Glycerin soaps- crystal clear and gentle on the skin.

Stunning soaps that you can design to suit any skin type and can create in one lazy afternoon.


Clear melt and pour soaps are a great way to get the power of essential oils into your daily life. Now with very little effort you can create clear and soothing soaps….

You don't even need a PHD in soapmaking. So….

Amaze yourself today…Have you been wanting to make your own soaps for ages but the thought of working with caustic lye gives you the heebie-jeebies?

Now you can melt and pour beautiful clear soaps in a few minutes…

You can have instant success. These little beauties don't even need to cure for weeks before you can use them. You can now slap together unique gifts or create saleable soaps in a matter of minutes.

Now, if soap is not the only thing you like to smell good in the bath….

Check out the recipes here for bath bombs, luscious bath oils and more…

Heaps of great excuses for making that bath last even longer. Perfect for relaxation or just luring your children into the dreaded 'bath-time'- all of these recipes can be made with simple household items and ingredients from our store.

Glycerin Melt and Pour Soap Instructions

Glycerin Melt and Pour Recipes

Other Bath Beauties

Glycerin Melt and Pour Soap Instructions


Equipment
Melt and pour soap base
Spoon
Double boiler with lid or saucepan with stainless steel bowl that fits tightly in the pan or glass bowl
Fragrance oils or essential oils
Colourants of choice
Knife
Moulds


Instructions
Melt the soap- The best method of melting the soap base is firstly to cut it up into smallish pieces. Place the pieces in a double boiler (or equivalent) and melt it on a low heat. It doesn't take very long to melt at all so keep a very close eye on it. If you allow the base to get too hot it will burn which causes it to smell really bad and loose its transparency. This is why you use a double boiler and also why some people don't like using microwaves- they lack the temperature control needed. You can actually turn the heat off the double boiler when the base is half melted and the remaining heat will melt the rest. What I like to do is melt my soap over low temperatures in the double boiler, and I often turn the heat off under the pot before the soap is all the way melted. Also, try to keep the double boiler covered as much as you can to stop moisture escaping from the base. If the base loses moisture it will get a dry layer on the surface. If you are melting the base in a microwave then cut the base in chunks, put in a glass bowl, cover if possible and then microwave at half power in 30 second intervals until it's melted fully.

Add your scents- Once the soap has melted completely, take if off the heat. Make sure the soap has cooled a little before adding the fragrances or they may evaporate in the air and disappear. The amount of scent added is pretty much up to you. Just be careful that you don't use too much of something that may irritate the skin in high concentrations. As far as what to use to scent the soap- anything skin safe goes. You can add your own perfumes, fragrance or essential oils or even herbs and spices. One thing to note is that some scents may cause colour changes in the soap base. The only thing you can do about this- aside from just enjoying it- is to try and dye over it with a colourant. The change in colour may not be noticeable immediately but can take place after a number of weeks.

Add your colour- There are many types of colourings you can use. Food colouring can be used but only to give light shades as too much in the soap will stain whatever it come in contact with. Food colours also tend to fade quite dramatically, especially if they see too much sun. There are also proper soap dyes that can be used that give a vast array of colour options. The best of these soap dyes are those that are cosmetic grade and therefore the safest for use on the skin. For a more natural colour you can try spices from your cupboard like turmeric or paprika. Be careful, as these will also add a fragrance to the soap that you may not want. Add colour slowly as it can always be darkened but cannot be lightened without melting more base. Try to swirl the colour to blend it as stirring too much or too vigorously will lead to bubbles in your soap.

Add other things- Now comes the really fun bit. The only limit to the things you can add to your soap is whether or not it will damage the skin or cause reactions. You can add small amounts of almond oil, aloe vera or vitamin E oil. If you add these oils you may want to add a small amount of a preservative as they may cause the soap to become mouldy over time. Some additives will also effect how clear the soap looks. Almond oil and aloe vera will also decrease the amount of lather the soap produces. Things such as oatmeal, cornmeal, poppy seeds, sea salts, loofah (ground or whole) and pumice stone make great exfoliating additives for a unique soap. Cosmetic grade glitters create something sparkling and special. If you want to add water based liquids be careful as to how it will effect the end result. Liquids that are great to add are goat's milk, tea, coffee, milk, cream or honey. How delicious.

