How to Make Soap with the 'Melt and Pour' Method (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

The melt and pour method is the easiest method of making your own soap at home. This is because the basic soap has been prepared and prepared, so you don't have to worry about using an alkaline solution like in cold or hot soap making. It is quick and easy to prepare for both children and adults. The best thing about this method is that the soap can be used immediately when it has hardened and does not require any curing process!

Step

Part 1 of 2: Making Melt and Pour Soap

Step 1. Buy a melt and pour base soap

You can buy basic melt and pour soap at arts and crafts stores, or online. The most popular choices are white base soap or clear glycerin. For a more luxurious bar soap, try one of the basic melt and pour soaps made from goat's milk, olive oil, or shea butter.

Don't use regular bar soap. The types of soap are not the same and will not melt easily

Step 2. Cut the soap base into 3 cm thick cubes with a clean, sharp knife

The size and shape of the dice do not have to be exact. Cutting the base soap into smaller pieces will help make the soap melt easier and smoother.

Step 3. Melt the soap base in the microwave

Place the basic soap pieces in a microwave-safe container. Heat the piece of soap for thirty seconds with pauses. Remove and stir every thirty seconds until completely melted. The melted base soap should have a smooth, liquid texture, without lumps or chunks of soap. If you don't have a microwave, do the following:

Fill a pot with water to a depth of about 5 cm.
Place a heat-resistant glass bowl over the pan.
Put the soap in a glass bowl and bring the water to a boil.
Let the soap melt over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Step 4. Let the soap base cool down to 49° Celsius

When the soap has melted, set it aside on the counter and let it cool slightly. If you're melting it with a saucepan and on the stove, remove the bowl from the pot and place it on a heat-resistant surface.

Adding fragrances and dyes to soap that is still too hot will affect the final color and aroma of the soap

Step 5. Mix in liquid dye or powdered dye if you prefer

Use 1/8 teaspoon liquid coloring or coloring powder per 450 grams of soap. You can add them later if you want. However, be careful because the dye can leave marks on your skin.

If you're using powder coloring, mix 2-3 teaspoons with liquid glycerin first, then add the glycerin mixture to your soap base.
If you are using liquid dye, 3 to 6 drops is sufficient for 450 grams of soap.
Make sure you use soap-specific dyes. Other types of dyes, such as wax dyes, are not safe for skin.

Step 6. Mix in fragrance oil or essential oil, if desired

You can combine several different oils to create a unique scent, or you can use just one of them. Again, make sure the oil you're using is skin-safe or labeled specifically for soap making. Do not use wax fragrance oil because it can irritate the skin. Below is the recommended amount:

Fragrance oil: 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) per 450 grams of soap.
Essential oil: 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 milliliters) per 450 grams of soap.

Step 7. Pour the soap into the mold as desired

You can buy special soap molds along with other soap-making equipment at arts and crafts stores. These molds are made of either plastic or silicone. If you can't find one, you can use cupcake molds, chocolate bars, or silicone molds used for baking cakes.

You can use a large traditional mold, if you like, but will have to cut the soap out later.
If you are using a plastic soap mold, you may need to grease the inside with petroleum jelly.

Step 8. Gently tap the mold

This will allow air bubbles to rise to the surface. If you see air bubbles, lightly spray the soapy surface with rubbing alcohol.

Step 9. Let the soap base cool for 12 to 24 hours

Do not rush and put it in the refrigerator or freezer.

Step 10. Remove the soap from the mold

Pull the edges of the mold out of the soap, then turn the mold over, and remove the soap. If the soap is still on the mold, place it in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse the outside of the mold with hot water for a few seconds.

If you are using a large mold, you may need to slice the soap into small bars/pieces after removing the soap from the mould

Step 11. Allow the soap to dry, if needed

Unlike traditional cold and hot methods, melt and pour soaps are ready to use. This is because the saponification process has already occurred and the soap does not need to undergo a curing process. However, the edges of the soap may still feel damp when you remove it from the mold. If this happens, let the soap air dry on a drying rack for about an hour.

Part 2 of 2: Improving Soap Quality (Optional)

Step 1. Make a textured soap with dried herbs or flowers

Lavender, chamomile, and dried rose petals are good choices. However, you can also use other ingredients. You will need about 1 to 2 ounces per 450 grams of soap. Add dried herbs or flowers to the mold before pouring in the soap to prevent the color from fading too much.

You can also sprinkle dried flowers and herbs after pouring the soap into the mold.
Remember how to use it. Soaps with dry herbs are great for hand soap, but will be too harsh for bathing or showering.
Cut off large dried flower petals so they don't clog drains.

Step 2. Use spices to give the soap fragrance, texture, and color

With just a tablespoon of powdered spices, your homemade soap can be amazing! Mix the spices into the soap after turning off the heat, along with any other dyes or fragrances you might use. The best options you can use include cinnamon, spice for pumpkin pie, and ground turmeric.

