If you’ve ever zested a fresh lemon and felt instantly happier, you already know the power of lemon peel. This DIY Lemon Soap brings that sunshine straight to your sink, gently exfoliating while uplifting your mood with every wash.

It’s a simple recipe, but don’t let that fool you. The lemon peel powder and citrus essential oils give this melt-and-pour soap a beautiful boost, both for your skin and your senses.

I love making soap, so when I got a big box of lemons, I tried all the amazing ways to use up as much of the lemons as possible.

I finally decided to make a soap with the lemon peels! Because I didn’t want mold to grow in it, I decided not to use the lemon zest. But it still turned out great and smells divine.

Here is my simple homemade lemon soap recipe for you to enjoy too!

Why Lemon Peels in Soap?

Lemon peel powder isn’t just a natural way to add color and texture, it’s rich in skin-loving benefits that make it a perfect ingredient for handmade soap.

Here are some of the benefits you might get from using this DIY lemon soap:

Rich in Antioxidants: Lemon peel contains high levels of vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants that help combat free radicals and support a glowing complexion. These compounds may help reduce the signs of aging and protect skin from environmental stress.
Gentle Exfoliation: The fine, natural texture of lemon peel powder provides a soft exfoliating effect. It helps slough away dead skin cells without being too abrasive, revealing smoother, fresher skin underneath. It doesn’t hurt and is just the right amount of exfoliation for me!
Natural Astringent Properties: Thanks to its citric acid content, lemon peel has gentle astringent qualities that may help tone the skin and balance oil production, making it especially lovely for oily or acne-prone skin.
Mood-Lifting Aroma: When paired with citrus essential oils, like lemon, orange, or grapefruit, you get a vibrant, cheerful scent that’s known to elevate mood, reduce stress, and increase energy.

One thing to note: citrus essential oils are phototoxic, so if you are going out in the sun, this soap won’t work for you, unless you use other essential oils.

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DIY Lemon Soap Recipe

Here is my simple homemade lemon soap recipe! This makes around 3 soap bars if using the same mold.

Ingredients

1lb glycerin melt and pour soap base
¼ cup lemon peel powder
20-25 drops citrus essential oil
Soap mold

Instructions

Chop your soap base into small cubes and melt in a microwave-safe container using 30-second intervals. Stir well between bursts until fully melted.

Stir in your lemon peel powder. Let the mixture cool just slightly to help the powder stay evenly suspended.

adding the lemon peel powder to melted soap base

Add in your essential oils and stir thoroughly.

Pour into your soap mold and let it sit for several hours or overnight to harden.

Pop the bars out of the mold and enjoy your bright, energizing soap!

Notes:

Essential oils: Citrus oils like lemon, orange, or grapefruit are perfect here. Just remember, citrus oils can be phototoxic, so don’t use this soap right before sun exposure.
Lemon peel powder: It does give texture, so this soap is best as a hand or body bar, not necessarily a facial soap. It might be too abrasive.
Color and scent: Feel free to add a bit of mica powder for a richer yellow tone, but I find the natural lemon peel color beautiful on its own.

Lemon Peel Soap

Materials

1lb glycerin melt and pour soap base
¼ cup lemon peel powder
20-25 drops citrus essential oil
Soap mold

Instructions

Chop your soap base into small cubes and melt in a microwave-safe container using 30-second intervals. Stir well between bursts until fully melted.
Stir in your lemon peel powder. Let the mixture cool just slightly to help the powder stay evenly suspended.
Add in your essential oils and stir thoroughly.
Pour into your soap mold and let it sit for several hours or overnight to harden.
Pop the bars out of the mold and enjoy your bright, energizing soap!

Notes

Essential oils: Citrus oils like lemon, orange, or grapefruit are perfect here. Just remember, citrus oils can be phototoxic, so don’t use this soap right before sun exposure.
Lemon peel powder: It does give texture, so this soap is best as a hand or body bar, not necessarily a facial soap. It might be too abrasive.
Color and scent: Feel free to add a bit of mica powder for a richer yellow tone, but I find the natural lemon peel color beautiful on its own.

Final Thoughts

This lemon peel soap is like sunshine in bar form, cleansing, exfoliating, and incredibly easy to make! It’s a wonderful way to start the day with a bit of brightness or to shake off the heaviness of a long afternoon.

Make a few extra bars and share the sunshine these make beautiful, thoughtful DIY gifts for anyone who needs a fresh start.

Ditch store-bought soaps and craft your own beautiful, toxin-free bars with 25 Melt and Pour Soap Recipes!