Here is a gift idea that is perfect for anyone on any occasion. If you are looking for a craft project that will come in handy for gifts, you can not beat making your own homemade soaps. They make the perfect gift for anything from house warming parties to bridal showers.
Making decorative soaps at home is a very easy project to take on. There are relatively few supplies needed. The clean up is a breeze and your house will smell wonderful after you make your soaps.
The amount of supplies needed for this project will vary depending on how many types of soaps you would like to make. This project is so simple and fun that it would be wise to dive in and make a variety of decorative soaps on your first try. You will not need to spend a lot to get going on this project but you will need a few specific items.
Supplies Needed for making Homemade Decorative Soaps:
1. Base soap or melt and pour soap.
2. Soap Coloring
3. Soap Molds or Candy Molds
4. Soap Fragrance or Perfume
5. Spray Bottle
6. Rubbing Alcohol
7. Knife
8. Plastic Wrap
9. Whisk
10. Plastic Trinkets or Soap Embossing Stamps
11. Oatmeal (optional)
How to prepare your soap for molding :
The first thing you will want to do is clean and lay out your molds on a flat surface. You will also want to prepare your base soap. There are many places that you can purchase base soap but I found that it was very reasonable here.
Take your base soap and cut it into small cubes or pieces. Put the cut soap into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in to your microwave oven and cook it for one minute at a time. Check on it each minute to make sure it is not burning.
Once the soap is a liquid consistency, use your whisk to make sure there are no lumps in it. If there are lumps, put it back into the microwave oven for thirty seconds. Whisk the pourable soap again to make certain all the lumps are out of it.
Adding color to the soap :
Now you will want to decide on a color. If you decide you would like to make more than one color at a time, simply pour some of the soap into separate containers before coloring. You will want to use soap coloring for your soaps so that they do not stain. Never use food coloring in soaps.
Add coloring one drop at a time and whisk it through to be sure you get the color you want. You will find that soap coloring goes a long way. Be sure to use caution when adding your coloring or the soap will come out too dark.
You can find a wide variety of colors that are made specifically for soap by clicking here.
Another optional way to add color to your soap is to add oatmeal. You can pour some oatmeal into a bowl and add a bit of water and coloring. Add just enough to wet the oatmeal and allow it to soak up the color. Mix your oatmeal into your soap just before pouring. You will want to add it a sprinkle at a time to ensure that it mixes well and you do not add too much.
Giving your soap fragrance :
It is very important to use a fragrance that will not make your skin break out. It is fine to use your own favorite fragrances for your homemade soaps but, be sure to use them sparingly.
Add fragrance a drop or two at a time until you get the desired fragrance when you smell your decorative soaps. If you are unsure about using your own perfume, there are many places that you can purchase fragrances made specifically for homemade soap making. You might want to shop here for fragrances for soap.
Molding the soap :
This is the most fun part of the project. You can use any soap or candy mold to make your homemade decorative soaps unique. I found some great candy molds here.
Make sure your molds are clean and dry. Pour your soap into each mold being careful not to spill. It would be very wise to use oven gloves when handling the hot soap. Either fill the molds completely or fill them half full and add some type of plastic trinket or charm. Fill the molds the rest of the way with your liquid soap after adding your trinkets.
Next, use your spray bottle to lightly mist over the soap that is poured into the molds. This will get rid of any unwanted air bubbles.
Finishing Touch :
You can use ribbons or stickers to add your own style to these homemade decorative soaps. Another great way to personalize the soap is to use a stamp kit. There is a perfect kit for this project available here.
Just before your soap is fully solid, use these stamps to add a personal touch to your homemade soaps. You can make them a very special gift just by stamping initials on the soaps.
Be sure your soap is completely cool and set before you wrap them. A very easy and cheerful way to wrap soap is to use colored plastic wrap and simply tie a ribbon around a twisted end.
You are sure to have fun making these homemade decorative soaps. Your friends and family are sure to love them also. Always find ways to add your own personal touch to your projects and be sure to enjoy the time you spend making them.
I hope you enjoy making your homemade soaps. If you found this article helpful, please look here for more of my homemade craft ideas.
Sources :
http://www.michaels.com
https://www.candymoldcentral.com
