Goats milk soap has been part of my new, chemical-free beauty routine for several months now and I am SO thankful that those icky, commercial cleansers are long gone. Not only did they cause my skin to break out, but they were so expensive! Just one tube of cleanser would be $7-8, and that’s on sale with a coupon!
Quality goats milk soap is a few bucks less, but it really lasts a long time. Just one bar can last over 3 months!
The only downside to goats milk soap is that it’s a bar. When I’m in the shower, bar soap is just fine. It stays on a little drying rack when it’s not in use and it’s really easy to get a good lather. Call me clumsy, but washing my face at night with bar soap just isn’t that easy.
First, you need she-man strength to pry off the dried-onto-the-counter bar soap. Then, you must strategically place your arms and hands in an unnatural position in an effort to avoid getting your pajamas wet. Once you get a good lather going with the bar, it goes back to its glue-like home on the counter so that it can be re-pried off again tomorrow. You finish washing, rinsing and drying, and then wonder why you bothered changing into your pajamas first since they’re thoroughly soaked – despite your puppeteer dance – and you have to change again.
Clearly, I have some issues to work on.
I don’t know if there’s any solution to the wet jammy issue. But today I can offer a simple tutorial for turning your favorite bar soap into homemade face wash, thus eliminating the stuck-to-the-counter-forever bar soap.
How to Make Your Own Homemade Face Wash
Homemade Face Wash Supplies
- 1 bar of your favorite goats milk soap (my brand recommendation, and why I recommend goats milk soap)
- cheese grater
- 1 medium sauce pan (not the small one, and not the big one – pick one in the middle)
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- a storage container with a pump (I recommend re-using what you already have)
- small funnel or a measuring glass with a pouring spout
Homemade Face Wash Method
Using a cheese grater, grate soap until you have approximately 1/4 cup of soap shavings. This will be approximately 1/6 of the bar.
In a medium saucepan, combine water and soap shavings.
Heat soap and water over low heat until the soap is dissolved, approximately 5 minutes.
Allow the dissolved soap to slowly cool to room temperature. This could take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.
As the mixture cools, it will turn gelatinous and reduce in volume. Pick up the pan by the handle and gently swirl the mixture until it loosens a bit and thins. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to stir the mixture, or even an immersion blender to puree the mixture into a very smooth soap.
Note: The more rigorously you stir the mixture, the more bubbles you will get. Swirling the pan results in the least amount of bubbles (seen below). Using an immersion blender will result in the most bubbles. Bubbles won’t effect the cleansing ability of the soap, but they are difficult to pour and take up more room in a dispenser allowing less room for the actual soap. The bubbles will slowly go away, taking a few hours to a few days to revert back to soap. Until then, you might need an extra pump of soap in order to get enough liquid to adequately lather when you wash.
When the soap is cooled, use either a funnel or a measuring cup with a pouring spout to pour the soap into a container.
Additional Recipe Notes for Homemade Face Wash
Many recipes on the web suggest adding glycerin to help achieve that silky smooth texture we’ve grown accustom to in liquid soap. Handmade soap already contains a small amount of glycerin and I didn’t find this homemade face wash needed any additional silkiness.
If you’re starting with unscented soap, you can add a few drops of essential oils**. Lavender would be a great addition, as would frankincense.
**Note: I know there are a lot of essential oil companies out there and I’ve certainly tried my fair share of brands. But after testing and researching and more testing, only one is worth spending money on (in my opinion). For a couple years now I’ve been committed to Young Living oils, and you can read more about their oils and my decision HERE.
Cost Breakdown for Homemade Face Wash
The goats milk soap used in this recipe costs $4.95 per bar. But you can save money right off the top by buying bulk scraps of soap. These are the aesthetically “deficient” end pieces of big batches of soap that aren’t pretty enough to be sold as bars, but they still wash and lather just as well! One pound of soap scraps costs $8, making each 1/4 cup of shavings just 30¢. You can also make your own bars of soap with these scraps!
8 ounces of homemade face wash = 30¢
Isn’t that an incredible savings over the typical store-bought soap?! Amazing!
Note: If you’re not able to get bulk soap scraps and start with a whole 3.5 oz bar, your savings is still worthy to note. It’s just 83¢ for 8 ounces!
Hi there!
I followed the recipe but unfortunately when the mixture cooled down, it was still “liquidy”. I reheated it and added more soap shavings, but the same thing happened. It’s literally like colored water. Please help! What am I doing wrong?!
Hi Isabelle! Did you start with goat milk soap from Bend Soap Company?
Hello i have made this and mine separated after a time. It was ok at first using but then the water and soap separated.
This will happen since there’s no artificial emulsifier. I’ve found that gently tipping it over in my hand a few times (like shaking, but gently!) every now and then will fix it.
I am planning to make your Liquid Goats Milk Soap. I was just on the Bend Soap Company website. Amazing operation and the quality is what I’m looking for. Thank you for your recommendation. However, just for information, the Shredded Goats Milk Soap by the pound is now $17.95 and the 7 oz. bath size is $9.95.
I appreciate the update Susan!
Hi.. I am impressed a lot on ur home made face wash. I would like to prepare too. Could you please let me know about water measurement… waiting for your response.
Thank you
Hi! I was wondering if I could do this technique with African Black Soap? I
I’m no sure Tiana, I’ve never tried that soap before!
