Use this quick and easy homemade poppy seed soap tutorial with an endless combination of colors, scents, and textures. It only takes a few ingredients to make a completely unique blend that you can claim as your own. Today we're making lemon poppy seed and almond poppy seed soap!
Melt and Pour Homemade Poppy Seed Soap Tutorial
Making homemade soap can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. As for me, I choose the easy route. The combination of colors, scents, and textures is endless and it only takes a few ingredients to make a completely unique blend that you can claim as your own. I have always made the melt and pour type soaps and had fun using this homemade poppy seed soap recipe to make some fun variations recently. When you make melt and pour soaps you aren't really "making" soap. You are melting down an already formed soap base and added scents and textures to it. If you are looking for the cold press method, this isn't it. I'd love to learn that someday too!
Here is the homemade poppy seed soap recipe which you can also use for any homemade soap recipes and make your own in less than 30 minutes.
Poppy Seed Soap Ingredients
Soap Base
You can find 2 lb. blocks of melt and pour soap base at craft stores like Michael's or Hobby Lobby. There are several types to choose from. I've used glycerin soap in the past and chose shea butter soap this time. You could also use a goats milk soap base as well. They are about $9, so be sure to bring your 40% off coupon for the best deal around.
Scents
Almond and lemon scent oils (soap scents or essential oils). They are usually $4-$5 for a small bottle at craft stores or Etsy.
Coloring
Coloring your soap is optional. I chose to add a few drops of yellow to help the lemon one stand out from the almond scented soap.
Add-Ins
The zest of 1 lemon (for the lemon soap)Â and poppy seeds for both soap recipes.
Soap Mold
Plastic or silicone is easy to find at craft stores. Plastic molds are the most inexpensive route and come in so many fun shapes. I used a silicone mold. You can also use a bread pan and cut your soap into bars.
Glass measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Small spatula
Baking Sheet
How To Make homemade poppy seed soap
Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until set. Carefully pop out of the mold.
Smooth, fragrant, and ready to pamper yourself or package up for a friend.
Is melt and pour soap gentle on sensitive skin?
Does melt and pour soap need to cure?
How do you get the bubbles out of melt and pour soap?
Does melt and pour soap expire?
Mandy says
Really excited to try this, I'm hoping it turns out well because I want to make up a whole bunch later as part of little X-mas goodie bags! 🙂
Anne-Marie says
Your melt and pour soap turned out just great! I love the idea of poppy seeds as an exfoliant in your batch of soap. =)
Brandy says
Thank you Anne-Marie! Now I just need to figure out what combination to make next...it is so much fun!
mary smith says
I just went to Michael's and they didn't have any silicone molds. I may have to settle for plastic ones this time. While I was there, I noticed there were 2 types of soap. One was regular and the other was suspension formula. All your add ins sink to the bottom of the regular kind, but they get suspended all through the suspension kind! I only noticed because I read that someone else had trouble with that.
Brandy says
I think we figured out that the other gal actually bought shea butter (plain) instead of shea butter soap base. So she ended up with something completely different than soap and it didn't lather at all. I didn't buy the suspended kind, because I didn't see it, but it definitely couldn't hurt to buy that one if they offer it! Good to know!
mary smith says
This is great! I recently found a pattern for a crocheted soap holder. I wanted to make them for Christmas gifts this year so I'm going to make your poppy seed soap to go in them. Thank you! But where do you get the poppy seeds? And I'm planning on making a lot. Do you recommend investing in the silicone molds?
Brandy says
Hi Mary!
You can find poppyseeds in the baking aisle right next to the spices! I bought a small container for a few bucks and it was plenty for my small batch. I love my silicone mold. The soaps just pop right out, perfectly shaped. I have used plastic molds too and they work good, a little more tapping on the counter to loosen them up. Before investing in a silicone one I'd suggest seeing if you can find a plastic one that is the same size and see how it works. Good luck!! 🙂
mary smith says
This is great! I recently found a pattern for a crocheted soap holder. I wanted to make them for Christmas gifts this year so I'm going to make your poppy seed soap to go in them. Thank you! But where do you get the poppy seeds? And I'm planning on making a lot. Do you recommend investing in the silicone molds?
mary smith says
This is great! I recently found a pattern for a crocheted soap holder. I wanted to make them for Christmas gifts this year so I'm going to make your poppy seed soap to go in them. Thank you! But where do you get the poppy seeds? And I'm planning on making a lot. Do you recommend investing in the silicone molds?
mary smith says
This is great! I recently found a pattern for a crocheted soap holder. I wanted to make them for Christmas gifts this year so I'm going to make your poppy seed soap to go in them. Thank you! But where do you get the poppy seeds? And I'm planning on making a lot. Do you recommend investing in the silicone molds?
Μαρία Μόσχου says
The name is Maria, by the way. From Greece.
Brandy says
Hi Maria! I'm so glad you tried out the recipe! I'm sure they will pop our right away since you used silicon molds. I bet they smell amazing! Have a great weekend!
