Making your own natural soap is easy. Craft supply stores abound in most cities and towns, and ingredients can be as basic or as exotic as local availability and your imagination will allow. This article will show you how to make a very simple and basic natural soap
1. Lightly grease the inside of your soap molds with the petroleum jelly. Set the molds aside.
2. Grate your soap base until you have the equivalent of 1 1/4 cups. Place the grated soap base into a double boiler over medium heat with the distilled water.
3. Heat gently while occasionally stirring until the mixture looks like a fluffy pudding (up to 30 minutes). Do not permit the soap base to boil.
4. Spoon the melted soap quickly, but carefully into the prepared molds. Tap the edge of the molds to remove air bubbles. Permit the soap to sit in the molds until completely cool and set.
5. Gently remove the soaps from the molds and place on the wire rack to dry for at least 24 hours before using.
Tips & Warnings
2. Grate your soap base until you have the equivalent of 1 1/4 cups. Place the grated soap base into a double boiler over medium heat with the distilled water.
3. Heat gently while occasionally stirring until the mixture looks like a fluffy pudding (up to 30 minutes). Do not permit the soap base to boil.
4. Spoon the melted soap quickly, but carefully into the prepared molds. Tap the edge of the molds to remove air bubbles. Permit the soap to sit in the molds until completely cool and set.
5. Gently remove the soaps from the molds and place on the wire rack to dry for at least 24 hours before using.
Tips & Warnings
- If your soap seems uneven around the edges, you can smooth it by using a sharp knife.r scented soap, stir in fragrance oils or essential oils after your soap has melted but before you pour it into the molds. Avoid alcohol-based scents. They will force your soap to separate.
- For color variations, you may buy soap-making dyes, but food coloring will work just as well. If you would like to use natural sources of color, try the following: Green requires adding liquid chlorophyll. Red requires adding beetroot powder. Alternatively, you can boil red hibiscus flowers in water, strain out the petals, and use the liquid. Some herbal teas may work also. For yellow, add saffron or turmeric. If you desire a brown or cream color, add strong chamomile or orange pekoe tea.
- For textured soap, mix in crushed almonds, oatmeal or cornmeal to the soap base after melting and before pouring into the molds.
- Never wrap your natural soap in an airtight container. It should be allowed to "breathe." Use wax paper, netting or other porous materials.
- Your soap may shrink or "settle" in the molds as it cools. To prevent this, slightly overfill the soap molds. You can always trim away the excess later. Save the shavings for your next batch.
