Scented soaps are a wonderful treat because they make the entire bathroom smell beautiful and turn a regular shower, or bath, into a spa experience. Scented soaps have a variety of fragrance options, from classic and relaxing lavender to bracing and invigorating blends. You can find melt-and-pour soap base, soap scents and soap-safe dyes at craft stores or through online retailers, like Brambleberry. This recipe makes six bars invigorating, citrus scented, “Morning Juice” soap.
Step 1
Cut 2 lbs. melt-and-pour soap base into small chunks and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. The soap will need to melt in the microwave so the smaller the chunks, the faster and more even the melt.
Step 2
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and heat the soap, in the microwave, in one-minute increments, stirring often. Heat the soap until it has completely melted. On average, it takes four minutes for the soap to completely melt, but microwaves vary.
Step 3
Add the essential oils to the hot soap: 40 drops of sweet orange, 20 drops of grapefruit, 10 drops of bergamot, 5 drops of lemon, 5 drops of lime and 3 drops of patchouli. Gently stir the soap with the spatula. If bubbles form, lightly spritz the surface of the soap with the alcohol.
Step 4
Add 10 drops of red dye and 10 drops of yellow dye to make the soap orange. You can tweak the color ratios to make the soap as dark or bright as you like. Gently stir the soap with the spatula and spritz the soap with alcohol if bubbles form.
Step 5
Pour the soap into the molds slowly, to avoid splashing. If bubbles form, spray the surface of the bars with the alcohol. Put the mold in a safe place and allow it to cool and harden. For faster hardening, place the soap mold in the refrigerator. The soap will take approximately one hour to cool and harden in the refrigerator.
Step 6
Release the finished bars from the mold, trim any imperfections with a small knife, and wrap the soap in wax paper for storage.
Tips and Warnings
- Be sure you are using soap-safe dyes as other dyes may stain the skin. Using a bowl with a spout makes pouring easier.
- Melt and pour soap bases can get up to 150 degrees F, when completely melted, so handle with care. Do not allow the soap to boil, this causes water to evaporate and may make the finished product brittle.
Things You'll Need
- Soap base
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Grapefruit essential oil
- Sweet orange essential oil
- Bergamot essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Lime essential oil
- Patchouli essential oil
- Rubbing alcohol in spray bottle
- Red soap-safe dye
- Yellow soap-safe dye
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- 6-bar soap mold
References
- Melt & Mold Soap Crafting; C. Kaila Westerman; 2000
- The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy; Valerie Ann Worwood; 1991
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