DIY Lemon Poppyseed Soap with Rosemary (Microwave Recipe)

Lemon poppy seed soap is popular among natural soap makers. The crisp and uplifting citrus scent of lemon is always nice with soap. Plus, it takes very little poppy seeds to add exfoliating properties to the bar. Poppy seeds are inexpensive and add a fun little pattern to your soap, too.

This lemon poppyseed homemade soap recipe adds a slightly different spin on the typical lemon poppyseed variety by adding a hint of rosemary to the scent for a fresh, herbal fragrance.

Rosemary essential oil has some wellness benefits, as well, including helping to cleanse skin and clear the sinuses.

Lemon essential oil is a great cleanser, so it is perfect in a soap. It is also invigorating and uplifting for the body and mood. It is an antioxidant, antibacterial, an astringent and a detoxifier. 

If you love the smell of lemons, you’ll like my lemon herb simmering potpourri pot, too!

Massage Bar Soap

You will notice this soap is different looking compared to other soaps! That is because I used a massage bar soap mold.

This massage bar size does use a bit more than the standard soap bar molds do, but not by a lot. I typically get 3 bars from this recipe with this size mold, where I would get 4-5 bars from an average sized mold.

What is a Massage Bar Soap?

Soap massage bars have raised knobs that you can knead into tight muscles to help them relax. Hot water while bathing will soothe sore muscles, while using the knobs on the soap can help you apply pressure and relieve tension at the same time.

It’s the perfect way to destress and relax while in the shower or taking a bath.

My exfoliating coffee soap recipe also was made in a massage bar mold, to really get the cellulite-reducing properties of coffee deep into the skin.

**You might like my goat milk melt and pour soap recipes, too! And be sure to check out my Honey Oatmeal Soap Recipe.

Helpful Tips

• These soap massage bars make perfect gifts! Wrap them in cellophane wrap or tissue paper with a pretty bow. Or pair them in an at-home spa gift basket.
• This recipe will have white soaps unless you add in some yellow soap colorant. I liked having a bit of yellow to the soap to make you think of lemons. But it’s definitely optional.
• The soap base comes in a large brick that is scored into smaller cubes. I use these cubes to help guide me as to how much soap I need and I know that if I use around 12 cubes, I will have a cup and a half when its melted.
• If you get soap base that isn’t pre-scored, you will need to cut it into 1” slices and then cube it up from there. The cubes should be about 1” square.
• Once the soap base gets very hot in the microwave, it can easily boil over, so keep a careful eye on it.

How to Make Lemon Poppyseed Soap Massage Bars

Ingredients

• Massage bar silicone molds (I used these soap molds)
• 1 1/2 cups Shea butter melt and pour soap base
• 2 drops yellow soap colorant – this 12-pack of colors is around $10 (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. sweet almond oil
• 35 drops lemon essential oil
• 14 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1 Tsp. poppy seeds

Directions

Step 1

Microwave 10 cubes of the shea butter soap base for about 90 seconds, stirring at 30 second intervals. Heat the shea butter in a bowl or glass measuring cup big enough to add the other ingredients to later.

Using a silicone spatula, stir it well. There may be a few lumps in the bottom that haven’t fully melted yet. That’s okay, you’ll be melting it again in a minute.

Scrape any soap off the sides of the bowl and check to see how much soap you have melted. It should be around 1 cup. Add another 2 to 4 cubes to the mixture, as needed, and stir them in until you get 1 1/2 cups melted soap base.

Step 2

Add in the sweet almond oil. Stir well and place back in the microwave for 30 seconds. You want there to be no lumps in the soap at all, so keep microwaving in 10 second intervals afterwards, if needed, until it is smooth.

Step 3

Add in the essential oils, stirring as you add the drops. This helps keep the soap from setting up and thickening and it helps disperse the oils.

If you’d like, add the soap colorant. Add one drop at a time, stirring in-between because it goes a long way! You can have a neon colored soap in no time if you add too much.

Step 4

Place the soap mixture back in the microwave for 20 seconds to get everything nice and smooth. Be sure to scrape any off the sides before so it gets melted, too.

Add in the poppy seeds and blend well.  

Step 5

Pour the soap mixture into molds. Stop filling a little bit before the top of the mold.

Let the molds cool for at least one hour or more. Do not move the mold in this time. Once the molds feel cool on the outside, peel back the silicone molds carefully.

Allow the soaps to sit out of the molds a bit longer so that the side that was on the bottom in the mold can evaporate any moisture that is left.

Want to save this recipe for later? Be sure to Pin It! And you can print out the soap recipe card below.

Check out all of my natural beauty DIY recipes. You might also like my solid beeswax lotion bars, this easy Beeswax Balm or our Rosemary Salve.