This easy eucalyptus soap recipe is the perfect soap making project for beginners. The easy, step-by-step tutorial shows how to make melt and pours soap with eucalyptus essential oil. DIY eucalyptus soap cleanses gently and soothes the skin. Included are tips for storing and decorating the eucalyptus soap bars + printable gift tags.

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Homemade eucalyptus soap

If you’ve spent any time on CHC, you may know how much I love beginner-friendly melt and pour soap recipes – and this eucalyptus soap recipe is a prime example! Just like my honey lemon lavender soap, sea salt soap, or citrus soap, this DIY eucalyptus soap is easy and quick.

This natural soap recipe has a refreshing scent, thanks to eucalyptus essential oil, and rich lather you expect from a homemade soap. You can also download free printable gift tags to turn your DIY soap bars into a thoughtful, zero waste gift for the special people in your life!

This project is a great soap making recipe for beginners because melt and pour soap is super easy to work with. However, if you’re interested in making soap from scratch, hop over to Lovely Greens, where Tanya shows how to make cold process eucalyptus soap.

Eucalyptus soap benefits

What is eucalyptus soap good for? Eucalyptus has been used in aromatherapy and as a natural remedy for centuries. Today, eucalyptus essential oil is widely known to ease respiratory problems, help with coughs and open clogged airways.

The topical use of eucalyptus essential oil comes with many skin-soothing benefits, too. Aborigines, the native population of Australia, were the first in treating several skin conditions with this plant. Several studies support the effectiveness of eucalyptus oil for the skin. (Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Natural soap with eucalyptus essential oil offers these potential benefits:

Soothing: The oil’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties may soothe skin irritation, redness, burns, and itchy skin.
Healing: The antibacterial qualities of eucalyptus are said to be beneficial to heal minor cuts, lacerations, and sores.
Deodorizing: Eucalyptus soap not only removes sweat and dirt, but also leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean.
Reviving: The oil can relieve achy muscles, tired joints, and topical pain.
Circulation: Eucalyptus oil also boosts circulation and increases blood flow.
Bug-repellent: Eucalyptus’ strong aroma also keeps insects at bay and can help to keep you safe from bug bites.
Relaxing: Finally, eucalyptus imparts a rich scent that will relax your mind.

Ingredients for DIY eucalyptus soap

It’s just a few materials to homemade soap. Here’s what you need to make eucalyptus melt and pour soap from scratch:

Any melt and pour soap base will work for this soap making recipe. I used both a goat’s milk soap and an aloe vera soap base. Shea butter soap base, oatmeal soap base, and olive oil soap base are excellent options, too.
Eucalyptus essential oil gives the soap a refreshing scent and amazing skincare benefits. Scroll down to learn more about eucalyptus essential oil and see different essential oil blends for melt and pour soap.
Dried eucalyptus leaves (optional): I sprinkled my homemade eucalyptus soap with crushed, dried eucalyptus leaves. If you don’t have those, feel free to decorate your soap with any other dried herbs you have available, e.g. peppermint or rosemary.
Colorant (optional): I used mica powder to color my easy melt and pour soap recipe, but you can also opt for liquid soap color or color blocks. I mixed a little green and blue mica to create a green-blue hue to match the color of eucalyptus leaves.
High-proof alcohol in a spritz bottle is needed to dissolve any bubbles that form on the soap after pouring. You can use rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or vodka.

The ingredient amounts are on the DIY card below.

Soap mold

You have serval options to choose from when selecting a mold. The mold needs to be heat-resistant since the melted soap base is 120°F / 50°C and over. I chose a simple, round plastic mold for my eucalyptus hand soap. Soft silicone molds will work well, too. Have a look at these soap molds:

*The recipe is enough to make 4 x 4-oz soap bars, meaning it’s enough to make 4 round or 4 rectangular soaps. You may get more or less product if you use another soap mold.

Other soap making equipment

paring knife to cut the soap
heatproof measuring cup or container to melt the soap base
spoon to combine the soap ingredients
glass stirrer or skewer to apply the gold soap droplets
oven mitts
cutting board or tray to lift the mold after pouring the soap

Eucalyptus essential oil

Eucalyptus essential oil is made by steam-distilling dried eucalyptus leaves. The essential oil has a strong, aromatic smell and must always be diluted before it can be used.

Botanists have discovered more than 700 hundred species of eucalyptus. So it’s no surprise that different types of eucalyptus essential oil exit. Here’s a quick overview:

Eucalyptus Globulus is the most common eucalyptus essential oil. The oil has a pronounced herbaceous scent. Pick this EO if you love a strong eucalyptus aroma.
Eucalyptus Radiata has a crisp and clean scent with hints of citrus, slightly softer than Eucalyptus Globulus.
Eucalyptus Dives (kid-safe) has a minty and woodsy odor, that will leave your skin smelling fresh and clean.
Lemon eucalyptus (kid-safe) is the mildest of the eucalyptus family. The EO has a sweet lemony scent, that reminds me of citronella.