Consider limiting or not using fragrance at all

Step 3. Use different types of butter for added moisture

You'll need it in your base soap because the butter will melt. Do not use ordinary butter that comes from processed cow's milk products because it will smell bad. Instead, choose one of these types of butter: cocoa, shea, mango, or vegetable. You'll need 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 grams) of butter per 450 grams of soap.

Cocoa butter and shea butter are great for adding a gentle lather to soap.
Mango butter is best suited for soothing irritated skin, treating sun burns, and reducing dry skin.

Step 4. Add extracts of various ingredients for added benefits

Extracts are not the same as essential oils or fragrance oils. While some extracts can also add fragrance to soap, most are used for their specific benefits. Try adding 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) of extract per 450 grams of soap; add together the dyes and fragrances you use. The following are some extracts that are often used and their benefits:

Chamomile extract is calming and good for stress relief. This extract is also useful as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
Grapefruit seed extract is a natural disinfectant. It contains vitamins A, C, and E.
Green tea extract can help relieve sunburn, irritation, and acne.
Guava extract contains vitamins A, B, and C. This extract is very good for aging skin.
Papaya fruit extract is good for dry and oily skin. This extract makes the skin smoother and softer.

Step 5. Add other ingredients to give the soap its exfoliating benefits

Mix the powdered oatmeal with the soap base just before pouring it into the mold. In most cases, you will need to use as much as 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 grams). Below is a selection of other ingredients with popular exfoliating benefits:

Jojoba granules and oatmeal powder are gentle exfoliating ingredients suitable for sensitive skin.
Sea salt and granulated sugar are slightly abrasive exfoliants.
Ground coffee and strawberry seeds are harsh exfoliants. Limit its use to 1-2 teaspoons.

Step 6. Insert the special rubber soap-making stamp mold into the plain mold before pouring the soap

Some types of soap molds already have beautiful designs. However, some of the others are just regular prints in the shape of a circle, oval, square, or rectangle. If you want a bar that looks more luxurious, place this stamp mold into the mold (with the design side up) before pouring the soap. You can buy molds like these along with other soap-making equipment at arts and crafts stores. Stamp prints like these are made of rubber sheets with designs that stand out like ink stamps.

Match the stamp shape to the mold. Use circular stamps for circular soap molds, and square stamps for square molds.
If this rubber stamp print sticks to the soap after removing it from the mold, you can simply remove the stamp mold.

Step 7. Add a shock to the clear soap of glycerin

It's a very interesting idea for children's soap. Place small plastic toys such as fish or spiders into the soap mold. Then, pour the soap over the toy, and let it cool and harden. When you remove the soap from the mold, the toy will stick to the soap.

This idea can't be applied to soaps that are thick or opaque because the toys won't be visible

Step 8. Stir two different colors to make soap with a swirl pattern

Melt the soap as usual, then divide into two parts. Give a different color to each part of the soap. Then, pour the still liquid soap, followed by the colors one by one into the mold, then stir gently to create a swirl pattern. Do not stir it too vigorously because the colors can be mixed evenly. If you want a white soap with a colorful swirl pattern, do the following:

Make a basic soap as usual without mixing dye.
Pour the soap into the mold.
Drop a small amount of dye on the corners and center of the soap.
Gently stir the color with a toothpick.

Step 9. Create layers of multicolored soap by pouring one color at a time of the base soap

Prepare half of the soap, and pour it into the mold. Prepare the next layer using the remaining soap base. Wait for it to harden slightly, then scratch the surface of the soap lightly with a fork. Pour in the second layer and allow the soap to harden.

Spray each coat with rubbing alcohol while it is still wet to reduce the formation of bubbles.
This method is suitable for larger soap molds. Remove the soap from the mold when it has hardened, then slice the soap to reveal a layer of color.

Tips

Experiment with different amounts of fragrances and dyes to get different soap results.
1 pound (450 grams) of soap will generally yield 4-6 bars of soap.
You can find basic melt and pour soaps, fragrance oils, and dyes at arts and crafts stores. You can also find them at online stores that specialize in soap-making equipment.
Store the soap in a plastic bag to prevent sweating.
Some basic soaps are already colored, which can affect the color of the final product. For example, a hemp base soap may have a greenish tint. If you add pink, the result will be brown.
Spray the surface of the freshly poured soap with rubbing alcohol. This will pop any bubbles that rise to the surface.
You can use a silicone cupcake or cake mold as a soap mold. You can even use a silicone ice cube mold to make mini soaps.
Mix the two soap bases by melting them together. Milk and honey base soap is a popular combination.
Match the color and fragrance. Use lavender essential oil for purple soaps, and rose essential oil for pink soaps.