Lye-Free Foaming Glycerin Soap
A moisturizing foaming hand soap made from liquid glycerin soap — gentle, customizable, and significantly cheaper than store-bought foam soap.
Foaming hand soaps have become popular for good reason — the foam format uses far less soap per wash than regular pump soap while still cleaning effectively. The secret is a foaming pump dispenser, which mixes soap with air to create foam automatically. This formula fills that dispenser with a gentle, moisturizing glycerin-based soap at a fraction of the cost of commercial foam soaps.
The ratio of soap to water is lower than regular liquid soap — foaming dispensers need a more dilute soap to function correctly, and too much soap will clog the pump mechanism. Vegetable glycerin keeps the formula moisturizing even at the diluted concentration, and aloe vera gel adds additional skin-soothing properties if included.
Essential oils are where you can fully customize this soap for your family's needs and scent preferences. A simple lavender and peppermint combination makes a universally pleasing hand soap. For a kitchen-focused soap, lemon and orange work beautifully.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup liquid glycerin soap
- 1 1/2 cups distilled water
- 1 tbsp vegetable glycerin
- 1 tbsp carrier oil
- 15–20 drops essential oil
- Optional: 1 tsp aloe vera gel
- Foaming soap dispenser
How to Use
- 1Combine liquid glycerin soap, vegetable glycerin, and carrier oil in a bowl.
- 2Slowly add distilled water while stirring gently — avoid creating too many bubbles.
- 3Add essential oils and aloe vera gel if using.
- 4Pour into a foaming soap dispenser, leaving room at the top for the pump mechanism.
- 5Shake gently before each use.
- 6Dispense and lather as you would any hand soap.