You can make this easy eucalyptus soap recipe with any of these essential oils. They will all produce fragrant DIY soap bars. Stick to Eucalyptus Dives or Lemon Eucalyptus if the soap will be used by children.

A high-quality essential oils are a must for this homemade eucalyptus soap recipe. If you’re in the US, I recommend the essential oils from Plant Therapy and Mountain Rose Herbs. Tisserand offers a great selection if you’re based in the UK.

Essential oil blends for eucalyptus soap

Eucalyptus is a versatile essential oil. You can use it as a single aromatic or blended with other oils to create interesting scent combos. I have put together a few essential oil blends for eucalyptus soap below. Of course, feel free to experiment and create your own custom blends.

Grapefruit eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 30 drops grapefruit
Lavender eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 17 drops lavender
Lemon eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops steam-distilled lemon
Lemongrass eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 18 drops lemongrass
Orange eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops sweet orange
Peppermint eucalyptus soap: 35 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops peppermint
Pine eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 25 drops pine
Rosemary eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 17 drops rosemary
Spearmint eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 15 drops spearmint
Tea tree eucalyptus soap: 35 drops eucalyptus + 15 drops tea tree

How to make eucalyptus soap

How do you make eucalyptus soap? Eucalyptus melt and pour soap isn’t difficult to make, but it is important to follow a few simple steps for a great scent and beautiful appearance. After you’ve gathered your materials and tools, follow these instructions to make your own DIY eucalyptus soap:

Step 1: Portion soap base

Cut the soap base into 1 in / 2.5 cm cubes.

Step2: Melt the soap

Transfer the soap cubes into a heat-resistant vessel, for example, a large glass measuring cup.
Then melt the soap in the microwave in 30-second intervals until liquid. Stir between each burst.
Melt and pour soap gets very hot, so be careful not to burn yourself and wear oven mitts to protect your hands.

Step 3: Color and scent

Once the soap is fully melted, stir in the essential oils, color/mica powder and dried eucalyptus leaves until well distributed throughout the soap.
MP soap tends to form a skin. Use a spoon to remove it.

Step 4: Pour the soap

Place the soap mold on a cutting board or small tray, which makes it easier to lift the mold.
Next, spray the mold with a bit of alcohol. This helps the soap adhere better to the mold.
Pour the liquid soap into the mold.
Spritz the with alcohol to dissolve any bubbles.

Step 5: Chill the soap

Let the soap harden in the fridge (approx. 1 hour) or freezer (ca. 30 minutes).

Step 6: Unmold the soap

Once the soap is solid, pop the eucalyptus soap bars out of the mold. First, pull the mold away from the sides of the soap. Then push the soap out of the mold from behind.

Step 7: Decorate (optional)

Place the soap bars on a board or tray lined with plastic wrap/clingfilm.
Microwave additional soap base in a small heat-resistant container until melted.
Stir gold mica into the liquid soap.
Using a glass stirrer or skewer, splash droplets of gold soap on each soap bar. Rewarm if the soap gets too sticky to work with.
Let cool.

The last step is optional. I think the gold pattern adds pizzazz and elegance.

Storage instructions + shelf life

How to store eucalyptus melt and pour soap

Melt and pour soap contains more glycerin than other types of soap. The glycerin allows us to melt and repour the soap. But the ingredient also attracts moisture from the air, which can cause the soap to soften and sweat (smell beads of water on the soap).

To avoid this, wrap each soap bar tightly in plastic wrap/cling film and store unused soap in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. I wish there were more eco-friendly ways for storing soap, but so far, I haven’t found any.

Heat-activated shrink-wrap is a good choice if you plan to sell or ship your handmade soap creations.

How long goes eucalyptus soap last?

If made with fresh materials, this eucalyptus soap recipe will be good for 12 months. Eucalyptus oil has a long shelf life (3-4 years) but melt and pour soap should be used within a year.

Gifting the soap and printable gift tags

Cyna created a set of free printables that you can print on sticker paper to use as labels. Or print them on cardstock to use as gift tags like you see in the pictures. I wrapped each eucalyptus soap bar with twine and a eucalyptus leaf. Such a cute homemade gift idea, right?

More melt and pour soap recipes

If you like this easy eucalyptus soap recipe, you might also love these:

Eucalyptus Soap Recipe Instructions

Yield: 4 x 4-oz soap bars

Active Time: 15 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: easy

Materials

Eucalyptus Soap

1 lb / 450 g melt and pour soap base (e.g. goat’s milk or aloe vera)
up to 60 drops / 3 g / 0.1 oz eucalyptus essential oil (see below for blends)
1 tbsp dried crushed eucalyptus leaves (or peppermint)
1 tsp green mica powder (optional)

For decorating (optional)

2 oz / 60 g melt and pour soap base
1 tbsp gold mica powder

Tools

round soap mold
paring knife
cutting board
large heatproof measuring cup
spoon
glass stirrer or skewer
oven mitts

