Make

Your Own Soap the Easy Way

Your Complete Guide to the Art of Soap Making

Kelly Kohn



PUBLISHED BY:
Kelly Kohn
Copyright © 2012

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any

means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner
and publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the
product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.
 Table of Content
Introduction

Chapter 1 - The squeaky clean truth about soaps

A brief history of soap

What is soap?
The soap making procedure
Chapter 2 - Every soap maker should have this – Equipment used in making soap

Chapter 3 - What goes into soap? – Ingredients, ingredients, ingredients

Fats and oils

Lye
Moisturizers
Thickeners and hardeners
Water alternatives
Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles
Botanicals
Fragrance
Color
Chapter 4 - Basic Techniques in making your soap bar or liquid soap

The Cold Process

The Hot Process
Melt and Pour
Rebatching
Liquid Soap
Whipped soap
Cleaning up
Storing soap
Chapter 5 - Adding your dyes, botanicals, essences and fragrances, cutting those shapes

Scents
Color
Yellow/Orange
Brown/Black
Green
Red/Pink
Purple/Blue
Botanicals
Designs
Chapter 6 - Easy and simple soap recipes

Basic Oil Soap

Grocery Store Soap
Vanilla Kitchen Soap
Oatmeal Melt and Pour Soap
Moisturizing soap
Soap for acne-prone skin
Vegetarian Soap
Melt and pour loofah soap
Rosemary Mint Handmade Soap
Mango and Shea Butter soap
Lavender Soap
Apple Spice Soap
Aloe Soap Balls
Good Morning Scrub Bar
Tea Tree and Kelp Soap
Dog Soap
Orange Julius Soap
Berry Mint Foot Soap
Mint Refresher Liquid Soap
Chapter 7 - The Dos and Don’ts of soap making

Do’s
Dont’s
Chapter 8 - Trouble shooting in soap making
 My soap will not trace!
My solid soap has turned to liquid!
My soap has separated in the pot!
My liquid soap has separated!
My soap has seized!
My soap is too thick
My soap is oily soap
My soap is sweating
My soap has orange spots in it!
My soap has water pockets!
My soap has oil pockets!
My soap is dry and brittle!
My soap is soft and mushy!
My soap is coated in powder!
My soap is lighter around the edges!
My fragrance has disappeared!
When is it necessary to give up and throw away a batch of soap?
Chapter 9 - Selling your beautiful handmade soaps

Conclusion
References
Introduction

Welcome to learning the art of soap making. If you preparing to read this
article then you are probably a crafty person looking to dive into something
new. Once the process is learned, soap making can be an easy, fun, and
productive hobby. People choose to make soap for a variety of reasons including
for personal use, gift giving, or as a product to sell in a home-based business.
Once you become a soap maker, you will no longer have to waste time shopping
for a soap that will not irritate your sensitive skin or make a last minute run to
the mall for a birthday gift. Many people enjoy soap making because they can
produce unique and useful items. The scientific nature of this craft can appeal to
those of us who like to have a guideline to follow while learning, but then be
able to work within some general parameters to create one-of-a-kind products.
There are several advantages to making your own soap. First, it’s fun! Once
you understand the process, the creative possibilities are endless. Elements of
color, texture, shape, scent, and design all come into play when making soap.
The process does not require a great time commitment so just by having an
afternoon free you can make a batch of soap. Of course, it will need to harden
after that afternoon, but that process does not require you to be actively doing
anything other than flipping it over occasionally.
Secondly, homemade soaps are much healthier for you and the environment.
By the time a typical person finishes his or her morning routine, he or she has
likely already come into contact with over one hundred chemicals and about
sixty percent of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our body. By making
your own soap, you have complete control over the quality and naturalness of
the ingredients. This is especially great for people with allergies or sensitive
skin. You will know that the soap you make does not contain artificial dyes or
additives, unless of course you want them in there. When making your own
soap you can choose the fragrance and how strong it is. You can decide if you
want liquid soap, hard soap or soft soap when you are finished. You can also
decide how you want it to function. Do you want it to exfoliate? Condition?
Moisturize? Cleanse? A combination of the above? When you make your own
soap that can happen! As an added bonus, homemade soaps usually contain a
large amount of glycerin which makes them much better at moisturizing than
commercial soaps. Making soap is also better for the environment as it
conserves energy and the process of creating it does not involve the use of harsh
synthetic chemicals that can harm our waters and other natural resources.
Let us end this introduction with some fun facts about soap to hit
home the idea that soap making can be fun, interesting, profitable, and easy.
· Soap has been made in some form for at least the last 2,000 years.
· Early soaps were not used for bathing but for cleaning clothes and
animal hides.
· June weddings were made popular because back in the early 1500’s,
people typically only bathed with soap once yearly and most often in late
May. This allowed brides to be fresh for their upcoming nuptials.
· The first soaps were made from animal fat and ashes from wood
fires.
· Soap can be made in liquid, bar, powder, cream, foam, and gel forms.
· Soap not only stings yours eyes because it contains lye, it is also
chemically reacting with the fat molecules in your eyeball.
· The first known literary reference to soap used for cleansing purposes
was by Galen, a Greek physician, in 1700 A.D.
· Early 7th century Arabic chemists created the first soap using only
vegetable oil. Prior to this it is thought that all soaps had some amount of
animal fat in it.
· The English government imposed a tax on soaps for many years until
1835, making 1 million pounds a year.
· 10,000,000,000 pounds of soap are produced per year world-wide
· 1/3 of all soaps are produced in the United States
· In the United States, 25 pounds of soap are used per person, per year.
The world average is 6.6 pounds.
· 85% of the soap used in the United States is used in cleaning laundry
and 12% is used for bathing.
· Most of the ‘soap’ purchased at a store is not soap but bars of
synthetic detergent.
· By 1890, five major soap companies were in business; Colgate,
 Morse, Pears, Bailey, and Albert.
· The Palmolive Company is named after its most popular soap which
was made with palm and olive oils.
· Elephants are frequently washed with Murphy’s Oil Soap.
· Ivory soap was never meant to float. The company was over mixing
the soap which created air bubbles causing the bar to float. Since it was so
well received by customers, the company continued over mixing their soap.
· Liquid hand soaps were first created and sold in the 1970s
No matter how far and how much of an expert you want to become on soap
making, this report will give you a great start towards understanding soap, its
history, the soap making processes, and also some ideas on how to start a soap
selling business.
 Chapter 1 - The squeaky clean truth about soaps

A brief history of soap

Soap has quite the past. For a very, very long time people have known that
combining fats with ash from a fire would make a substance that could be used
to clean things. There is a widely told story that the word soap came from the
ancient Romans however, the truth of it is widely debated. According to the
story, Romans sacrificed animals on Mount Sapo and then it rained, all of the fat
from the animals and the ashes from the sacrificial fires, were washed down the
mountain and into the Tiber River. This created clay in the river that made
washing easier. Those that discount this story as fantasy have the belief that the
word soap derives from the Latin word, “sapo” and was borrowed from the Celts
who created a substance from animal fat and plant ash that they called saipo.

Historians have several ideas about where and when soap making first began.
Many believe that soap was invented by the Babylonians. This is because a stone
tablet was discovered during an excavation of ancient Babylonia indicating that
around 2800 B.C., Babylonians were making soap. Another clue that soap has
been around since ancient times is the Eber’s papyrus which contains a recipe
for soap made by salt mixed with animal fats indicating that early Egyptians
used soap for textiles and medicinal purposes. Early Romans made soap in the
1 century A.D. by combining goat fat with wood ashes and salt. In fact, a salt
st

factory was discovered among the ruins of Pompeii, a city which was destroyed
by a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D.
In the 2 century A.D., Galen, the famous Greek doctor, publicly
nd

recommended washing with soap to prevent disease. Prior to this, soap was used
primarily to treat diseases or for textiles. This proclamation resulted in more
people using soap for bathing however, for a long time still; soap was used
mostly for non-bathing purposes.
Moving into Europe, ancient German’s created soap from ash and animal fat.
It was used primarily for styling hair. In 1200 A.D., Marseilles, France and
Savona, Italy were soap making hubs. In the 8 century, there is evidence that
th

people in Italy and Spain were using goat fat and beech tree ash to make soap.
At the same time, the French began using olive oil in their soap. Soap came to
Bristol, England in the 12 century and could be found in London in the 13
th th

century. Beginning in the 16 century, finer, more luxurious soaps that were
th

vegetable based, most using olive oil, were more widely available in Europe. In
England, soap makers had to pay tax on the soap that they made until 1853. This
was enforced to the point of equipping soap pots with locks so that soap makers
would not be able to produce soap without being observed. When the tax was
alleviated, inexpensive soap was created and became widely available
throughout England by 1880.
In 1791, a Frenchman by the name of Nicolas LeBlanc discovered a way to
make sodium carbonate or soda ash from common salt which allowed soap
makers to create soap very inexpensively. Prior to this, soap was expensive and
in very high demand. In 1811, another Frenchman named Michel Eugene
Chevreul identified the relationship between glycerin and fatty acids. These two
discoveries marked the beginning of modern day soap making.
In the late 18 century, industrially manufactured soap became available
th

however, up until around the turn into the 19 century, Europeans continued to
th

use soap primarily for purposes other than bathing. This changed when German
chemist Justus Von Liebig announced that the amount of soap used by a nation
was a great indicator of the country’s wealth and level of civility.
When the first settlers came to America, they brought a large supply of soap
with them. This can be verified by viewing the records of ships that came over
from England. In 1630, John Winthrop, before he became the first governor of
the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wrote to his wife asking her to bring soap when
she traveled over to America. After establishing themselves in America and
surviving their first harsh winter, the colonists discovered that they had a large
supply of ash and animal fat as a result of their daily routines of hunting and
cooking food. They came to the realization that they could make soap from
those products. When they began doing this, soap was no longer an expensive
product that was in high demand. It could be made for virtually no money and
was generally made annually or semiannually. For the colonists, making their
own soap had the added benefit of allowing them to be increasingly more
independent of England.
In 1916, the soap making process changed significantly when German
chemists discovered and began creating synthetic detergents. Commercially
made soap as we know it today became available during World War I. At that
time, factories were using the batch kettle boiling method for making soap. This
process had some significant drawbacks. Not only did it take four to eleven days
to complete a batch, the quality of the produced soap was inconsistent and
dependent on which oils were used in a particular batch. Shortly after 1930, the
Proctor and Gamble Company developed the continuous soap making process.
This change resulted in the production of a consistent quality of soap that was
made in a shorter amount of time. This process is still used by commercial
companies today and allows a batch of soap to be completed in about six hours.
 What is soap?

Before delving into the art of soap making, we must first understand exactly
what soap is. Some people have a tendency to skip chapters such as this and
dive right into the direction giving portion of things. Be cautioned-skipping
ahead to read about what you need to gather in order to make your first batch
will be detrimental. In order to create something it is essential that one
understands the fundamentals in order to be successful. Since soap making is so
scientifically based, once you understand the principles and theories about how
soap is formed and why it formed, you will be able to apply your learning not
only to following a recipe but creating your own unique and clever work of art.
You are one step ahead of the game if you ever took a chemistry class, so put on
your lab coat and read on.
In its most basic form, soap is simply the salt of a fatty acid. No, not the kind
of salt that we keep on our tables to sprinkle on French fries. A salt is anything
that is the product of an acid and an alkali reacting. The type of salt that is
formed from this reaction is dependent on the strength of the acid and alkali that
is combining.
Recall from chemistry, the pH or potential Hydrogen scale. On this scale
water is neutral at a 7. Anything less than 7 is an acid. Anything above 7 is an
alkali. Then scale allows alkalis and acids to be described as strong or weak
substances. Stronger acids have a tendency to burn whereas stronger alkalis
have a tendency to corrode. The pH scale also gives us a point of reference to
test substances in order to assure that they are safe to be touched or ingested.
When it comes to soap, the acid that is used generally comes in the form of
fatty acids derived from animals and plants. Each fatty acid has one hydrogen,
two oxygen and one carbon atom and also has a carboxylic acid group hanging
out at the end. This carboxylic acid group is made up of hydrogen and carbon
atoms. Now, when fatty acids come together, they attach themselves into groups
of three and form what are called triglyceride molecules. The triglyceride
molecule is also attached to one molecule of glycerin. Hang onto that
information while we shift gears a bit.
 An alkali is a base that will neutralize an acid and also dissolve in water.
When an alkali and an acid mix, the neutralization of the two occurs through the
production of hydrogen and oxygen atoms during the reaction process. When
soap first started being made, ashes of plants served as the alkali that was used to
cause a reaction with the fatty acids. In these modern times, alkalis are made
commercially. The alkali that is used, almost exclusively, in soap making is lye.
Lye can be purchased at a hardware store. It is also known as sodium hydroxide
or caustic soda. Lye is referred to as caustic because of its tendency to be very
corrosive.

So now we know that soap is a salt that is created when a fatty acid is
combined with an alkali. We know what fatty acids and alkalis are. Now here
comes the most important soapmaking term you will ever learn. Commit it to
memory. S-A-P-O-N-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. Saponification is the chemical
process of making soap. Here is what happens in basic terms. The alkali works
to split the fatty acids into two parts, fatty acids and glycerin. Then the alkali
binds with the fatty acid. So once saponification has occurred, we are left with a
tablet of salt and glycerin.
You may now be wondering, so if we are left with salt and glycerin, how
exactly does that clean things? Well that’s more chemistry. When soap is
combined with water, it acts as a surfactant. A surfactant molecule has oil
soluble and water soluble parts. Because of this, these molecules can surround
grease or dirt particles and bring them into the water so they can be washed
away.
OK. Now that you have all of that background information stored in your
brain you are ready to learn about how soaps are made. There are generally four
processes that can be used to make handmade soap. You can choose to use the
cold process, the hot process, the melt and pour method, or the rebatching
method. Each of these methods will be explained in detail as you read on. They
all have something in common however, and that is the saponification process
that has to occur sometime, somehow to create soap. So you will always need
an oil or fat and an alkaline (almost always lye) to make a traditional soap.
 The soap making procedure

There are several different methods that can be used to make soap these days.
We will discuss these methods in much greater detail in later chapters but the
process is worth an overview at this point. The soap making ritual begins with
blending two separate concoctions. The first is a blend of lye and water. The
second is a blend of fats and oils. These two solutions are mixed together until a
point called trace is reached. Trace is the point at which enough saponification
has occurred that the mixture has started to thicken. In general, once trace
occurs the soap is poured into a mold of some sort. Depending on the method of
soap making being used, the soap will then go through a gel phase where it
becomes more opaque in color. A gel phase does not always occur and does not
necessarily have to occur. When a loaf or log mold is used, the gel phase tends
to occur because the mixture retains its heat well and will liquefy while in the
mold. Soaps that are poured into individual molds do not tend to hold their heat
as well and therefore are not as likely to go through the gel phase. If a soap does
go through a gel phase, saponification tends to be faster. Whether it goes
through a gel phase or not, after the soap has hardened in the mold, it is taken
out and placed on racks to cure. The curing process takes about 3-6 weeks to
complete and allows the soap to harden and age. After curing is complete the
soap is ready to use.
You may recall from earlier that the kettle batch process is one way that
companies used to make very large amounts of soap. This is a four-step process
which is outlined next.
1. Boiling
· In this first step, the fats and the alkali are melted into a very large steel
kettle. A large company may have a kettle that is three stories tall and can
hold several thousand pounds of ingredients. Heat coils within the kettle
heat the mixture up to boiling. Saponification begins as the fats and alkali
mix, producing soap and glycerin.
2. Salting
 In order to separate the glycerin and soap, salt is added to the mixture.
Ï

When the salt is added, the soap rises to the top of the kettle and glycerin
settles to the bottom. The glycerin is removed through the bottom of the
kettle.
3. Strong change
· A caustic solution is then added to the kettle during what is referred
to as the strong change phase in order to remove any fats that have not
saponified. This is important to achieving a soap that is smooth and free of
impurities. The mixture is boiled again and the fat turns to soap. Salting
can be repeated at this point if necessary.
4. Pitching
· In this last step, water is added to the kettle and the soap is brought to
yet another boil. The mixture will separate into two layers after time. The
top layer, containing about 70% soap and 30% water, is referred to as “neat
soap”. The bottom later contains the remaining water, dirt, and other
impurities. This layer is called “nigre”. The soap is molded, cooled, and
cured before it is wrapped and a ready for purchase.
The most modern procedure used to mass produce soap is the Continuous
Process. It works like this:
Splitting
1.

