9 Steps to Soapmaking Success

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 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.

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