Help from Soap Makers

[KLAIT]

I would like to make some soap as a family project for gifts this year..and know absolutely nothing about it...only that you need a mold and some glycerine soap..can add essential oils and color chips...need some ideas what I can put "in" the soap and if this sounds correct. :confused3

Thanks

[hlbtimes2]

You might try www.teachsoap.com They have a lot of great ideas and info.

[KLAIT]

Thanks! Lots of good information on this site. :thumbsup2

[Imzadi]

Have you tried going to a Michael's Arts & crafts? They have soap kits there. You can just buy the glycerine soap separately & pour it yourself. It's called "melt & pour" soap. Try to buy it with one of the Michael's 40% off coupon.

[azgal81]

I did the melt and pour soap thing for gifts last year along with knitted flower washclothes.

I agree go get the kit from a craft store it has the molds, chips, scents and the white soap bar and clear soap bar. It's very inexpensive and even less with the 40% off coupon.

It's very simple. Basically what you do is heat the soap in the microwave, add the color, stir then add the scent. Then you pour it into the mold. Let it set for a certain amont of time then they pop right out. To make it pop out easier you can stick the mold in the freezer for a minute or two to loosen up the soap from the sides!

Have fun!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Be careful with the soap bases you buy, some of them are not very good quality and have a strange scent that is hard to cover with fragrances.


This is a very cute idea and makes a fun gift soap for kids:
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-2814490096119_1924_11820131

Goldfish In A Bag
Put the clear Melt and Pour soap chunks in a microwave safe dish with the drop of color. Zap for 50 seconds, remove and gently swirl until all is melted. If you need to microwave it more, do so for only 10 seconds at a time.

When soap is melted, add fragrance and gently swirl in dish to mix, then pour into your cello bag.

When a slight skin has formed (in about 1 minute or less) carefully poke the fish down into the soap. You might want to use a wooden skewer to straighten the fish when it is in the soap.

Allow the soap to set up. When it is hard in about an hour or less, twist tie the top.

Some more good sites for recipes:
* Soapnuts (http://www.soapnuts.com/nutsmprecipes.html) * From Nature With Love (http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/recipe/recipes.asp?category=11) * Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen (http://www.soapdelicatessen.com/soapmaking/soaprecipe/meltandpour/) *

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

More ideas, these are from www.soapteacher.com :

http://www.soapteacher.com/Images/Products/121.jpg

Directions: Melt clear soap, fragrance and color. Pour into mold. Allow to cool just until skin form on top of soap. Spritz with rubbing alcohol, add shredded soap and rubber duck toy. Allow to completely harden. Carefully unmold.

http://www.soapteacher.com/Images/Products/119.jpg

Directions: Follow basic soap making instructions steps. To make chunky soap, carefully cut white soap into chunks. Melt clear soap then color and fragrance. Pour into mold so that the mold cavity in about 1/2 full. Once the clear soap is cooled enough that it is just warm to touch...spritz the white chunks with lots of rubbing alcohol and drop them into the mold. The clear soap will come up and around the chunks.

And just a little tip: If you want to make a loaf of soap, that you can slice into bars, a Rubbermaid drawer organizer (12x3x2") work great!!! :thumbsup2

[KLAIT]

Oh my gosh, you guys are great~ Thank you so much for the info and the great ideas.

Is there a certain brand or kind of base to avoid? I am so excited to try some of these...it would be fun to make the fish for my sons classmates and his cousins...hope i can find the fish and bags!!!

[Caitsmama]

Do NOT buy the bases from the craft stores.. they are junk. Seriously..lol. I own a soap store, i make my own soap, and trust me when i say - there are much better bases out there.. Do a search for melt and pour bases, and you should be able to find better alternatives, like all natural or nearly all natural.. Also, if you go to barnes and noble or a book store, there are TONS of books out there to try. Also, if you are really ambitious, you can try to make Cold Process soap, there is alot more involved with that method, but the results are well worth it!
Good luck!
Sorry i am late replying - was in DISNEY!!!! lol