Beard soaps are excellent for cleaning and maintaining your beard, alongside other beard care products.
However, you don’t have to rely on store-bought soaps when you can make yours at home.
Table Of Contents
- Benefits
- Things You Need
- How to Make
- Step 1 – Prepare the work area
- Step 2 – Weigh out your ingredients
- Step 3 – Set crockpot to the lowest heat setting
- Step 4 – Weigh out your lye and water
- Step 5 – Add the lye and water
- Step 6 – Continuously stir the mixture
- Step 7 – Add essential oil
- Step 8 – Fill in your soap molds
- Step 9 – Cut into appropriate sizes
- Best Way to Apply
- Storing
- FAQ
Benefits
Saves Money
You’ll notice it’s cheaper and more economical to buy ingredients and make your soap than to buy ready-made soaps. The materials you buy can be reused several times before you stock up again.
Meets All Your Needs
Sometimes, the beard soaps you buy might tick all the right boxes but fail to give you the desired results. This is because some manufacturers lie about the ingredients and use information that will only help them sell.
However, when you make your DIY beard wash at home, you’re sure of the ingredients you use. With the right ingredients, your beard soap can help with issues like beard dandruff.
Versatility
When you make your soap, you can play around with the scents and oils until you reach a perfect blend. Such blends are not always available in ready-made soaps.
Things You Need
Here’s a list of everything you will need for this process:
- Crockpot
- Silicone mixing spoon
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Stick blender
- Scale
- Distilled water
- Silicone soap mold – 4 loaf molds
- Lye
- Coconut oil – 76
- Jojoba oil
- Sweet almond oil
- Castor oil
- Lanolin oil USP liquid
- Sesame seed oil
- Cocoa butter golden natural
- Shea butter
- Cutter for miter box – stainless steel
- Miter box – stainless steel
- Safety glasses for soap making
- Safety gloves for soap making – 1 pair
- Gurjun balsam essential oil
How to Make
Step 1 – Prepare the work area
Sanitize and clean your work area and all your packaging materials. While preparing this recipe, we recommend wearing gloves, protective clothing, a face mask, safety glasses, and a hair net.
Step 2 – Weigh out your ingredients
Weigh out the appropriate amounts of shea butter, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, olive oil, lanolin oil, sesame oil, coconut oil 76, castor oil, and jojoba oil in one bowl.
Step 3 – Set crockpot to the lowest heat setting
Set your crockpot to the lowest heat setting. Put all of your oils and butter in the slow cooker. Warm these ingredients until they are all liquid.
Step 4 – Weigh out your lye and water
While your ingredients are melting, weigh out your lye and water.
Step 5 – Add the lye and water
Slowly begin adding small amounts of lye to the water, stirring in between additions of lye to the water. Never mix lye with water. Next, slowly pour in the lye mixture and stir.
In the crockpot, stick and blend the mixture until it reaches a trace. At this point, put the lid on your crockpot and set it to low heat.
Step 6 – Continuously stir the mixture
Stir your mixture occasionally to ensure even cooking of the soap. Every 15 minutes or so, give it a good stir.
Step 7 – Add essential oil
Once your mixture has the consistency of mashed potatoes, add the essential oil. Cooking time will vary, but it is usually around an hour. Stir in the essential oil to fully incorporate it.
Step 8 – Fill in your soap molds
Fill each cavity of the mold with soap. Then, slightly lift your mold and tap it on the table to release air bubbles. Allow the soap to harden and cool.
Step 9 – Cut into appropriate sizes
Remove the soap from the molds once it has hardened. Then, using your miter box and cutter, cut the soap.
Best Way to Apply
Using beard soap is similar to using a regular bar of soap. You can look up how to use shaving soap if you are struggling with this.
Follow these steps whether you’re using a beard bar or a liquid soap:
Step 1 – Massage in circular motions
Take the soap in your hand and massage it in circular motions into both cheeks. Wait until it lathers, then remove it.
Step 2 – Lather up
Begin by lathering your curly beard. Make sure to get to every inch of your beard, including the skin beneath it. Allow for a few minutes.
Step 3 – Rinse and pat dry
Thoroughly rinse with water and pat dry. Scrubbing can harm your skin and beard hair.
Storing
Seal your beard soap and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Place your soap on a clean soap dish after using it, and always rinse it before storing the soap.
FAQ
What makes a good beard soap?
Natural ingredients such as carriers and essential oils.
How long does a homemade beard soap last?
Depending on how much soap you use per wash, beard soap can serve you for over one month.
What makes a beard soap different?
The ingredients used in a beard soap are what make it different.
Is soap harmful to the beard?
Soap is not harmful to the beard as long as it’s made of natural ingredients.
Conclusion
Beard soaps are an essential part of beard care. Unfortunately, not all store-bought beard soaps are made of quality ingredients. Learn how to make a beard shampoo at home, so you always have a constant supply of quality soap.
Michele Meesh Antunes is the lady of the Beardoholic writers team and a genius when it comes to hair and beard styles that suit any face shape. She’s been a barber for years now and, no matter your personal style, she knows exactly what beard, hairstyle and length suit you. She brings the women’s perspective on beards, beard care, haircuts and hairstyles and male grooming.