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Iโ€™ll openly admit that I love anything and everything tropical. Whether itโ€™s the beach, the sun, or the scents – the tropical vibe gets me every time.

And with winter very nearly over, Iโ€™m getting myself prepared for summer smooth skin. And that means exfoliating!

Loofah soap bars on a wooden soap tray garnished with hibiscus flowers.
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In this post, Iโ€™ll share one of my favorite recipes for making a loofah soap bar. 

Iโ€™ll 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. 

Exfoliating soap bars stacked on a wooden soap bar drying tray.

What is a loofah used for?

Now youโ€™re possibly wondering what a loofah is? And whatโ€™s it got to do with soap?! 

A loofah is, in fact, a vegetable that grows on trees. When itโ€™s 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 youโ€™ve 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. 

Youโ€™ll 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, youโ€™ve got an amazing exfoliating soap to use! 

Homemade exfoliating soap bars with loofa pieces.

The benefits of using a loofah soap bar include it being a fantastic all-around skin exfoliator, itโ€™s 100% natural and itโ€™s eco-friendly. 

With a loofah soap bar, you combine natural exfoliation with cleansing, and thereโ€™s nothing synthetic or unnatural in there, so itโ€™s 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, youโ€™ll get that lovely hibiscus scent to leave you smelling divine. 

Loofah soap bars are handy if youโ€™re 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 theyโ€™re 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, youโ€™ll 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 skinโ€™s 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 skinโ€™s โ€˜elasticityโ€™ 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

Body wash loofa bars with flower petals infused.

What to use instead of a loofah

There are alternatives to using a loofah, but youโ€™d 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 youโ€™re 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 isnโ€™t eco-friendly, it can last a very long time which perhaps balances things out.

But again, Iโ€™m not convinced theyโ€™d work well in a soap bar!

Hibiscus Infused Loofah Soap Bar Recipe

Hereโ€™s the recipe! 

Ingredients: 

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 itโ€™s fully hard before removing it from the molds. 

And thatโ€™s it! Itโ€™s really simple and a great addition to your bathing routine. As always, Iโ€™d 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.

Holding a homemade loofah soap bar with hibiscus flowers infused into it.

How to use your loofah soap bar

A loofah is an aggressive exfoliator, and even though itโ€™s 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.

Related Content

If you tried this Homemade Loofah Soap Bar Recipe or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a ๐ŸŒŸ star rating and let me know how it went in the ๐Ÿ“ comments below. Thanks for visiting!

4.67 from 9 votes

Loofah Soap Bar

Prep: 5 minutes
Active: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 Bars
Loofah soap bars smell fabulous and work great as a natural exfoliator

Equipment

  • Soap mold
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Ingredients 

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 itโ€™s fully hard before removing it from the molds.

Notes

This soap bar is very exfoliating!
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This recipe is for your own viewing pleasure and is not meant for healing purposes. Readers must perform their own research and tests before making any recipe.

About Laura

Welcome to Our Oily House, Iโ€™m so glad youโ€™re here! Explore DIY cleaners, homemade soaps, skincare and hair care recipes, fragrance-free solutions, and sustainable laundry tips for a naturally inspired home.

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4.67 from 9 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Kathleen-patricia says:

    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 blessings๐Ÿ™
    Kath

  2. chloe williams says:

    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