Soap for Men – How to Make 3 Hot & Cold Process Recipes

Though men are known to like all types of scents, from rose and vanilla to patchouli, they often like woodsy and earthy scents. My husband’s favorite scents are patchouli and vetiver. I’ve put together three soap recipes with herbs and essential oils so that you can make soap for men; soap that will appeal to a lot of men and their varying preferences. I’ve also included instructions for you to make the soap using the hot process or the cold process method.

Hot Process to have your project ready within hours, cold process for a smooth longer finish.

Cold Process or Hot Process

There are varying advantages and disadvantages to both processes. The cold process combines the oils and lye water and then brings the mixture to trace. It’s then poured into a mold and allowed to harden for 24 hours before being removed and cut. After curing for 3-4 weeks, the soap has evaporated enough water to last a long time when being used. It has a smooth texture and is easy to work with when creating layers and other artistic designs.

The hot process method speeds the whole process of saponification and evaporation of the excess water so that your soap is ready after a few hours instead of a few weeks. The oils are placed in a slow cooker that has a low or warming setting and then the lye water is added and blended until the soap comes to trace. The soap is then covered and allowed to stay warm until it’s all foamed. It is then blended again and added to a soap mold. The soap is ready when it cools. It can sometimes take a day or two to be fully hardened and ready to use, but that’s nicer than having to wait 3-6 weeks. The downside can sometimes be the texture. I love the chunky texture of hot process soap, but if you’re looking for a smooth, more traditional bar then you’ll want to cold process instead.

To learn more about the cold process and get step by step instructions click here. You can also get my book, The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners or Easy Soap Making.

To learn more about hot process soap making, click here.

Choosing Scents

I only use essential oils for scenting soap. Fragrance oils are created in a lab through chemical concoctions, whereas essential oils are naturally extracted from plants. That doesn’t mean that every essential oil is safe to use in every situation. To learn more about essential oil safety click here.

I’ve added some essential oil ideas for the soap recipes below, but feel free to add the essential oil that is your man’s favorite. Yes, some essential oils are more potent that others and some last a lot longer when combined with certain essential oils, but in general, the amount in a recipe can be replaced with other essential oils in the same amount. In other words, if the recipe calls for 1 ounce of lavender essential oil you can replace it with 1 ounce of another essential oil and still have a scent to your soap that isn’t too light or too strong.

My general rule of thumb for essential oil amounts is 0.33 ounces of essential oil per pound of soap.

Here are some essential oils and blends to try. None of them are overly floral. They are great on their own or combined where they have a synergistic effect (an effect where they blend to strengthen each other and extend the scent).

• patchouli lavender
• cedarwood lime
• frankincense orange
• cypress bergamot
• lavender sage
• vanilla
• cedar eucalyptus
• vetiver
• cinnamon orange
• grapefruit peppermint
• sandalwood frankincense orange
• lemon clove
• basil peppermint
• rosemary eucalyptus
• cedarwood lemongrass
• lavender lemongrass

Feel free to use any of the above essential oil blends in place of the ones in the recipes below. Use what you have and what you love!

Soap For Men – 3 Recipes

I’ve put together three great recipes that can be used for hot or cold processing. They make great Father’s Day presents.

Each recipe makes 2 pounds of soap or around 32 ounces. They make 8 four ounce bars.

Goat Milk Soap For Men

Makes: 2 pounds

Superfat: 10%

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces olive oil
• 7 ounces coconut oil
• 4 ounces castor oil
• 2 ounces sweet almond oil
• 2 ounces beeswax
• 7.3 ounces goat milk
• 2.9 ounces lye
• 0.40 ounce grapefruit essential oil
• 0.30 ounces patchouli essential oil

Cold Process Instructions:

1. Weigh all oils and butter and combine in a large stainless steel pot and melt.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh water in a bowl. Take lye and water outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the water, stirring until fully dissolved. Let cool to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Bring lye water in and when both oils and lye water are at the correct temperature, pour lye water into the oils and blend with an immersion blender on and off until light trace (it begins to thicken like pancake batter).
4. Add essential oils and blend well.
5. Scrape soap into the prepared mold and cover. Keep in a warm location (around 75-80 degrees) for 24 hours.
6. Remove from the mold and cut if necessary. If it’s still too soft to remove, then wait another 24 hours. Allow to cure for 3-6 weeks to harden.

