| Have you ever been to a beauty shop and | | | | pour soap base |
| smelled the aroma of absolutely gorgeous | | | | Vanilla fragrance suitable for soap making |
| hand-made soap and thought to yourself, "I wish I | | | | Clean metal whisk or spoon |
| could do something like this"? Well, the good news | | | | Clean measuring spoons |
| is that you can, with the right tools, know-how | | | | Clean 3-4 oz basic soap mold |
| and imagination. | | | | Rubbing alcohol in spray bottle |
| So why should you make your own soap? Not | | | | Protective gloves |
| only is it fun and exciting, but you get to put | | | | Safety goggles |
| exactly what you want in it, design it how you like | | | | Protective clothes |
| and choose the colors and fragrance as well. | | | | Protective shoes |
| Some store-bought soaps can be full of chemicals | | | | Now you have everything you need, so let's |
| that can be harmful to the skin, but if you make | | | | move on to the exciting part, making your own |
| your own you know exactly what is in it. | | | | soap! |
| What is the melt and pour process? The melt and | | | | After you've put on the safety goggles, |
| pour process is exactly how it sounds. You use | | | | protective gloves, clothes and shoes, you can first |
| ready-made blocks of soap that are uncolored | | | | measure the fragrance and set it aside. Start off |
| and unscented and you melt the soap blocks. | | | | using 0.25 ounce of fragrance per pound of soap; |
| Then you add your own colors, fragrances and/or | | | | you can make it stronger or weaker from there. |
| other additives, pour it in a mold and wait until it's | | | | So for this recipe you would use 1.9 ml or 0.06 oz |
| set. Melt and pour soap bases are available from | | | | or 1/4 +1/8 US teaspoons of fragrance. |
| online soap suppliers or craft stores. One of the | | | | Next, weigh the soap base and melt 4 oz in either |
| advantages of using the melt and pour process to | | | | a double boiler or in the microwave. If melting it in |
| make soap is that you don't have to deal with | | | | the microwave, cover the container with Saran |
| potentially dangerous lye. | | | | wrap to stop the soap from drying out. Melt the |
| The equipment you will need will depend entirely | | | | soap in one minute increments in the microwave. |
| on the soap that you are creating. You'll need | | | | Stir after every minute while being careful of the |
| either a double boiler or sturdy heat resistant | | | | hot soap base. |
| microwave bowl or jug to melt the soap in and a | | | | Once it's totally melted, it's time to add the vanilla |
| base or mold for the shape of the soap. Also, a | | | | fragrance that you've already measured and set |
| couple of whisks or spoons and a set of | | | | aside. Add it slowly and stir carefully and gently. If |
| measuring spoons for additives. These are the | | | | you get bubbles at this stage it means you've |
| basic tools you'll need and then you can add | | | | stirred it too hard. |
| absolutely anything you want from there on. | | | | Now you're ready to pour it into the mold. Pour it |
| Before you start, it is good to bear in mind that | | | | very slowly and gently. Avoid splashing. If you get |
| the soap can be extremely hot when it has been | | | | bubbles pouring it into the mold, spritz the surface |
| melted, so it is best to be very careful. If you're | | | | of the soap in the mold lightly with rubbing alcohol. |
| using the microwave, make sure you wear | | | | Now put the mold in a safe place and leave it for |
| protective gloves and use a sturdy potholder to | | | | a few hours. If you're in a hurry, you can put it in |
| take out the microwave bowl or jug containing | | | | the refrigerator (not the freezer) for about an |
| the hot melted soap. It's also a good idea to wear | | | | hour until it's set. |
| gloves if you're melting it in a double boiler, in case | | | | Once the soap is set (hardened), it's time to |
| you accidentally splash. And make sure you're not | | | | unmold it. Unmolding soap is just like unmolding a |
| disturbed by children or pets. | | | | cake from a cake tin. Gently tap the mold then |
| Now let's try out a basic melt and pour soap | | | | see if the soap pops out. If it doesn't it may need |
| recipe called Heavenly Vanilla. | | | | a further tap. If the soap is really stubborn, trying |
| In order to make this you're going to need the | | | | running some warm water over the bottom of |
| following equipment: | | | | the mold. |
| Clean cutting board | | | | You can now use your Heavenly Vanilla soap right |
| Double boiler or sturdy heat resistant microwave | | | | away! |
| bowl or jug, eg Pyrex | | | | Making soap can be good fun and the satisfaction |
| Scales (to measure soap) | | | | that comes afterwards is great. So why not |
| 4 oz or 113 grams of good quality white melt and | | | | make your own soap today? |