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Easy recipe of a homemade natural rose soap, a olive oil soap scented with rose geranium essential oil and colored with french pink clay, making a very gentle, conditioning and wonderfully scented soap.
Rose is one of the most popular flowers in the whole world. It has been cultivated by humankind since Ancient times. Scientifically, roses belong to the Rosaceae family, Rosa genus, with more than 100 species, and thousands of hybrids and cultivars.
It is the inspiration for this soap, but the flower actually doesn’t contribute to it except with its name.
Rose Geranium Essential Oil
Rose geranium essential oil is distilled from Pelargonium graveolens, grown for essential oil production mainly in Egypt, China, Morocco, Crimea, Ukraine, Georgia, India, and South Africa. It is a type of geranium plant with leaves that smell strongly like roses. This species of geranium is native to certain parts of Africa. The plant has velvety, plush leaves and flowers that bloom pale pink or almost white.
Pelargonium species (probably P. sideoides) have been used medicinally by the Hottentots and Zulus of South Africa for hundreds of years for dysentery, coughs, upper respiratory irritations, gastritis, tuberculosis, and other problems.
In 1897, an Englishman named Charles Stephens was treated for tuberculosis by a traditional healer in South Africa who gave him an herbal decoction of the local Geranium. Stevens is said to have been cured and he subsequently returned to England and sold the remedy as “Stevens’ Consumption Cure.”
Rose geranium oil is an active ingredient in some cosmetic products, like lotions and fragrances. A 2017 review of studies demonstrated that antioxidant properties in rose geranium oil may help reduce the signs of aging. It has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
Rose geranium essential oil will then contribute to this soap with its medicinal properties as well as its wonderful scent. A word of caution: although rose geranium essential oil is safe for most people, it is very potent and may cause reactions to very sensitive skin. Again, essential oils are not a base ingredient for soaps, so if you have doubts, you can use a smaller quantity than the one on the recipe, or you can skip it entirely.
A Rose Soap with French Pink Clay
French pink clay is the mildest of all the clays and works well for normal, sensitive and mature skin types. In this soap, it works as a natural colorant, helps with its mild cleansing properties, and works as a “scent fixer”.
With rose geranium essential oil and french pink clay, this olive oil soap recipe provides a very gentle cleansing, conditioning and wonderfully scented soap to enjoy at home.
References:
- https://artisanaromatics.com/rose-geranium-july-2016/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/rose-geranium-oil#uses
More Castile (100% Olive Oil) Soap Recipes
More Single-Oil Recipes
Watch this video for Soap Making Safety instruction
Watch this video for the Cold Process Soap Making tutorial
Homemade Natural Rose Soap Recipe
Equipment
- Immersion blender
- Pyrex or stainless steel bowl
- Heat-resistant jug or pitcher for lye solution
- Pitcher
- Digital scale
- Digital thermometer
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula(s)
- Small strainer
- Cup / bottle for after trace ingredients
- Soap mold
- Safety goggles, gloves and mask
Ingredients
Lye Water
- 103 g distilled water
- 58 g lye (100% sodium hydroxide) (2,04 oz)
- 1 tsp fine salt / sodium lactate (4 ml)
- 2 tsp french pink clay (optional) (8 ml)
Oils
- 450 g extra virgin olive oil (15,84 oz)
Add After Trace
- 8 drops grapefruit seed extract (GSE) or rosemary extract (RSO) (anti-oxidant)
- 14 ml essential oils blend (optional)
Essential Oils Blend
- 10 ml essential oil rose geranium (2+1/2 tsp)
- 4 ml essential oil cedarwood Atlas (1 tsp)
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INGREDIENTS:
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| Organic EV olive oil | Lye | French Pink Clay |
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| Grapefruit seed extract | Rosemary oleoresin extract | Sodium lactate |
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| Essential oil rose geranium | Essential oil cedarwood ATLAS |
Instructions
Get Ready!
- Wear goggles and gloves! Look at “Safety Recommendations” in the video above or in How to Make Soap From Scratch
- Watch the video above about "Cold Process Soap Making tutorial" or read the post How To Make Soap by Cold Process Step-by-Step for instructions on cold process soap making before starting. These are generic but important steps for all recipes.
- Assemble everything: ingredients, equipment, safety equipment. Prepare your workstations. Measure all the ingredients. Don’t start the recipe without having everything ready!
Heat the Oils
- Heat the olive oil to approx. 45ºC
Make the Lye Water
- Make the lye solution according to How To Make Soap by Cold Process Step-by-Step. Mix it until the vapors start to dissipate.
- Mix the french pink clay into the solution and stir well. The solution will take a dark pink almost brick red.
- Add the sodium lactate to the lye water and mix.
Make the Soap Batter
- Strain the lye water to catch all clay and lye crystals.
- Use as a target temperature 38ºC for the oil-solution mixture. If necessary, you can reheat the oils, but not the lye solution.
- Reach trace with the immersion blender.
- Add after trace ingredients: the extract and essential oil (s). Stir with just a spoon.
Molding and Curing
- Pour the dough into the rectangular molds with a pitcher and sprinkle with alcohol or witch hazel.
- Let it set for 2 to 7 days, keeping an eye on the hardness of the soap.
- Unmold and let the bars cure for 4 to 6 weeks. See How To Cure and Store Handmade Soap.
What I found so amazing is the ability to make soaps at home, I always looked at this product being made in factories but acquiring this will enable you to be able to save a few bucks making your own soaps especially the ones that you like. Thanks so much for sharing your post on homemade natural rose soap recipe.
Hello Norman, and thanks for your comment.
Yes, save a few bucks and save your own skin as well (literally lol, no pun intended). Save it from being constantly attacked from harsh chemicals present in most commercial skincare products! This soap also has a very mild clay to help sensitive skins with additional cleansing. Try this recipe and see it for yourself 🙂
Best Regards,
Sofia