This page contains the following solutions.
You can melt the base in a double boiler or the microwave. If you choose the microwave, make sure you cover the bowl you are melting the melt and pour (MP) with Saran Wrap to keep the excess moisture from evaporating out. Simply melt the base on high for one minute and stir the remaining, unmelted pieces in.
If you use a double-boiler, simply bring the water to boil, add your melt and pour, cover, turn the heat on low and walk away. Check on the base periodically to see it it's melted.
If you add fragrance oil, add it after the base is fully melted. Stir until the fragrance is fully incorporated and the base doesn't look "cloudy." Start with .25 ounce per pound of base and work up or down from there. You can also use essential oils.
If you wish to add colorant, add the color when the base is melting. Just throw in 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon mica with the melting base and stir it in really well. Spray any "mica bubbles" that form on the top with rubbing alcohol. To use food coloring, simply put in 1 drop at a time to your melted base and color to preference. Too much can stain hands and towels, so be careful!
Pour into your molds - and spray the top with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any excess bubbles.
Use and enjoy once the soap is hard - which takes a few hours.
The finished product - a beautifully handcrafted bar of soap!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have been making soap using "melt and pour" soap with some success. But the only thing at the moment that I cannot master is when I tried to add oatmeal to make an exfoliating soap. The oats sink to the bottom. I have tried the finer meal, but it still happens. Has anyone any ideas why this is happening? Many thanks.
By helen from UK
I remember you asking about coloring soaps a while back! :-) I've added abrasives a couple different ways. The easiest was to start with a suspension melt and pour soap. It is a base made specifically for adding something like your oatmeal or my seeds, so that they remain in suspension instead of sinking. If you have a hard time finding this type of base in your area, you could try letting the melted soap cool slightly, and then mix in your oatmeal.
If you haven't looked at Majestic Mountain Sage for a while (from my other post), you should go check it out. They now have a blog and update more frequently. Have fun!
If you add your oatmeal after the soap has cooled just a bit it won't sink. Also if you grate soap to melt, mix your oatmeal with the grated soap the residue will help just as putting raisins in flour before mixing them in cake keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
Melt down your soap and water in a double boiler method. Once your soap is melted stir through the remaining ingredients and add any scent or color, then pour the mix into your soap molds.
Using glycerine soap cubes and your favorite essential oil, spices, or other additions you can make fragrant gifts for friends and family. This is a page about making easy melt and pour gift soaps.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I want to make homemade soap for my daughter who has very sensitive skin, she is 19 years old. I was going to buy a glycerin base melt and pour and wanted to add olive oil, vitamin E oil, and coconut oil to the mix, but no fragrance or color.
My question is, can these oils be mixed into the glycerin base? Can I use the oils from my kitchen or do they need to be a special oil for soaps? Also, does anyone have a good soap making recipe using a melt and pour method for someone with highly sensitive skin. Thank you!
By Terri
I'm not sure about the oils, but one thing I'd recommend is getting a soap base that's sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) free. It's a very common ingredient in soap and shower gels and can cause problems in people with sensitive skin. (12/13/2010)
Thank you. I did end up ordering an olive base melt and pour from a company called Brambleberry. There is no SLS along with a lot of other chemicals. Now I'm looking for ideas to mix into the olive oil base. So far I have hemp oil, vitamin E, organic honey, and tumanu. For a garden soap I have lavender and sage. After all I did order 10lb of base. Any other ideas would be great! Thank you for your time. (12/14/2010)
By Terri
This is a super site to study for beginners. Good Luck. (12/15/2010)
By Ann Winberg
I recommend checking out PeakCandles.com as they have a wonderful clear glycerin M&P soap base with many of the ingredients you need, and also essences, if you want them. This is what I use and get nothing but praise. (12/15/2010)
I am going to have a go at making homemade soap bars with Melt and Pour as this seems the easiest way to start. Could I use food colouring instead of buying soap colouring? And would anyone know who is the cheapest supplier of the Melt and Pour? Many thanks.
Helen xx
By helen from U.K
I would not recommend food coloring. It's the same stuff we use to dye Easter eggs, and you wouldn't want to risk coloring skin that way. When I've colored soap, I've used powdered pigments instead of dyes. It just takes a wee bit to add a good amount of color.
I usually order my supplies online. The company I've ordered from is in the U.S., so I imagine shipping to the U.K. would be cost prohibitive. Here is a link to the place I've used the most, if you want to check. Their site isn't fancy at all, but they've got a lot of information:
http://www.thesage.com/catalog/index.html
Select "colorants" from the left-hand menu to find their pigments and dyes. Select "Bases" and then click "Glycerin Soap" for their melt and pour bases. There is a section for recipes, which might give you ideas. I've also used this website for packaging (lip balm tubes, shrink wrap for the tubes, cello bags for soaps, etc.), and for lip balm and bath fizzies supplies.
I suggest you just do some searching online to find a supplier in the U.K. Even with shipping, I tend to pay less when ordering online (and I get a better selection) than when I buy locally from a craft store. Best of luck have fun making soap! (07/29/2010)
By Lisa
I hope you find a good source, and that you have lots of fun making some wonderful soaps! I like to put something abrasive in my soaps, to help exfoliate. Several years back I bought a container of strawberry seeds from Majestic Mountain Sage, and I still have most of it, it doesn't take much! So if you decide to try something like that, get the smallest container they offer. :-) Please do share your results! (07/31/2010)
By Lisa
Try the soapqueen.com She even has her own store. She also shows you how-to-do melt and pour videos that you can watch on line. (08/07/2010)
By carolcoen
