How to Make Foaming Hand Soap with the VERY BEST Smelling Essential Oil Blends for Soap
Choose from 8 foaming hand soap recipes, grab an essential oil printable, and learn how to make foaming hand soap in a flash with the best-smelling essential oil blends for soap!
If you’re looking to learn how to make foaming hand soap so you can stop buying hand soap refills and fill a pretty foaming hand soap dispenser instead, you’re in the right place. It’s even easier to make than essential oil bath salts or lip scrubs – which are pretty darn easy to begin with!
Homemade foaming hand soap is one of those things that are so simple to make yourself. After you make it the first time, you’ll never stop.
If you’re going to dive into essential oil DIYs, how to make foaming hand soap is a great place to start! Not only is the process easy, but making hand soap refills is definitely cheaper than buying them.
Plus, you’ll be doing the environment a favor by reducing waste (think no more plastic bottles) and saving water. Did you know foaming hand soap uses up to 45% less water per wash than regular liquid hand soap?
So, start here with this easy-to-make foaming hand soap recipe using only the best smelling essential oils for soap!
This article contains some affiliate links for your convenience; read the full disclosure policy.
Which Essential Oils Are Best for Soap?
One of the best things about making your own DIY hand soap is that you can choose the scent! Start with a single essential oil such as eucalyptus, lemongrass, or lavender. Each is included in the best essential oils for soap.
Or create your very own custom fragrance by blending essential oils. Check out our foolproof method for blending essential oils and a free printable blending wheel from our essential oil library while you’re at it.
If you are looking for a scent you’ll love all year round, you’ll adore the essential oil blends for soap we created. Not only do they smell fantastic, but we’ve made one for every room in the house with a sink!
How Much Essential Oil Do I Need To Make Soap?
25 drops of essential oil is best to make 12 to 16 ounce bottles of foaming hand soap. For handmade soap bars, you can double the recipe to make 6 to 8 ounce soap bars.
So, whether you’re making an easy foaming hand soap recipe or a bar of soap like my fun confetti soap recipe, these are the best-smelling essential oil blends for soap!
Essential Oil Blends For Soap
It feels so good to swap out a plastic bottle for a gorgeous foaming hand soap dispenser like this! The Look Book features more of our favorite foaming hand soap dispensers.
I know you’ll be reaching for these again and again because there’s a blend for everyone and every space!
Print out this chart of essential oil blends for soap from the Oily Chic Library or pin it for later use as a quick reference for homemade soap scents. Scroll through each blend recipe to find your favorites, then follow the steps below to make foaming hand soap at home.
Lavender Cloud Essential Oil Soap Blend
Drift away on a cloud of relaxation with Lavender Cloud, a calming soap blend that soothes both body and mind. This blend combines classic lavender with stress-relieving Stress Away.
- 12 drops lavender
- 12 drops stress away
Gum Drop Essential Oil Soap Blend
Indulge in the sweet, refreshing scent of Gum Drop, reminiscent of Willy Wonka candies. This blend combines zesty orange, fresh spearmint, and tangy lime.
- 6 drops orange
- 12 drops spearmint
- 6 drops lime
Spiced Vanilla Essential Oil Soap Blend
Scrub up with the cozy aroma of Spiced Vanilla, perfect for the kitchen sink. This blend features rich vanilla, spicy clove, and uplifting orange.
- 15 drops vanilla
- 5 drops clove
- 5 drops orange
Rain Shower Essential Oil Soap Blend
Refresh your senses with Rain Shower, a revitalizing blend for DIY soap that brings the invigorating scent of a spring downpour. This blend includes grounding vetiver, woody cypress, and cleansing tea tree.
- 12 drops vetiver
- 4 drops cypress
- 8 drops tea tree
Tip – Rain Shower and Lavender Cloud are our favorites for his and her soap dispensers in the master bath.
Anthro Volcano Essential Oil Soap Blend
Transport yourself to a tropical paradise with Anthro Volcano, a vibrant soap blend that captures the essence of exotic fruits and lush foliage. This blend includes zesty grapefruit, tangy tangerine, earthy Idaho blue spruce, and floral geranium.
- 5 drops grapefruit
- 5 drops tangerine
- 5 drops Idaho blue spruce
- 5 drops geranium
Marshmallow Pumpkin Essential Oil Soap Blend
Embrace the cozy comforts of fall with Marshmallow Pumpkin, a warm and spicy blend that evokes memories of pumpkin patches and bonfires. This DIY soap scent features aromatic cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a hint of citrusy bergamot.
