Green Ambassadors Club logoGreen AmbassadorsClub · Kampala, UG

Make it yourself

DIY Recipes

Simple, natural, step-by-step recipes from our workshops — soaps, lotions, candles and more, using locally sourced herbs.

✨ New: Herbal Soap for Glowing Skin

Table of Contents

  1. 1. Simple Liquid Hand Soap
  2. 2. Hard Herbal Bar Soap (Cold-Process)
  3. 3. Herbal "Petroleum-Free" Jelly
  4. 4. Simple Body Lotion
  5. 5. Herbal Shower Gel
  6. 6. Hand-Poured Soy Candles
  7. 7. Conditioning Leather Shoe Cream

Recipe 1

Simple Liquid Hand Soap

This formula uses standard surfactants (cleaning chemicals) to create a clear, high-foaming hand soap from scratch.

Ingredients

  • 60g Liquid Castile Soap Base (or Coco Glucoside — a natural coconut-derived surfactant)
  • 130g Distilled Water
  • 8g Vegetable Glycerin (a humectant that draws moisture to the skin)
  • 2g Table Salt (Sodium Chloride — used here to thicken the liquid)
  • 1g Essential Oil or Fragrance
  • 1g Liquid Germall Plus (or a similar broad-spectrum water-soluble preservative)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Mix Water and Glycerin

    In a clean beaker or glass bowl, weigh out the 130g of distilled water and mix it with the 8g of vegetable glycerin.

  2. 2

    Add Surfactant

    Slowly stir in the 60g of soap base. Stir gently to avoid creating excess foam or bubbles.

  3. 3

    Thicken with Salt

    Dissolve the 2g of salt into the mixture. You will notice the liquid immediately begin to thicken up.

  4. 4

    Preserve and Scent

    Add your 1g of preservative and 1g of fragrance oil. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is uniform.

  5. 5

    Bottle

    Pour into your pump bottle.

Recipe 2

Hard Herbal Bar Soap (Cold-Process)

A traditional cold-process bar soap with natural botanicals for a hard, long-lasting bar.

Safety Note: Always wear rubber gloves and eye protection when handling Sodium Hydroxide (Lye). Work in a well-ventilated area.

Ingredients

  • 140g Coconut Oil (provides a hard bar and big bubbles)
  • 160g Olive Oil (creates a gentle, skin-nourishing bar)
  • 100g Distilled Water
  • 5g Dried Herbs (choose from the list below)
  • 45g Sodium Hydroxide (pure lye crystals — the chemical engine that turns oil into soap)
  • 5g Essential Oil (optional)

🌿 Preferred Herbs for Bar Soap

  • Lavender: For a calming, relaxing scent and speckles of natural color.
  • Calendula (Marigold Petals): Excellent for soothing dry, sensitive, or irritated skin.
  • Rosemary: Provides antioxidant properties and a refreshing, clarifying wash.
  • Oatmeal & Honey (alternative): Great for gentle exfoliation and intense moisture.

📌 NB: You are not limited to this list! You can choose absolutely any dried herbs you prefer, or even mix multiple herbs together to create your own signature blend tailored to your skin's specific needs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the Herbal Lye

    Infuse your hot distilled water with your preferred 5g of dried herbs. Strain them out completely and let the liquid cool to room temperature. Weigh exactly 100g of this herbal water. Slowly add the 45g of lye crystals into the water (never add water to lye). Stir until clear and set aside to cool.

  2. 2

    Combine Oils

    Weigh and melt your coconut oil, then mix it thoroughly into the olive oil.

  3. 3

    Mix

    When both the lye solution and the oil mix drop to around 40°C, slowly pour the lye water into the oils.

  4. 4

    Blend

    Use a kitchen stick blender in short bursts until the liquid thickens to the consistency of thin pudding (called "trace"). Stir in your extra essential oils or a few decorative dried petals here.

  5. 5

    Mold and Cure

    Pour into a silicone mold. Wrap in a towel and let it sit for 24–48 hours. Remove, cut into bars, and let them sit to dry and cure for 4 weeks before using.

Recipe 3

Herbal "Petroleum-Free" Jelly

This replaces standard petroleum hydrocarbon chains with natural plant oils bound together by wax to mimic the occlusive (moisture-trapping) properties of Vaseline.

Ingredients

  • 160g Soybean Oil (or Sunflower Oil)
  • 10g Dried Herbs (choose from the list below)
  • 30g Yellow Beeswax Pellets (the structuring chemical agent)
  • 1g Vitamin E Oil (Tocopherol — a natural antioxidant to keep the oil from spoiling)

🌿 Preferred Herbs for Skin Jelly

  • Calendula: The ultimate skin-healing herb; perfect for cuts, scrapes, and chapped lips.
  • Chamomile: Incredibly soothing for itchy, inflamed, or eczema-prone skin.
  • Plantain Leaf: Known for its traditional skin-repairing and soothing properties.
  • Rose Petals: Adds a luxurious feel and a subtle, natural sweet aroma.

📌 NB: Feel free to substitute or choose any alternative skin-safe herbs you want. If you are creating a healing balm for a specific skin condition, you can customize this recipe with your own preferred herbal combination.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Infuse Oil

    Gently heat the 160g of oil and your chosen 10g of dried herbs over a double boiler for 1 hour on low heat. Strain the herbs out completely through cheesecloth and re-weigh your liquid oil.

  2. 2

    Melt the Wax

    Add the 30g of beeswax pellets into the infused oil and heat gently until the wax completely liquefies.