This first step splits the fat being used to make the soap into fatty acids
Ï

and glycerin. The process takes place in a very tall stainless steel column
called a hydrolizer. Fat is pumped into one end of the column and very hot
water is pumped into the other end. The column is then highly pressurized.
As the splitting process occurs, the fatty acids and the glycerin are pumped
out of the column while at the same time more fat and water are added to
the column. The removed fatty acids are then purified through a distillation
process to ensure that they are smooth and free of impurities.
Mixing
2.

An alkali is now mixed with the purified fatty acids to produce soap.
Ï

Additives such as color, fragrance, and exfoliators are put into the mixture
during this step.
Cooling and Finishing
3.

The soap is poured into molds and hardens into a large slab. Freezers are
Ï

sometimes used to speed up this process. Bars of soap are then cut from the
slab and wrapped.
Now that you have a nice background of what soap is and its history as well as
a basic understanding of how it is made, it is time to delve in deeper and get
started learning how to make your own soap.
 Chapter 2 - Every soap maker should have this – Equipment used in
making soap

So you were so inspired by the first chapter that you want to run right out and
purchase all of the materials you need right? Well, this chapter and the next will
help you to create your shopping list and also let you know where you may want
to go to pick up the items you need. Compared to many other crafts, you do not
need much equipment to make soap and much of what you do need is
inexpensive. In fact, you may already have much of what you need in your
kitchen.
Important safety note-it is crucial that once you use a tool for soap making
you do not use it for cooking or any other activity. Some of the chemicals used
in soap making are poisonous if ingested and can burn the skin. Make sure you
store your soap making utensils separately from your kitchen-use utensils.
When choosing your tools it is important to choose equipment that is not
made of aluminum, brass, or bronze when making soap. These metals react
negatively to lye and will pose safety hazards and will not produce very good
end results for your soap. Stainless steel, glass, and enamel are good choices.
First here is a list of the basics that do not require too much explanation:

Freezer paper or plastic wrap (not wax paper) to cover your work surface
Ï

and line the mold if needed

6-8 inch steel knife for cutting soap if you are not using a mold
Ï

Drying rack to allow your soap to cure

Ï

Droppers or pipettes to add color and fragrance

Ï

Rubber spatula to stir

Ï

Stainless steel spoons to stir

Ï

Stainless steel whisk to mix

Ï

Bowls
Ï

4-cup glass measure to ensure you are adding the right amount of each
Ï

ingredient
Waterproof digital thermometer preferably made from stainless steel and
Ï

at least 5 inches long

 Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle
Ï

Crockpot (optional)
Ï

Double boiler (optional)

Ï

Microwave (optional)
Ï

There are a couple other pieces of equipment you will need which require a bit
more discussion in order for you to be able to make an educated choice at the
store. The first of these things is a mixer. You may decide that hand mixing
works for you, particularly if you want to combine soap making with your daily
workout. However, for many stirring soap for close to an hour in order for it to
fully start the saponification process will not lead to personal enjoyment. If you
are one of those people, you have a couple options to consider. An electric hand
mixer can be used but has its drawbacks. Using this method there is a tendency
for a lot of air to get added into the mixture. This can cause some significant
problems with the batch of soap including have air pockets throughout the
finished product. The use of a stick or immersion blender is highly
recommended. Look for one that has a simple design with blades that connect to
the blender and a solid part behind the blades. You want to look for a low, short
end on your blender (around the blade area). Also, find a blender that has a
smooth bottom rim. Avoid choosing one with grooves or ridges. Do not worry
about having several speed settings; it will not matter as you will be pulsing it or
using it in the off position. By using a stick blender you can cut down the time it
takes to reach a trace significantly. We are talking from 45 minutes down to 5.
Significant. Some soap recipes have a tendency to separate and the risk of this
happening is much less when using a stick blender. So now that the joys of the
stick blender have been shared, there is a caveat. You may want to stir by hand
or use a regular electric hand mixer when making your first couple of batches.
This will allow you to clearly see the stages your soap is going through and, in
particular, identify when you have reached the trace stage. It is very easy to get
a false trace when using a stick blender
 Another important piece of equipment is a scale. When measuring ingredients
for a soap recipe the measurements, particularly lye and water, must be exact.
More exact than measuring cups would be for sure. Measuring with a scale will
make it more likely that the soap making process will be glitch free. It is also
safer as the chemicals used will react in the predictable way that you have
planned for. When you are purchasing a scale you want to look for several
things. Firstly, you want it to be digital so you get very exact readings. It will
also be beneficial if it can tell you weights in Metric and English measurements.
This will save the process of converting measurements from recipes written in
metric units into English terms and vice versa. Size is another consideration.
You want your scale to have a useable surface of at least six inches square. The
scale’s unit of graduation is crucial. Soap making requires measuring some very
small amounts so look for a scale that measures in 1 gram and .1 ounce
increments.

Since we are working with acids and bases that can be harmful when they
come in contact on the skin if not neutralized, it is beneficial to test the pH of
your soap at some point. On a pH scale, numbers less than 7 signify acids and
numbers above 7 signify an alkali. It is desirable for soap to have a pH of
between 7 and 10. Unless you buy really expensive lab-quality pH testing
equipment, you are left with a couple of options to test pH, none of which give
us an extremely accurate reading but some information is better than no
information. The first, and most traditional test, is to place a drop of soap on
your tongue. If it zaps like an electric shock, you know that the lye has not been
neutralized and you need to keep mixing or cooking in order to bring the pH
down and make the soap safe. The “hand test” can also be used. When the soap
is finished, wash your hands with it. If it provides little lather and causes skin
irritation, the pH is likely not within the safe range. If these ideas are not
appealing to you, take a trip to the pharmacy where you can purchase pH strips.
To use these, place a drop of water on your soap and then put the test strip on the
water. Because this tests the pH of the water and not the solidified (or semi-
solidified) soap, it is not completely accurate but you do get a better idea of
where the soap is at. Another tool that can be used is phenolphthalein. This is a
liquid that you drop in very small amounts onto the soap. If the liquid is clear or
light pink you are all set. If it is a darker color, you need to continue the
saponification process to make it safe. Phenolphthalein is most easily found at a
store that sells pool supplies as it is also used to test the safety of swimming
water.
Soap molds are probably the most fun and interesting pieces of equipment you
will shop for. Soap molds come in all shapes and sizes. Some are very
inexpensive and some are downright pricey. There are a couple general routes
you can take to choose a mold. You could decide to purchase individual molds
to pour the soap directly into. Although those work very well for the melt and
pour technique, it does not work out quite as well with the cold process as they
are more difficult to insulate. You could also purchase a wooden mold called a
soap loaf or line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and use that (remember not to use it
for cooking after). Once the soap as hardened, the soap can be removed from
the mold and sliced. There are a variety of tool options for soap slicing. These
include:
Smooth blade cutters
Ï

Krinkle blade cutter

Ï

Single bar cutting box

Ï

Soap edger
Ï

It also easy to make your own soap cutting box using a mitre box. Here is
how:

Gather materials
1.

Handsaw
Ï
 Ten 1-inch screws
Ï

Screwdriver
Ï

½ inch by 4-inch poplar wood strips. Buy enough length so you have the
Ï

length of your miter box times two plus eight inches

1x2 inch wood strips. Buy enough so you have the length of your mitre
Ï

box times two plus eight inches.

Wooden mitre box
Ï

Electric drill
Ï

Cut two lengths of the poplar wood to the same length as the mitre box.
2.

Cut two lengths of the 1x2 woods strips to the same length as the mitre
3.

box.
Drill three evenly spaced pilot holes through the 1x2 strips.
4.

Drill holes in the same places partially through the poplar strips.
5.

Screw the 1x2 and poplar strips together

6.

Place the two side strips in the mitre box

7.

Measure the opening between the two sides. This must be exact as your
8.

end pieces need fit snuggly. This prevents soap from leaking out of the
mold.
Cut the poplar and 1x2 strips to the measurement taken in the last step
9.

Drill pilot holes and attach the 1x2 wood strips to the poplar strips using
10.

screws.
Put the pieces into the mitre box.
11.

Notice that you can change the size of your mold by moving the end
12.

pieces further apart or closer together.

Your last mold option is to get creative and go crazy. Here are some out of
the box ideas:

Ï PVC pipe
Ï Pringles can
Ï Cocoa can
Ï Silicone cake molds
Ï Candy molds
Ï Tupperware
 Ï Shallow pan (you can cut out individual shapes with cookie cutters)
Ï Mini loaf pan

Tin can
Ï

Box
Ï

Yogurt containers
Ï

Fluted ice cream dishes

Ï

Muffin pan
Ï

Margarine containers
Ï

Mail tubes
Ï

Toilet paper rolls

Ï

Paper towel rolls

Ï

When in doubt about whether an object can be used as a soap mold or not,
check the container to see if it is dishwasher and/or microwave safe. If it is, this
is a good indicator than it can be used. Keep in mind also that a mold with one
end larger than the other will release the soap more easily after it is hardened.
If you are using a non-traditional container, it can be challenging to figure out
just how much soap to make in order to fill it. Thankfully, there is a relatively
easy way to find out this information.
Begin by filling a mold with water and dumping the water into a liquid
1.

measure.
Measure the amount of water in ounces that the container held and
2.

multiply that by 1.8 (the number of cubic inches in an ounce of water).

Multiply this number by .40 to determine how much soap oil you will
3.

need to put in the recipe in order to fill the container.

Multiply that by the number of containers you have.
4.

Multiply the amount of soap oils in ounces into the percentages of oil in
5.

your recipe. For example, if you need 38 ounces of soap oils and your
recipe calls for 35% olive oil, you will use 13.3 ounces of olive oil in your
recipe (38 x .35).
Since you will be using chemicals, lye in particular, the use of safety
equipment is crucial to prevent serious injury. The following safety tools are
highly recommended:
Safety goggles when using lye
Ï

Rubber gloves when using lye

Ï

Apron
Ï

Vinegar and milk to neutralize lye spills

Ï

Table covering, preferably one that can be thrown away after each use
Ï

(newspaper, plastic trash bag, dollar store table cloth)

 Most of the materials mentioned in this chapter can be found by going to your
local grocery store, hardware store, cooking store, or big box store. If you want
to get fancy with your molds, a trip to a craft store such as Ben Franklin’s, A.C.
Moore, or Michaels would get you what you need. If you want to save yourself
from the hassle of driving to several places, you can purchase what you want
very easily from the Internet. Most websites will not only sell equipment but
will also sell herbs, oils, spices, fragrances, and packaging. If you are looking
to make large amounts of soap, there are websites where you can purchase
equipment and ingredients in bulk allowing you to save a considerable amount
of money. Here is a short list of some websites where soap making supplies can
be obtained for reasonable prices:
cranberrylane.com
Ï

brambleberry.com
Ï

elementsbathandbody.com
Ï

soapmaking.com
Ï
 Chapter 3 - What goes into soap? – Ingredients, ingredients, ingredients

As you already know, the major ingredients that you will need in order to
make soap are fats, oils, and lye. If you want to take your soap up a notch you
can add fragrance, color, and/or herbs to make a very luxurious bar.
 Fats and oils

Let’s chew the fat first. The fats and oils used in soap are also known as the
soap base. The first option is to buy fat from a butcher and render it yourself at
home. Rendering is the process of melting the fat and removing any muscle
tissue or other impurities so you are left with a smooth material that will not
spoil. The rendered fat from swine is called lard. This is a soft, smooth white
substance. The rendered fat from sheep or cows is called tallow and is a hard,
coarse solid. If you want to render your own fat you will need:
3-5 pounds of fat that is chopped (small) or ground
Ï

Large pot
Ï

Water
Ï

Salt
Ï

Sieve or Colander
Ï

Large bowl
Ï

Large spoons
Ï

Potato masher
Ï

Once you have all of your ingredients, set them out in a well-ventilated area as
rendering fat is a really smelly process. If you have a side burner on your grill,
do this outside. The family will thank you. When you are ready to start, follow
these steps:
Put the small pieces of fat into a big pot and add just enough water to
1.

cover it.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every pound of fat to the pot.
2.

Turn the heat on and bring the mixture up to a low boil.

3.

Simmer the fat on a low heat for 20-30 minutes.

4.

Use the potato masher to press down the fat and speed up the process a
5.

little by squeezing more oil out.

When you are left with mostly browned meat and gristle in the pot you
6.

can turn off the heat.

Caution-you need to be very careful when doing this next step. Take the
7.

pot off the stove and pour the contents of the pan through a colander or
sieve and into a large bowl. This is best done in the sink.
 You will be left with all the solids in your colander and all the liquid in
8.

the bowl.
Set the solids aside.
9.

Peer into the bowl and you will see a layer of water on the bottom and the
10.

melted fat on the top.

Cool the liquid to room temperature and then move it into the refrigerator
11.

to stay overnight.
In the morning, take the bowl out. You will see the lard or tallow has
12.

formed a white disc on top of the water.

Using a knife or fork, remove this disc and put the pieces into a bowl.
13.

