Make soap to use and give away.
Handmade soap is made of glycerin, which makes skin soft. Unfortunately, most commercially made soaps process the glycerin out. This is the reason why many people choose to make their own soaps with rich varieties of glycerin. Soap making can be as complex or as simple as you want. Some people use intricate molds, colors, flowers and fragrances, and others create simple soap bars for personal use. The more intricately made soaps make excellent gifts while plain bars of soap made with different types of glycerin are best for home use.
Instructions
1. Choose the glycerin soap base you want. You can choose transparent hemp glycerin that produces a semi-transparent soap, an olive oil base that produces a tan soap, a clear glycerin soap that is transparent or a goats milk glycerin that produces an off-white soap. Different types of soap bases can be found at soap supply or craft stores. Review the base's instructions carefully. Cut the soap base you decided to use into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Prepare and clean your soap molds. Get your colorant and fragrances ready. Add isopropyl alcohol into a small plastic bottle, which you will use once the soap is in the mold. All of these items need to be near the soap mixture once it has melted as it re-hardens in just a few minutes.
3. Decide on whether you will use a colorant. Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of color as the base is melting. Add it to the microwave mixture before placing the base in the microwave, or add it to the double boiler as the base is melting.
4. Place 3 to 4 cubes of soap base in a bowl, and melt in a microwave. If you choose to make it in the microwave, place the base in a bowl and cover with plastic cling wrap to keep the moisture from escaping. Heat for 1 minute and then stir any un-melted pieces to get them to melt---if necessary, microwave for another 10 to 20 seconds.
5. Use a double boiler if you don't want to microwave. Bring the water in the bottom part of the boiler to boil, and add the soap base to the top. Cover the double boiler and place on low heat. Check the boiler every 10 minutes to see if the base has melted. Remove the double boiler from the heat as soon as the base melts. Cover immediately, or the base will begin to re-solidify in a few minutes.
6. Add the fragrance oil after the base has melted. Stir the base until the cloudy appearance is gone. Use approximately 1/4 of an ounce for every pound of base.
7. Pour immediately after melting into your soap molds, and spray with the isopropyl alcohol to remove excess bubbles.
8. Allow the soap to harden for a few hours. Remove from the molds. Carefully wrap the bars for later use in plastic cling wrap.
Tags: double boiler, soap base, that produces, your soap molds, base bowl, base melted, base melting