I made this and put it into a pump container thing and it become all like gelatin, how can I fix it?
Alina – does it pump at all? Mine is definitely thick, but it still pumps… If it doesn’t, put it back in a pot, bring it to medium heat and add more water until it’s your desired texture.
Hi! I am interested in making this soap and wondering how it would do if I added witch hazel for acne? What are your thoughts? I am making felted face washing pads out of alpaca fiber and this liquid soap seems like it would be a perfect pairing.
I’m not sure Denell – I’ve never added witch hazel before!
Have you ever tried using Bend Soaps oatmeal honey soap this way? Would it be possible with the oats in it??
Hi Lorac! I haven’t tested that particular scent – we use that one only in the tub. 🙂 It might be possible with the oats, but I’d personally use a different bar, just in case.
Do you think this would work equally as well as a liquid hand soap? Thank you!!
Yes it will Rebecca!
Hi Tiffany, I can see that you do not use any preservative, but preparing with water.
I have read that it could be damaging for our skin and health because of the possibility of bacterias and moho growing.
Could you tell me please your experience?.
I already have made 2 diy recipes with just few water and/or aloe vera gel, and in my experience they both got damage in one week!.
On the other hand, sadely in my town (Ecuador, South America) it is not possible to find a natural preservative :(. Then, I am looking for an alternative to continue making my own natural cosmetics. I hope you can help me, thanks.
Hi! Have you tried distilled water or water you brought to a Boil? You have no bacteria or microbes in these two kinds of Waters.
Loll, this was funny to read. I feel you on the wet Jammy sleeves.
Swing K Farm in Oklahoma sell goat milk products. You can find them at http://swingingkfarm.com. They are very nice people. Meet them at the Farmer’s Market in Oklahoma.
Sorry for the English, I guess it’s too early in the morning. “sells goat milk products” and “Met them ….”
I make cold process soap and noticed your comment about an immersion blender causing the most bubbles. Try the soap maker’s trick :)…”burp” the blender by tapping it on the bottom of the container to release the air bubbles (they will come to the top) and then try blending. I bet you will get much better results :).
Just as I suspected…the goat milk soap from Bend Soap contains coconut oil, which is highly comedogenic (pore clogging).
https://www.beneficialbotanicals.com/facts-figures/comedogenic-rating.html
Van – everyone’s skin reacts differently to different ingredients. Some people may have issues with coconut oil, but I have used it exclusively as a moisturizer for almost 3 years now and it – along with Bend Soap Company’s soap – has helped to HEAL my acne-prone skin! Oddly, argan oil is listed as a 0 on your list, as “will not clog pores,” and it made my skin break out horribly after trying it for a few weeks.
If you react to coconut oil, then don’t use it. But bear in mind that not everyone’s skin is created equal. 🙂
Tooling around on this site being a natural product junkie, I naturally found myself reading comments checking others’ experiences with this soap. I’ve been using essential oils and carrier oils for years but I don’t have much experience with milk soaps. For the sake of expanding my natural product game I believe I’ll be making this to use as the second step of my two-step cleanse. As far as oils breaking out the skin… Uh-uh. I use oils to cleanse my skin. I use oils to moisturize my skin. Masks? Haha… I’ve got an oil blend for that. I’ve been using oils as the foundation of both my cleansing and cosmetic (yep, make-up) regimen for a couple of years now and my skin has never been better. There’s actually a long list of oils that are wonderful for the skin and do not cause my skin (or those that use the same oils and recipes made from those oils) to breakout including hemp, coconut avacado, argan, primrose, jojoba, rosehip, almond, apricot kernel, carrot seed, grapeseed (closely mimics skin’s natural oils), tamanu, rapeseed, even olive oil and freaking castor oil. Now, skin may go through an adjustment perioid. But this myth that oil is thge enemy of healthy, gloiwing, flawless skin is a lie perpetuated to sell expensive products laden with synthetic compounds and chemicals. Don’t be fooled.
Hey! I love your DIY recipes! Could I use this soap for the lady parts as well or what would you recommend instead? I moved here only recently and I am not satisfied with the ingredients in the feminine wash but using only water is neither something I wanna do on a regular basis. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you
Hello there! Where to begin… congrats on all of your work! I’ m a 22 year old with hormonal acne and hormonal issues altogeher, lol! I come from Greece and being a really low budget student I was so happy to come across your site! I just wanted to ask… if I manage to get my hands on it… do you think it would be ok to use any kind of dairy milk soap on my face? My dermatologist has suggested I cut back on dairy as the hormones in milk might cause more trouble. Please excuse my ignorance… I m really trying to find something effective and safe. P.S. a lot of people here in Greece seem to be super excited about donkey milk soaps and creams etc… have you tried that?
Hormones in milk…are you referring to added hormones or naturally occurring? If you’re referring to added hormones, then you should be able to use an organic milk.
Van – it’s illegal to add hormones to dairy milk. The only hormones that are present are the naturally occurring ones.
It might be illegal to add Hormones but all animals except maybe organic ones get hormone shots to grow quickly and produce more meat and milk. If you buy non organic you definitely also absorb the grow- Hormones and other nasty stuff. Your skin only needs a few seconds to absorb the stuff you put on your skin and bring it to your bloodstream. Hormones as well.