Dispose of the rest of the liquid. Keep in mind that it may clog your sink
14.

so dumping it into the compost pile or the backyard is a good idea.

If you made tallow, wipe off as much of the loose fat particles on it as
15.

you can. Run it under cool water to make sure it is completely clean.
Store the lard or tallow in the freezer until it is soap making time.
16.

If using animal fat does not sound appealing, it is perfectly acceptable to use a
vegetable base. This is very common and a variety of vegetable oils and
shortenings can be found at the local grocery or natural food store. Commonly
used soap bases are olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil. Olive
oil is known for being gentle and is probably the most popular base. Shea butter
is very gentle and ultra moisturizing making it a good choice for soap that will
be used by someone with dry skin. Using cocoa butter will add firmness to your
soap. Coconut oil will produce a hard soap with lots of bubbles in the lather
when it is used. Other, less common, fats and oils are jojba, palm, sunflower,
sweet almond, castor, chocolate, avocado, and cottonseed oil.
There is one last thing to be aware of with regard to fats and oils. When you
start delving into recipes, you will notice that some will refer to “superfattened”
or “supperfattening” soap. This refers to adding additional carrier oil into your
mixture. No more than two additional tablespoons are typically added.
 Lye

The next ingredient that is needed is an alkali. Lye is an alkaline substance

also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide. It is used for many purposes
including oven cleansing, food curing and drain opening. Be careful when
working with lye. It is a caustic substance very capable of burning, corroding, or
destroying living tissue.

Lye can be purchased at a hardware store. Be sure that what you purchase is
100% sodium hydroxide or caustic soda. You may find it with oven cleaners or
drain openers. It comes in several forms including flakes, pellets, microbeads
and coarse powder. Any of these can be used in the soap making process
however; the safest form is thought to be flakes. If you have hard water at your
home, you may want to consider using distilled water when mixing your lye for
better results. Use care when using and storing lye as it is poisonous and
corrosive.
Important safety note: Lye should be stored in ceramic, stoneware, glass, or
heat-resistant plastic containers.
 Moisturizers

If you are looking to make a really moisturizing soap, there are several
ingredients you can add to accomplish this. You may choose to add extra
glycerin. Glycerin is a thick liquid that is colorless and odorless. It is naturally
produced during the saponification of fats so you will have already created some
glycerin in your soap by combining fat and lye. Glycerin is a humectant
meaning that it sucks in and absorbs water from the air. This makes it great for
keeping the skin moisturized. It is water-soluble and has a low toxicity level.
Shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil, or honey can also be added for extra
moisturization. When shopping for shea butter, you will notice that there are two
types available-refined and unrefined. Refined shea butter has been processed at
high heat with chemicals. During that process, many of the benefits of shea
butter are lost. By using an unrefined shea butter, you will be reaping the full
benefits from the product. If you choose to use honey, add 1 tablespoon per
pound of oil and make sure it is fully mixed in before the trace gets too thick.
 Thickeners and hardeners

Depending on the type of soap you are making and the design elements you
are going to use to achieve your desired look, you may choose to add a material
to thicken your soap or make it harder. There are several choices the first of
which is beeswax. This can be purchased at craft stores or stores that sell candle
making supplies. Beeswax helps the oils in the soap blend together and become
increasingly thick. By creating a thicker base, the soap will stabilize and
become harder.
Adding salt will also increase the soap’s hardness, at first. Take note that salt
does not increase the hardness of the finished bar, but it does make the bar get
harder faster. This allows the soap to be unmolded sooner. Salt should be
dissolved in water before you add the lye to it. Use about ½ a teaspoon per
pound of oil or fat.
 Water alternatives

Although it is most common to mix lye with water when making soap, it is
certainly possible to use other liquids. Milk is sometimes used in soap making
to make very creamy soap. Cow’s milk, goat’s milk, coconut milk, and even
buttermilk can be used. It is used instead of water in the lye solution. A note of
caution-Milk reacts differently than water when mixed with lye due to the sugars
that are in it. There is a tendency for the milk to scorch as the lye heats up and
this could turn the mixture brown and odorous (not in a good way). In order to
prevent this from happening, the mixing process can be modified a bit. This
procedure can also be followed to substitute tea, coffee, or beer for the water in
the soap. It is very important to wear safety goggles and gloves to do this.

Start with 1/3 of the milk in liquid form and the other 2/3 of the milk in
1.
rd rd

a slushy or frozen state.

Prepare an ice bath in your sink.
2.

Add the liquid 1/3 of the milk to a tall pitcher or bowl.

3.
rd

Place the bowl in the icy sink water.

4.

Combine the lye with the milk, adding cold water to the sink to keep the
5.

temperatures down as needed

Slowly add lye to the milk and stir gently. Remember that it is starting to
6.

heat up at this point.

Go very, very slowly allowing the mixture to cool down a bit before
7.

adding more lye.

Start adding the slushy or frozen milk to the mixture. Be very careful
8.

when doing this so it does not splash.

Keep adding, mixing, and stirring until all the milk and lye has been
9.

combined. Do not be alarmed if the mixture turns a golden amber color. It

is going to happen and you will have to incorporate that into your overall
soap design when using milk.
 Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

Part of the fun of soap is working up a great lather with tons of

bubbles. Two materials, borax and sugar, will help you to accomplish the goal
of making very sudsy soap.
Borax will not only help the soap make really great suds, it also works as a
disinfectant. You can find borax in stores, usually in the laundry soap section.
Generally, one tablespoon of borax is used for each pound of soap base.

Sugar will also increase the amount of lather and bubbles. One way to add
sugar to soap is to thoroughly dissolve it in water before adding the lye. Another
way to do it is to take a bit of the water you have weighed for use in your lye
solution and add ½ to one teaspoon of sugar per pound of oil or fat. Completely
dissolve the sugar, using warm water may help with this. Add the solution when
your soap is at the trace stage before you add your fragrance. The last method
for adding sugar is to make a syrup by combining two cups of sugar with one
cup of water and slowly heating the mixture. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add 1/2 to one teaspoon of this simple syrup to your soap at trace, before adding
fragrance. Be aware that adding sugar can increase the temperature of the soap
during the gel process so be extra careful when handling.
 Botanicals

Herbs and other botanicals are commonly added to soap mixtures in order to
give the soap healing properties, color, and/or fragrance. Several of these herbs
can be grown in a garden and dried. This is an inexpensive way to get these
ingredients and is a great selling point if you are planning on selling the soap
that you make. If you have a garden, plant a little section of “soap botanicals” or
create a mini indoor garden if you prefer. The following botanicals are easy to
grow and are great for using in soap making:

Calendula
Ï

Comfrey
Ï

Lavender
Ï

Mint
Ï

Basil
Ï

Rosemary
Ï

Peppermint
Ï

Spearmint
Ï

Lemon grass
Ï

Chamomile
Ï

Sage
Ï

Thyme
Ï

When they are ready, pick the botanicals and dry them prior to using in soap.
If growing herbs is too much, head over to the grocery store or better yet a
natural food store and purchase herbs there. We will talk in more detail about
botanicals later on in this book.
 Fragrance

Many people like smelly soap. There are lots of options but above all else,
make sure to choose additives that are cosmetically safe, meaning that they will
not harm skin. The guidelines for skin safe fragrance are overseen by the
Research Institute for Fragrance Materials and the International Fragrance
Association. When choosing a fragrance for soap, you will need to decide if you
are going to use fragrance oils or essential oils. Essential oils are the natural
essence of a plant. Essence can come from leaves, flowers, bark, berries, roots,
needles, seeds, beans, peels, cones, wood, stalks or other parts of the plant. A
plant’s essence is obtained either by distilling or expressing it. One reason
essential oils are so expensive is that it can take hundreds of pounds of plant
material to make just one pound of essential oil. To make a pound of essential
rose oil it takes over 2,000 pounds of rose petals. Be aware that even though
essential oils are natural products, they do contain naturally occurring chemicals
that are not necessarily safe for the skin. Fragrance oils are artificially created
scents. They contain chemicals, some natural plant or animal products, and
synthetic fragrance. Synthetic fragrance was invented in the late 1800’s and has
become very popular. Both types of fragrance will last about 1 year when stored
within a dark glass in a dark, cool room. We will talk about fragrances again in
a later chapter.
 Color

Color is a very important aspect of making soap look appealing and desirable
to use. There are many types of clays, mineral pigments, micahs and spices that
are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in cosmetics. As
with fragrance, you must choose coloring that is skin safe and approved for
cosmetics. Some people play around with using crayons and kool aid. Although
these are successful in giving your soap color, they are not approved as being
safe for your skin. Do not use food colorings, fabric dyes, candle dyes, paints, or
crayons as these have not been approved for cosmetic use. Synthetic colors were
discovered in the 19 century. These colors were called Tar Colors and were
th

used in food and cosmetics. These synthetics were found to be harmful to

humans and many of them were banned when the US Congress introduced the
Food & Drug Act in 1906. In 1939, synthetic colorings were divided into 3
categories: FD&C colorants which can be used in food, drugs and cosmetics,
D&C colorants which are dyes and pigments that are considered safe in drugs
and cosmetics, and External D&C Colorants which are not used in food, because
they are toxic, but allowed to be used on skin and in cosmetics. Keep in mind
that although External D& C colorants are allowed in cosmetics, they may not
truly be safe as the skin can absorb toxins from substances applied to it.
 Chapter 4 - Basic Techniques in making your soap bar or liquid soap

Alright, you now have all of your equipment and ingredients. It is now time
to decide which process of soap making you would like to use. In this chapter,
you will learn how each process works and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
First, there are a couple things you should know for all techniques.
It is very important that you start by finding a well ventilated area to work in.
Once you find, that cover your workspace. You can use towels, a newspaper, or
disposable tablecloth. The purpose of this is to protect the area and allow for
safe, easy cleanup. Then you need to put on rubber gloves and safety goggles if
you are going to be creating a soap that uses lye. You must also have all of your
materials ready first. All of the ingredients should be exactly measured and in
their appropriate containers before starting to make the soap. Make sure all the
ingredients and equipment you will need in later stages is at the ready. If
necessary, line your molds. It is also advisable to read your recipe thoroughly
before you start. Make sure you understand the procedures you are going to be
performing and the ingredients as well as the equipment you will be using.
The rest of this chapter will explain to you a series of processes that
can be used to make soap. The cold process, hot process, melt and pour, and
rebatching techniques will be covered in-depth. Instructions for how to make
liquid soap and whipped soap will also be provided.
 The Cold Process

The first commonly used way of making soap is using the cold process. The
advantage of the cold process is that there is a very short ‘active’ creation time
(about 1 hour). The soap created is typically more smooth and even in texture
than that produced using other procedures. Due to the fact that less lye is used in
this process compared with the hot processes, this type of soap tends to be
gentler on the skin. The disadvantage is that cold processed soaps need to cure
for four to six weeks before using so the chemical change can complete.

The first step is to create a water and lye mixture. When choosing your
recipe, it will specify how much lye and how much water to combine. A good
rule of thumb if your recipe does not indicate a specific amount is to use a 1-part
lye, 3-part water ratio. It is very important to measure the lye by weight and
preferably measure it into a container that you can close in case you need to
pause or your work is interrupted.
Important safety note: When combining add the lye to the water and not water
to the lye for safety purposes. If the water is added to lye, there will be a
chemical reaction much like putting vinegar and baking soda together. A
container that can withstand high temperatures must be used for mixing because
the chemical reaction between the lye and the water will cause the mixture to
heat to about 200 degrees.
Once the lye has been added to the water, stir continuously until the lye is
dissolved or the needed reaction will not occur when you mix this combination
with the oil or fat. Once combined, place a thermometer in the container and set
it aside.
The second step is to prepare your acid. If you are using a solid fat, melt it to
liquid form. Measure your fats or oils into your soap pan using a scale. Mix the
ingredients together, put a thermometer in, and set aside.
Now is the time to get both of your mixtures to a temperature of around 95
degrees. This is most easily done by putting the lye container into cold water or
an ice bath. You may also choose to warm your fat over the stove or in the
microwave at small increments. When they are both the required similar
temperature, pour the lye mixture into the fat slowly while stirring. It is
important that you don’t stop stirring until you reach the ‘trace’ phase. If you
decide to hand mix, you should achieve trace in about 45 minutes. If you use a
stick blender, you can reach trace in as little as 2 minutes. When using a stick
mixer you do not want to turn it on and let it go to town. Instead, alternate
pulses with stirring motions while the mixer is off. You know you have the right
consistency, or have reached trace, when you can use your spoon to drizzle some
of the substance on top of the rest and it stays there for a bit before sinking.
Keep in mind that the time it takes to achieve trace can vary widely depending
on temperature, stirring method, and types of fats used.
Once the trace phase has been reached then fragrance, color, and anything else
you wanted to add can be mixed in. Combine additives completely and pour
into molds. Cover the molds with a lid and wrap in 6-8 towels. No heat should
escape as it is needed for the saponification process to complete. Leave them to
cure and cool for 18-36 hours.
Next, remove the soap from the molds. This is the time to cut if you have
decided to make bar soaps. Place the soaps on a cooling rack. Flip them every
6-8 days. The soap should be fully cured in 4-6 weeks. Surrounding the soap
with open air and allowing it to harden and age as the chemical reactions stop
completes this curing process.
 The Hot Process

Hot process soap is more reminiscent of earlier times and of how soap would
likely have been originally made. There are several advantages and
disadvantages to this technique. The first advantage is that you add fragrance
and color after the saponification process has occurred therefore changing their
properties very little. Hot processed soap is often a bit softer making it easier to
slice. On the other hand, hot processed soap is not all that easy to mold and
getting a smooth top layer is difficult. Also, the process of cooking uses
electricity and energy resources not required by the cold process. It is possible
to use a stove, double boiler, or Crockpot to create hot processed soap.
As with the cold process, you want to create your lye and water mixture in one
container and your liquidized oils and fats in another pot. You do not have to
wait until they reach a certain temperature to combine them when using this
technique. What you want to see when mixing them together is separation. You
hope to see yellowish curds on the bottom, a thick layer of oil in the middle, and
white foam on the top. Once you see these layers, put the pot over low heat and
stir continuously (either by hand or with mixer). If you do not stir, the solution
will boil over onto the stove or counter. This is dangerous and one of the
reasons you are wearing safety gear and have materials to clean up lye nearby.
Cook the soap until you get bubbles that are about the size of the head of a pi.
This should take about 15-25 minutes. Remove the soap from the heat and let it
cool until you do not see any bubbles, about 10 minutes. Reheat on low until
bubbles return. Cool again till bubbles are gone. Repeat this until no layers are
left and the mixture you have is even and uniform. It should remind you of
Vaseline. Add fragrance, color and any other desired additives. Pour into your
molds. There is no need to insulate your molds as the saponification process has
already occurred. Once the soap is cool you can remove it from molds. If
needed now is the time to slice the soap. Hot processed soap can cure for as
long as you feel necessary. There is discrepancy among soap makers as to
whether hot process soap needs to be cured at all while some stand by curing for
4-6 weeks. It is advisable to allow at least some curing time with the soap on
cooling racks.
 Melt and Pour

The melt and pour technique is very popular with beginners. Using this
technique is not actually soap making in the true sense because there is no
saponification process. Instead, glycerin is combined with surfactants to make a
soap base that can be commercially purchased. Although this process does not
require the scientific prowess that other processes do, it allows the soap maker to
concentrate on the aesthetics of the soap and the result can smell great and be
truly beautiful. One of the major benefits of this technique is being able to avoid
the use or harsh chemicals such as lye. This is particularly desirous to soap
makers with children or pets who frequently enter the soap making area. Using
this technique is a great way to get children involved in soap making. To make
melt and pour soap, start by melting your purchased soap base. This can be done
in a microwave, Crockpot, or double boiler. Then, add any additives, colors, or
fragrances you wish. Now pour the soap into your mold and let it harden. Once
it’s hard, take it out of the mold and let it dry on cooling racks for a couple of
days before using.
 Rebatching

Rebatching, also called the hand milled technique, is the last process of
making solid soap that we will talk about. The benefits of this process are
saving money and reducing waste from not-so-pretty batches of soap. It is also a
way to revive old soap that has lost its scent. Since no raw chemicals are
involved, children can help make this type of soap.

