Melt and Pour soap is glycerin soap which is made from
vegetable oils and is safer for your skin than most commercial
brands found in your drug store or supermarket. You can obtain
melt and pour soap over the Internet. Keywords are: ‘melt and
pour soap making’ or ‘glycerin soap’. You’ll pay around $3 – $5
per pound. Translucent glycerin and opaque are the most common
types sold. Opaque glycerin is white as it is colored with the
mineral titanium dioxide. Also, you will be able to buy soap
making kits that contain all the needed ingredients.

Once you’ve made your first batch, you can get more creative
when choosing colors, scents, and additives such as dried
flowers, herbs or soothing oils. You’ll discover the ideal way
to make useful gifts for family, friends and co-workers. Your
newfound hobby may even turn into a new work-at-home business!
Soap Supplies: Glycerin melt & pour soap — 2 pounds [32 ounces]
Coloring—cosmetic grade color nuggets Fragrances – [cosmetic
grade only] Molds: These will come in various sizes and shapes
but plastic is recommended.

You can order soap molds online or
find them at a crafts shop or candle supply store. You can use
microwavable containers, food containers, candle molds or even
drawer organizers. At many discount stores you can find the
perfect mold, and for less than $2 in many cases. Using plastic
means that you can reuse it and that it will make getting the
soap out so much easier than a glass mold. Warning: Don’t use
aluminum or metal. Step 1: On the cutting board you’ll slice up
the soap into cubes, approximately one to two inches.

You’ll
then put these into a plastic container, first weighing the
container and noting the weight, and putting the filled
container onto the scale. Step 2: Using your double boiler, fill
the bottom part with water a few inches deep. For microwave
users only—when you melt the soap, don’t use the highest, soap supplies, heat,
watch the soap carefully and don’t melt it all the way, allow a
few chunks to remain. They’ll melt quickly. Step 3: For the
double boiler method, put the soap in the top level and melt,
stirring occasionally.

Add a piece of color if using Color
Nuggets, from the prepackaged colors you’ve bought. Powdered
colors aren’t highly recommended for glycerin soap, as they’re
more difficult to mix. Cosmetic grade liquid colors can be used.
Step 4: Once the color is melted it’s time to add the fragrance.
Use 1 teaspoon and let your nose be your guide. Underscenting
will cause your soap to be less aromatic after a few months.
Adding a little more scent is okay. Step 5: Pour your soap into
the mold. For this recipe you need a 4.

5-cup capacity mold. A
rectangular shape is preferred. Step 6: You can let your soap
harden at room temperature, or you can put it into the freezer
for about 30-60 minutes. Freezing the soap speeds up the process
and allows the soap to pop out of the mold easier. Step 7: It’s
time to see your first successful chunk of handmade Melt and
Pour glycerin soap. You can tell it’s ready when: the mold is
cool and it easily pulls away from the soap. Release it onto a
wax paper-covered surface. Cover it with more wax paper and a
paper towel.

You should allow it to return to room temperature
before using it. It’s advised to let it sit for 24 hours for the
fragrance oil to settle. Step 8: Cutting the soap can be done
with a large knife. This recipe yields approximately 6 bars,
depending on the thickness. Plane the rough edges and traces of
white filmy popped bubbles with a paring knife. These will be
more noticeable on darker colored soap. Step 9: Wrap the pieces
with a cling wrap. The generic cling wrap is better. Pricier
cling wraps don’t allow the aroma to be smelled, as they’re too
thick.

Make a label for your soap if you’ll be giving it to someone for
a special occasion like Christmas, birthdays, a wedding or
anniversary, a promotion, etc. You should list the ingredients.