How to Make Homemade Natural Scented Soaps
Traditional soap making requires dangerous and caustic chemicals and lots of time and practice. By contrast, melt-and-pour soap is made through an easy process in which you start with unscented glycerin or coconut oil soap base and add colors, scents and other ingredients to make unique, natural scented soaps. Essential oils from flowers and plants provide the natural scents in homemade soap.
Things You'll Need
- Soap base
- Essential oils
- Soap additives such as oatmeal, dried herbs and ground spices
- Cosmetic grade colorants
- Soap molds
- Glass measuring cups
- Heat resistant glass mixing bowls
- Metal stirring spoons
- Glass eye droppers
Instructions
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1
Put enough soap base to fill your molds plus an extra two or three ounces in a heat resistant bowl and melt. The soap can be melted double-boiler style or in a microwave using 30-second to one-minute heating times until completely melted.
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2
Stir the melted soap base lightly to ensure it is completely melted.
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3
Stir in colorants and desired additives like oatmeal or dried spices. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of additives per soap bar. Use three drops of liquid colorant per bar.
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4
Add fragrance oils with an eye dropper. A total of 10 drops per bar is optimal, using either single or multiple fragrances. Use quality fragrance oils to achieve the desired level of scent.
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5
Pour the soap into the molds.
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6
Let the soap cool and harden completely. This should take two to three hours. The soap should pop easily out of the mold when completely cool. If the soap does not release easily, some time in the refrigerator will cool it enough to pop out.
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Tips & Warnings
Essential oils are pure products produced from flowers and plants. Fragrance oils are synthetic and require a larger amount to achieve the same scent effect. Soap molds can be any plastic or metal item around the house that will result in a pleasing soap shape. A length of 4" PVC pipe can be used to make round soaps. Seal one end of the pipe with several layers of plastic wrap and strong rubber bands.
Never add water to melt-and-pour soap base. All bowls and stirring spoons must be dry before starting. Do not use fragrance oils diluted with alcohol.