The first step in this technique involves making a plain soap using either the
hot or cold process. Use soap to which no botanicals, dyes, or fragrances have
been added. After the soap is hardened, grate it with a knife or cheese grater
reserved for the purpose. Place the grated soap in a small heat proof container to
microwave or put it into a mini Crockpot or a double boiler. Add nine ounces of
water per twelve ounces of soap and melt it gently and gradually. It is important
when using this technique to work with small batches within small containers so
the soap does not burn. Do not allow the mixture to boil and be careful not to
stir too much because suds and bubbles are likely to develop. Once the soap is
melted, let it cool to around 150 degrees. At this point add your botanicals,
fragrances, colors, etc. Now it is ready to be poured into molds. Once it is
cooled, remove it from the molds. Slice if necessary and place on cooling racks
for several days before storing.
 Liquid Soap

Some people prefer to have liquid soap for washing hands rather than a solid
bar. Liquid soap also has the benefit of being ready to use in about 3 days
instead of 3 weeks.
The first way to make liquid soap is to follow the recipe for a simple soap
made with the cold process. Follow the instructions according to the recipe you
want to use. Make sure it gets well beyond a trace before molding. Instead of
curing your soap as directed, it will only sit for about three days then follow
these steps:
Remove the soap from the mold
1.

Shave, chop, or grate it. Make sure you use gloves for this process as the
2.

soap is still caustic.

Mix 1 cup of the soap pieces with the chosen fragrances, dyes, etc.
3.

Put the combination in a double boiler or crock pot with 3 cups of water.
4.

Melt the soap gradually while stirring.

5.

Break up any clumps with a plastic whisk or fork. You may find that
6.

some pieces do not melt. If this is the case you will need to strain the
mixture later.
Once the soap has melted to a point you think is appropriate, scoop some
7.

out and allow it to cool in a water bath. It should be runny when cooled.
If it is too thick, you can add more water.
8.

If it is not thick enough, you can add extra soap pieces.

9.

Reheat as needed to get the right texture.

10.

Once you feel it’s ready, strain the soap into a container.
11.

The other method of making liquid soap involves an oven. The process is
similar to making a hot process bar soap except it uses a different type of lye.
Instead of using sodium hydroxide, liquid soap uses potassium hydroxide. To
make hot process liquid soap, follow this procedure:
Mix your lye-water solution and set it to cool (warning-potassium
1.

hydroxide will get hotter more quickly when mixed with water than sodium
hydroxide).
Mix your fats and oils.
2.

Blend the lye solution with the oils in an oven-safe pot until it reaches
3.

trace. This could take awhile with liquid soap but you will notice that when
trace starts, the soap thickens very quickly
Cover the pot with a cover that fits securely.
4.

Put the pot in a 180 degree oven.

5.

Cook for 4-5 hours stirring every 20-30 minutes.

6.

When the soap is fairly clear, remove it from the oven.

7.

The paste now needs to be diluted. Bring 40 oz. of distilled water to a

8.

boil.
Add the water to the soap.
9.

Stir it in.
10.

Put the lid on the pot and wait about an hour.

11.

Stir.
12.

Put the lid on overnight and stir again in the morning.

13.

Add fragrance and color.

14.

Let rest.
15.

Store and enjoy.

16.
 Whipped soap

Whipped soap is a fun variation on the cold process of soap making. The
result is whimsical soap resembling meringues, clouds, and puffs of whipped
cream. To make whipped soap follow these steps:
Find a recipe with a percentage of hard oils (a.k.a. coconut, palm, lard,
1.

tallow, palm kernel, shea butter, cocoa butter, shortening) that is greater
than 80%.
Weigh out your hard oils and place in a glass mixing bowl.
2.

Whip all of the oils with a hand mixer until peaks form.
3.

Slowly add the liquid oils.

4.

Whip for several minutes to achieve peaks again.

5.

Add the lye-water solution your recipe calls for to the oils a couple
6.

tablespoons at a time.
Keep whipping
7.

And whip some more

8.

Add fragrance keeping in mind that this will decrease your peaks a bit.
9.

Depending on the oils used, the soap will be done when it resembles thick
10.

yogurt, soft serve ice cream, whipped butter, cream cheese, or whipped egg
whites.
Add color.
11.

Mold. Whipped soap works best in ‘sliceable’ molds. You can also use
12.

the soap to “frost” or pipe designs onto other prepared soaps as you would a
cake or cookie.
Whipped soap will take at least 24, if not 36 hours to set.
13.

Let it cure for several weeks.

14.
 Cleaning up

Now that your soap is made, it is time to clean up. Hopefully you worked in
an organized fashion and there were no spills making the cleanup process much
easier. When cleaning, remember that lye is now in several places, 2 pots and
any tools that you used for mixing. It could also be on your gloves, the
thermometer and the scale. It is still unsafe and caustic because it did not have
to opportunity to react with a fat and saponify. Raw soap is caustic so be careful
while cleaning up. The first step is to deal with the leftover raw soap. Use a
rubber spatula to scrape the soap out of your pot and into your molds, the less
soap you have in your pot the easier it will be to clean. Now rinse all of your
containers and tools. Wipe your pot out with paper towels and dispose of them
immediately. It is also possible to use “shop” towels, just leave them out
overnight before putting them in the wash so the saponification process from the
leftover ingredients will complete and no chemical reactions will occur in the
washing machine. Alternatively, you can use a lot of hot water and “real” soap
to wash the pot. You could also put all of your tools needing cleaning into the
pot, cover it with a lid, and leave it over night. By the next morning the oils and
lye that had remained will be soap. Just clean it up in the sink and dry. Do not
wash your materials in your dishwasher; the reaction will cause water to spill out
onto your floor.
 Storing soap

After your soap has cured, an appropriate way to store it must be found. Keep
in mind that the shelf life of homemade soap is much less than commercially
made soap and becomes even shorter if it is not stored properly. Homemade
soap can last about a year when kept in a cool, dry spot. Placing it in an airtight
container that is placed in a dark, dry, cool spot is ideal. Once you begin to use
your soap, it is important to keep it as dry is possible so that it lasts longer.
 Chapter 5 - Adding your dyes, botanicals, essences and fragrances, cutting
those shapes

Now that the basic soap mixture has been made, it’s time to get creative with
color, fragrance, shapes, botanicals, and designs. The first part of this chapter
will talk about fragrance options. We will then move onto coloring and then to
botanicals. The chapter will end by outlining some design techniques to
experiment with.
 Scents

Being able to have a great smelling soap is one of the reasons to make your
own. The point at which you add your fragrance varies depending on the
method you used to make your soap. If the cold process was used, slowly add
fragrance once the soap mixture is completely blended, but before it begins to
get too thick. You can play around with it but you generally want to add
between .5 and .7 ounces of fragrance per pound of fat/oil in the recipe. That’s
about 1-4 drops. With the melt and pour technique, fragrance oil should be
added to your soap after the soap has been removed from the heat source and has
had a chance to cool slightly. Use between .3 and .5 ounces of fragrance per
pound of soap. If you add scent when the melted soap is too hot, it may "burn
off." If you used the hot process, add the fragrance when the soap is the texture
of mashed potatoes, right before it is poured into molds. As a side note, be aware
that vanilla fragrances, or blends containing vanilla, are likely to turn your soap
brown over time. This is fine but you may want to consider that when choosing
colors as you may want to add more browns, reds, or golds.
There are many options for fragrance. Choosing depends on several factors
including the user’s skin type, gender, skin sensitivity, and desired benefits.
Many fragrances or materials added to provide fragrance have healing qualities
and benefits beyond smelling good. Frequently, fragrance is achieved by adding
herbs or plants. Essential oils, as they come directly from the plant, can also add
their healing properties. Here are several common options and their benefits.
Although color will be addressed later in this chapter, when appropriate each
description indicates the color that the addition of the botanical will cause the
soap to be.
Ginger has a warm, spicy scent. It has antibacterial, antioxidant, and
Ï

antiseptic properties. Ginger is thought to be beneficial for improving

memory, decreasing muscular pain, and sharpening the senses. Its essence
will provide the soap with a pale yellow color. Ginger may cause
sensitivity in some people.
Anise has a strong, warm licorice scent. It has antiseptic and insect
Ï

repelling properties. Anise is thought to be beneficial for relieving

muscular aches and pains, coughs, and colds. It will provide the soap with
a pale yellow color.
Fennel and a licorice scent. It is known to brighten dull skin, improve
Ï

memory, and balance oily skin. Its essence will provide the soap with a
pale yellow color.
Grapefruit has a fresh citrus scent. It is an antiseptic, antitoxic, and
Ï
astringent. It is good for relieving acne, oily skin, depression, headaches,
and also for toning skin. Its essence will provide the soap with a pale
yellow color.
Lemon has a fresh citrus scent. It has antibiotic, antidepressant,
Ï

antiseptic, astringent, and bug repelling properties. It is beneficial for

treating acne, arthritis, colds, and depression, healing cuts, improving oily
skin, reducing wrinkles, and strengthening fingernails. Lemon essence will
provide the soap with a pale yellow color. Lemon essence applied to the
skin may cause sensitivity to light.
Sweet marjoram has a warm, spicy scent. It has antioxidant, antiseptic,
Ï

antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Marjoram helps to relieve anxiety,

headaches, bruising, colds, insomnia, and vertigo. Its essence will provide
the soap with a pale yellow color.
Oregano has a strong, spicy herbaceous scent. It has antiseptic, antitoxic,
Ï

antiviral, bactericidal, fungicidal, and parasitical properties. It can be used

to fight infections, relieve itch, and treat athlete’s foot.
Peppermint has a strong minty scent. It antidepressant, antiseptic,
Ï

astringent, and insect repelling properties. Peppermint helps to treat acne,

dermatitis, eczema, headaches, insect bites, migraines, and mental fatigue.
Its essence provides the soap with a pale yellow scent. This botanical may
cause skin sensitivity.
Basil has a light, fresh, sweet herbaceous scent. It has antidepressant,
Ï

antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Basil can fight

fatigue, depression, wasp and mosquito bites, and headaches. Its essence
will provide the soap with a pale yellow color. Basil may cause skin
sensitivity.
Clary sage has an earthy scent. It has antiseptic, antidepressant, and
Ï

aphrodisiac properties. It is beneficial to the treatment of acne, dandruff,

depression, excessive perspiration, hair loss, inflamed skin, migraines,
fatigue, anxiety, oily skin and varicose veins. It also helps to promote sleep
and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Sage essence provides the soap
with a golden yellow color.
Jasmine has a deep floral scent. It has antidepressant, anti-inflammatory,
Ï

antiseptic, and aphrodisiac qualities. Jasmine helps relieve anxiety,

depression, dry skin, and headaches. Its essence will provide the soap with
a clear to pale yellow color.
Lemon grass has an earthy citrus scent. It has astringent, antiseptic,
Ï

antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antiviral, fungicidal,

bactericidal and insect repelling properties. Lemon grass helps to treat oily
skin, acne, headaches, athlete’s foot, and excessive perspiration. Its essence
provides the soap with a light yellow color.
Myrrh has a rich, earthy scent. It has antifungal, anti-inflammatory,
Ï

antiseptic, antiviral, astringent, and sedative properties. Myrrh helps to

treat athlete’s foot, colds, cracked skin, and eczema. It can also sanitize
cuts and decrease skin wrinkles. Its essence provides the soap with a dark
brown color.
Rosemary has a deep herbaceous scent. It is helpful in cell renewal,
Ï

reducing varicose veins, and stimulating hair growth. It cleans oily hair
well.
Bergamot has a citrus scent with floral notes. It has antidepressant,
Ï

antiseptic, deodorizing, and astringent properties. It is used to treat anxiety,

depression, stress, fatigue, eczema, psoriasis, acne, insect bites, wounds,
ulcers, and herpes. Bergamot essence will provide the soap with a greenish
color.
Clove has a warm, spicy scent. It has antibiotic, antifungal, antioxidant,
Ï

antiseptic, parasitic, and aphrodisiac properties. Clove helps to treat acne,

athlete’s foot, bruises, burns, infections, muscle pain, nausea and warts. It
can also be used as an insect repellant. Clove essence provides the soap
with a golden color.
Geranium has a floral scent. It has astringent, antiseptic, antidepressant,
Ï

antibiotic, and insecticidal properties. Geranium is helpful in treating

eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, athlete’s foot, bruises, burns,
depression, lice, and pre-menstrual syndrome.
Juniper berry has a fresh pine scent. It has antiseptic and astringent
Ï

properties. It is helpful in treating acne, clogged pores, eczema, psoriasis,

and inflammations. It is frequently used during meditation. Juniper berry
essence will provide the soap with a clear to pale yellow color.
Lime has a strong citrus scent. It has astringent, antiseptic, antiviral,
Ï

bactericidal and deodorizing properties. Lime is beneficial for treating

acne, arthritis, colds, infections, skin irritations, oily skin, and insect bites.
It is also known to help strengthen nails.
Tea tree
Ï

