Its SO easy. I work only with glycerin soap so its not hazardous - even kids can help out. An easy way to get started is by picking up supplies at your local craft store (like Michaels). You can buy scents, colors, and glycerin soap base. I just melt it in a glass measuring cup set in a pan of water on the stove. Then you add your scent and color. Then you pour it into a mold, or whatever you like. I picked up a couple of books for ideas (books are found in the craft stores and even Barnes & Noble) and that helped me get started. After I got the hang of it, I started buying better quality supplies, like high quality soap base, colors that won't bleed or fade, etc. You can get really creative and I find it very relaxing to do. I find that the soaps that I make without prefab molds are the most fun and the most beautiful. I often make a shallow rubbermaid container of translucent colors (scented) then cut them into little shards and chunks. I then fill a piece of PVC pipe (closed at one end with saran wrap) with clear or lightly colored white base (scented the same as the chunks) and the chunks. After removing the soap from the "mold" I slice it and its absolutely beautiful. You can even make patterns in this sort of mold. Last Christmas I created a pink "insert" of soap in a spiral pattern (just by bending a "sheet" of "soft" soap before it set). I then set it in the PVC pipe of white soap and gave it all a candy scent. It came out looking like a slice of peppermint candy. It was perfect for the holidays. The possibilities are endless and its so much fun! Just be sure to work on a covered surface. I bought a cheap vinyl tablecloth that I use on the kitchen table.
