How to Make Soap

Soap is an everyday product that most people pick up off a department store shelf and take for granted. Yet, the process of soap making is a fascinating hobby enjoyed by many people. Basic soap making is an easy afternoon project, especially when you use a premixed soap base.

1. Gather Supplies

Gather the supplies that you need to make soap. You can purchase soap base for both glycerin soap and french-milled soap. These products may come in either a bar form or as a bag of grated soap particles. Besides soap base, you may also want to use fragrance, coloring and additives like herbs. It is also necessary to have a mold in which to pour your completed soap in order for it to cool and set.

Tip: Soap can also be made from scratch using a combination of various oils and a lye solution. This is an advanced soap-making project, however, and caution should be exercised. This type of soap is called cold-processed soap.

2. Prepare the Mold

Prepare the mold according to the directions that came with it. Some molds require a paper lining, while others may benefit from a light layer of greasing. If you have a non-stick, plastic mold, it may be unnecessary to do any further preparation, as the mold is ready to use as-is.

3. Melt the Soap Base

Melt the soap base you will be using in either the microwave or in a double boiler.

Glycerin soap is the most easily melted soap base, requiring no additional ingredients for the soap base to reach the desired consistency.

When melting french milled or reprocessed soap bases, it may be necessary to add a small amount of water to reach the desired thickness. Watch the soap base carefully and stir regularly to ensure that your soap base does not scorch.

4. Add Fragrance and Coloring

When the soap base is still in its liquid stage, add any desired fragrance or coloring to the mixture.

Most websites and stores that sell soap-making equipment will provide guidance and recipes to determine how much fragrance and coloring in needed for various sizes of soap batches.

Mix the fragrance and coloring into the soap base thoroughly and completely.

5. Mix In Herbs and Additives

Stir in any solid additives such as herbs and exfoliating agents. Dried flowers and oatmeal are common solid additions to soap.

6. Place Soap in Molds

Pour the semi-liquid soap solution into your prepared molds. Finish the exposed soap evenly, scraping any excess off the mold. Allow the soap to cool and harden completely before removing it from the mold and slicing, if necessary.

You can purchase soap base for glycerin soap and French-milled soap