- 8 drops cinnamon
- 4 drops nutmeg
- 10 drops vanilla
- 3 drops bergamot
Tip – Marshmallow Pumpkin and Spiced Vanilla blends are my go-to for the kitchen.
Renewal Essential Oil Soap Blend
Cleanse your hands with Renewal, a refreshing blend that invigorates the senses and washes away unwanted odors. This blend combines soothing lavender, invigorating lemongrass, and clarifying eucalyptus.
- 15 drops lavender
- 5 drops lemongrass
- 5 drops eucalyptus
Tip – Renewal and Antro Volcano can give hand soap in the guest bath or powder room a luxurious feel.
Liquid Sunshine Essential Oil Soap Blend
Brighten your day with Liquid Sunshine, a cheerful blend that brings a burst of citrusy freshness to handmade soap. This blend combines energizing grapefruit with cooling peppermint for a revitalizing aroma.
- 12 drops grapefruit
- 10 drops peppermint
Tip – Liquid Sunshine and Gum Drop are the perfect fun, fruity blends for kids’ bathrooms.
What if I don’t have these essential oils?
Here’s the thing: I personally use Young Living essential oils because of their high quality. They control EVERY aspect of the oil, from planting to pesticide-free farming to harvesting to distilling to testing to bottling… I can always trust they are safe for my skin and my family. If you want to join my Young Living family, you can do that right HERE!
But of course, you can easily swap out any essential oil you have on hand that is labeled skin-safe to make foaming hand soap.
No matter which essential oils you choose, our foaming hand soap recipe will gently cleanse and moisturize your hands. So, let’s make it!
This DIY hand soap recipe I’m sharing with you is super quick and simple to make. Honestly, it’s pour, drop, shake, and done!
Even my five-year-old daughter knows how to make this foaming hand soap!!
We usually gather our supplies and all the empty or low foaming hand soap dispensers in the kitchen. She fills the soap, I add each essential oil blend, and she tops each with water. And just like that, we’re done!
Having nothing to throw away and no trips to the store means I create less waste, save money, and have more time for fun activities with my daughter. If that’s not a win, I don’t know what is.
Quick DIY Hand Soap Recipe:
¼ cup castile soap
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin (optional)
25 drops of essential oil
1 foaming hand soap dispenser 16-ounce
Essential Oil Foaming Hand Soap Instructions:
1. Start by getting your foaming hand soap dispenser ready. Rinse out the container and the pump. And wipe down the outside of the bottle. You can also create a foaming hand soap bottle using a standard mason jar and lid designed with a pump like these.
2. With your container ready, add ¼ cup of unscented castile soap. (Depending on the size of your soap dispenser, you may need to use a funnel.)
3. For a thicker foam and added moisturizer, combine 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin with the soap.
4. Next, add your essential oils. Choose from one of the essential oil blends for soap above, or create your own blend by adding up to 25 drops of essential oil.
5. Last, top with filtered or distilled water. Then, place the pump back on the bottle and shake gently to mix.
This foaming hand soap recipe always leaves our hands feeling soft and clean. And there’s just something fun about using foaming soap. Don’t you agree? It’s just one of my simple essential oil DIYs that saves me time and money.
How To Make Foaming Hand Soap
This DIY hand soap recipe I’m sharing with you is super quick and so simple to make, even if you’re new to essential oil DIYs.
Materials
- ¼ cup castile soap
- 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 25 drops of essential oil
- 1 foaming hand soap dispenser 16-ounce
Instructions
- Start by getting your foaming hand soap dispenser ready. Rinse out the container and the pump. And wipe down the outside of the bottle.
- With your container ready, add ¼ cup of unscented castile soap. (You may need to use a funnel depending on the size of your soap dispenser.
- For a thicker foam and added moisturizer, combine 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin with the soap.
- Next, add your essential oils. Choose from one of our best smelling essential oil blends for soap.
- Last, top with filtered or distilled water. Then, place the pump back on the bottle and shake gently to mix.
Notes
This foaming hand soap recipe always leaves our hands feeling soft and clean. And there’s just something fun about using foaming soap.
More Essential Oil DIYs
How to Make Essential Oil Bath Bombs
Easy Makeup Brush Cleaner Recipe
There’s more,
If you already have the supplies on hand, bottle up an extra foaming hand soap and add it to a care package, housewarming gift basket, or as a thoughtful teacher’s gift. I know they’ll love it too!