Basics of DIYing: Make Your Own Soap – A Step-by-Step Guide

Making your own soap is easy, creative and very fulfilling with the added benefit of playing around with your own colors and fragrances. The easiest way is using the melt-and-pour method.

You will need:

• A soap base – either shea butter / glycerin (you can purchase a huge block online at a cheaper rate than at craft stores)
• 2-3 Essential oils, depending on how many soaps you make
• Optional: 2-3 Colorants (available at craft stores) or make your own colors by using beets, turmeric, coffee or tea
• Lavender pods, dried flower petals or other additions to your soap
• Soap molds (any mold will work, even those used in cooking)
• A wooden stick for stirring
• A glass measuring jar (to melt the soap)
• A knife to cut the soap and a pin to break bubbles

You can buy the ArtMinds Soap Making Kit (Michaels – ArtMinds Soap Kit) which contains a little bit of everything mentioned above instead of purchasing ingredients separately.

What you do:

• Cut the soap into small cubes and place them in the glass jar. Melt the cubes in the microwave in 30 sec intervals till fully melted. Stir the liquid with the stick to make it uniform.
  

  
• I made the Lavender soap first. I used a lilac colorant (2-3 drops should be enough unless you want the soap to be darker), lavender essential oil (10-12 drops) and a decent number of lavender pods to act as an exfoliant.
  

  
• Mix everything thoroughly and pour into the molds.
• You might find bubbles due to the vigorous mixing, Break the bubbles using the pin.
• Let the molds harden for 2-3 hours.
• Using a knife, cut the soap around the edges of the mold and turn the mold over.
• Apply pressure with your thumbs to release the soap out of the mold.
  • The soaps will be a little sticky due to moisture retention. You can either use it right away or leave out in the open to dry.
  • Use them immediately after making or after drying

I made a few more Lavender and Eucalyptus scented soaps and Vanilla with apricot seeds for exfoliating. Perfect Christmas gifts for this year 🙂

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