How to Make Colored Hard Glycerin Soap
Making your own glycerin soap is fun, easy and it makes great gifts or party favors. Plus, you can choose your own colors and scents, so the possibilities are virtually endless. Best of all, glycerin is good for your skin. It attracts and holds moisture, so it's extremely softening. You can find everything you need for your homemade soaps at a craft store or on the Internet.
Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
- Double boiler
- Glycerin soap base (clear or opaque)
- Metal spoons
- Soap dyes
- Essential oils or soap scents
- Soap molds
- Rubbing alcohol
- Spray bottle
Instructions
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1
Fill the bottom pot of a double boiler halfway with water. Place it on the stove top and set it so that it will heat to a low simmer. Meanwhile, you can prepare the soap.
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2
Lay your glycerin soap base on the counter. With a sharp knife, score the base to roughly match the number and size of soap bars you plan to make. Chop the large scored piece into very small pieces.
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3
Place the chopped soap pieces in the top pot of the double boiler. Place the top pot on the bottom pot and allow the pieces to melt slowly. Stir only occasionally, and be very gentle. Stirring too much or too fast will leave bubbles in your soap.
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4
When the soap is almost completely melted, remove the top pot and place it on the counter. Continue to slowly and gently stir until the soap is liquefied.
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5
Add the color and scent of your choice. Add just a few drops of each at a time, until your desired color and scent is reached. Go easy. You can always add more, but once it's in there you can't take it out.
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Pour the soap into the soap molds, filling them to the top. With a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol, lightly spritz the tops of the poured soaps. This will hinder bubble development.
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Set the soap molds aside until the soap is hard. This can take from 18 to 24 hours.
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Once the soap is hard, turn over the molds and pop the soaps out. If they don't pop out easily, place the molds in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This will cause the edges of the soap bars to shrink a bit and make them easier to pop out of the molds.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're not going to use your soap immediately, wrap it securely in plastic to preserve its scent and color.
Do not allow your soap to reach a boiling point on the stove. Extreme heat will destroy the glycerin and moisturizing elements. Use only dyes and scents specifically made for soap-making. Other types of dyes and scents could irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
Resources
- Photo Credit office.microsoft.com
