Herbs to use in soap?

I have a hard time finding affordable soaps that are not sulfer, sulfite or sulfate based. I have allergies to these. I have terribly oily skin and have break outs because of it. Someone suggested making my own glycerin based soaps but I do not know what herbs I could add to soap batch to break down excessive body oils. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, David

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You know..your bodies oils are there for a reason, so you don't want to completely break them down. All you will do is cause your body to produce more to make up for its absence.

Will this be for your face or all over?

I also have oily skin and am allergic to everything under the Sun. Lol

I make my own soaps and the herbs really depends on what the purpose is.

Are you looking to treat acne? For anti-aging? For smooth skin? It really depends on if you have a specific need.

Also, I have found glycerin to be very harsh and overly drying. It also leaves a weird residue on my skin.

Olive oil soap base or Goats milk soap base are both very gentle and leave your skin feeling soft and clean, without any drying or film left behind.

If you are looking for a basic herb for soap.
Lavender
Rose
Calendula
Jasmine
Chamomile

All are great herbs for the skin and used to not only treat a variety of skin conditions but leave your skin feeling nice and soft.

It would be an all over soap. I get adult acne break outs from excessive oil holding dirt and grime to my skin and clogging pores everywhere. At least that is how I understood the dermatologist. He said I am just one of those that has excessively oily skin and recommended glycirin soaps since I get a rash from sulfer based soaps. My friend recommended making my own soap. I am allergic to olives so not sure olive oil would be good. Not sure about goats milk but willing to try it. Thank You for the great tips.

I understand, okay, so you can get the soap bases at Michaels craft stores or online websites.

You can try glycerin, but I really suggest the goats milk.

For your condition, I suggest a combination of calendula, lavender and chamomile.

This will help with the acne and soothe your skin at the same time.

And your welcome. :)

Message me if this doesn't work out and I will help you figure out another formula. :)

Also...just a tip..grind your herbs as fine as possible. They tend to clog drains and can scratch your skin if you aren't careful.

Bright blessings :)

Something else you could add would be mint. Mint is often used in soaps to help solve oily skin problems. But of course, this would be in small parts. A little goes a long way for sure! Much like cinnamon, it could be a skin irritant if not used carefully. Or, as mentioned above, it could make your condition worse.

Thank you both. I get military pension once a month so this is my project for Aprils check instead of store soaps. I will post my feed back then. :-)

I would also recommend adding marshmallow (Althea officinalis). It has saponins which naturally create a "soapy" feel and mucilage which is moisturizing and could help your skin to decrease the amount of oils it makes because they are not needed. And plantain (Plantago major) as it is a detoxifier to help with any break outs and has properties to help the skin heal as well. It's traditionally used as a treatment for everything from shingles to bites and stings. Rosemary (Rosamarinus officinalis) is also another herb that is awesome for the skin. Also if you don't have the herbs you can add a few drops of the essential oil to the soap. Do make sure you check the official name (Latin binomial) to make sure you are getting the correct herb. There are many herbs that have the same common name but are completely different plants and have different properties. Lavender is a big one. The lavender Lavendin has more stimulating properties due to it's high camphor content where as "true" lavender, Lavendula, has more esters which create the calming effect lavender is known for.

Oatmeal and honey would probably help too.

I make a scrub of oatmeal, lavender (Lavendula officinalis, or angustifolia they are the same plant), plantain, and sometimes marshmallow that I use daily. I grind it fine and keep it dry until I'm ready to use it, then add just enough water to moisten it. Sometimes I also add honey to it and make it into more of a mask. The mixture, especially with honey, is also good for any type of infection (like from an injury) or bite.

You can also make a tea of the same herbs (except oatmeal) to treat the body from the inside out.

Oh! I love Honey! Good call with the oatmeal. Maybe an oatmeal, lavender and honey, mask for spot treating the acne?

Dry like suggested, then add raw honey when you are ready to use it.

If you are going to use oatmeal i would just use the oatmeal water and try incorporating buttermilk and carrot juice. Personaly i love dove sensative skin unscented. I can get away with using pure and natural once in a while when i can find it. Not over exfoliating, but using a washcloth gently. Drink water too. Over production of oil occurs when your skin is over dry which for me can be triggered by anything with a scent in it. I used to have to use a light coat of unscented moisturizer immediatley after cleansing before i got my h20 intake stabalized. It took years. And in a dry climate i would have to do it on exposed areas daily and entire body weekly.