Learn how to make cute, scented cactus soap in your microwave in 10 minutes! These adorable soap terrariums make great gifts. The “dirt” is another bathtime DIY — homemade coffee body scrub.
There’s nothing prickly about this homemade cactus soap!
The cactus-shaped soap bars, which are scented with a clover and aloe fragrance, smell amazing. And they’re pretty stinking adorable “planted” in upcycled Oui yogurt jars filled with homemade coffee body scrub.
You only need three ingredients, plus a silicon soap mold or popsicle mold and some basic kitchen supplies, to make the cactus soap.
Soapmaking is a fun stay-at-home activity for adults and kids.
The hands-on time to make melt-and-pour soap is less than 10 minutes. These homemade soap bars harden and set up in just a few hours. If you make the cactus soap bars in the morning, you can use them at bathtime.
You can buy soapmaking supplies at craft stores, on Amazon or online at specialty retailers Bramble Berry, which is one of my favorite resources for soapmaking supplies
Supplies to Make Homemade Cactus Soap
You’ll need the following supplies and ingredients to make homemade cactus soap.
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- medium-sized glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl
- kitchen or postal scale
- rubber spatula
- microwave
- silicon cactus mold or popsicle mold
- melt and pour soap base
- soap fragrance (I used clover and aloe fragrance oil, but cactus flower, lime and lush succulent are other good options.
- liquid soap colorant
- knife
- graduated plastic dropper
- isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle
- polymer clay (optional)
How to Make Cactus Shaped Soap
For this particular soap, you will need:
- 6 ounces of white shea melt-and-pour soap base
- 3 milliliters of soap fragrance
- 60 drops of green liquid soap colorant
This recipe makes three 2-ounce bars of cactus soap. You may have to adjust the recipe, depending on the size of the soap mold you are using.
Also, if you’re using a fragrance with any vanilla in it, be sure to use an equal amount of vanilla color stabilizer so the soap doesn’t change color over time.
I used a popsicle mold I found at the Target dollar spot, but I’ve found several similar options: here, here, here and here.
Since I was using a popsicle mold, I used polymer clay to cover the hole for the stick. If you’re not using a popsicle mold, you can skip this step.
Use a kitchen knife to slice the melt-and-pour soap base into cubes. Place in a 4-cup glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring with a spatula, until the soap is completely melted.
Use a graduated pipette to add the fragrance to the melted soap, stirring to combine. Add soap colorant, stirring well to incorporate.
If the soap mixture solidifies some or develops a skin during this process, return to the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Pour melted, scented, colored soap into the mold, filling each cavity to the top without overflowing.
Spritz the soap with alcohol to pop any bubbles on the surface. Allow to cool and harden for several hours before moving the mold.
When the soap has fully set, remove from the mold. Wrap in plastic to store.
While the cactus soaps are plenty cute on their own, I thought it would be fun to make them look like real plants.
So I planted them in recycled glass yogurt jars filled with “dirt” made from homemade coffee body scrub.
If you’re planning to give these as gifts, I would make sure to include a lid for the coffee scrub so it stays fresh. I often use small plastic treat bags, tied with coordinating ribbon, to package homemade soaps.
More DIY Soap Projects
Once you make your first batch of homemade soap, you’ll be hooked. Here are some other easy melt-and-pour soap recipes to try.
Pin This! DIY Cactus Soap Terrariums
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