  3. 3

    Cool and Pour

    Remove from heat, stir in the 1g of Vitamin E oil, and immediately pour the liquid into a clean tin or shallow glass jar. Let it cool undisturbed until fully solid.

Recipe 4

Simple Body Lotion

Lotion is an emulsion — a chemical binding of oil and water that normally wouldn't mix.

Ingredients

  • 140g Distilled Water
  • 40g Sweet Almond Oil (or Light Mineral Oil)
  • 12g Emulsifying Wax NF (Cetearyl Alcohol/Polysorbate 60 — the chemical emulsifier that binds the oil and water together)
  • 6g Stearic Acid (a natural fatty acid chemical used to co-emulsify and thicken creams)
  • 2g Liquid Preservative (e.g., Phenonip or Optiphen)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Oil Phase

    In a heat-safe container, weigh out the 40g oil, 12g emulsifying wax, and 6g stearic acid. Melt completely over a double boiler.

  2. 2

    Water Phase

    In a separate container, heat the 140g of distilled water until it reaches roughly the same temperature as your melted oils (around 70°C).

  3. 3

    Emulsify

    Slowly pour the hot water into the hot oil mixture. Immediately begin mixing with a stick blender. The liquid will turn stark white as the emulsion forms.

  4. 4

    Cool Down

    Continue to blend occasionally as it cools down and thickens. Once the temperature drops below 40°C, stir in your 2g of preservative.

  5. 5

    Bottle

    Pour your smooth, uniform lotion into a squeeze bottle or jar.

Recipe 5

Herbal Shower Gel

An easy, clear cleansing gel that mimics commercial body washes using mild, biodegradable surfactant chemicals.

Ingredients

  • 110g Distilled Water
  • 5g Dried Herbs (choose from the list below)
  • 65g Coco Glucoside (or Decyl Glucoside — a gentle, foaming plant-derived surfactant chemical)
  • 15g Cocamidopropyl Betaine (a co-surfactant chemical that boosts foam and thickens the blend)
  • 5g Vegetable Glycerin
  • 2g Xanthan Gum (a natural polymer chemical used to give the liquid a gel texture)
  • 2g Liquid Preservative (like Liquid Germall Plus)

🌿 Preferred Herbs for Shower Gel

  • Peppermint: Perfect for morning showers; provides an energizing, tingling sensation.
  • Green Tea: Packed with antioxidants to help protect and refresh the skin.
  • Lemon Balm (Melissa): Offers a bright, uplifting citrus aroma and antiviral benefits.
  • Eucalyptus: Great for clarifying the skin and opening up airways during a hot shower.

📌 NB: You can freely choose whichever herbs you want to enjoy in the shower! Simply pick your favorite aromatic or skin-beneficial plants and steep them into your liquid base.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Make the Herbal Tea

    Steep your choice of 5g dried herbs in boiling water. Strain, let cool completely, and weigh out exactly 110g of the clean herbal water.

  2. 2

    Make the Gel

    Slurry the 2g of xanthan gum into the 5g of glycerin until completely smooth. Pour your cooled herbal water over this slurry and mix vigorously until it hydrates into a smooth, thick gel base.

  3. 3

    Add Surfactants

    Gently stir in the 65g of Coco Glucoside and 15g of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Mix slowly so you don't whip up a foam.

  4. 4

    Preserve

    Add your 2g of liquid preservative and pour the finished gel into a shower bottle.

Recipe 6

Hand-Poured Soy Candles

Candle making is all about thermal chemistry — melting a solid fuel source and pairing it with the correct wick size.

Ingredients

  • 420g Soy Wax Flakes (specifically designed for container candles)
  • 30g Candle Fragrance Oil (approx. a 7% fragrance load for a strong scent throw)
  • 1–2 Cotton Wicks (pre-tabbed)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Prep Containers

    Secure your wick tabs to the absolute center-bottom of your glass jars using a glue dot or a drop of hot glue.

  2. 2

    Melt Wax

    Weigh out 420g of soy wax flakes into a pouring pitcher. Melt gently over a double boiler until it reaches 85°C.

  3. 3

    Add Fragrance

    Remove from heat. Let the wax cool slightly to 70°C, then stir in the 30g of fragrance oil. Stir continuously but gently for a full 2 minutes so the oil chemicals fully bind to the wax.

  4. 4

    Pour

    Pour the wax into your prepared jars. Use a wick holder or a simple clothespin across the top of the jar rim to keep the wick perfectly straight.

  5. 5

    Cure

    Let the candles cool at room temperature for 48 hours before lighting them.

Recipe 7

Conditioning Leather Shoe Cream

This formula forms a water-resistant, wax-chemical crystal layer over the leather to protect it while softening the hide.

Ingredients

  • 120g Neatsfoot Oil (or Pure Castor Oil — ideal for conditioning leather)
  • 30g Yellow Beeswax Pellets (adds water resistance and a high buffed shine)
  • 45g Shea Butter (softens and restores flexibility to dry leather)
  • 5g Stearic Acid (helps harden the cream paste structure)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Combine All Ingredients

    In a clean double boiler, weigh out all components: 120g oil, 30g beeswax, 45g shea butter, and 5g stearic acid.

  2. 2

    Melt

    Heat on medium-low until the wax and acid crystals are completely dissolved into a clear, uniform golden liquid oil.

  3. 3

    Pour

    Carefully pour the hot liquid cream into a shallow aluminum or tin container.

  4. 4

    Set and Use

    Let it sit undisturbed until it cools into a smooth, firm, yet spreadable paste. Apply to shoes with a rag, let sit for 5 minutes, then buff out with a horsehair brush.