Black pepper has a sharp, spicy scent. It has antimicrobial, antitoxic,

Ï

antiseptic, bactericidal, and aphrodisiac qualities. Black pepper is known to

help improve memory and reduce symptoms of colds, flu, and viruses. It
can also help alleviate arthritis and other muscle aches and pains. Its
essence will provide the soap with a light green color.
Eucalyptus has a strong herbaceous scent. It has antibiotic, antifungal,
Ï
 antiseptic, anti-parasitic, antiviral, decongestive, deodorizing, and stimulant
properties. It is helpful in soothing bug bites, blisters, burns, rashes,
chickenpox, and measles. Eucalyptus words as an insect repellant. It can
help relieve nasal congestion, mental exhaustion, and muscle aches.
Lavender has a floral scent. It is used to relieve relieving depression,
Ï

insomnia, headaches, nervous tension, and pain. Lavender has disinfecting

properties and can help acne, eczema and dandruff. Lavender essence will
provide the soap with a light yellow color.
Orange has a light citrus scent. It has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory,
Ï

antidepressant, fungicidal, and bactericidal properties. It is used to treat

anxiety, oily skin, tension, and stress. Orange essence provides the soap
with a light orange color. It can cause skin sensitivity in some.
Patchouli has a warm earth scent. It has antibiotic, antidepressant, anti-
Ï

infectious, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic,

antiviral, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericidal and deodorizing properties.
Patchouli can help to treat acne, anxiety, athlete’s foot, bacterial infections,
cracked and chapped skin, dandruff, depression, dermatitis, dry skin,
eczema, and fungal infections. Its essence provides the soap with a golden
brown color.
Pine has a strong evergreen scent. It has antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial,
Ï

fungicidal and deodorizing properties. Pine is used to treat excessive

perspiration, eczema, psoriasis, lice, fleas and mental fatigue. Its essence
provides the soap with a pale yellow color. It can cause skin sensitivity for
some people.
Sandalwood has a sweet, woodsy scent. It has antibacterial,
Ï

antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, emollient, fungicidal,

insecticidal and sedative properties. Sandalwood is beneficial for treating
acne, anxiety, cracked and chapped skin, depression, dry skin, impotence,
insomnia, nervous tension, scarring and stress. Its essence provides the soap
with an orange-brown color.
Ylang ylang has an earthy, spicy scent. It used for treating acne, insect
Ï

bites, insomnia, and depression. Ylang ylang essence provides the soap
with a pale yellow to golden color. It can cause sensitivity for some people.
If you are having trouble deciding on a single scent to use, feel free to stop
stressing and blend several scents together. You will want to select at least 3
scents; a top note, middle note, and base note. The top note will be that first
light scent that you detect but quickly fades. The middle note forms the majority
of the scent and is the strongest and longest lasting scent. The base note is rich
and heavy, it will be the last scent detected but will linger. If this seems like too
much for you, consider purchasing an already made fragrance blends. They are
easily found and reasonably priced.
 Color

Color is a very important aspect of making our soap look appealing and
desirable to use. Synthetic colors have the advantage of providing very vibrant
colors. FD & C colorants are very widely used synthetically products. They
come in a wide variety of colors, named by numbers, and can be purchased in
powder and liquid forms. They have the advantage of being inexpensive and are
great for use in melt and pour soaps. FD and C colorings do not work as well in
cold process soaps as they tend to be unstable and bleed. Using dyes will give
your soap a lighter, transparent color.
Another form of coloring to choose from is pigment. These have been
manufactured in laboratories since the 1970s. Although once created naturally,
the vast majority of pigments on the market today are synthetic because of
guidelines the Federal Food and Drug Administration placed on the safety of
these materials. Pigments are inexpensive and work well in all types of soap
making processes. They work particularly well for creating swirls, as they do
not bleed. Mineral pigments include chromium compounds, ferrocyanides, iron
oxides, manganese compounds, titanium dioxide, and ultramarines. Using
pigments will give your soap a more intense, full color.
Mica colorants will give soap a shimmering effect. Not all micas are stable in
cold and hot process soap making so test a small amount before coloring the
entire batch. They come in a wide variety of colors. Although mica itself is
natural, coloring products usually have synthetic colorants added to them to
provide a strong color coating. They are a more expensive to use and require a
larger amount per batch. One way to use small amounts of micah is to paint
powdered micah onto molded soap for some added texture and shimmer.
There are several types of natural colorants including herbs, spices, and clays.
See below to get ideas on how to achieve your desired color using herbs and
spices.
 Yellow/Orange

· Turmeric
· Carrot
· Unrefined palm oil
· Cucumber
· Annatto seeds
· Calendula
· Tomato paste
· Powdered sun-dried tomato
· Paprika
· Rosehips and hawthorn
· Ginger essence
· Anise essence
· Fennel essence
· Grapefruit essence
· Lemon essence
· Marjoram essence
· Peppermint essence
· Juniper berry essence
· Lavender essence
· Orange essence
· Pine essence
· Ylang ylang essence
· Safflower powder
· Ground chamomile
· Curry powder
· Orange juice
· Pumpkin
· Saffron petals
 Brown/Black

· Cocoa powder
· Coffee grounds
· Nutmeg
· Cinnamon
· Alkanet root
· Myrrh essence
· Rosehip seeds
· Vanilla essence
· Patchouli essence
· Sandalwood essence
· Dead sea mud
· Alkanet
· Coffee
· Black walnut hull
· Ground cloves
· All spice
· Elderberries
· Olive leaf powder
· Ground pumice
 Green

· Bentonite clay
· Pandan leaves
· Avocado
· Olive leaf with safflower powder
· Green stevia with safflower powder
· Green stevia with hawthorn
· Rosemary
· Bergamot essence
· Black pepper essence
· Burdock leaf
· Comfrey leaf
· Dandelion leaf
· French green clays
· Alfalfa
· Chamomile essential oil
· Chlorophyll
· Cucumber
· Green tea powder
· Ground henna
· Kelp
· Spearmint
· Spinach
· Wheat grass juice
· Wood powder
 Red/Pink

· Dried peppers
· Paprika
· Madder root
· Sandalwood powder
· Moroccan red clay
· Beet root
· Cochineal powder
· Tree
 Purple/Blue

Alkanet
·

Azulene
·

Blue cornmeal
·

Indigo root
·

Rattanjot
·

Clays can be added to soap not only for color but for the properties they add to
the soap as well. Kaolin is a while clay that adds a silky feel and creaminess to
the soap. Rose clay will add a rose color and add a silkiness and absorbency to
the finished soap. Rhassoul is a light brown clay that will give you a soap great
for absorbing oils and impurities from the user’s skin. A good rule of thumb is
to add about 2 teaspoons of clay per pound of oil. Clays can be added to soap in
several ways. It can be dissolved in the lye-water mixture. Alternatively, it can
be added to the oil mixture. If you are looking to have the clay be swirled within
the bar of soap you can make a slurry out of oil and clay and add that to the
mixture. This is accomplished by adding your lye-water mixture to your
combined and melted oils. Do not mix too much before removing a cup or 2 of
the concoction. Add the clay to the removed lye-oil mixture. Stir the remainder
of the lye and oil until it is almost ready to be poured into molds. At this point,
add the clay slurry back into the pot to make a swirl. You could also swirl while
in the mold depending on your preference. In order to have the small and large
mixtures reach trace at the same time you are going to need to work quickly.
Once you choose your coloring agent, it is time to determine how much to
add. A general rule is to add one tablespoon of a botanical colorant per pound of
oils but this can vary. If you are using a dye or pigment, start by adding ½ an
ounce of color per ¾ of a pound of fat. Some colorings may need to be
dissolved or incorporated into the liquid oil before being added to the larger
batch. The result of coloring achieved from a particular medium can vary
widely from recipe to recip. Colorings are affected by which oils and fats are
used, whether or not your soap goes through a gel process, how the dye reacts to
lye, and also what fragrances are added. Most colorants are added at trace
before molding when using the cold process soap making procedure.
When choosing your colorants and preparing to store your colored soap, keep
in mind that many colorants are not lightfast. This means that when exposed to
light, even artificial light, they will fade. Mineral pigments and micahs tend to
be the most lightfast. This is yet another reason to store your soaps in a dark
place.
 Botanicals

Adding botanicals is a great way to increase the color, fragrance,

and healing properties of your soap. Botanicals can be added in fresh or dried
form. It is important not to incorporate fruits and vegetables that have not be
preserved or dehydrated as they will cause your soap to spoil and go rancid very
quickly. Herbs can be made into a tea and used as the water in the lye mixture.
Botanicals ground into a powder are added when the soap has reach trace. An
oil infusion can also be made with the herbs.
Fresh flower petals are very pretty in soap. They work best with melt and
pour soap. If they are added to cold process soap, they are likely to turn brown or
black during the gel phase of the saponification process that occurs during
curing. This does not mean you cannot use them; just do not expect them to
look like the lovely petals you put in when the product is finished. There is one
commonly available flower that will maintain its color after saponification and
that is the calendula or pot marigold.
If you have grown fresh herbs that you would like to use they need to be dried
before being added to soap so the soap does not spoil. One way to accomplish
drying is by microwaving. This is the fastest method however, can cause the
herbs to lose some healing properties. If this is the method you would like to try,
use the following procedure:
Place herbs on a piece of paper towel in a single layer.
1.

Cover the herbs with two more paper towels.

2.

Place in the microwave.

3.

Microwave for one minute.

4.

Check them.
5.

If they are still damp, microwave another minute.

6.

You may need to change the paper towels if they are wet or starting to
7.

burn.
Continue until the herbs are dry.
8.

Another way to dry herbs is by bundling. This is accomplished by:

Gather the herbs in a small bunch.
1.

Tie the stems with a piece of twine, string, or yarn keeping in mind not to
2.

tie so tightly that air cannot circulate within the bundle.

Hang the herb bundles flower side down near a shady window.
3.

The herbs should be dry in one to two weeks.

4.

Store dried herbs in airtight containers away from sunlight.

5.

The last common way of drying herbs is using the oven. Here is the
procedure:
 Lay herbs on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
1.

Place on top of the stove.

2.

Heat your oven up to 200 degrees and turn it off.

3.

Leave your herbs on the stove top, turning the oven on daily for about a
4.

week until the herbs are dry.

Teas are an attractive way to add fragrance and health benefits to soap. There
are two methods of incorporating tea into soap: steeping and bleeding. To steep
tea, the tea bag is soaked in hot water for 2-5 minutes. This technique will
lessen the amount of discoloration of your soap base when the tea is added. It is
also used frequently when the herb or tealeaves are intended to add exfoliating
properties. Not only can you add the solids, you can add a bit of the water the
tea was steeped in as well. Bleeding is the method that is chosen when the
botanicals are being added for healing qualities or aroma therapy. In this
method, the fresh or dried teas and herbs are added directly to the heated soap
base. This brings out the botanical’s color, scent, and healing qualities.
If you want to include ingredients that will give the soap exfoliating powers
consider adding:
Coffee grounds
·

Eucalyptus leaves
·

Lavender buds
·

Loofah
·

Oatmeal
·

Patchouli
·

Poppy seeds
·

Corn meal
·

Ground almonds
·

It may be beneficial to add vitamin E to the soap when using any sort of dry
additive. This will add moisture and decrease the amount of browning or
oxidation that occurs. Capsules of vitamin E can be found with other vitamins at
the pharmacy. Add 4-6 capsules per 4 ounces of soap.
 Designs

There are several ways to get fancy with the look of your soap. One way to
do this is to swirl colors together in the mold. A very easy swirl can be achieved
by following these steps:
Ladle ½-1 cup of soap into a measuring cup.
1.

Add colorant to the removed soap and incorporate well.

2.

Holding the cup several inches above the pot, pour your soap into one
3.

corner.
Using a rubber spatula, swirl the colored soap through the pot.
4.

Resist the urge to stir too much as you will lose the swirl effect and end
5.

up coloring the entire pot of soap.

Mold and cure as usual.
6.

Another basic swirling method is the spoon swirl. This is achieved through
this process:
Create your soap using the cold method.
1.

Divide the soap up after reaching a light trace and color each division
2.

different colors.
Using a spoon, add the color into the soap mold alternating colors until
3.

the mold is filled.

Let harden and cure as usual.
4.

Here is a more complex swirling procedure:

While your oils and lye mixtures are lying in wait, prepare your
1.

colorants. Use a separate bowl or cup for each color. Put the pigment or
micah into a container and add a couple tablespoons of oil or water
depending on the instructions for the particular color you are using.
Mix well, no clumps.
2.

Mix your lye and oils and combine. You are not looking to achieve a
3.

trace yet.
Pour about 1 cup of soap into each color’s container.
4.

Mix each very well.

5.

If you want a white background for your swirl you can add titanium
6.

dioxide to the mixture remaining in the pan. If you do not do this your
background will be more ivory.
Add fragrance to your non-pigmented soap.
7.
 Put some of the white or ivory (we will call it white from now on) soap
8.

into the mold.

Add a bit of each one of the colors.
9.

Add more while.

10.

Alternate drizzling colors and white soap until you are left with about 1/3
11.

of the white soap.

Pour the remaining white soap into the mold and add the remaining
12.

colors.
This can be left alone to achieve a layered swirl or you can swirl more
13.

using a small rubber spatula or plastic (no metal with lye) knife. Use the
tool in a circular or zig-zag motion to pull the colors through the soap.
Keep in mind that you do need to work quickly through this process
because you want it done before your trace gets too thick.
Another swirl technique is the “column swirl” method. To make this you will
need a slab mold, coloring, and a material to use as “columns”. Anything that
will stand up in the mold and stay there while you pour soap will work. If your
columns are round you will create circular swirls. Change the shape of swirls by
changing the shape of your columns (star, rectangular, etc). You probably want
to choose three or four colors to work with. Once you have your materials,
follow these steps:
Make soap as you usually would. You need plenty of time to pour so try
1.

to resist the urge to use fragrances or essential oils that will speed up the
trace. Mix your soap only to a very light trace. The thickness of your trace
will determine how defined your swirls are. The lighter the trace, the more
your colors will blend together.
Separate the soap into prepared cups of color and blend.
2.

Start by pouring a color over a column. You want to pour enough so that
3.

a pool forms underneath.

Choose another color and pour it over a column on top of the first color.
4.

You will notice your ‘pool’ will start to swirl. As you pour your colors you
can use a pattern or create more of a variety.
Continue the process until all of your soap is in the mold.
5.

Remove your columns.

6.

You can use a rubber spatula or plastic fork (remember we don’t use
7.

metal with lye) to swirl more if you want.

Let the soap saponify and set overnight.
8.

Remove from the mold and cut.

9.

Set them out to cure for about 3 weeks.

10.

Stamping is another popular way to add a design element to soap.

There are several ways to stamp designs onto soaps. At some specialty stores
and online websites, you can purchase stamps particularly designed for soaps.
When choosing a stamp keep in mind that stamps without much detail will work
best on soaps that are a soft to medium firmness. Stamps with finer details work
best on hard soap. To use these:
To keep the soap from sticking to the stamp you can lightly coat the
1.

stamp in water or oil.

