MY Coconut Milk Soap Recipe (Creamy, Moisturizing + Beginner-Friendly)
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If you’ve been seeing the benefits of coconut milk in soap—creamy lather, soft skin, that natural glow—you’re not imagining it.
Coconut milk is one of the easiest ways to turn a basic soap recipe into something that feels luxurious, gentle, and skin-loving.
This recipe is perfectly balanced for:
- Rich, creamy lather
- Moisturizing without feeling heavy
- A smooth, beginner-friendly process
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✨ Why Add Coconut Milk to Soap?
Coconut milk isn’t just aesthetic—it actually changes how your soap performs.
🧴 What it does:
- Adds natural fats for extra moisture
- Creates a creamier, silkier lather
- Helps produce a gentler bar
- Gives soap a subtle luxury feel
👉 It’s especially great for dry or sensitive skin
🧼 Coconut Milk Soap Recipe (900g Oils)
This is the exact recipe I created for my Coconut Milk Soap. It is scaled down to a 900-gram total oil version that will be easier for beginners and to fit in a rectangular loaf mold.
Lerykin 2 Pc. Rectangular Soap Molds
🧴 Oils (Total = 900g)
- Coconut oil (35%) – 315g
- Avocado oil (20%) – 180g
- Olive oil (30%) – 270g
- Castor oil (5%) – 45g
- Shea butter (10%) – 90g
(5% Superfat)
⚗️ Lye Solution
- Sodium hydroxide (lye) – 128g
- Distilled water – 128g
This is a 50/50 Lye solution. Usually, I use a 40% solution (40% lye 60% water) but adding the coconut milk means adding more liquid so we don't need extra water in our mixture or final product. Less water=less cure time.
🥥 Additives
- Coconut milk – ~71g (2.5 oz) (added to oils, not lye water)
- Kaolin clay – ~2–3 tbsp
- Sodium lactate – 1¼ tsp
Recommended:
- Nature’s Greatest Foods Organic Coconut Milk
- Bare Essentials Kaolin Clay Powder
- 33rd Parallel Soap Co. Sodium Lactate
Shop this recipe: Coconut Milk Soap Making-Everything You Need
🧁 Important Notes About Coconut Milk
Coconut milk contains natural sugars, which can:
- Heat up your soap batter quickly
- Cause discoloration if overheated
👉 To prevent this:
- Soap at lower temperatures (oils and lye solution both around 100-110 degrees before mixing)
- Stick blend lightly, heavy blending can cause much faster trace (thickening)
- Avoid insulating too heavily
🫧 How to Make Coconut Milk Soap
1. Prepare Your Lye Solution
Slowly mix lye into water and let cool. Once cooled you can add your sodium lactate.
2. Melt & Mix Oils
Combine all oils + shea butter (melted) and cool to ~100–110°F
3. Add Coconut Milk
Stir coconut milk directly into your oils
👉 This keeps sugars from burning
4. Combine + Blend
Add lye solution to oils
Stir gently with silicone spatula. Don't stick blend yet.
5. Add Clay + Extras
Mix in kaolin clay + fragrance (optional). Alternate between stick blending (short bursts) and stirring with spatula.
6. Pour + Set
Pour into mold and let sit about 24 hours. You can cover with a piece of cardboard, but I would not insulate with anything else because this could overheat.
7. Cut + Cure
- Cut into bars
- Cure for 4 weeks
Shop this recipe: Coconut Milk Soap Making-Everything You Need
🫧 What to Expect From This Recipe
This bar is:
✔ Creamy and luxurious
✔ Gently cleansing (not stripping)
✔ Moisturizing and softening
✔ Perfect for everyday use
👉 The coconut milk really elevates the lather and skin feel
Shop My Supplies: My Favorite Soap & Bath Making Supplies – Blue Dragonfly Handmade
💡 Pro Tips for Best Results
- Use fresh coconut milk (not old or separated)
- Blend clay with a little oil first to avoid clumps
- Don’t over blend—this recipe moves fairly quickly
- Use a silicone mold for easy release
🎯 Why This Recipe Works So Well
This formula is balanced:
- Coconut oil → cleansing + bubbles
- Olive + avocado → conditioning + moisture
- Castor oil → boosts lather
- Shea butter → creamy, skin-loving feel
👉 Coconut milk ties it all together for that soft, luxurious finish.
