How to Make
Avocado Soap

Who said avocados were just for eating? With the right tools, materials, and a few simple safety precautions, you can transform this versatile fruit from snack to luxurious DIY avocado soap — perfect for gifting or enjoying every day.

 

As with trying any new product, please consult a dermatologist prior to incorporating avocado soap into your routine.

 

What Is Avocado Soap Made From?

To make hard soap, you will need to use a compound called sodium hydroxide, also known as lye. This chemical, which can be purchased online and is often made from ingredients as simple as wood ashes and rainwater, can burn the skin or eyes if improperly handled. When mixed correctly with oil, lye neutralizes, and most of the oils are converted through a process called saponification. The result is a sudsy solid soap bar, and, in our case, an avocado soap bar!

 

If you use too much lye, it’s possible it all won’t neutralize, and your soap will fail or, worse, burn. If you don’t add enough, the mixture won’t solidify. When diving into soapmaking, don’t hesitate to use a lye calculator like this one to determine the correct amount you will need based on your recipe.

 

Soapmaking is a relatively simple process, but you don’t want to cut corners or miss any steps. Recipes can be flexible, so play around and have some fun while following these basic directions.

 

How to Make Avocado Soap

1. Set up your workspace.

You’ll want to start your soapmaking adventure in a well-ventilated area with a well-protected work surface. In addition to your soap ingredients, you will want some protective gear and tools.

 

Ingredients for Avocado Soap

Makes 6-8 soap bars.

• 8 oz. avocado oil
• 8 oz. coconut oil
• 8 oz. olive oil
• 8 oz. distilled water (or 2.67 oz. cubed avocado and 5.3 oz. water)
• 4.67 oz. lye
• Essential oils for fragrance (optional)
• Spirulina for green coloring (optional)

 

Protective Gear and Tools

• Goggles, mask, long-sleeved shirt, work pants, and heavy-duty rubber gloves
• Silicone soap mold or loaf pan lined with freezer/butcher paper
• Digital scale with at least one decimal place
• Stainless steel saucepan (no aluminum)
• Immersion blender
• Candy thermometer
• Several plastic spoons
• Old plastic containers
• A tall glass container (a pitcher or vase works well) for blending
• An antioxidant to prevent spoilage (Rosemary oleoresin extract, or ROE, works especially well, preventing oil from going rancid.)

 

2. Measure and prepare ingredients.

Put the oils into the saucepan to melt while you measure your water and lye into two old plastic containers. Slowly add the lye to the water (not the other way around, as this is dangerous!) and stir until dissolved. Be sure you have a fan running and the windows open if you are indoors. Do not breathe the fumes from the lye water.

 

3. Check the temperature.

Now, get out your thermometer! The lye water solution is going to heat up naturally. You want both solutions to reach a temperature of around 100–110 F. (A few degrees difference is fine, but ensure the difference is no more than 10 degrees.) When the oil is at the right temperature, pour it into your tall glass container and be ready with the immersion blender. If you are using cubed avocado, you can add it at this step.

 

 

Pro Tip: Adding avocado flesh will make your soap extra smooth and creamy. Ripe avocados are usually dark purplish green but give them a squeeze to be sure — if the skin yields to gentle pressure, your avocado is ready!

 

4. Get ready to blend!

Slowly pour the lye solution into the oil; use the blender without turning it on to stir gently at first. Then, quickly pulse the blender a few times until the mixture thickens into a pudding-like consistency. This stage, called “trace,” is when you can add in essential oils or other ingredients, such as oatmeal, citrus peels, or spirulina.

 

5. Mold your avocado soap.

Pour the mixture into the mold and cover with plastic wrap for at least 24 hours. Be sure to wear gloves when you check on your soap, as the lye may be active for another few days. Your soap is ready to remove from the mold when you can press a finger into the soap’s surface and it doesn’t give. Cut the soap into bars and lay them out on a nonmetal surface in a cool, dry place to cure for four to six weeks.

 

Benefits of Avocado Soap

Avocados provide nutrients that may help naturally soothe and nourish the skin. “Good fats,” like the ones found in avocados, are known for their anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. Not to mention, 72% of an avocado’s weight is from water, an important factor when quenching dehydrated skin. Avocados also provide vitamin E — a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant — which protects body tissue from damage caused by substances called free radicals.

 

 

So, whip up a batch of avocado soap and say, “See ya!” to rough, dry skin. Discover more ways to pamper yourself with avocados here.