To add color, dip your stamp in soap colorant prior to applying to the
2.

soap.
align your stamp onto a soap that has hardened for a day or two, while
3.

the outside is firm the inside still has some ‘give’ to form to the stamp.
Tap the stamp with a hammer making sure to tap all areas paying special
4.

attention to the corners and edges.

Pull the stamp straight out of the soap.
5.

Regular rubber stamps found at a craft supply store can be used

along with a dye-based ink pad. To do this:
Use the stamp and the permanent dye ink pad to stamp onto a piece of
1.

tissue paper.
Color in the image with colored pencils if you like.
2.

Spray with an acrylic matte varnish.

3.

Let it dry.
4.

When dry, cut out the image, staying as close to the edge as possible.
5.

Position onto your soap

6.

Add a light coat of the acrylic varnish that was used previously.
7.

Heat some pieces of paraffin in a double boiler until it melts completely.

8.

Put on gloves
9.

Use a flat paint brush to spread light coats of wax to seal the image. Go
10.

1/8 of an inch past the edge of the tissue when sealing with the wax.
Allow to dry completely before storing
11.

Another way to stamp a bar of soap involves using an un-mounted

rubber stamp. These can be found many places including the dollar store and
tend to come in great seasonal designs. Follow this process:
Take your stamp of choice and place it in your chosen mold with the
1.

textured design facing up.

Melt 4 ounces of soap in the microwave. White or other light colors tend
2.

to work best.
Add fragrance to the colored and melted soap if you desire.
3.

Use a small spray bottle to spritz the stamp with rubbing alcohol.
4.

Carefully pour the first layer of soap. An eye dropper can be used to get
5.
 the soap without overflowing onto the stamp. With this first layer you do
not want to cover the top of the stamp.
Allow this layer to harden for about five minutes.
6.

Prepare a second color of soap. Make sure it is not too hot-shoot for less
7.

than 120 degrees.

Spray the hardened soap with rubbing alcohol.
8.

Carefully pour the second layer, filling the mold.

9.

Allow the soap to harden for four hours at a minimum.

10.

Unmold the soap and peel back the rubber stamp.

11.

Any soap overhangs can be removed using a dental pick, paring knife, or
12.

anything else with a fine point.

Allow to harden completely before storing
13.

Layering is another easy way to create a cool design. You can layer different
colors, different textures (smooth, chunks, flakes, ribbons), or a combination of
both. There are also some different designs you can add to your soaps using
other soaps. If you grate up bits of different colored soaps, you can add them to
a contrasting base right before molding to achieve the look of confetti.
Chopping up pieces of soap will give a cobblestone effect. Another really cool
thing to do is use a vegetable peeler to make curls of soap. These curls can be
imbedded into a soap base.
Making soap balls is a great way to use up small amounts of leftover soap.
To do this:
Grate up your leftover soap.
1.

If it has dried out add a very small amount of liquid to moisten the mix a
2.

bit. You can mix and match the colors in your soap balls giving them a
speckled or confetti look.
Divide the grated soap and form it into oversized, loosely formed balls.
3.

Put one hand on top and one hand under the soap ball and squeeze
4.

down. Rotate the ball a little and squeeze again. Use gentle but steady
pressure.
Once they are the firmness you want them, smooth the edges and allow
5.

to cure for a week or two.

These balls can be used on their own, or mini balls can be added into another
base for a fun decoration.
It is also possible to make a checkerboard pattern within the soap. Follow
this procedure:
Make soap using your favorite technique.
1.

Mold into a square or rectangle and let harden. Do not let it cure; the
2.

fresher it is the better this process will work.

 Use a knife to cut strips long enough to fit the length of the square mold
3.

you will be using.

Once you are done cutting, lay 5 strips (the number you need will depend
4.

on how big your mold is but we will use specific numbers so you can get
the idea) down with a space in between them.
Start another layer putting two strips in the opposite direction.
5.

The next layer will go in the same direction as with the first 4 strips.
6.

Place 2 strips the opposite way on the next layer.

7.

You will repeat this process to fill your mold with a grid pattern.
8.

Place the mold in a warm oven to meld the strips together just a little bit.
9.

Make soap base using the cold process with a contrasting color, bringing
10.

it to a thin trace.
Pour the lightly traced soap into the mold very carefully as not to disturb
11.

the grid pattern that you made.

After poring, gently tap the mold against your work surface to remove
12.

any air bubbles. The newly poured soap should have filled in the gaps in
your grid pattern.
Insulate as normal.
13.

After it hardens, remove from the mold and slice your soap in order to
14.

show off the pattern.

One really unique soap design is felted soap. If you are familiar with knitting
and wool, you have likely heard of felting. Felting soaps makes for a unique
looking bar that has great exfoliating properties from the wool. To felt soap you
will need several pieces of soap of varying shapes. This is a great way to use up
batches of soap that you didn’t find very pleasing to the eye. You will need
100% wool roving. In terms of equipment, you will need a towel, a washboard
or sushi mat, old pantyhose, liquid soap, and a drying rack. Follow these steps
to create felted soap:
Start by smoothing out the edges of your soap pieces.
1.

Pull off a section of the wool and wrap it around the soap in one
2.

direction.
Choose another section of wood and wrap it in the opposite direction.
3.

Place the covered soap in the foot-part of the panty hose that has been cut
4.

off at the knee.

Get the panty hose wet by placing it under warm-hot running water.
5.

Squeeze some liquid soap over it to start the felting process.

6.

Rub the soap on the washboard or sushi mat making sure to get all sides.
7.

This creates friction and allows the wool to felt.

Keep rubbing the soap stopping every once and awhile to rinse it under
8.
water.
After a few minutes, take the soap out of the stocking and see what you
9.

have.
At this point you could add more wool to make it thicker or add different
10.

colors if it strikes your fancy.

Put the soap back in the stocking and repeat the felting procedure until
11.

the wool is all matted down onto the soap.

Remove the soap from the stocking.
12.

Rinse it in cool water

13.

Blot dry with a towel.

14.

Place the soap on the drying rack and let it dry overnight. It will be ready
15.

to use the next day.

 Chapter 6 - Easy and simple soap recipes

It is now time for you to get started and actually make some soap.
In this chapter you will find several recipes from a variety of different sources.
By trying these recipes you will gain experience with the melt and pour,
rebatching, cold, and hot processes of soap making. There are also recipes for
liquid soap. Why not try them all out and see which process you prefer? The
results from these recipes will be very different so you will end up with a variety
of soaps to try and possibly give as gifts.
 Basic Oil Soap

Recipe from www.candleandsoap.about.com

This recipe will give you a basic soap with a gentle, bubbly, lather. The
finished soap has a nice, hard texture. Use the following ingredients and the
cold process method to create this recipe.
6.5 oz. palm oil
Ï

6.5 oz. coconut oil

Ï

7.5 oz. olive oil

Ï

1.3 oz. castor oil

Ï

8 oz. water
Ï

3.1 oz. lye

Ï

1 oz. of fragrance oil or essential oil blend

Ï
 Grocery Store Soap

Recipe from naturesgardencandles.com

If you are looking for a basic soap with easy to find components, this is the
recipe for you. All of the ingredients for this soap can be easily found at most
grocery stores with a pharmacy (for the coconut oil). Use the following
ingredients and the cold process method to create this recipe.
11 oz. olive oil
Ï

5 oz. canola oil

Ï

8 oz. Crisco
Ï

8 oz. coconut oil

Ï

1.4 oz. fragrance oil

Ï

11 oz. water
Ï

4.5 oz. lye

Ï
 Vanilla Kitchen Soap

Recipe from www.soapdelinews.com, Rebecca D. Dillon

Not only is this soap ultra-moisturizing, it is great for destroying strong

kitchen odors like garlic and onions from hands. Use the following
ingredients and the cold process for making soap.

Ï 28 oz. olive oil

Ï 16 oz. Palm oil

Ï 16 oz. coconut oil

Ï 4 oz. cocoa butter

Ï 26 oz. triple strength brewed coffee, chilled

Ï 9.1 oz. lye

Ï 1 oz. vanilla fragrance oil

 Oatmeal Melt and Pour Soap

Recipe from www.teachsoap.com

The oatmeal gives this easy to make, super luxurious soap exfoliating
properties that cannot easily be beat. Use the following ingredients and the melt
and pour technique to make this soap.
8 oz. white or opaque melt and pour soap base
Ï

8 oz. clear melt and pour soap base

Ï

1/2 oz. ground oatmeal

Ï

1/2 oz. oatmeal, milk, honey fragrance oil

Ï
 Moisturizing soap

Recipe from www.soapqueen.com

If moisture and a smooth texture is what you desire, look no further than this
basic recipe. Use the following ingredients and the cold process for making
soap.
4 oz. Avocado Oil
Ï

8 oz. Coconut Oil

Ï

1 oz. Jojoba Oil

Ï

16 oz. Olive Oil

Ï

8 oz. Palm Oil

Ï

4 oz. Shea Butter

Ï

11 – 15 oz. water
Ï

5.6 oz. lye

Ï
 Soap for acne-prone skin

Recipe from The Everything Soapmaking Book 2 edition nd

This soap is perfect for someone who has sensitive skin plagued by oil and
breakouts. Use the following ingredients and the hot process for making soap.
11 oz. olive oil
Ï

5 oz. coconut oil

Ï

6 oz. water
Ï

1 tablespoon hibiscus tea blend

Ï

2.25 oz. lye

Ï

1 tablespoon bentonite or kaolin clay

Ï

1/2 oz. castor oil

Ï

6 drops tea tree essential oil

Ï

6 drops lavender essential oil

Ï

6 drops rosemary essential oil

Ï
 Vegetarian Soap

Recipe from soapmaking-made-simple.com

To fill the vegetarian niches on your gift-giving list try out this recipe. This
base provides a great start for a soap that can accept some great design
elements. Use the following ingredients and the cold process for making soap.
42 oz. vegetable or olive oil
Ï

30 oz. coconut oil

Ï

28 oz. vegetable shortening

Ï

6 oz. cocoa butter

Ï

3 oz. castor oil

Ï

14 oz. lye
Ï

41 oz. water
Ï
 Melt and pour loofah soap

Recipe from candleandsoap.about.com

This creative and visually interesting soap is molded in a PVC pipe. The
loofah is rolled and pushed down into the mold. Then the soap is poured in.
Once hardened, the mold is removed and the soap sliced into circles that will be
swirled with loofah. Use the following ingredients and the melt and pour
technique for making soap.
4 lbs. of clear melt and pour soap base
Ï

12” piece of clean, dry loofah

Ï

Desired fragrance
Ï

Desired color
Ï
 Rosemary Mint Handmade Soap

Recipe from http://www.mommamuse.com/

This is a great, herbaceous smelling soap lovely for hand washing use in the
kitchen. Use the following ingredients and the hot process for making soap.
This recipe lends itself well for crockpot preparation.
38 oz. olive oil
Ï

14.4 oz. palm kernel oil

Ï

11.6 oz. palm oil

Ï

8.7 oz. sodium hydroxide

Ï

17.5 oz. distilled water

Ï

3 oz. rosemary mint blend essential oils

Ï

2 teabags of Organic Peppermint tea

Ï
 Mango and Shea Butter soap

Recipe from www.naturesgardencandles.com

This bright-scented, moisturizing soap has a very rich lather. This would be a
great gift for someone who loves tropical scented products. Use the following
ingredients and the cold process for making soap.
8 oz. olive oil
Ï

6.5 oz. coconut oil

Ï

5.75 oz. palm oil

Ï

4.8 oz. mango butter

Ï

3.8 oz. shea butter

Ï

3.2 oz. castor oil

Ï

Mango scented fragrance oil

Ï

Orange coloring
Ï
 Lavender Soap

Recipe from Lovinsoap.com

This recipe results in a very pretty, simple soap perfect for a housewarming
gift. Use the following ingredients and the hot process for making soap.
10 oz. palm oil
Ï

10 oz. coconut oil

Ï

6 oz. olive oil

Ï

4 oz. rice bran oil

Ï

2 oz. castor oil

Ï

10 oz. water
Ï

4.57 oz. lye

Ï

.6 oz. sodium lactate (added to lye mixture)

Ï

1 oz. lavender fragrance oil

Ï

Purple color swirled in (optional)

Ï

Lavender buds to scatter on top of the soap (optional)

Ï
 Apple Spice Soap

Recipe from Fromnaturewithlove.com

This is the perfect soap to make in the fall and will fill your house with
wonderful, warm, smells while cooking. Use the following ingredients and the
hot process for making soap.
18 oz. canola oil
Ï

8 oz. coconut oil

Ï

18 oz. olive oil

Ï

12 oz. water
Ï

6 oz. lye
Ï

1 Tbsp. apple pie spice

Ï

1 Tbsp. tumerica
Ï

2 Tbsp. apple fragrance

Ï
 Aloe Soap Balls

Recipe from soapdelinews.com

A nice change from bar soap, these soap balls are fun and very soothing to the
skin. Use the following ingredients and the rebatching technique for soap
making.
4 oz. olive oil based soap
Ï

2 Tbsp. aloe vera gel

Ï

1 1/3 Tbsp. rosewater

Ï

30 drops evening primrose oil

Ï

6 drops tangerine fragrance

Ï

4 drops juniper berry fragrance

Ï
 Good Morning Scrub Bar

Recipe from thesage.com

A great wake-up scrub can be obtained by whipping up this recipe. Plus, it
smells like breakfast! Mix the goat’s milk, yogurt, water, and honey prior to
combining with the lye and adding to the mixture of fats. Use the following
ingredients and the hot process for soap making.
22 oz. shortening
Ï

16 oz. lard
Ï

11 oz. olive oil

Ï

12 oz. coconut oil

Ï

6 oz. castor oil

Ï

4 oz. butter
Ï

11.8 oz. lye

Ï

12 oz. can of frozen goat’s milk

Ï

6 oz. plain yogurt

Ï

12 oz. water
Ï

4 Tbsp. honey
Ï

4 Tbsp. ground coffee

Ï

2 Tbsp. rolled oats

Ï

2 Tbsp. steel cut oats

Ï

2 Tbsp. cornmeal
Ï

2 Tbsp. sea salt

Ï

2 Tbsp. grapefruit peel

Ï

1 Tsp. cinnamon
Ï

2-3 Tbsp. combined of grapefruit, vanilla, and blackberry fragrances.

Ï
 Tea Tree and Kelp Soap

Recipe from fromnaturewithlove.com

This is the soap to use if looking for a soap to heal and detoxify the skin. The
addition of flax seed adds exfoliating properties. Use the following ingredients
and the melt and pour process.
Ingredients:
1 lb. melt and pour soap base
Ï

2 Tbsp. kelp powder

Ï

2 Tbsp. flax seed meal

Ï

15-20 drops tea tree essential oil.

