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Calendula is known for its skin-soothing and wound-healing effects. This easy recipe for calendula soap makes for a very mild soap that’s even suitable for babies. The recipe is beginner-friendly which means that the process is not too complex. If this is your first soap, however, you should familiarise yourself with the soapmaking process and carefully observe the safety guidelines.

This soap can be used for the body and face. It’s especially suitable for sensitive skin due to the soothing effect of calendula. We use homemade calendula oil, calendula tea as a basis for the lye solution and dried calendula petals. As calendula is also a great colouring agent, we won’t need any clay or additional soap colours. The oil and tea will make for a beautiful yellow tint. (For more uses for calendula look here).

If you plan to use this soap for babies, do not use essential oil.

Calendula Soap

Superfat: 7 %

Ingredients

700 g calendula oil
200 g coconut oil
100 g sunflower oil
133 g sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
330 g water
5 tbsp dried calendula petals
20 g essential geranium oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare your soap mould and put on an apron, gloves, breathing mask and safety goggles.

2. To prepare the calendula tea, put 3 tbsp of dried calendula petals into a jar. Weigh 350 g of water and put it to the boil. Pour the boiling water over the petals and let this tea rest for 30 minutes. Drain the tea and let it cool.

3. Weigh the oils. Slowly melt the coconut oil, then add the sunflower and calendula oil. Put a thermometer into the oil mixture and measure the temperature.

4. Weigh the calendula tea in a large enough, heat-proof container.

5. If you use essential oil, weigh it and put it aside for later use.

6. Weigh the sodium hydroxide. Put the water container into a sink and slowly pour the sodium hydroxide into the water (never the reverse!). Stir carefully and slowly with a spoon until the NaOH crystals have dissolved. Put a thermometer into the lye water and measure the temperature.

7. When the temperature of the lye-water and the oils has fallen to 40 – 45 °C, carefully pour the lye into the oils (never the reverse!). Fully immerse the blender and start mixing both liquids until they are well combined. Make sure that the blender stays in the batter to prevent air bubbles. Mix the batter until a trace forms.

8. If you use essential oil, add it to the soap batter and mix it well.

9. Add the dried calendula petals and mix them in with a hand whisk.

10. Pour the soap batter into the mould and either cover it with cling film or spray it with isopropyl alcohol. Cover the mould with towels to keep it warm. Leave the soap in the mould for 48 hours.

11. After 48 hours, carefully remove the soap from the mould and cut it into bars.

12. Let the soap bars cure at a cool and well-ventilated place for 4 – 6 weeks before use.

You like this soap? Then you may also like this recipe for green mint soap. Or try out this one for orange peeling soap.