How to Make Homemade Beeswax Soap

Beeswax is the natural wax found in a beehive's honeycomb.

Beeswax is the natural wax created by female honey bees used for storing honey in beehives. It is a common ingredient in cosmetics, shoe polish and candles. You can make homemade natural beeswax-enhanced soaps in your home by adding beeswax to a soap base using a few cooking tools you may already have around the kitchen. A popular additive to handmade soap, beeswax gives soap a harder texture with a less foamy lather. When applied to the skin, beeswax creates a protective layer that forms an allergen-blocking barrier. Purchase pure beeswax by the block at your local craft store or order it online.

Things You'll Need

• Grated beeswax
• Base soap
• Microwave-safe measuring cup
• Flexible heat-resistant scraping spatula
• Soap additives like scented oils or dry herbs
• Flexible heat-resistant molds

Instructions

1. Heat the base soap in a measuring cup by microwaving it on high for 30-second intervals until the soap is melted but still lumpy. Carefully supervise the soap while microwaving to ensure that it does not boil over. The temperature should be between 105 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that the beeswax melts.

2. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of grated beeswax into the base soap. Stir the hot soap and beeswax until the soap is smooth and all of the beeswax is melted, reheating the mixture if necessary. Use 1 tsp. of grated beeswax for every cup of melted soap.

3. While the soap is still hot, carefully add fragrance, color or dry herbs. Add fragrance one or two drops at a time to keep from over-scenting the soap.

4. Pour the hot soap into the greased, heat-resistant molds. Allow the soap to cool before removing it from the mold.

Tips & Warnings

• If the soap cools too much and becomes hard to pour, gently reheat and stir the soap. Reheating the soap will not hurt the final product.

• Because the soap and heat-resistant measuring cup will be hot, use heat-protective gloves and handle them with care.

References

• "Designer Soapmaking"; Marie Browning; 2003
• Texasdrone.com: Beeswax Soap
• North Carolina State University: Beeswax