Ï
 Dog Soap

Recipe from Chasenfratz.com

This soap is great for pets and humans alike who need an antibacterial
cleanser with insect-repelling properties. It would be fun to put these in a slab
mold and cut out with a bone shaped cookie cutter. Use the following
ingredients and the melt and pour process.
Melt and pour soap base (your choice of color)
Ï

Tea tree oil

Ï

Peppermint oil
Ï
 Orange Julius Soap

Recipe from Soapnuts.com by Sue Traudt

A soap that smells so delicious you will just want to eat it. Please-resist the
urge! Use the following ingredients and the melt and pour technique.
2 cups clear melt and pour soap base
Ï

2 tsps. honey
Ï

1 tsp. almond oil

Ï

1 tsp. French white clay powder

Ï

½ tsp. orange fragrance

Ï

½ tsp. vanilla fragrance

Ï
 Berry Mint Foot Soap

Recipe from fromnaturewithlove.com

This berry mint foot soap has a relaxing, rejuvenating scent and has great
exfoliating properties due to the presence of berry seeds. Great to make and
have on hand for a Sunday night pedicure. Use the following ingredients and the
melt and pour technique.
9 oz. melt and pour base
Ï

¾ tsp. vitamin E oil

Ï

¼ tsp. dried raspberry seeds

Ï

¼ tsp. dried blueberry seeds

Ï

Raspberry fragrance
Ï

Blueberry fragrance
Ï

Peppermint fragrance
Ï
 Mint Refresher Liquid Soap

Recipe from Easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com

Try your hand at making liquid soap using this recipe. The scent will provide
an instant pick-me-up every time it is used. Use the following ingredients and
the process for making liquid soap.
Ingredients:
½ cup grated glycerin soap
Ï

5 cups water
Ï

½ tablespoon vegetable glycerin

Ï

2 capsules vitamin E
Ï

25 drops of peppermint essential oil

Ï

15 drops of orange essential oil

Ï

5 drops of lemongrass essential oil

Ï

1 drop of rose essential oil

Ï

1 drop of ylang ylang essential oil

Ï

After trying out several of these recipes you may feel like enough of a pro
create your own. That is certainly possible and one of the joys of making your
own handmade soap. The last part of this chapter will give you additional
information you may need to create your own recipe.
As you know, your recipe will need an oil or fat. The oil you choose will be
based upon what qualities you would like to have in your finished soap. Here is a
brief run-down of desired qualities and the fats and oils that can help to achieve
that:
Hard and long-lasting
1.

Palm oil
·

Tallow
·

Lard
·

Shea butter
·

Lathering
2.

Coconut oil
·

Castor oil
·

Palm kernel oil

·

Moisturizing and conditioning

3.

Olive oil
·

Canola oil
·

Sunflower oil
·

Soybean oil
·

Tallow
·
 Corn oil
·

Cottonseed oil
·

Macadamia nut oil

·

Luxuriating, ultra-moisturizing
4.

Cocoa butter
·

Shea butter
·

Almond oil
·

Hemp oil
·

Jojoba oil
·

Apricot kernel oil

·

Wheatgerm oil
·

Superfatting oils or oils to be used in small amounts

·

Almond oil-Low lather, moisturizing

·

Avocado oil-Heavy, moisturizing

·

Babussu oil-Good lather, heavy

·

Grapeseed oil-Lightweight, moisturizing

·

Hazelnut oil-Moisturizing
·

Hemp seed oil-Creamy lather, light

·

Jojoba oil-Highly absorbent, moisturizing, nice lather

·

Kukui nut oil-Moisturizing, creamy lather

·

Pumpkin seed oil-Nourishing, rich

·

A balanced soap recipe will contain a blend of oils representing the hard,
lathering, and moisturizing categories.
Once you have decided on your oil blends, use a lye calculator (purchased or
found on-line) to determine how much lye and water to use in your recipe. By
doing this you will have your own, basic, soap recipe. Congratulations!
 Chapter 7 - The Dos and Don’ts of soap making

This chapter is going to provide you with a mishmash of tips and tricks-or
do’s and don’ts-that will help you to create beautiful soap in way to stay safe and
error-free. You will find tips that either did not fit in another spot in this book or
that bear repeating because of their importance.
 Do’s

Keep your workspace organized. This helps to remain safe and error free
Ï

Make soap in a well ventilated area

Ï

Line molds with plastic wrap if metal

Ï

Line molds with a light coat of vegetable oil applied with a mister to help
Ï

with removal of the soap

Read your recipe thoroughly before you start. Make sure you understand
Ï

the procedures you are going to be performing and the ingredients as well
as equipment you will be using
Measure lye by weight
Ï

Measure lye into a container that you can close in case you need to pause
Ï

or your work is interrupted

Keep your soap as dry is possible when using so that it lasts longer.
Ï

Involve children when making melt and pour or rebatching soap

Ï

Add lye to water not water to lye

Ï

store lye in a container that is well marked

Ï

Wear a long-sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and safety glasses to protect

Ï

yourself in case of splashes or spills

Use tools dedicated for soap making
Ï

Take off all your jewelry before beginning

Ï

When working with lye, keep vinegar and milk in the area. Spills and
Ï

skin contact can be neutralized with vinegar and milk can be used to rinse
the eyes if lye has been splashed into them.
Use stainless steel or plastic containers that can withstand high heat
Ï

Use two hands when carrying lye, one on the side and one on the bottom
Ï

Make sure all of your tools have been collected and ingredients poured
Ï

before you begin mixing anything.

Cover your workspace with newspaper, towels, or a tablecloth.
Ï

Have rags or paper towels handy to wipe up spills

Ï

Measure carefully
Ï

Smother any flare ups from fat or oil, do not use water
Ï

Combine clear and white soap base to create a translucent melt and pour
Ï

soap
Use rubbing alcohol to remove air bubbles or wrinkles on the surface of
Ï

your soap
Apply even pressure on the back of the mold to remove the soap
Ï

Put your mold in the freezer for 10-15 minutes if the soap does not pop
Ï

out easily
 Wrap finished soap in plastic wrap or vacuum seal it to keep it fresh
Ï

Keep your curing soap away from animals and children. The lye is still
Ï

corrosive during this process

Let your soap age
Ï

Use lint free toweling to insulate your cold processed soap

Ï

Find wholesalers to purchase ingredients if you are making lots of soap

Ï

Be patient
Ï

Change heat settings in very small increments

Ï

Use scent sparingly

Ï

Go slowly
Ï

Have access to running water in order to flush spills or rinse after skin/eye
Ï

contact
Before each use check the accuracy of your scale by weighing something
Ï

that you absolutely know that weight of. One option would be a canned
good that has the weight written right on the label. Easy!
Make sure your lye and oil mixtures are the same temperature when you
Ï

combine them using the cold process

Use distilled water, particularly if you have hard water at your home
Ï

Choose molds that can withstand high heat

Ï

Make sure the open end of your mold is larger than the rest unless you
Ï

plan on cutting your mold in order to remove the soap

Use a rasp or file to clean up the edges of finished soap or get rid of
Ï

imperfections
Use a vegetable peeler to make soap curls to add to other soaps for
Ï

decoration
Use a vegetable peeler to round the edge of a soap bar
Ï

Use your wet finger as a first step in rubbing off imperfections

Ï

Make sure that your coloring or fragrance is not a common allergen

Ï

Make sure that your coloring or fragrance is not known to be irritating to

Ï

the skin
Make sure your coloring has a nice fragrance or one that will not
Ï

overpower your fragrance of choice.

 Dont’s

Leave anything heating on your stove unattended.

Ï

Rush
Ï

Keep lye anywhere where children and pets could access it. .
Ï

Use hard water when soap making

Ï

Assume that lye will have the same reaction to another liquid as it does to
Ï

water
Use a pan spray, such as Pam, to prepare your molds
Ï

Use aluminum tools with lye

Ï

Put lye into aluminum, brass, or bronze containers.

Ï

Use fresh fruits or vegetables

Ï

Use tools that have been used for soap making for cooking or any other
Ï

project
Use water for any flare ups of fat or oil
Ï

Be careless when measuring. Accuracy and precision are the key to

Ï

being safe and creating soap successfully.

Make soap on a humid day, soap will not dry correctly.
Ï

Eat or drink anything in the soap making environment.

Ï

Move molds until soap has set. If you do, wrinkles may appear on the
Ï

surface of your soap

Wash your materials in the dishwasher
Ï

Heat your soap past boiling

Ï

Stir too much when additives are put in. This can cause air bubbles.
Ï
 Chapter 8 - Trouble shooting in soap making

While you are learning to make soap there are going to be some challenges
along the way. Think of yourself as a scientist experimenting with different
techniques, ingredients, colors, and fragrances. And the great thing is, you can
almost always save a batch of soap that isn’t coming out right for whatever
reason. In this chapter, we will take a look at some common problems, what
may have caused them, and how to fix it.

My soap will not trace!

So you have been stirring, and stirring, and stirring, and stirring.
Still no trace. This can be happening for several reasons. There may not be
enough lye in the soap to start the saponification process. There may be too
much water to start the saponification process. The temperature of the mixture
could be too high or too low. To fix this, first check your recipe and be sure the
correct amounts of water, lye, oils were added. Check your temperatures and see
if that could be a contributing factor. If everything looks good with those things,
try using a stick blender if you haven’t already. Over the course of 3 hours, stir
for 5 minutes, rest for fifteen minutes and repeat. Even if it shows no sign of
thickening, pour it into molds after 3 hours and let it set for twenty four hours. If
it hasn’t hardened, discard the soap.

My solid soap has turned to liquid!

You may also get to the point where you have trace and you mold your soap
to have it turn back into liquid. This probably means that you had a false trace
due to your mixing strategy or heat level. Simply reheat and stir until you get a
real trace and re-mold. If you notice streaking in the bowl it’s likely that the
heat was too low. Turn up just a bit and if it traces, pour it quickly into molds.

My soap has separated in the pot!
 Another thing that can happen is your mixture can separate and get the
appearance of rice in your pot. This is usually a problem with the fragrance oil
so make sure what you are using is appropriate for soap making. You can make
adjustments as needed but make sure to check your recipe and make sure your
scale is accurate. To test scale accuracy I use a canned good that has the weight
on it and make sure the label matches the scale.

My liquid soap has separated!

When making liquid soap, it is pretty common to see separation, or

a white, gooey layer on the top of the soap. In order to get a clear soap, it must
be neutralized. Follow this process to achieve neutralization:
Mix 6 ounces of boiling water with 3 ounces of borax.
1.

Stir very well and keep the neutralizing mixture hot.

2.

Add ¾ of an ounce of the borax solution per pound of liquid soap paste.
3.

Reheat the soap paste.

4.

Add the neutralizer to the soap paste and stir well.

5.

Let sit for a bit.

6.

If the paste is not clear, add another ½ ounce of neutralizer and wait.
7.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 until the paste has cleared.

8.
 My soap has seized!

Soap seizing is a very common occurrence during the ‘working to achieving

trace’ part of the process. Soap seizing is when you have achieved a light trace
but all of a sudden it becomes super thick and impossible to stir. This is likely to
have been caused by the addition of fragrance oils that sped up the trace. To
avoid this, you can mix your fragrance with some of your mixture in a separate
bowl before adding to the big pot. Also, keeping your mixture around 90
degrees will help to slow saponification.
 My soap is too thick

There will be times when your soap is too thick and it is hard to get into the
mold. This is particularly common when making hot processed soap. Most
often this is caused by not having enough water in the mixture. A solution
would be to add 5-10% more water than the recipe calls for. This water can be
added when mixing the lye solution or can be added to the soap right before
molding to thin it out. If you choose to add it at the end, make sure the water is
close to the same temperature as the soap. Stir, stir, and stir to fully incorporate.
Adding sugar or sodium lactate can also be added to help thin out a mixture.
 My soap is oily soap

Sometimes, you will notice that a layer of oil appears on the top of cooling
soap. To fix this you first want to tip your mold over and allow the oil to run off
of the soap. Let the mold set like this for several hours. Reheat the soap and
melt into liquid form. Stir until trace occurs. Remold the soap, insulate for
several days. Remove from insulation and cure. Check your pH. If the pH is
still too high, you do not want to use the soap. Start over.
 My soap is sweating

So your soap came out great, you’ve removed it from the molds and set it out
to cure. And then you notice your soap is sweating! You probably think-I added
too much water! The whole batch is going to be ruined! Breathe!! Remember
what goes into your soap and what happens during the saponification process.
That wonderful, moisturizing glycerin is produced. And, as you know, glycerin
is a humectant meaning that it captures all the moisture in the air. So the water
you see in droplets on your soap isn’t coming from the soap itself, it’s being
sucked out of the air by the glycerin. This sweat is actually a sign of really great
quality, moisturizing soap. However, the excess moisture does decrease its
shelf-life. What you can do is make sure that you are keeping the soap in as cool
and dry a spot as possible. Also, once the soap is fully cured you can either
wrap it in plastic or place it in an airtight container to keep it dry. If you are
going to be using it soon, you could place it on a soap dish that drains so the
excess moisture will drop off the soap instead of puddling up around it.

My soap has orange spots in it!

Another heart sinking result is seeing spots in your finished soap. They are
usually a yellowish orange color and about the size of pencil erasers. There can
be one, there can be many. These spots can be attributed to a number of factors.
The oil or fat could be rancid, the humidity could be too high, there could be too
much fat, or the combination of oils used was not ideal. Now, although you
can’t get rid of them, know that these are not affecting how your soap works,
just how it looks. There are a couple things that can be done to prevent these
spots from appearing. The first is to keep your superfast percentages at 5% or
below. Use only fresh oils and fats that have been stored correctly. Use distilled
water versus tap water. Canola oil and sunflower oil are known in particular to
cause these spots so reducing the amount you use may be beneficial. Letting
your soaps cool in a dark, dry spot away from sunlight will also help, or at least
couldn’t hurt.

My soap has water pockets!

Other problems can also be noticed while the soap is in the curing process.
You may observe that your soap has watery “pockets” or bubbles in it. This is
likely due to the lye separating from the water as a result of not mixing well or
measuring the ingredients accurately. If there are not many bubbles you could
continue to cure it and hope that they will evaporate. If there are a lot of them
you can use the rebatching method to try again.
 My soap has oil pockets!

Oily pockets in your soap may also appear. This is almost always the result of
the fragrance that was added. You can choose to either continue curing or
rebatch with a different type of fragrance or different brand with the same scent.

My soap is dry and brittle!

Sometimes soap will become dry and crumbly or brittle and crackly. This is
almost always the result of using too much lye. Since this will make a soap that
is too high in pH to be safe, you must rebatch and adjust the amount of fat or
oil. Be especially sure to test the pH on the finished soap.