Almond meal- Consists of the finely ground kernels of blanched almonds, acts to unclog skin pores and absorb excess oil from the skin.
Almond oil (sweet)- A debittered cosmetic oil derived from almonds and contains protein and several vitamins. Well known for its ability to soften the skin, this oil is used in many cosmetics, soaps, and perfumes.
Aloe vera gel- A healing substance extracted from the aloe plant, is used worldwide to heal burns and skin abrasions.
Apricots- Have been used for centuries in cosmetic preparations, as they have skin-softening properties and are high in mineral salts and vitamins. Fresh or dried apricots may be used in soaps.
Bran- Is the broken outer husk of any grain and acts as a mild abrasive in facial soaps. You'll find bran at health food or grocery stores.
Calendula flowers- Have a long history as skin softeners. They are very soothing to sensitive and dry skins and are excellent additions to facial soaps. Use the petals only, either fresh or dried, first removing them from the heads and discarding any seeds.
Carrots- High in vitamin A and many other vitamins, and their essential oil also contains a good bit of vitamin E.
Clay- Also sold as French Clay or Facial Clay - is widely used for cosmetic purposes because it draws out and absorbs oil from the skin.
Coffee- Is used in soaps to absorb odours from the skin. Use fresh unbrewed grounds.
Lemons- Can be incorporated as juice, grated peels, or in the form of dried granules.
Pumice- A ground volcanic rock. It varies in colour from white to almost black and is used in soap as an abrasive. Use only pumice that has been finely ground.

Add embedments- You can actually mould solid objects in your soap to create interesting effects. Children's toys in their soap can make bath time a heap more fun. Don't use sharp objects or those small enough to be swallowed by small children. If the embedments are sinking to the bottom of the mould try and pour the soap base when it is cooler. You can even try adding a small amount of cold water to the soap just before you pour it into the mould. If you are trying to embed coloured soap chunks, try spritzing the chunks with rubbing alcohol before pouring the soap base over them. It will help them stick together.

Pour into moulds- Almost any kind of container that will withstand the heat of the soap base can be used as a mould. You can use candy moulds, cookie cutters, tupperware containers and other grocery containers, baking pans or tins and lots more. You can also purchase professional soap or candle moulds which not only work wonderfully but also tend to last quite well. To make life easier you may want to stick with moulds that can be flexed to help release the soap after it has set. If you do have a mould that you love, but the soap tends to stick to it, try coating the inside of the mould with petroleum jelly before pouring in the soap base. Another way to help stubborn soaps is to run hot water over the back of the mould until the soap slides out. Once you've added everything you want to, pour the soap into the moulds. You will often get a small amount of air bubbles in the soap. You can deal with these either by over filling the mould and then shaving the excess (and therefore the bubbles) off, or spray a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto the soap just after pouring.

Rub-a-dub-dub- Your melt and pour soap is ready to use as soon as it hardens. No more having to wait for soap to cure for weeks before you even get to see if you like the recipe. It's instant gratification.

Storage or packaging- It's important to wrap and seal your soap if you don't plan to use it immediately. This will stop it losing moisture and will also help keep any fragrances fresh and strong. If the soap isn't wrapped it will form a 'sweat' like appearance on the surface which will dry into a tacky, white film. If this happens, simply wipe the soap down and wrap properly.

Hot Tips
Moisture control- The more control you have over moisture loss the easier the soap base will be to use and the milder the soap will end up. To keep moisture loss to a minimum: store you soap base in plastic wrap; cover the base when you are melting it; don't chuck it in the freezer to help the soap set; and wrap the finished soap in cling wrap.

