Honey and Shea Butter Soap

Last updated: July 2026

Some soaps are made for a simple, everyday treat — this one leans into that with honey folded into a nourishing shea butter and cow milk base. This traditional cold-process soap follows the fundamentals covered in this simple shea butter soap guide, using cow milk in place of water for a creamier bar, with honey added for a naturally sweet, comforting character. Compared to commercial honey soaps, which often rely on synthetic fragrance oils, this one uses real honey alongside a simple, short ingredient list. It's a great recipe for beginners, since the process is very forgiving.

In This Recipe:

• What This Recipe Helps With
• Before You Begin: Soap-Making Safety
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Customisation Ideas
• Storage & Shelf Life
• Voice Search FAQ
• Try These Next
• Disclaimer

What This Recipe Helps With

• Everyday cleansing with a gentle, creamy lather
• A naturally sweet, comforting scent for a daily routine
• Replacing synthetic detergent bars with a traditional, hand-made alternative
• A simple, beginner-friendly soap recipe
• Giving as a hand-made gift once fully cured

Before You Begin: Soap-Making Safety

• Wear protective gloves and eye protection whenever you handle lye.
• Work in a well-ventilated area — open a window or work near an extractor fan.
• Always add lye to water or milk, never the reverse.
• Keep lye, raw soap batter, and curing soap well out of reach of children and pets.
• This is an adults-only project from start to finish.

Why This Is a Great DIY Recipe

This is one of the simplest soap recipes to start with — a short ingredient list and a naturally sweet, comforting character make it a lovely first project for new soap makers. Compared to commercial honey soaps, which often include fillers and synthetic fragrance, this one is a clean, concentrated formula with shea butter, cow milk, and real honey. It's ideal for anyone new to cold-process soap making who wants a comforting, everyday bar. Skill Level: Beginner — the process is forgiving, though the lye and milk measurements should be followed precisely, and honey can accelerate trace. This recipe yields a smaller batch, approximately 13-14 oz of soap.

Why These Ingredients Work Together

Shea Butter is the sole oil base in this recipe, contributing deep conditioning and a smooth, creamy bar texture. Cow Milk replaces water in the lye solution, adding a rich, nourishing character and a naturally creamy feel. Honey brings a naturally sweet, comforting character, while Vitamin E Oil rounds out the recipe with a light conditioning touch.

Hero Ingredient Benefits

• Shea Butter: Deeply conditioning, it forms the entire oil base of this simple, nourishing bar.
• Cow Milk: Deep Moisturization: Honey and shea butter are a potent duo, locking in moisture and nourishing the skin, leaving it soft and hydrated.
• Honey: Skin Nourishment: Honey and shea butter nourish skin with natural nutrients and antioxidants, giving it a healthy, cared-for feel.
• Vitamin E Oil: A supporting ingredient commonly included in conditioning skincare formulations.

Ingredients

• Shea Butter — 283g (10 oz)
• Cow milk — 57g (2 oz)
• Sodium hydroxide (lye) — 28g (1 oz)
• Honey — 30g (2 tablespoons)
• Vitamin E oil — 1 teaspoon

Note: these lye and milk amounts are calculated for this exact recipe and weights. If you change the amount of shea butter or add other oils, always re-run the recipe through a soap calculator before making it — see the calculator links in Customisation Ideas.

Directions

1. Put on gloves and eye protection before handling lye.
2. In a heat-resistant container, gently melt the shea butter together with the cow milk until smooth.
3. In a separate heat-resistant container, slowly add the sodium hydroxide to the water (never the reverse), stirring until fully dissolved. The mixture will heat up — set it aside in a ventilated area to cool.
4. Stir the honey into the shea butter and cow milk mixture before adding the lye solution.
5. Allow both the shea butter-milk-honey mixture and the lye solution to cool to room temperature.
6. Slowly pour the lye solution into the shea butter mixture, stirring continuously.
7. Continue stirring, using a stick blender in short bursts if needed, until the mixture reaches trace — it will thicken and coat the back of a spoon. Note: honey can accelerate trace and generate heat, so work efficiently once combined.
8. Add the vitamin E oil and stir until evenly combined.
9. Pour the mixture into a soap mould, tap gently to release air bubbles, and cover.
10. Let the soap set in the mould for 24–48 hours before unmoulding, then cut into bars and cure in a well-ventilated space for 4–6 weeks before use.

