Soapmaking for Clean Holiday Fun

Want to craft your own handmade gifts with your kids this holiday season? Try melt and pour soap-making. This craft is easy enough for any child who’s old enough to help in the kitchen and not very time consuming at all. Plus it creates practical and lovely gifts that are all-natural, waste-free, and without sugar. We’ve had so much fun in my house making these little treasures this year!

The process really is step-by-step simple:

1. Purchase materials. The city of San Diego has a sweet shop in Old Town called Ye Olde Soap Shoppe.  Or you can order online. We started with a kit that included two glycerine bases*: one translucent and one opaque (looks white), three primary color mineral colorant powders, a mold-set of our choice, two fragrances (we like all-natural essential oils), and a scrub of our choosing (we already have oatmeal so we odered lemon rind) *we chose glycerine because it seemed a good first-timer choice, but the shea-butter and other creamy concoction bases are next on our listDecide what combination of scent, color and texture you want to create. It’s a sensory adventure!

2. Chop the base into smallish cubes (1 or 2 in.). Then melt the cubes in a double boiler on medium heat, or in a microwave in short bursts of time so as not to boil. Stir frequently to melt down chunks. Be ready to work quickly to stir in other ingredients once the base is hot.

3. Stir additives in carefully so as not to splatter. 

• Color additives such as natural tinting herbs, mica powders, oxides and ultramarines and organic dyes can be combined with the melted soap while it is still heating in the double boiler. Be sure to check the color additive to make sure that it is suitable for inclusion in soap recipes. For natural tinting herbs, mica powders, herbs and ultramarines, it is best to start by using only 1/8 tsp. per pound of soap. A little colorant goes a long way. You can always add a dash more color if the mixture looks too light. For liquid dyes, stir as you add the dye drop by drop. If you are using a powdered organic dye, mix it with a little water first before adding it drop by drop to your soap. Avoid tinting your soap to a dark shade as darker soaps may discolor the skin.
• Herbs & exfoliants such as nut meals can be added to your soap base, but it is best to wait to add them until after adding fragrance. Otherwise, the herbs can sink to the bottom of your soap molds and create a layer of botanicals on the top of your soaps. Using too much can also cause this to occur. A good rule of thumb is to use 1-2 tsp. of herbs per pound of soap. Stir the herbs in well and continue to stir well up until you pour your soap into the molds. This will help to keep the herbs from settling. 
• For fragrances, mix oils while soap it is melting, so that they are ready when it is time to blend them with your melted soap base. A good rule of thumb is to use 5 grams of essential oil or combination of essential oils per pound of soap. Some more potent essential oils such as peppermint will require less essential oil while other softer aromas such as cedarwood may require a bit more. It is very important to select oils that are not irritating to the skin and to not use too much oil as excessive oils can cause irritation in some individuals. Certain essential oils such as cinnamon, clove and black pepper can be irritating and should only be used in very tiny quantities, if at all.

4. Pour the soap base into a container that has a small spout. A glass measuring cup works well for pouring soap into the molds and is easy to clean up. It is best to try and quickly work as you pour the soap into your molds so that the soap does not cool off too much and stick to the sides of your pouring container.

Most plastic soap molds contain 4-6 soap cavities, and each cavity generally produces a 3-4 oz. bar of soap. The first time you use a new mold, it may take some experimentation to know how much soap base and other additives is needed to make the number of desired soaps. Once you pour your soap into the molds, you will often see small air bubbles form on the top of the soap. These air bubbles will remain in the soap as it dries. You can eliminate them buy filling a small spray bottle with alcohol (rubbing alcohol will work fine for this purpose). As soon as you've poured your soaps into the molds, lightly spray the top of the still liquid soap with the alcohol until bubbles are gone.

Here’s hoping you enjoy the making as much as the giving and getting this year, and wishing you and yours a very happy Hanukkah, Christmas, or winter holiday of your choosing this season!