Hand soap

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Credit: Low Waste Kitchen: Radical Recipes for Sustainable Living by Alessandro Vitale (DK RED, £18.99). Photography by Robert Billington.

Alessandro Vitale says: “These DIY natural hand soaps are the perfect way to save money while creating a fully natural product for cleansing the largest organ of the human body – our skin. We use a pre-bought soap base which you can buy inexpensively online. In total, you only spend a small amount to make a year’s supply! You can use lots of different combinations of flavours, including things growing in your own garden.”

Makes 12

Ingredients

Chocolate and coffee

  • 500g (1lb 2oz) soap base, cut into small pieces
  • 1⁄2 tsp ground coffee
  • 1⁄2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp vitamin E oil
  • 10 drops vanilla essential oil (optional)

Calendula and lemon

  • 500g (1lb 2oz) soap base, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp grated shea butter
  • 1 tbsp dry calendula petals
  • 20 drops lemon essential oil or calendula oil

Lavender and oats

  • 500g (1lb 2oz) soap base, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp rolled oats
  • 20 drops lavender essential oil
  • 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers

Orange and rosemary

  • 500g (1lb 2oz) soap base, cut into small pieces
  • 1⁄2 tbsp finely chopped dried rosemary
  • 10 drops orange essential oil
  • 10 drops rosemary essential oil
  • dried orange zest (optional)

Equipment

Silicone soap moulds

Method

  1. Melt the soap base – Melt the soap base in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
  2. Mix – Once the base is melted, turn off the heat and stir in the oils and other ingredients and mix well. If you’re making the chocolate and coffee soap, mix the coffee and cocoa powder with the vitamin E oil before adding it to the soap base.
  3. Pour and set – Pour the soap mixture into the silicone moulds and leave to set. This will take 30-50 minutes.
  4. Storage – Store in a cool, dry place. The soaps will keep for several months.