How to Make Lemon & Honey Soap at Home

Homemade soaps are great to use for your hands or for hand-washing delicate laundry fabrics. Here are instructions to make your own Lemon and Honey soap at home for your household needs or to give away as a gift to someone special. It lathers well and is very soothing to your skin. Lemon even has antiseptic properties and is very pungent. You can put the pliable warm soap inside tartlet pans that have a special shape. Then, you can mark your soap by simply pressing a wooden stamp in the soap to identify its scent or to tell the receiver who gave it to them. Wrap it in pretty cellophane or tie with raffia and let someone know how much they mean to you with this homemade household gift

Things You'll Need:

• 8 oz. box of Soap flakes (kind for hand-washing fabrics)
• 2 oz. Clear Honey (a blended one is fine)
• 2 T. Corn Oil, plus extra to oil tartlet pans
• 2 t. Oil of Lemon
• 2 tartlet pans
• wooden spoon
• heatproof glass bowl
• Saucepan
• Wooden stamps

1. Step 1

   Buy ONLY soap flakes that are intended for hand-washing clothes. Do not use/buy any other kind. A blended variety of honey is fine.

2. Step 2

   Measure out 8 ounces of Soap flakes and place them in a heatproof glass bowl. Add the Corn Oil and Honey.

3. Step 3

   Put the bowl over some simmering water in a saucepan and set over a gentle heat. Do NOT let the water touch the bottom of the bowl! Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft mass forms. This will take approximately 15 minutes. Add the Oil of Lemon to the mixture.

4. Step 4

   Pour the water out of the saucepan and wipe the saucepan dry. Transfer the soap mixture from the bowl to the saucepan. Continue to heat the soap mixture gently until a stiff paste forms. Use the wooden spoon to stir and turn the soap mixture so that it doesn't burn to the bottom of the saucepan.

5. Step 5

   Turn out the soap mixture onto a wooden board or work surface and leave it to be cool enough to handle. Use your hands to knead it and press it into smooth, firm "dough."

6. Step 6

   Take the two tartlet pans and grease them with oil using your fingers to prevent the soap dough from sticking. Divide the dough into two parts. Press one half into a tartlet pan. Use your thumbs to firm it well into the sides of the pan. Rub a drop or two of Corn Oil over the surface to smooth it out. Repeat this for the other half.

7. Step 7

   Take a pretty wooden stamp and press it lightly into the top of the soap to decorate it and make it "yours."

8. Step 8

   Turn the soap shapes out of the pans and leave them in a warm, dry place for about 1 to 2 weeks before using them.

9. Step 9

   If giving them as a gift, wrap in waxed paper, or in cellophane, or tie with pretty raffia and include a tag that says, "Lemon & Honey Soap." Give a bit of instructions that the soap can be used for skin or for washing delicates.