I've been playing around with some DIY cosmetics and got hooked on these fun and quick soaps. I made this Halloween themed soap because I CAN"T STOP MAKING IT! It's ridiculously simple and totally addictive. So here we go:
STEP ONE: GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
For this little project, you will need:
1. Melt and Pour Soap: I used a simple block of glycerin melt and pour soap base which you can find at any craft store in the soap making section. I wanted the clear glycerin so I could add the colors I wanted or just leave it see through which gives it a cool resin-like effect. (Just to give you an idea, a pound of soap makes about 4 decent sized bars. I used 8 ounces in each batch so that I could experiment and make a bunch of different ones.
2. Soap Molds: These can also be found in the soap section of the craft store. I have also used candy molds too and they work fine as well.
3. Essential Oils: These are optional but oh so fun! Customize your soap with your favorite delicious scent. For my bars, I chose a cinnamon and orange for a fall smell and they smell soooooo good. As a rule of thumb, you add approximately .25 ounces of oil per pound of soap (about 1.5 tsps). It seems like a lot but the smell seems to disappear otherwise. Another thing to consider is the kind of oil you are using. Cinnamon can be a harsh one for the skin whereas lavender is lot more gentle. I just kept adding drops and smelling it until it smelled good to me.
4. Color: This is totally optional. I usually shy away from things that are not natural and organic. I think there are colorants that are safe and natural for cosmetics but I just grabbed the orange food coloring. I couldn't help myself! I had to try it. I also had some Mica on hand so I threw that in the mix too (Mica is a mineral pigment in a lot of cosmetics).
5. Straws: This is another optional item. If you want to make holes in your soap, you can put a straw in your mold. When the soap has set, simply remove the straw and you can make soap on a rope!
6. A Spray Bottle with Rubbing Alcohol. Again, this is optional. This is used after you pour your soap in the mold. You may see some air bubbles at the bottom of the soap. You simply mist some rubbing alcohol over the mold and it gets rid of the bubbles. I think the bubbles kind of add the the charm of a home made soap but just in case you want yours smooth and professional looking, have your spray bottle ready.
7. A Halloween Trinket to 'Hide' Inside Your Soap: I got some plastic spiders and glass candy corns. I also used confection star sprinkles. Just make sure if you are giving this to kids that it is not a choking hazard.
I start by placing my spiders in the molds. Next I cut my straws and stand them up in the molds where I would want to hole to be. I had some funny shaped molds so I had to hold my straws as I poured the soap and keep holding them until they could stand on their own (Not very long...a minute or two).
O.K, now the fun part! I got a glass pyrex with a handle and added my soap base (Add a pound if you are making 4 bars. I added 8 ounces for experimentation; making smaller bars or two of the bigger sized bars.) Check your molds to see if there is a recommended amount.
You have two choices here. You can put this soap in the double boiler and melt it slowly or you can zap it in the microwave in 30 second intervals. If using the microwave method, be sure to keep an eye on it. It can suds over if over-heated. If you have a really powerful microwave maybe do 15 second intervals.
Here is the soap after it has melted. Let it cool slightly, but not enough to start hardening. I stirred it around a little, added my oils, a couple of drops of orange color, and mica powder. I just chucked it all in there and the mica clumped together in some spots. Just keep stirring until it looks evenly distributed.
Adding color.
Adding Mica
I had to pour one soap at a time and hold the straw steady until it could stand on its own. If your soap in the pyrex starts to harden, you can just warm it back up again.
If you see any bubbles before the soap hardens, just fine-mist them with some rubbing alcohol. You need to let these harden for a couple of hours before popping them out of the molds. If you are feeling overly enthused to see how they came out (me) then pop them in the freezer to speed up the process. *Warning, let them harden slightly before doing this. If they are still runny they will spill on your floor and maybe even splatter on the door of your fridge and you will be cleaning hardened soap drips up for a while (me). Bonus: clean floors!
I read somewhere that you could cleverly use cookie cutters on wax paper to make some unique shapes. Nope. Just what I thought might happen. Is oozed out underneath. Maybe the cookie cutter was not flat enough or there is a way to seal the paper to the cookie cutter. Hmmmm.
I make the mistakes so you don't have to!!!
I made another batch with candy molds. I loved these because they are smaller and really cute. I adore these confection stars. They don't bleed color and they float in the bathtub. They are great in bath fizzies, too.
I poured in the melted soap base with the oils into the molds.
Next I sprinkled in the stars.
And Viola!!! simple, right?
Thanks for following along. These are super fun, fast and easy for a quick fix craft and when you're all done you have some really cute soaps to decorate your bathroom or to give to friends as a special Halloween treat!
Enjoy!
Warmly,
Pam