Homemade Soap

Making soap may sound complicated, but the most difficult thing about this project is figuring out what to do with all of your beautiful bars! All you need is a few supplies, a couple of hours and good company. Soap makes a great wedding or shower favor because you can do large batches at a relatively low cost and well ahead of time, plus they look gorgeous. So, gather all your ingredients, invite some friends over and steep a pot of tea because the work party will be mostly fun. Wrap them up in shimmery organza bags or with ribbons and handmade paper and label them with your words.

Homemade Soap

There is nothing easier than making soap with this simple recipe! All you do is melt the soap base, then customize it to your taste with coloring, fragrance, and textural additives, and cut it out in shapes appropriate to your purpose. If you would like to learn more about soap making, go to www.halderman.net/soap for recipe and information.

Ingredients

For soap making supplies online go to www.lorannoils.com

• soap base cut into small chunks
• coloring materials; soap coloring, broken-up bits of crayons, wax candle color, or tinted beeswax
• essential oils for fragrance
• exfoliants and textural additions: dried flower petals, rolled oats, sliced lemongrass rounds, ground apricot kernels, or whatever suits your fancy

Prepare mold(s): cover a cake pan (s) with tin foil

Melt the soap base in a double boiler over a pan of water that is just barely boiling, stirring constantly. As it begins to melt, add coloring materials and mix well. When almost entirely melted, add essential oils to mix and stir thoroughly. At this point, textural additions and exfoliants can be added.

When mixed, pour into the prepared mold(s). Wait a few hours then remove soap from pan and cut into desired shapes – cookie cutters work well for this. Do not wait too long as it becomes harder with time. You can remelt scraps for more soaps.

Package in cellophane bags or kraft paper and seal with a custom label, or put in organza bags and tie with a hang tag.

Jeanne Williamson (138 Posts)

Jeanne and her husband David launched My Own Labels in January of 2000. It was a spin-off of their successful graphic design firm, plus it allowed Jeanne to incorporate her love of baking, making, sewing and creating. Today David and Jeanne continue to be the heart of the operation both creatively and practically.