Soap making is an enjoyable hobby. With all the soap recipes available free from the web, making soaps at home is quick and easy. If you are new to soap making, a simple soap recipe to start with is that of homemade oatmeal soap.

The following recipe makes two soaps. You can use one for your own and, because soaps make excellent gifts, you can also give homemade oatmeal soap to a friend. You will need a large bar of beauty soap, preferably Dove, 5 tablespoons of oatmeal, and 5 tablespoons of water.

Homemade oatmeal soap instructions:

First, take the oatmeal and grind them up. You can use a hand chopper, food processor or blender to do this. You need to break up the flakes but not too much that it turns to fine powder.

Next, take the bar of soap and grate it into small shavings in a bowl. Make sure to use a bowl large enough to hold the soap slivers and is also microwaveable. Add the water, as indicated in the recipe. Place the bowl in the microwave and set it on high. Microwave the soap mixture for about two to three minutes, depending on the microwave you are using.

It is best to stand by the microwave and just watch the soap dissolve because you need to be careful that it does not bubble up and spill over your bowl. Stir the soap mixture one or two times. If the soap you used is scented, the fragrance of the soap will start to fill the room at this point.

Once the soap has melted thoroughly; you can remove the bowl from the microwave. Stir the mixture. Slowly, stir in the ground oatmeal until the consistency is to your liking. It is also up to you how much of the ground oatmeal you want your homemade oatmeal soap to have. Lastly, pour the mixture into your soap mold and let it cool.

You can be creative with your choice of mold. Your homemade oatmeal soap does not have to be square. You can use bowls, tin cans or any container of the shape you want. If you are making homemade oatmeal soap to give as a gift, add more creativity to your packaging. Use special papers to wrap the soap or place them inside a box or a clear container and wrap a ribbon around it. Your recipient will surely love this pretty and practical gift.