Carrot soap is typically an all natural, or parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and phthalates-free soap, made from lye, oils and one or all of such products as carrot juice, carrot puree or carrot seed essential oil. This soap is rich in beta carotene and is purported to even skin tones and act as a strong antioxidant and moisturizer. Carrot soap can be purchased from most health food stores and companies specializing in natural skin care products or can be made at home fairly easily.

Natural soaps are made from lye, oils and other ingredients added for a particular benefit or fragrance. Lye is a chemical capable of diffusing fats and is added to soap to clean the skin of natural oils. The oils are added to the soap to provide moisture. For soap made from carrots, the additives are products made from carrots such as carrot juice or carrot purees or extracted from carrots such as carrot seed oil.

Carrot soap provides many health benefits. It is abundantly rich in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Beta carotene enhances cell renewal or cell turnover, helps to clear and clean sweat glands and reduce acne, safeguards the skin against sunburn and damage and evens out mottled skin tones. Carrot soap is also a strong moisturizer, augmenting the skin's capacity to hold moisture, which helps prevent dry skin and psoriasis.

Another benefit of carrot soap is that it is often all natural and free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and phthalates. Parabens are soap preservatives typically added to synthetic soaps and have some controversial possible health risks. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a de-greasing and foaming agent which can dry the skin. Phthalates are added to soaps to stabilize the fragrance and color and may also have some health risks. The absence of these chemicals in combination with the benefits of beta carotene make carrot soap an appealing cleaning agent for some consumers.

When left unmasked by other fragrant additives, soap made from carrots has a smell that has been described as earthy and woodsy. The scent is typically strongest while using the soap, but does not linger on the skin and is usually mild enough to dissipate quickly. Often, a recipe for carrot soap will include fragrant additives such as cinnamon or vanilla to soften the earthy smell.

Carrots are not just used in soap. There are also carrot shampoos, reputed to moisturized dry hair and help prevent split ends. Also readily available are carrot-containing night, face and hand creams popular for the same reasons as the soap.