Application Tips

Use like any bar soap for hands, face, or body — lather with warm water and rinse well. A soap dish with drainage will help the bar last longer between uses. This recipe makes a smaller batch than a full loaf, so it's a good option for testing before committing to a larger batch. Store the bar dry between uses for the longest life.

Storage & Shelf Life

Cure fully cured bars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight — a drawer or shelf with airflow works well. Cure time is 4–6 weeks; do not use the soap before curing is complete, as it needs this time to fully harden and mellow. Once cured, bars typically keep well for 12–18 months. Between uses, store on a well-draining soap dish to extend the life of each bar.

Customisation Ideas

• Adjust the amount of honey slightly for a lighter or more pronounced sweet character.
• Scale up the batch for a full loaf by doubling or tripling all quantities proportionally.
• Adjust the mould to individual bar moulds instead of a loaf mould for a different shape.
• Always recalculate lye and milk amounts with a soap calculator (see links below) before changing the shea butter amount or adding other oils.
• Add natural colour with a pinch of turmeric or cinnamon for a warm, golden tone.

Popular soap calculators (external links, always re-run before adjusting oils): SoapCalc.net, HSCG Lye Calculator, LyeCalc.com.

The Impact of Your Purchase

When you make skincare with Baraka ingredients, you're supporting women's cooperatives who earn fair wages and preserve traditional processing methods. According to Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report, this direct trade model provided income for over 1,000 women and prevented 47 metric tons of CO2 emissions. You also gain complete transparency — knowing exactly what touches your skin and your family's skin, without hidden synthetics or uncertain supply chains.

Meet one of the women behind these ingredients in this short film: Shea Butter Producer Zenabo Imoro.

Shop the Baraka Ingredients in This Recipe

Pure. Natural. Ethically sourced. Hand-crafted by women's cooperatives. These are the ingredients trusted throughout Baraka's DIY guides and recipes.

Shea Butter | Shop Now | Rich and deeply moisturising, naturally high in vitamins A and E. Nourishes dry skin and helps protect the skin barrier without clogging pores. A versatile base for balms, creams, and body butters.

Voice Search FAQ

How do I make honey and shea butter soap at home?
Melt shea butter with cow milk, stir in honey, combine with a dissolved lye solution, blend to trace, add vitamin E, pour into a mould, and cure for 4–6 weeks.

What's a good beginner soap recipe with honey?
This honey and shea butter soap is a great starting point, with a short ingredient list and a naturally sweet, comforting character.

Can I use honey in cold-process soap?
Yes — honey is commonly used in cold-process soap for its natural sweetness, though it can accelerate trace and generate heat, so it should be added and mixed in efficiently.

How long does homemade soap need to cure?
Cold-process soap like this typically needs 4–6 weeks to cure fully. Curing lets excess water evaporate and allows the bar to harden, so don't use it before this time is up.

Try These Next

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

• Shea Butter and Coffee Soap — an energizing, textured soap for a different everyday character.
• Shea Butter and Oatmeal Soap — a gently textured, soothing bar for a different comforting character.
• Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter Soap — a rich, extra-conditioning variation for a different indulgent character.
• Shea Butter and Tea Tree Oil Soap — a fresh, herbal variation for a different clarifying character.
• Shea Butter and Rose Geranium Soap — a floral, elegant variation for a different everyday character.

About These Ingredients

This recipe is expanded from our comprehensive Definitive Guide to DIY with Shea Butter, which explores additional formulations, ingredient options, and variations. Visit the full guide for more approaches to shea-based DIY skincare.

Disclaimer

The recipes and ingredients on this page are intended for cosmetic use only — for application to the skin, hair, and nails to cleanse, condition, and beautify. They have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other regulatory authority. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have a medical condition, skin condition, or known allergies, consult a qualified healthcare provider before use. Always patch-test new ingredients before full application. Keep all products away from eyes and out of reach of children. Results will vary between individuals.