Hot Process Instructions:

1. Melt oils and beeswax in a slow cooker.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh milk in a bowl and then partially freeze. Take lye and milk outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the milk, stirring until fully dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Bring lye milk in and carefully pout it into the slow cooker and blend with a stick blender until it begins to thicken.
4. Cover and wait 15-20 minutes, depending on your slow cooker. Do not uncover, but check it to make sure it’s not scorching on the sides, but slowly bubbling into a mashed potatoes looking consistency.
5. When the entire batch has changed in texture, remove the lid and add essential oils and blend.
6. Scoop the soap into a prepared mold. Carefully knock the mold on the countertop to get out any bubbles. It’s ready to use as soon as it is cool and hard enough.

NOTE #1: You can substitute water for the goat milk. You can then choose to add 4 tablespoons of powdered goat milk to the oils or leave it out entirely.

NOTE #2: Use an alternative vegetable wax for a vegan soap.

I’ve included a printable version of each recipe. Click on the print button below to open and print.

Cypress Citrus Soap

Makes: 2 pounds

Superfat: 5%

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces olive oil
• 6 ounces coconut oil
• 6 ounces tallow
• 4 ounces castor oil
• 3 ounces shea butter
• 8 ounces water
• 3 ounces lye
• 2 teaspoons spirulina
• 0.40 ounce bergamot essential oil
• 0.30 ounces cypress essential oil

Cold Process Instructions:

1. Weigh all oils and butter and combine in a large stainless steel pot and melt. Cool to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh water in a bowl. Take lye and water outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the water, stirring until fully dissolved. Let cool to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Bring lye water in and when both oils and lye water are at the correct temperature, pour lye water into the oils and blend with an immersion blender on and off until light trace (it begins to thicken like pancake batter).
4. Add essential oils and spirulina and blend well.
5. Scrape soap into the prepared mold and cover. Keep in a warm location (around 75-80 degrees) for 24 hours.
6. Remove from the mold and cut if necessary. If it’s still too soft to remove, then wait another 24 hours. Allow to cure for 3-6 weeks to harden.

Hot Process Instructions:

1. Melt oils and shea butter in a slow cooker.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh water in a bowl. Take lye and water outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the water, stirring until fully dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Bring lye water in and carefully pout it into the slow cooker and blend with a stick blender until it begins to thicken.
4. Cover and wait 15-20 minutes, depending on your slow cooker. Do not uncover, but check it to make sure it’s not scorching on the sides, but slowly bubbling into a mashed potatoes looking consistency.
5. When the entire batch has changed in texture, remove the lid and add essential oils and spirulina and blend.
6. Scoop the soap into a prepared mold. Carefully knock the mold on the countertop to get out any bubbles. It’s ready to use as soon as it is cool and hard enough.

I’ve included a printable version of each recipe. Click on the print button below to open and print.

Rosemary Tea Tree Charcoal Soap

Makes: 2 pounds

Superfat: 10%

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces olive oil
• 6 ounces coconut oil
• 4 ounces castor oil
• 2 ounces apricot kernel oil
• 2 ounces cocoa butter
• 2 ounces avocado oil
• 7 ounces water
• 2.9 ounces lye
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon activated charcoal
• 0.40 ounce rosemary essential oil
• 0.30 ounces tea tree essential oil

Cold Process Instructions:

1. Weigh all oils and butter and combine in a large stainless steel pot and melt. Cool to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh water in a bowl. Take lye and water outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the water, stirring until fully dissolved. Let cool to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Bring lye water in and when both oils and lye water are at the correct temperature, pour lye water into the oils and blend with an immersion blender on and off until light trace (it begins to thicken like pancake batter).
4. Add essential oils, herbs, and charcoal and blend well.
5. Scrape soap into the prepared mold and cover. Keep in a warm location (around 75-80 degrees) for 24 hours.
6. Remove from the mold and cut if necessary. If it’s still too soft to remove, then wait another 24 hours. Allow to cure for 3-6 weeks to harden.

Hot Process Instructions:

1. Melt oils and cocoa butter in a slow cooker.
2. Put on protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, and a charcoal mask (surgical masks are worthless). Weigh lye into a zip close bag. Weigh water in a bowl. Take lye and water outside to a location inaccessible to children and pets and pour lye into the water, stirring until fully dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Bring lye water in and carefully pout it into the slow cooker and blend with a stick blender until it begins to thicken.
4. Cover and wait 15-20 minutes, depending on your slow cooker. Do not uncover, but check it to make sure it’s not scorching on the sides, but slowly bubbling into a mashed potatoes looking consistency.
5. When the entire batch has changed in texture, remove the lid and add essential oils, herbs, and charcoal and blend.
6. Scoop the soap into a prepared mold. Carefully knock the mold on the countertop to get out any bubbles. It’s ready to use as soon as it is cool and hard enough.

I’ve included a printable version of each recipe. Click on the print button below to open and print.