Your Basket

Shipping & taxes calculated at checkout

Checkout - Total:

4 min read / 14 March 2022 / Caitlin Devlin

How to make honeysuckle, ylang ylang & vanilla soap for Mother’s Day

This sweet-scented floral soap makes the perfect homemade gift.

If you’re still searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, consider going homemade with these delicately-scented bars of cold process soap.

We all know that when it comes to our mothers nothing means more than a homemade gift. After all, they were the ones who stuck our drawings up on the fridge back when we could barely hold a pencil.

This honeysuckle, ylang ylang & vanilla soap is a sweet gift for any occasion, but we’ve blended these delicate scents especially with Mother’s Day in mind.

Although the days of macaroni art might be behind you, you’re never too old to craft that perfect gift yourself.


Before you start:

This recipe won’t include a list of equipment and the instructions may not be minutely detailed at every stage.

That’s because you can find all of this information by heading over to this article: A beginner’s guide to making soap using essential oils.

We recommend having it open as you work through this recipe, especially if you are fairly new to soap-making. You should also pay attention to all the relevant safety information contained in the article.

Ingredients:

Can I use essential oils to make this soap?

If you’d like to experience the natural benefits of ylang ylang then feel free
to substitute in Ylang Ylang (Extra) Essential Oil.

However, there are unfortunately no essential oil substitutions for honeysuckle or vanilla as they cannot withstand the process of steam distillation.

This is why we’ve chosen to use fragrance oils in this recipe.

What is yellow oxide pigment?

Yellow oxide is a natural colourant that it’s quite easy to source from online retailers. It gives the bars of soap a pretty light yellow colour to compliment the pressed daisies, but it isn’t an essential part of this recipe.

You can feel free to swap it out for a colourant of your choice, or leave it out altogether and let your soap bars remain a neutral colour.

Optional decoration:

  • Pressed daisies
  • Witch hazel

You will also need a spray bottle in order to spray the witch hazel.

How do I press daisies?

Gather a large amount of garden daisies, making sure to choose larger flowers with lots of petals. Snip off as much of the stems as possible and place the flowers face up on two sheets of paper.

Place two additional sheets of paper over them, and then place a heavy book directly on top of the paper. You can also use a flower press for this.

Leave the flowers for at least a fortnight before checking the results.

Wax, salt crystals and soap on a table

Method:

  1. Mix the yellow oxide powder in a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
  2. Measure your coconut oil and shea butter into a pan and your olive oil and castor oil into a jug.
  3. Pour the distilled water into a heat-proof jug.
  4. Dissolve the sodium hydroxide crystals into the jug of water. *Please refer to our soap-making guide for instructions on how to do this safely.*
  5. Melt the coconut oil and shea butter in a pan on a very low heat. When both have melted, remove the pan from the heat and set down on a heat-proof surface.
  6. Pour the olive and castor oil into a pan with the melted coconut oil and shea butter.
  7. Measure the temperature of the mixed oils and lye solution – both should be around 35-38 degrees Celsius.
  8. Pour the lye water through a sieve into the pan of oils.
  9. Stir the solution together. Then hold the stick blender to the bottom of the pan and blitz for a couple of seconds. Turn off, stir, and repeat until the mixture thickens to ‘trace’. At this stage it should have a thin, custard-like consistency.
  10. Add the honeysuckle, ylang ylang and vanilla fragrance oils and fully mix in using a spatula.
  11. Leave the soap in its mould for 48 hours before cutting into bars. You should then leave the soap to cure in a cool, dry place for 28 days.
  12. When the soap has fully cured, spray the top of each bar with witch hazel, sprinkle the pressed daisies on top, and spray with witch hazel again. It is important to do this after the curing process is complete, as it prevents the daisies from losing their colour during the 28 days of curing.
  13. Leave the witch hazel to dry on the top of the bars for 12 hours, at which point the pressed daisies should be stuck on.
  14. Package up as gifts and give away – or keep for yourself!

      Shop our essential oil range here.

      You might also like to read

      Small pile of circular wax melts with botanicals within them

      7 min read / 27 March 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Wax Melts

      Discover the simple joy of making your own wax melts to infuse your home with personalised scents.

      How to Choose the Best Soy Wax for Candle Making

      4 min read / 26 March 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Choose the Best Soy Wax for Candle Making

      Discover how to select the ideal soy wax for your candle-making projects, ensuring a perfect match for any candle type.

      How to Make Scoopable Wax Melts

      2 min read / 15 March 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Scoopable Wax Melts

      Discover the joys of crafting your own scoopable wax melts with our easy-to-follow guide, designed for creative fragrance enthusiasts.

      How to Make Wickless Candles

      3 min read / 8 March 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Wickless Candles

      Discover the art of making wickless candles for a safer, longer-lasting fragrance experience at home.

      How to Make Bubble Candles

      4 min read / 5 March 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Bubble Candles

      Learn to craft trendy bubble candles with our simple guide, perfect for adding a unique touch to any space.

      Woman facing backward with her arms in the air

      6 min read / 27 February 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make a Natural Deodorant Using Essential Oils

      Discover how to create your own natural deodorant with essential oils, offering a chemical-free way to stay fresh.

      How to Make Potpourri at Home

      5 min read / 27 February 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Potpourri at Home

      Learn to craft your own fragrant potpourri at home with dried flowers, herbs, and spices to naturally scent your space.

      How to Make Hoover Discs with Fragrance Oils

      4 min read / 16 February 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Hoover Discs with Fragrance Oils

      Learn to create your own fragranced hoover discs to freshen your home while vacuuming with our easy DIY guide.

      How to Make Toilet Bombs at Home

      3 min read / 13 February 2024 / yasmin sharp

      How to Make Toilet Bombs at Home

      Discover how to create eco-friendly, homemade toilet bombs using simple ingredients for a cleaner, fresher bathroom.

      Medical Disclaimer

      The content in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of medical advice. Please consult your personal physician for any advice or treatment regarding specific health questions. Neither the article editor, writer, nor the organisation of Nikura takes any responsibility for possible health consequences following the information given in any article. All readers should consult their physician before taking any advice given within these articles.

      We use strictly necessary cookies to personalise your site experience. You can learn more here.