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Iโll openly admit that I love anything and everything tropical. Whether itโs the beach, the sun, or the scents – the tropical vibe gets me every time.
And with winter very nearly over, Iโm getting myself prepared for summer smooth skin. And that means exfoliating!
In this post, Iโll share one of my favorite recipes for making a loofah soap bar.
Iโll show you how to combine the loofah with the soap, resulting in a homemade bar that has a delicious hibiscus scent.
A loofah soap bar is a wonderful natural exfoliator, great for brushing away dry skin and exfoliating the skin follicles – leaving it primed for smoothness and smelling amazing.
What is a loofah used for?
Now youโre possibly wondering what a loofah is? And whatโs it got to do with soap?!
A loofah is, in fact, a vegetable that grows on trees. When itโs dried after being picked and de-seeded, it makes an excellent all-natural skin exfoliator or natural sponge which has better exfoliating properties than your regular store-bought sponges.ย
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Loofah Soap Benefits
Loofahs come whole or readily sliced. If youโve got a whole loofah, you can slice it and use it on its own in the shower, or better yet, use individual slices and combine them with a pourable homemade soap mixture.
Youโll need a soap mold for this recipe which you can easily buy online
Simply place the loofah slices into the soap mold and pour the homemade soap on top. Once it sets, youโve got an amazing exfoliating soap to use!
The benefits of using a loofah soap bar include it being a fantastic all-around skin exfoliator, itโs 100% natural and itโs eco-friendly.
With a loofah soap bar, you combine natural exfoliation with cleansing, and thereโs nothing synthetic or unnatural in there, so itโs super kind to your skin.
A loofah soap bar is the best of both worlds if you ask me – being an exfoliator and a cleanser in one, and if you try the recipe below, youโll get that lovely hibiscus scent to leave you smelling divine.
Loofah soap bars are handy if youโre short on time or away on vacation and need to combine your essentials.
Loofah makes an excellent base for an exfoliating soap bar as the fibers are gentle on the skin yet contain enough elastic within them so theyโre durable, meaning they stay firm even after several uses.
Benefits of Exfoliating
There are many benefits to exfoliating the skin! Skin cells naturally die off over time and leave a dull, lackluster appearance.
By regularly exfoliating once or twice a week, youโll brighten the skin by removing that dull layer, revealing fresh skin underneath.
Exfoliating also increases blood flow, making it easier for oxygenated blood to reach the skinโs surface, improving the health and appearance of the exfoliated area.
Another great thing about exfoliating is it slows down the aging process by stimulating the synthesis of collagen – the skinโs โelasticityโ protein which naturally declines as we get older.
Exfoliating also clears blocked pores and prevents spots and is a great base for using other beauty products, improving the effectiveness of homemade moisturizers and face steaming cleansers.
What to use instead of a loofah
There are alternatives to using a loofah, but youโd need to be creative in how to combine them to make a soap bar, which is why my choice is to use loofah slices, as shown below in the recipe.
They fit really well into the soap mold and last ages, which is why I love them.
But if youโre looking for something else for whatever reason, one of the best alternatives I know to loofah as an exfoliator is 100% cotton washcloths which can be reused time and again.
Also, you can look at silicone brushes which are good to keep bacteria at bay. Although silicone isnโt eco-friendly, it can last a very long time which perhaps balances things out.
But again, Iโm not convinced theyโd work well in a soap bar!
Hibiscus Infused Loofah Soap Bar Recipe
Hereโs the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs shea butter melt and pour soap base
- 1 loofah
- 1 teaspoon brewed Hibiscus tea
- 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 drops Vitamin E oil
- 5 drops Lavender essential oil
- 5 drops Siberian fir essential oil
Loofah Soap Recipe:
Cut the loofah into 1/2 inch rounds and place 1 in each soap mold.
Next, cut the melt and pour soap into pieces and place them in a saucepan. Melt the soap over medium heat.
Once melted, remove the saucepan from the stove and add in the hibiscus tea, flowers, and oils. Stir really well to make sure everything is combined.
Lastly, pour the soap on top of the loofah rounds in the molds. Allow the soap to sit for 24 hours or until itโs fully hard before removing it from the molds.
And thatโs it! Itโs really simple and a great addition to your bathing routine. As always, Iโd love to hear from you, especially if you try this recipe to see how you get on. Let me know by posting a comment.
And be sure to try out this coffee soap next! It is a deliciously smelling mild exfoliating soap for sensitive skin.
If you are looking for more herb infused soap recipes, you may like this herbal soap bar recipe.
How to use your loofah soap bar
A loofah is an aggressive exfoliator, and even though itโs embedded into the soap bar, which does help give a milder scrub, it should be used on areas susceptible to dry skin: ie, the feet, hands, and elbows.
Loofah soap bars can be used the same as any soap bar, except that it has a piece of loofah in it. Use care when soaping the face, neck, or other sensitive areas.
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If you tried this Homemade Loofah Soap Bar Recipe or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a ๐ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐ comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Loofah Soap Bar
Equipment
- Soap mold
Ingredients
- Soap base 2 lbs
- 1 Loofah
- 1 tsp brewed hibiscus tea
- 2 tsp dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 drops vitamin E oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops Siberian fir essential oil
Instructions
- Cut the loofah into 1/2 inch rounds and place 1 in each soap mold.
- Next, cut the melt and pour soap into pieces and place them in a saucepan. Melt the soap over medium heat.
- Once melted, remove the saucepan from the stove and add in the hibiscus tea, flowers, and oils. Stir really well to make sure everything is combined.
- Lastly, pour the soap on top of the loofah rounds in the molds.
- Allow the soap to sit for 24 hours or until itโs fully hard before removing it from the molds.
Sounds great Laura, thank you for sharing!
I have some loofa seeds to plant in my garden so I’ll have get them in the ground asap!
Many blessings๐
Kath
so in this recipe I need 2lbs of shea butter and 2lbs of a base? is the base that you use what makes the soap sudsy? im ready to make soap and just love your recipes thank you