Μαρία Μόσχου says
Hi, Brandy! I can't say I'm really into all this crafts world, but I gave it a shot with these soaps of yours! Everything went perfect during the preparation, I didn't add poppy seeds since I didn't have any, I used tangerine essential oils and I added the zest of half a lemon. They smell like cake!! I used silicon molds and now they are in the fridge! I'm anxious now that I read the comments about not coming out of the molds easily, but I'll wait and see and keep my fingers crossed! 🙂
Jill P. says
Hmmm... I just tried making a batch and was disappointed. I shea butter for my base and used a metal mold but sprayed it with cooking spray and I can't get them out. Put them in the freezer to try and shrink more and still could not get them out until I ran a knife around the edge of one and beat the back of the pan to death. One of the 4 came out but the edges are all dug up since I used a knife. All the poppy seeds are on one side of the bar (bottom). Jill Mama Ging
Brandy says
Hi Jill, that is so disappointing to hear. It sounds like you did everything right. Was it a bread loaf pan that you used or a metal shaped mold? I've only used bread pans when it comes to metal ones and after it completely set up, I ran a knife around the edge (like you did) and it popped right out. Then I sliced it into bars. (like here: https://gluesticksblog.com/2011/12/candy-cane-soap.html)
As for metal shaped molds, I've never used those kind before. Just silicone and plastic, so I'm not sure if there are any better tips for releasing the soap once it is finished.
I'm not sure why the poppy seeds would have settled to the bottom either. The shea soap is fairly sturdy and the seeds are so light. I wonder what happened to make them do that! I wish I had more answers for you Jill. I will look and see what I can find about using metal molds and if I see anything other than spraying it and running it under water, I will post it for you.
Brandy
Jill P. says
Hi Brandy, I used a brand new Wilton 9 cavity petite loaf pan. I finally did get them out after a long time in the freezer. Maybe I added too many poppy seeds? You didn't mention how much to add. Also when I added the coloring, I stirred it very well but it didn't seem to make a difference in the color which I thought was odd. Turns out, all the coloring was also settled on the bottom with the seeds. If only you could see a pic of my soap LOL. I am going to try and re-melt my bars today and see if I can get a better result. I really hope so as I wanted to use some as end of year teacher gifts. Stay tuned 🙂 Jill
Laura Lesikar says
I have heard that you can not use metal pans...sounds like that is the problem....Just getting started in soap making but have done alot of research. Glass dish greased with Vaseline is suppose to work.
Jill P. says
I do see it says 1 tsp of seeds. I didn't measure but I don't think I added much more than that and I used 12 oz of shea butter instead of your 10 so it should've been ok. I guess we shall see how it turns out the 2nd time around. LOL
Brandy says
Yes, keep me posted! If you scroll to the bottom of the ingredients list, I gave the measurements that I used as a reference. I used 1 tsp. of seeds for my batch which was 10 oz. of shea butter base. Also the measurements and amount of coloring too. I put it at the bottom because everyone's soap molds are different sizes so you can adjust accordingly. So I hope that helps you with a reference. Good luck!
Jill P. says
ok, so I tried this again. I actually strained out all the seeds and only put in a little bit. Again, as soon as I poured into the molds, they (and the grated orange peel I added) sank to the bottom. I'm also noticing that mine is more clear in color and yours is milky, which led me to check my shea butter and mine is 100% unrefined organic shea butter. I Googled the difference between refined and unrefined (check it out here http://www.ehow.com/about_5375961_refined-vs-unrefined-shea-butter.html - interesting tidbit about the use of toxins in the refining process)and it also mentioned that refined is milky white (like yours) and mine (unrefined) is a clear when melted but goes to a grayish yellow so I'm wondering if that also is the difference in the consistencies. I also noticed with the first batch that I'd call it a lotion bar and not soap because it certainly didn't lather or have soap properties but man alive, did it leave my hands soft! IF I were to do this again (big IF!)I think maybe I'd let it settle a bit after I poured it into the mold and then sprinkle in some seeds & grated peel. And yes, the unrefined has a stronger smell so LOTS more essential oil 😉
Christina Reitz says
That would be the issue--you used shea butter, not shea butter *soap base*. There is a HUGE difference between the two! The soap base has already had all the oils (i.e., shea butter), lye, etc. turned into soap, and you're just melting and pouring (with, of course, any additives such as fragrance, colorants, and "scrubby stuff" [in this case, poppy seeds]). The shea butter is, well, just shea butter (not soap of any kind).
Brandy says
I guess you learn something every day! I didn't know there were two types of shea butter soap base. Maybe because the only place I've ever purchased it was Michael's and they only had the one type at our local store. I wish your results had been better for you, Jill. My mom makes her own lotion bars with shea butter (not the melt and pour soap type like mine) and they do not lather either. She just rubs them on her legs, etc. She loves them. I sent her some of these for Mother's day and she said she really liked them too, but they were definitely soap vs. the lotion bars that she uses for moisturizing. Thank you for updating me on your outcome and thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know good/bad how your project turned out!
Brandy says
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/32-ounce-shea-butter-soap-base-617803/
This is what I used. I am going to add a link to the post so that others can easily find it too.
Julie Koenig says
If the melt and pour soap is too warm the poppy seeds (or any additive) may sink to the bottom (which normally becomes the top when unmolded). Metal molds are not recommended for soapmaking - not only because the fragrance oil (or lye in the case of cold process soap) could adversely react with the metal, but also because it is, in some cases, next to impossible to unmold. On the other hand, using freezer paper to line a metal container, shoe box, plastic drawer liners, etc., will make it a useable soap mold and super easy to unmold.
The Mississippi Martha says
I definitely have to give this a try. They would be perfect for gifts and left for house guests
jaime ♥ raising up rubies says
thank you for sharing! these are beautiful ... going to give the recipes a try! ♥
Janine C says
They look wonderful - almost too good to use.
Cindy says
Thanks for the great tutorial. The soaps look perfect and I'd love to smell them! Cindy @ sunsetcoasting.blogspot.com
Kierst says
I'm going to have to try this! It looks so good! I saw recently at a boutique what looked like homemade soaps wrapped in fabric. I thought it was adorable and added such a cute touch.