How to Make Mango Butter Soap for Nourished Skin

Honestly, who can resist something called mango butter soap? It’s just delightful sounding. Luckily, it is also one of the greatest soaps of all time, perfect for the shower or as a hand soap.

This is one of my most popular cold-process soap recipes because it’s nourishing and luxurious without using too many oils.

Mango Butter Soap Recipe

Cold process soap recipe using mango butter for extra moisture
Prep Time 1 hour
cure time 2 days
Total Time 2 days 1 hour

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 4.94 ounces lye
  • 9-12 ounces water
  • 3.5 ounces avocado oil
  • 9.625 ounces coconut oil
  • 9.625 ounces palm oil
  • 8.75 ounces olive oil
  • 3.5 ounces mango butter
  • 3 tablespoons mango mango fragrance oil

Instructions 

  • Using a digital scale, weigh your water and lye in separate containers. Add the lye to the water (SNOW FLOATS ON THE LAKE), and stir until dissolved. It will shoot up in temperature. Set your lye water in a safe place, marked as poison.
  • Using your digital scale, weigh your oils and butters and put them in a large pot. Melt over low heat until they reach 140 degrees.
  • Allow your lye water and oils to cool to 100-120 degrees. They should be within ten degrees of each other.
  • Prepare your mold, color, and fragrance before blending. When you are ready, pour your lye water into your oil pot and blend using a stick blender. You are looking for "trace", which means your ingredients have combined into a soap batter. You will see no visible oil spots, the mixture will appear somewhat opaque, and if you lift your stick blender, a trail of batter will sit on top of the liquid instead of immediately sinking in. When the trace is reached, stop blending.
  • Mix in any color you would like to add and stir by hand. Add fragrance last as it will cause the soap to set up quickly. Add one tablespoon at a time and stir by hand after each addition.
  • Quickly pour into your mold. Spray with rubbing alcohol to prevent soda ash, if desired. Place in a turned-off oven and allow to cure overnight.
  • Unmold, and cut into bars. When soap is finished curing, it will not be given off any heat. Unmold, cut into bars, and allow to finish curing in layers of newspaper, turning occasionally, for three weeks.

Video

As great as it sounds. It is quite expensive as far as soap ingredients go, but a little has a big impact. This recipe pairs it with avocado oil to keep with the tropical theme. I wanted to keep this recipe beginner-friendly so it is mostly palm, coconut, and olive oil. I added my favorite fruity fragrance oil, Mango Mango, because, obviously. This is a great hand soap because it is hard, very cleansing, but not drying at all. If you are interested in soap making this would be a great starting point.

Beginner-friendly. This recipe is definitely suitable for beginning soap makers. The process is the same for any soap, but this one does not have too many oils in it (not that it is hard to measure oil, it’s just that the simpler the better when you are just starting). I do have a super simple tutorial for a cleaning soap using only one oil, but this one is WAY more fun.

You will love the finished bar with this recipe.

mango butter soap bar on tile with flower

This recipe has become a staple in our home, and I love gifting these beautifully scented bars to friends and family. They always come back asking for more! So, if you’re new to soap-making or looking for a fun project, give this mango butter soap a try. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Tips For The Best Mango Butter Soap

  • Working with soap can be dangerous and even deadly if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Make sure to wear gloves and protective eye gear at all times, as any contact could lead to significant burns on your skin and damage your eyes. Additionally, make sure you’re working in an adequately ventilated area because the fumes can be rather toxic.
  • When you’re in a hurry or under a lot of stress, don’t try to make soap. You’re more likely to make mistakes, and they are difficult to fix afterward.
  • Always wear safety glasses and long sleeves when handling lye to prevent any accidental splashes from causing burns.
  • Using hard butter like mango butter ensures your soap bar is firm and long-lasting.
  • If this is your first time making soap, ensure you have a well-ventilated area to work in due to the fumes from the lye mixture.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Castor oil can be added to increase the lather of your soap. Replace a portion of the olive oil with castor oil for a richer foam.
  • Use safflower oil as a substitute for olive oil for a different fatty acid profile that still provides moisturizing benefits.
  • For a more luxurious feel, consider adding a small amount of vegetable glycerin to the recipe.

Suggestions for Variations

  • For a triple butter soap, consider adding shea butter and cocoa butter along with the mango butter for an extra creamy and moisturizing bar.
  • If you have sensitive skin, try adding kaolin clay for its gentle cleansing properties.
  • Enhance the color of your soap naturally with titanium dioxide for a bright white bar.

