Tips on Making Cucumber Soap

I’ve made cucumber soap by using cucumber puree as part of the water. I thought it was kinda nice but wasn’t a big seller for me.

Puree the cucumber with skin on in the blender, I used about 3/4 puree to 1/4 water. Usual method, lye in water, added puree to oil/lye mix after mixing well.

submitted by Jan F.

Because cucumber is pretty astringent, I don’t use it alone in soap. I always use it with heavy cream. Bet there are lots of recipes but here is basically mine. This was a small 58 oz. oils batch. I cut one cucumber in half and de-seeded. I then chunked it up in a cup and took the stick blender to it and added 4 oz. of heavy cream. Blend until very liquid. Measured out this liquid and reduced the water in my recipe by this much. Mixed my lye with the remaining amount of water. After I added the lye/water to oils I then added the cucumber/cream mixture and proceeded like any other recipe. Be sure to scrub your cucumber well and use the peel also. Just don’t use the seeds. I did add a small amount of tincture of Benzoin. I scented with cucumber/melon. I really liked it.

submitted by Cindy W.

I made an avocado and cucumber soap the other day. I pureed the cucumber with the avocado and a little bit of distilled water. I added the mix right after I combined the lye and oil. It turned out fine and I had no problems.

I substituted half of the liquid. It comes out a little soft at first but hardens by the time the 4 weeks curing time is up.

Sometimes I will juice the cucumber in my juicer and add mashed avocado with a touch of citric acid. If my recipe calls for 12 oz. of water I use 6 oz. for the lye and use 6 oz. of pureed cucumber. I add the cucumber right after the lye solution and oil have blended well. I was experimenting with colors one day and added green food coloring and it turned green and has stayed green.

submitted by Kathy K.

You can sub up to half of the liquid needed for your lye solution with safe results. For example, if you need 24 ounces of liquid to dissolve the lye in, use 12 oz. pureed cucumber and 12 oz. water (or whatever your normal liquid is). Use 2% GSE in this to help preserve the cucumber.

submitted by Camille P.