Changing the soap base- Adding beeswax or other waxes will create a harder soap while adding water will make a softer soap. If you add wax it may reduce the clarity of the soap. If you want to make it clearer you can add some alcohol (vodka is best) but be careful as it may make the soap more drying and cause it to smell different. You can even add more glycerin to make the soap softer, clearer, and more gentle on the skin.

Remelting- If you don't like a finished soap it is possible to remelt the soap and start again. The more you remelt the soap, the more moisture you will lose so consider adding a little water with each remelt. There will be a limit to how many times you can remelt the soap so test it out.

Too many bubbles- Try not to stir the soap too much. A better spoon action is more of a swirl than a stir. Sometimes all it takes is to nudge the chunks around with the spoon while it melts.

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Glycerin Melt and Pour Recipes

Double Swirl Soap
This recipe requires that you have two separate soap base colours so you will need to melt two lots of base in separate bowls. Once the soap base is melted add a bright yellow colour to one bowl and a red colour to the other bowl (colours are up to you). Scent both bowls with your choice of scent (both the same). Stir both mixes quite well and set them aside to cool until a skin forms on the surface. Once the skin forms, stir it back in. It is important to cool the base enough or when you pour the bases they will mix together and you will simply have an orange soap. What you want is the soap coloured half and half with a wonderful swirly blend in the middle. Once the base has cooled, put one bowl in each hand. Put your hands at either end of the soap mould and pour both colours into the mould at the same time. Once the soap is poured then spray the surface with rubbing alcohol to clear away any bubbles. Allow the soap to cool and then use as you wish.

Bath Buddy Soap
For this recipe you will need a fairly deep mould and a small toy to embed in the mould. Melt the base as usual and add any scent you want. You can colour it if you want but you run the risk of not being able to see the toy if you colour too darkly. Set the base aside and let it cool until a skin forms on the surface then stir the skin back in. Pour the soap into the mould- allowing room for the toy. Gently place the toy into the soap with the top of the toy facing down. If the soap base is too hot the toy will simply fall to the bottom. You can try leaving the soap for a while once you've poured it into the mould and then gently peeling off the skin that forms before putting the toy in. Either method should do the job fine. All done.

Earth Clay Soap
450g glycerin soap base
1 tablespoon clay (you can use any sort you like)
colourant and scent

Melt the soap base in a double boiler. Once it is melted, in a separate dish mix a little of the base with the clay until it's a lovely smooth paste. Mix this paste in with the original soap base. Add any scent you want. You can also add colour if you wish but the clay may be enough. Pour into moulds, allow to cool, and use as you wish.

Layering

One of the easiest soaps to create is a layered soap. When you are making soap always have a simple mould set aside. Simply pour any leftover soap into the mould, layer upon layer.

Tea Tree Antiseptic soap
This soap is great against bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Also good for deodorising.

2 C glycerin soap base
2 T tea tree oil

Combine melted base and essential oill. Stir until well blended, then pour into moulds and cool.

Camphor and Clary Sage Soap
Helps to reduce itches and swelling

2 C glycerin soap base
2 T camphor oil
1 t clary sage oil

Combine melted base and oils. Stir until blended, then pour into moulds and cool. Keep this soap wrapped or store in a cool, dark place. It will remain fully effective for eighteen months.

Shea Butter Soap

2 C glycerin soap base
2 T shea butter, melted separately
several drops of your favourite essential oil (optional)

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Other Bath Beauties


Basic bath bombs
10 tablespoons of baking soda
5 tablespoons of cornstarch
5 tablespoons of citric acid
1 ½ tablespoons safflower, sweet almond, coconut, or canola oil
½ tablespoons of water
½ teaspoon borax
1 tablespoons fragrance oil or essential oil of your choice
colouring of your choice (either cosmetic grade or food colouring)

Put all of the dry ingredients except the borax into a bowl and mix it up well. Make sure there are no lumps in the dry mixture. Put the oil, water, borax, colouring and any scent in a bottle and shake it until well mixed. Pour this mixture evenly into the dry ingredients and mix in with your hands. The process is a lot like rubbing butter into flour. Press the final mixture into any mould you have chosen and then pop them out. If you don't have a mould then simply shape them into balls with your hands. Let them dry for at least 24 hours before using them. They need to be stored in something airtight to keep moist air out.