FAQs

Can I make soap without using lye?

No. If it does not contain lye, it is not soap.

Can I double a soap-making recipe?

As long the recipe is accurate, you can certainly double it. Refer to the percentages that I provided below if you want to resize the recipe.

Can I substitute other butter in this recipe?

Yes, you can experiment with different kinds of butter like shea butter or cocoa butter. Each will give your soap a unique texture and moisturizing quality. Remember to adjust your recipe using a soap calculator to ensure the correct fatty acid profile.

What are some alternatives to fragrance oils?

You can use essential oils as a natural alternative to fragrance oils. They not only add a pleasant scent but also offer various skin benefits depending on the type of oil used.

Why is sodium hydroxide necessary?

Sodium hydroxide (lye) is essential for the saponification process, which turns oils and butters into soap. Without it, you cannot make real soap.

Storage Instructions

  • You can store this mango butter soap in storage containers in a cool place away from humidity and sunlight after curing.
  • After curing, store your soap bars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to extend their shelf life.
  • This recipe creates a creamy lather that’s perfect for sensitive skin due to its moisturizing properties.
  • If you notice air bubbles in your soap, tap the mold gently on a flat surface before it sets to release them.

Advanced Techniques

  • To achieve a gel phase, insulate your soap mold with towels after pouring. This can enhance the color of your soap.
  • Using an immersion blender helps achieve traceability faster and ensures a smooth mixture.
  • Propylene glycol can be used in soap-making to add clarity and improve texture, but it’s optional and not necessary for a great soap.

If You Would Like to Resize This Recipe Using a Soap Calculator, Here are the Percentages:

  • Avocado oil: 10%
  • Mango Butter: 10%
  • Olive Oil: 25%
  • Palm Oil: 27.5%
  • Coconut Oil: 27.5%

Making your mango butter soap is a rewarding and enjoyable experience. With its rich, moisturizing qualities and delightful scent, this soap is perfect for everyday use and makes a great gift for loved ones. Follow the steps carefully, and you’ll have a beautiful batch of soap ready to use in no time. Remember to take all necessary safety precautions, and enjoy the process of creating something wonderful from scratch. Happy soap-making!

mango soap bar standing upright next to white flower
picture of smiling female

By Katie Shaw

Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.

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38 Comments

  5. Is there a substitute that I can use to replace the palm oil? I won’t buy palm oil, but this recipe looks wonderful. Thanks

    Reply

  6. I’m just wondering why you use palm oil in your soap recipes when the manufacturing of palm oil has caused the destruction of so much of the habitat that orangutans need, and continues to threaten their existence. Please stop using palm oil. These precious animals need our help.

    Reply

  7. Hi Katie

    If I’m using titanium dioxide to whiten, would there be a water discount to the recipe or should I error on the lower end of the recipe?

    Cathy

    Reply

    2. Hi Katie, I’m a beginner in the soap making. I’m goint to try your recipe, it looks divine! and looks simple, beautiful and easy for my level. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! Will let you know how I did.

      Reply

  10. Hi, This looks like a lovey recipe to try as a newbie, but I’m confused by the last ingredient being 3 TBSP mango butter? I didn’t see the amount of fragrance oil to use or what the superfat percentage is. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for generously sharing your knowledge & recipe videos for us that are just learning.

    Reply

    1. hi bb! I’m so sorry that should read 3 tablespoons mango mango fragrance oil! yikes! the superfat percentage on this bar is 6% but it is lovely at 5% as well!

      Reply

      1. Thank you so much for your quick response. Getting ready to order the mango butter & fragrance oil. Looking so forward to trying your recipe, it looks beautiful & sounds divine. Thank you again.

  11. Can I switch out the water and use our raw nigerian dwarf goats milk instead?
    Love your videos
    Thank you

    Not sure how to use calculator for soap making yet

    Reply

    1. sorry tamara but it will probably be too harsh. there will be a lot of lye left the batch without the olive oil to balance it. You could try it but my guess is it would be very, very drying 🙁

      Reply

  17. My oldest daughter is very interested in soap making. I was going to try it years ago when all of my children were little, but was super intimidated by it! My chemist son has been wanting to make his own lye with wood ash, so maybe its time we give this a try! Thank you for the tutorial!

    Reply