Bar soap is great, but sometimes liquid soap just makes life easier. It’s convenient for pump bottles, perfect for refills, and ideal for those who love to customize their products to fit their brands. Plus, if you’ve got leftover soap scraps, turning them into liquid soap is a great way to reduce waste and get more from your products.

For small business owners, liquid soap is a smart addition to your lineup. Customers love eco-friendly and refillable options, and liquid soap gives you the chance to offer something unique. Making liquid soap from bar soap is easier than you think. Let’s get started!

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

1. Bar Soap: Choose high-quality, natural bar soap for the best results. Avoid soaps with heavy additives, as they can affect the texture and scent.
2. Distilled Water: Keeps the soap smooth and prevents bacteria.
3. Vegetable Glycerin (Optional): Adds moisture and creates a silkier texture.
4. Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils (Optional): Customize the scent. Essential oils offer a natural touch, while fragrance oils give stronger, long-lasting scents.

Tools

1. Cheese Grater: For shredding the soap into fine pieces.
2. Pot or Saucepan: To heat and mix the soap and water.
3. Whisk or Spoon: To stir and combine the ingredients evenly.
4. Storage Bottles or Jars: Clean, airtight containers for storing your finished soap.
5. Funnel: Makes pouring the soap into bottles much easier.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Liquid Soap from Bar Soap

Step 1: Grate Your Soap

• Use a cheese grater to shred the bar soap into fine pieces. Smaller pieces melt faster and create a smoother liquid soap.
• How much soap do I need? About 1 cup of grated soap for every 4 cups of distilled water is a good starting point.

Pro Tip: Weigh your soap to ensure consistency, especially for larger batches.

Step 2: Heat the Soap and Water

• Add the grated soap and distilled water to a pot or saucepan.
• Heat gently over medium-low, stirring occasionally until the soap is fully dissolved. Avoid boiling to preserve the soap’s texture.

Trouble dissolving? If the soap isn’t melting, lower the heat and stir more frequently.

Step 3: Add Glycerin (Optional)

• Stir in 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable glycerin per cup of liquid soap. This helps make the soap feel more moisturizing and creamy.

Step 4: Cool and Adjust Consistency

• Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool completely. It will likely thicken as it cools.
• Too thick? Add a little more distilled water and stir until it thins out.
• Too watery? Reheat the mixture and add more grated soap to thicken.

Pro Tip: For a luxurious texture, whisk the mixture briskly as it cools.

Step 5: Customize the Scent (Optional)

• Add essential oils or fragrance oils after the soap has cooled.
• How much should I use? Start with 5–10 drops per cup of liquid soap and adjust to your liking.

Can I mix essential oils with fragrance oils? Absolutely! Blending the two can create unique, layered scents. For example, pair lavender essential oil with vanilla fragrance oil for a calming, sweet aroma.

Step 6: Store Your Liquid Soap

• Use a funnel to pour the finished soap into clean bottles or jars.
• Label the containers with the scent and date for easy tracking.

Quick Troubleshooting Guide

• Soap Too Thick? Add distilled water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir until it thins.
• Soap Too Watery? Reheat and add more grated soap, stirring until it thickens.
• Scent Fades Quickly? Combine essential oils with fragrance oils for longer-lasting scents.
• Soap Separates? Reheat and whisk thoroughly to combine the ingredients.

Using Preservatives: Should You?

If you’re making small batches for personal use, preservatives aren’t usually necessary. However, for larger batches or products you plan to sell, preservatives are a smart choice to prevent bacteria and extend shelf life.

Recommended Preservatives

• Natural Options: Grapefruit seed extract, vitamin E oil.
• Synthetic Options: Phenoxyethanol for long-term preservation.

Pro Tips for Perfect Liquid Soap

Getting the right consistency takes practice, so don’t be afraid to adjust the soap-to-water ratio. Start small when experimenting with scents—some blends, like lavender and vanilla, are crowd-pleasers. And always test in small batches first to perfect your process before scaling up!

Turn Liquid Soap into a Best-Seller

Liquid soap is an easy way to expand your product line and attract new customers. Match your liquid soaps with your best-selling bar soaps, offer seasonal scents (peppermint for winter, citrus for summer), and create eco-friendly refill options. Bundle liquid soaps with candles or scrubs for irresistible gift sets. Clear labels that highlight “natural ingredients” or “refillable packaging” will make your products stand out.

Where to Find the Best Supplies

Making bar soap to liquid soap that’s both beautiful and practical starts with the right tools and materials. At Village Craft & Candle, you’ll find everything you need to bring your creations to life, from premium fragrance oils to stylish bottles and essential accessories.

In growing your business, Village Craft & Candle is here to support you with high-quality supplies and expert guidance. 

Explore our collection today and take your soap-making to the next level!