My soap is soft and mushy!

The opposite problem can also happen; your soap can be soft and mushy.
This is often caused by too little mixing and saponfication. It could also mean
that too low of a temperature was used. You can rebatch this.

My soap is coated in powder!

During curing a powder (ash) sometimes forms on the top and sides of a bar
of soap. This is usually the result of inadequate mixing or there was not enough
heat retention for the gel phase to happen. To fix this you can use a mold deeper
than 1 inch, use a stick blender for mixing, and/or add 1-2 ounces of beeswax to
your recipe.

My soap is lighter around the edges!

You may also observe that the color of your soap is lighter around the edges.
This occurs when the part of the soap around the edge of the mold does not get
as hot and doesn’t gel completely. This can be fixed by allowing the soap to
fully gel before unwrapping and warming your mold slightly if it is wood.

My fragrance has disappeared!

It can be very frustrating when you work so hard to develop a

fragrance blend and have it fade and be virtually undetectable by the time the
soap has cured. There are a couple things that can be done to decrease the
chances that this will happen. Firstly, try the fragrance in a small amount of the
batch of soap and see if it lasts. Some fragrances just aren’t stable enough to last
in soaps, particularly when cold processed. Secondly, wrap your soaps well.
Any soap that is exposed to air for too long will lose its scent. Lastly, your nose
may have just become accustomed to the smell of the soap. Ask someone who
does not live in your house take a whiff and get their feedback on the scent’s
strength.

When is it necessary to give up and throw away a batch of soap?

There are several problems that occur and pose safety hazards. Several of
these cannot be fixed and the soap must be thrown out. If you experience the
following, it is best to discard the soap:
Sour or spoiled smelling soap. This can be caused by too much fat or too
Ï

little lye in the mixture.

Thick layer of oil on top of cured, hardened soap. This was likely due to
Ï

insufficient stirring, too little lye in the soap, or the mixture being poured
into molds too soon.
White powder on top of soap during curing. This is a signal that hard
Ï

water was used and/or the lye was not dissolved properly into the water
solution.
 Chapter 9 - Selling your beautiful handmade soaps

Now that you are an expert soap maker you may be tempted to expand your
hobby into a business venture. Good for you! This chapter will point out some
things to consider as you are establishing yourself.
Starting a soap making business is a relatively inexpensive endeavor.
Consider the following when determining just how much your start-up costs will
be:
Advertising
Ï

Equipment
Ï

Ingredients
Ï

packaging
Ï

Insurance
Ï

Licenses
Ï

Websites
Ï

Craft fair fees

Ï

Once you have decided that you can afford to start a home-based soap making
business, determine what your goals are and decide on a direction for your
business. The best way to start this process is by doing a bit of research. Find
out who is selling soap in your area. Is there a ton of competition? Very little?
When you discover other soap makers take note of who their customers are and
what type of products are they selling. Most soap makers will focus on some
aspect of soap making, be it particular ingredients, scents, healing properties, or
design elements. Having this information will allow you to fill in holes in the
market not covered by other area sellers. Particularly if there is a large amount
of competition, it is imperative that you bring something unique to the market in
order to be successful. Knowing the competition also allows you to price
competitively.
It is equally as important to envision who it is you want to buy your soaps.
Knowing your audience will help you to design appropriate soaps, choose
packaging, and decide where to advertise and sell your product. Identifying your
customers allows you to hone in on their needs and customize your product for
them. Just like you conducted research to get information about your
competition, it is beneficial to research your customers. Find out their likes,
dislikes, age, sex, income, where they shop, where they work, if they have kids,
what they do in their spare time etc. etc. etc. Use this information to tailor the
product to them and determine a marketing plan. Given the information you can
answer a variety of questions. For example-Do you want to do fun scents with
bright colors to attract teenagers? Are you going to make soap that is extra
moisturizing or made for sensitive and acne prone skin to sell to 30 and 40
something?
After doing your research, decide what is going to make your soap special.
Are you going to use a signature shape, color, or fragrance? Flaunt your use of
all natural ingredients? Specialize in vegetable based soaps? Are you going to
sell soap exclusively or will you be creating lotions, bath salts, lip glosses or
other cosmetic items as well? You want to have a clear idea of what’s going to
set your soap apart from others and then design your marketing strategy around
that.
Once you decide what it is that is going to set you apart from others it’s time
to perfect it. Before you “go live” make sure your recipe is absolutely amazing.
Family members and friends are the perfect people to try out your product and
give you truly honest feedback. Choose people who are part of the demographic
you have chosen to market your soaps to. Have them tell you what qualities of
each soap they enjoy. Maybe giving them some sort of checklist or feedback
form will help structure the information you want to focus the feedback. Use all
the information you get to makes changes you need and alter how to market your
product. Also get their response to color, fragrance, and design. When you give
them their trials, wrap it as you would a piece you are planning on selling so you
can get feedback on that as well.
You will need to make sure to obtain the appropriate licenses for selling your
soap. This varies by state and municipality so you will have to do some research
for your local area. Business.gov is a great resource for business starting in the
US. You will also need to get a tax certificate. Business liability insurance is
also a great idea in case someone develops an allergic reaction to one of your
soaps or is burned because of a pH error. You will also want property insurance
to cover equipment and supplies in case of fire or other disaster.
The next step is to determine how much you should charge for your product.
There are many different ways of determining this. One of the most popular and
simple is determining how much your ingredients cost, adding in labor and
packaging costs, and multiplying by 2.35. This will give you a wholesale cost.
To determine your retail cost you will want to multiply the wholesale number by
2. This will give you a 50% gross profit. Based on where you are selling you
might want to consider what methods of payments will you accept. As credit
cards are becoming ever more popular you may want to consider signing up with
a web-based company that will process these for you for a fee. It would be
awful to lose a sale because a customer didn’t have cash and an ATM wasn’t
available. An important part of your business is going to be maintaining very
accurate financial records. This will help you establish how profitable your
business is and track who, when, and how you are selling your soaps
successfully. It’s also key for your taxes. Establish a separate bank account to
simplify and keep personal separate from business.

When starting any business in our modern society you are going to have to use
the internet. This is absolutely crucial to being profitable these days. Use a free
site such as blogger.com or wordpress.com to set up your own website and blog.
Fill this with information about your products; soap in general, how your soaps
can be purchased, fun ways to use it (personal indulgence gifts, wedding shower
basket, spa party, new mom basket etc.). If you are attending craft shows, have a
calendar that lets people know where you will be so customers can find you at a
particular event. In addition to a website, a facebook page for your business will
help to get your name out. Once one customer finds you and ‘likes’ you, all of
their “friends” will see and hopefully check you out. Use your facebook page to
again let people know where you can be found and how people can purchase
your product. Don’t forget to give people a link to your website and other
contact information. If you have a smart phone, use the facebook application to
‘check in’ and update your status while at soap related events. It is important to
update your blog/website and facebook page often to keep people in touch with
you, thinking about your product and how it will benefit them, and how they can
get their greasy little hands on it!
Using the internet to actually sell your soaps is a low-cost and
relatively easy way to give people quick access to purchasing your product
whenever they are thinking about it. And due to your facebook page, website,
and other marketing tips they will be thinking about it a lot. Etsy is a great
website where crafters can set up shop. Sign up for an account and start your
store. There is a slight fee for this but you can incorporate that into your cost
analysis. Ebay is also a way to sell your product. Here are some guidelines for
setting up a profitable store:
Use excellent photographs in your listing.
Ï

Provide solid informative and a pleasing description for each item you
Ï
 post.
List the ingredients for each soap.
Ï

Within the seller information section, write a statement as to how you will
Ï

guarantee seller satisfaction.

Clearly list your selling policies, including if you will allow for refunds
Ï

and exchanges.
Take several forms of payment.
Ï

Set a reasonable and competitive shipping cost as this can be a deciding

Ï

factor for some customers.

Respond to customer questions very quickly.
Ï

In addition to selling your soaps online there are other places for
you to sell at. Craft fairs can be profitable, particularly around the holidays.
You can find fairs in your area by calling the local chamber of commerce or
attending a craft fair you do know about and find out from vendors what other
craft fairs they attend. Your local craft store may also keep a calendar or list of
fairs. When deciding whether or not to attend a fair, you need to determine that
cost of attendance. Some fair promoters take a straight commission, or
percentage of your total sales. This usually varies for $10 to 35% of total sales.
This can be of benefit as with soap you will likely have lower sales than those
selling big ticket items like custom built furniture or something. Other
promoters charge a straight fee, ranging from $10 to $1,500 dollars. Seriously
re-think attending an event that charges more than $250. Even if you have great
sales-how much soap can your really sell? Still other promoters charge a
combination of commission and a straight fee. It can be especially hard to make
money at fairs with this structure. Before signing up you also want to know:
How many people attend? When determining profitability keep in mind
Ï

that about 1-3% of the attendees will stop at your booth.

How many vendors are expected? In general, the more vendors that will
Ï

be there, the more customers you will have.

How many soapers will be attending? The less competition the better!
Ï

Has the show grown or become smaller over the past couple of years.
Ï

How many vendors are returning from previous years?

Ï

What your travel costs will be.

Ï

When you do sign up for a show there are several things you want to pack
up and bring with you:
Soap for cleansing the nose palate
Ï

Table
Ï

Table covering
Ï

About $100 in change

Ï
 Samples
Ï

Business cards
Ï

Food and drink

Ï

Promotional material
Ï

Signs
Ï

Order forms
Ï

Bags
Ï

Credit card processing tools

Ï

Receipt book
Ï

Wet wipes
Ï

Tissues
Ï

Scissors
Ï

Tape
Ï

Price tags
Ï

Farmers markets are a great way to sell and get exposure in the community. It
is also a great idea to approach businesses in your area to see if they will carry
your product. Try boutiques, bed and breakfasts, local hotels, gift basket
companies, health food stores, and day spas.
You could also go the way of Tupperware and Mary Kay and do in-home spa
parties. There are several ways you can do this but here are some guidelines:
Ask your hostess for names and addresses of attendees.
Ï

Send out invitations to guests that include information about your

Ï

company and product, the time, date, and location of the show, and
information on how to R.S.V.P
You want to give each guest a free gift and something extra-special for
Ï

the hostess. Advertise this on your invitations to encourage guests to

attended and book future parties in order to get their gift
Keep the time you spend talking about your company and product to the
Ï

whole group to a minimum. Instead-give people lots of times to ask you

questions and try out the products.
If you are going to do home parties here are something to bring with you:
Folding table
Ï

Tablecloth
Ï

Examples of all of your soaps

Ï

Samples of available scents

Ï

Catalogs/brochure
Ï

Order forms
Ï

Pen
Ï

Calculator
Ï
 Calendar for scheduling future parties
Ï

Change for cash sales

Ï

As you are just starting out, it may be strategic to donate some of your soaps
to local charities for raffles and donations. This is a great way to get your
product out there and let it “be seen”. Make sure you include a pamphlet and
your business card so you can make a sale off of your donation in the future.
Word of mouth is one of the best advertising strategies.
When you are thinking of how to package your soaps you have two
goals. The first goal is to use a packaging that will protect your soap and keep it
looking and working its best. Something that will keep it fresh and dry is ideal.
The second goal is to make it attractive and aesthetically pleasing to your desired
customers. When looking at this aspect, and just about anything else, keep in
mind who your target demographic is and what THEY would like, not just what
YOU would like.
Let’s get more specific about packaging ideas. Ziploc bags and
plastic wrap are great for keeping your soap wrapped airtight and fresh. If you
are packaging your soap well in advance, give some serious consideration to
using one of those materials. If you will be selling your soap relatively soon
after packaging, you do not need to worry so much about protecting your soap
for the long term as long as the buyers are educated as to how best to store and
care for their purchase.

A basic wax or brown paper wrapping with a sticker label to seal it is simple
and attractive. Other options include using:
boxes,
Ï

gift bags,
Ï

patterned scrapbook paper,

Ï

gift wrap, and

Ï

Tissue paper. Selling your soap in a soap dish or wrapped in a

Ï

wash cloth
Ï

Cellophane bags
Ï

Fabrics
Ï

Mugs
Ï
 Small wood creates
Ï

Baskets
Ï

Muslin bags
Ï

Pots
Ï

Tins
Ï

glassware
Ï

No matter how you decide to wrap your soaps, you need to include a
label or some other insert that gives your customer information about the
product. This is required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
According to the law, you are required to label your soap with wording that
identifies it as soap, the weight of the product, as well as the name and address
of your business. For many consumers, it is important to know exactly what is
in the soap. If you are going to provide a list of ingredients, it will be helpful to
write it according to the guidelines supplied by the Federal Food and Drug
Administration. To do this, list the ingredients from the one with the largest
amount in the recipe, to the least. Use the most commonly accepted names for
an ingredient, not necessarily a brand name. Many people have sensitivities and
allergies even to the most natural of products. You also want to let them know
how to care for the product so they will have the most favorable response to it
possible. If it is not cared for well and looses efficacy, customers are going to
attribute that to the quality of your work.
One of the best ways to be successful is to stay on top of what is happening in
the industry. A good place to stay up to date, network, and continue learning is
to join a group such as The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild. Their website is
www.soapguild.org . This association can help you gain information not only to
improve soap making skills but to improve business skills. There is a spot on
their website to advertise and network with other soap makers. They also
provide a free web store for products to be sold. It is also a place to buy liability
insurance and sign up for credit card processing services.
 Conclusion

By reading this book, you have learned the basics of making really
incredible soap. Apply the information and you will create useful, beautiful
pieces of art that can bring joy to many. Best of luck!
 References

http://teachsoap.com/
http://www.alcasoft.com/soapfact/history.html
www.soapmakingfun.com
http://enchantedbama.hubpages.com/hub/Making-your-own-soap
http://www.soapmaking-resource.com/soapmaking-thermometer.html
http://www.brothers-handmade.com/soapmaking-supplies.html
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/tipstricks/a/soapexfoliants.htm
http://www.aquasapone.com.au/soapmaking/hotprocess_soap1.html
http://www.soapnuts.com/cphp.html
http://www.soaphistory.net/
www.soapmaking-essentials.com
 Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - The squeaky clean truth about soaps
Chapter 2 - Every soap maker should have this – Equipment used in making
soap
Chapter 3 - What goes into soap? – Ingredients, ingredients, ingredients
Chapter 4 - Basic Techniques in making your soap bar or liquid soap
Chapter 5 - Adding your dyes, botanicals, essences and fragrances, cutting those
shapes
Chapter 6 - Easy and simple soap recipes
Chapter 7 - The Dos and Don’ts of soap making
Chapter 8 - Trouble shooting in soap making
Chapter 9 - Selling your beautiful handmade soaps