Instructions

Portion soap base. Cut the soap base into 1 in / 2.5 cm cubes.
Melt the soap. Transfer the soap cubes into a heat-resistant vessel, for example, a large glass measuring cup. Melt the soap in the microwave in 30-second intervals until liquid. Stir between each burst.
Tip: Melt and pour soap gets very hot, so be careful not to burn yourself and wear oven mitts to protect your hands.
Color and scent. Once the soap is fully melted, stir in the essential oils, color/mica powder and dried eucalyptus leaves until well distributed throughout the soap.
Tip: MP soap forms a skin. Use a spoon to remove it.
Pour the soap. Place the soap mold on a cutting board or small tray, which makes it easier to lift the mold. Next, spray the mold with a bit of alcohol. This helps the soap adhere better to the mold. Pour the liquid soap into the mold. Spritz the with alcohol to dissolve any bubbles.
Chill the soap. Let the soap harden in the fridge (approx. 1 hour) or freezer (ca. 30 minutes).
Unmold the soap. Once the soap is solid, pop the eucalyptus soap bars out of the mold. First, pull the mold away from the sides of the soap. Then push the soap out of the mold from behind.
Decorate (optional). Place the soap bars on a board or tray lined with plastic wrap/clingfilm. Microwave additional soap base in a small heat-resistant container until melted. Stir gold mica into the liquid soap. Using a glass stirrer or skewer, splash droplets of gold soap on each soap bar. Rewarm if the soap gets too sticky to work with. Let cool.

Notes

Eucalyptus Soap Essential Oil Blends

Grapefruit eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 30 drops grapefruit
Lavender eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 17 drops lavender
Lemon eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops steam-distilled lemon
Lemongrass eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 18 drops lemongrass
Orange eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops sweet orange
Peppermint eucalyptus soap: 35 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops peppermint
Pine eucalyptus soap: 25 drops eucalyptus + 25 drops pine
Rosemary eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 17 drops rosemary
Spearmint eucalyptus soap: 30 drops eucalyptus + 15 drops spearmint
Tea tree eucalyptus soap: 35 drops eucalyptus + 15 drops tea tree

Safety tips

Essential oils are highly concentrated. Never apply them undiluted, and don’t take them internally.

Eucalyptus essential oil can cause skin sensitivity on sensitive skin. If you have never used these oils on your skin before, do a patch test:

Dilute 1 drop essential oil in 1 tablespoon carrier oil (e.g. coconut oil, sweet almond) and apply to your forearm or back.
The essential oil is safe for your skin, if you don’t notice any irritation after 48 hours.

Eucalyptus Globulus and Radiata aren’t suitable for children. Instead, prepare the recipe with Eucalyptus Dives or lemon eucalyptus to make the soap safe for kids.

Discuss the safe use of essential oils with a doctor medical caregiver if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a medical condition.

Eucalyptus Soap Label

Tab the button to download your free printable eucalyptus soap label.

Download printable

Brenda

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Can this soap be used right away or does it have to cure like lye soap

Irena | Country Hill Cottage

Hi Brenda! The melt and pour soap doesn't need to cure and can be used right away. Happy making!

Marti

Sunday 2nd of October 2022

I would love to make your beautiful eucalyptus soap to keep the mosquitoes away, but we have sensitive skins, so if i use lemongrass and peppermint instead of the eucalyptus, would that also keep the mosquitoes away plus be gentler on our skins? I read somewhere that these soaps made with essential oils are not for everyday use - is that true?

Hi Marti! If your goal is to keep mosquitos at bay, I would scent the soap with 20 drops citronella + 12 drops peppermint. Lemongrass would be fine too, but citronella is more effective at repelling mosquitos.

Essential oil soaps are safe for daily use because the essential oils are highly diluted. That being said, everyone's skin behaves differently. I recommend doing a patch test to see how your skin to these oils. To do it, dilute 1 drop of essential oil in 1 tablespoon carrier oil. Then rub a small amount onto your skin. If no reaction occurs after 24 hours, the oil is perfectly safe to use on your skin.

I hop this helps you out and happy making!

Carol Paluszkiewicz

Friday 12th of November 2021

Can this be used as a facial soap or is it too strong with the eucalyptus in it and fragrance?

Hi Carol! How lovely to hear from you again! To make a facial soap, I would use eucalyptus dives, which is milder than globulus and radiata. I'd also reduce the amount of essential oil and use only 30 drops per pound of soap. You can instead add a few drops blue tansy essential oil to make it more soothing.

And please note that a eucalyptus facial soap is best suited for normal, combination, and oily skin. It's too strong for sensitive skin.

I hope this helps you out and please let me know in case you have another question. :)

Happy making!

ANN K TROXELL

Monday 18th of October 2021

Can i add charcoal to this soap? If so, what amount would you suggest? Thank you.

Tuesday 19th of October 2021

Hi Ann! Yes, you can add charcoal powder to the soap. I would use 1 to 2 tsp. Happy making!

Ketty Louidor

Monday 19th of July 2021

Thank you for the recipe of the Eucalyptus soap. Great information about the Eucalyptus oil and the recipe is easy to follow. Thanks

Thank you so much, Ketty! I'm glad you find this post helpful.