and some safety gear like gloves and goggles. Check out this article for using lye safely. For melt-and-pour soaps, all you really need is a soap base, molds, and a microwave-safe container.
Can I use any type of fragrance for my Christmas soaps?
Yes, but it’s best to use fragrance oils or essential oils that are safe for skin. For a festive feel, go for scents like peppermint, cinnamon, pine, or vanilla. Just make sure whatever you use is skin-safe and meant for soap-making.
How long does it take for cold process soap to be ready?
Cold process soap needs to cure, which means it needs to sit and harden for about 4 to 6 weeks. This allows the soap to fully set and become milder for the skin. If you’re in a hurry, try a hot process or melt-and-pour recipe instead.
Are homemade soaps good gifts for people with sensitive skin?
Absolutely! Homemade soaps are great because you can control the ingredients. If you know someone has sensitive skin, you can use gentle ingredients like shea butter, oatmeal, or aloe vera, and avoid fragrances that might irritate their skin.
Can I add things like glitter or dried flowers to my soaps?
Yes, you can! Just be sure to use body-safe glitter that’s made for cosmetics. Dried flowers are a lovely touch, but they can sometimes turn brown in the soap, so it’s something to keep in mind. Make sure whatever you add is safe for skin and won’t cause any irritation.
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I hope you found something from this list of gorgeous Christmas soap recipes that has sparked your creativity and given you some fun ideas for holiday gifts. Soap is such a great gift because everyone uses it! You can make a batch for family and friends, and even keep a bar or two for yourself.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.
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