Fizzy bath candies
60g cocoa butter
60g bicarbonate of soda
30g citric acid
45g cornmeal/cornstarch
6 drops of fragrance or essential oil of your choice
colouring of your choice (either cosmetic grade or food colouring)

Use some cooking spray to grease some small candy moulds or an ice cube tray. Using a double boiler, melt the cocoa butter over a low heat. Take the boiler off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda, citric acid and cornstarch. Stir this mixture thoroughly. Add the colouring and scent and stir well again. Put the mixture into the moulds and put in the freezer to set. When hard, turn out of the moulds. You can use a few of these at a time in your bath. Yumm.

Aromatic bath blends
Use these blends by adding them drop by drop to the bath once it is full. Make sure all the doors and windows are closed first so that none of the delicious smells escape. Then climb into the bath and relax for around 15 minutes.

Always store your bath oils in dark glass bottles away from direct sunlight. Never keep essential oils or blends in plastic containers as the oils will react with the plastic. Also, it's a good idea not to store bath oils in the bathroom as it often gets quite hot in there due to baths and showers.

Relaxation Bath #1
3 drops geranium
3 drops lavender
3 drops roman chamomile

Relaxation Bath #2
4 drops bergamot
2 drops basil
4 drops cedarwood

Deep healing bath
5 drops lavender
5 drops geranium
5 drops mandarin

Energising bath
6 drops lemon
3 drops rosemary
6 drops tangerine

Soothing bath
8 drops neroli
4 drops sweet orange
4 drops geranium rose

Detoxifying bath
4 drops ginger
3 drops sage
3 drops rosemary

Aphrodisiac bath
5 drops ylang ylang
3 drops lavender
2 drops geranium
2 drops cardamom

Stimulating bath
3 drops rosemary
3 drops bergamot
3 drops ylang ylang
1 cup white wine

Rejuvenating bath
5 drops rose
5 drops jasmine

Hangover bath
2 drops lavender
2 drop peppermint
2 drops lemon
2 drops rosemary

Reviving bath
12 drops eucalyptus
3 drops tangerine

Seductive bath #1
1 drop ylang ylang
3 drops orange
1 drop patchouli

Seductive bath #2
3 drops sandalwood
1 drop lavender
1 drop ylang ylang

Masculine seductive bath
1 drop frankincense
2 drops bergamot
2 drops sandalwood

Bath oil for the muscles
50ml apricot kernel oil
12 drops juniper
8 drops lavender
10 drops rosemary
5 drops wintergreen

If you add essential oils to a carrier oil it can help to spread the essential oils throughout the water and onto your body. Lighter oils mix quite thoroughly in the water while heavier oils lie on top of the water and will cling to you when you get out of the bath. If the essential oils have been mixed with a carrier then add two teaspoons to your water. To make them, simply put all the oils in a bottle and shake them thoroughly. Leave them for 24 hours and shake before use.

Basic bath salts recipe
1 cup epsom salts
10-20 drops fragrance or essential oil
1 cup sea salt
cosmetic grade or food colouring (powdered or liquid will do equally well)

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until the colour is even. Blend the mixture in a food processor until it is a fine powder (although texture is a personal preference). Spoon into your bath while you are running it as needed (around two tablespoons) and store it in an airtight bottle or jar.

Tinea foot bath #1
3 drops patchouli
1 drop tea tree
in a large bowl of warm water. Immerse feet and soak for 10-15 minutes daily.

Tinea foot bath #2
2 drops lavender
2 drops tea tree
2 drops thyme

Tired foot bath #1
10 drops peppermint

Tired foot bath #2
3 drops juniper
3 drops rosemary
1 drop peppermint

Odour eater foot bath
Sage - 6 drops

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