DIY: Melt & Pour Soap using Fragrance oils

Soap making is a tricky business, but with followed instructions you can master it. We all love making own products, and using a product you have made yourself, is such an amazing a feeling. Today, we are going to make quick and easy Melt & Pour Soap using 4 simple ingredients. 

 

Benefits of Using Melt & Pour Soap Base:

Melt and Pour is a great way for beginners to enter the world of soap-making and spa crafts. They are increasing gaining popularity as they offer quick and easy solution as compared to cold process soaps. Cold process soaps go through a process called saponification in which oils and lye is combined. The melt and pour soap base has already gone through that and thus you don't have to handle lye and there's no need to cure the soap. These are ready to use as soon as it's cooled and hardened. As such, this soapmaking method is more family-friendly, as well.

  • Perfect for beginners  
  • No Need to work with lye 
  • Make gorgeous soaps in minutes 
  • Can be melted and remelted and create new soaps 
  • No need to wait – These soaps can be used right away 
  • Wide variety of bases available like Goat milk, Triple Butter etc

Why use FRAGRANCE OIL?

First you need to get familiar with fragrance oils, they are man-made fragrant liquids. They are either Synthetic fragrance oil, i.e., made with different chemical compounds. Or Natural fragrance oil, which are made by mixing Essential oils with synthetic but skin safe aroma compounds. The reason why we recommend using Fragrance oils instead of essential oils is; they are inexpensive and the fragrances are more easily available. They tend to withstand the harsh environment of soap making. Also there are many fragrances which are not naturally found in essential oils like Pumpkin Spice which we have used in this recipe. 

Although not all fragrance oils are the same, Moksha has some of the finest and unique fragrance oils. In addition to that, they’re Paraben and Phthalate Free. In simple words, they are free from any harsh chemicals and safe to usein making cosmetic products. There fragrance oils also have all the clearance from IFRA and has instructions for use as well. You can buy fragrance oils online from our official website.  

Now that we have an understanding and a good source of fragrance oils, let’s get started on the recipe.

 

Melt and Pour Soap Recipe for Beginners  

For making Soaps with melt and pour soap base, you need to get together all the equipment and clean them thoroughly. 

Ingredients:

Method of making Melt & Pour Soap:

    1. Measure you Melt and Pour Soap Base : The first step is to measure your soap base, cut and soap base and weight it on a scale. Take the amounts your mould case can handle, they usually come with instructions about size and units. For beginners the basic reference should be, 1 kg of Soap base can make approx. 10 soap bars. 
    2. Melt the base: Now that you have the desired quantity, you have to melt it. You can either melt it in a microwave or with a double boiler method. Either way, you have to keep checking your mix, and stir to remove any chunks, lumps and obtain a smooth consistency. If using microwave, melt it in burst of 30 seconds
 
3. Add your Fragrance oil: After you have a liquid soap base, it is time to add your scent, aka, the fragrance oils. You can either use just one or mix a few to obtain your desired scent. Some of the famous fragrance oils for soap making are Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Coffee Bean, etc. The quantity of fragrance oils is according to the quantity of your soap base. Fragrance oils should be used approx. 3 to 3.5% of the total weight of Soap base. In this recipe, we have used Pumpkin Spice Fragrance oil.
 
4. Add colour(optional) : There are two ways to go about it, you can either use artificial colours or use Natural colorants like Kaolin Clay, Pink Clay, etc.  You can also find liquid natural colorants like Red, Green, and others on Moksha Lifestyle. Mix 2-3 drops of colorants or the amount till which you achieve the desired colour. 
 
5.  Slowly Stir and Mix:  Mix all your ingredients gently and nicely. Don’t stir it too hard, otherwise your soap will have bubbles and air gaps.  
 
6. Put in a Mould: Pour your mix into the mouldings of your choice and spray with rubbing alcohol ot get rid of bubbles. Let it set, which will take 2 to 3 hours for the base to set completely, or you can also put it in the fridge to speed up the process. After it is set, gently take out your soap from the moulds and Voila! They are all ready to use.  

Safety Caution 

  • Use fragrance oils with utmost precautions, avoid open flames around them
  • Strictly follow the instructions, and do not exceed the limit of 3-4% in melt and pour soap base
  • Use protective wear like gloves during the whole process of soap making

Common Questions on Melt & Pour Soaps:

Q: What is the difference between melt and pour soap and cold process soap? 

 Melt and pour soap is a preformulated base which allows you to customize it by adding fragrances, botanicals and colors, without having to actually make the soap from scratch. Cold process soap is made from oils (like olive or palm) and sodium hydroxide. Mixing the two ingredients causes a chemical reaction that results in soap!  

Q: What supplies do I need? 

 You will need microwave or double boiler, a cutting board, knife, melt and pour soap base, a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol and a soap mold, along with fragrance, color or botanicals.  

 Q: How to prepare the soap? 

 The simplest and easiest way to prepare your soap is to cut it into cubes. This allows the soap to melt quicker. Some people prefer to microwave their soap base in 30-60 second intervals while stirring in between until liquefied. Alternatively, you may use a double boiler on the stove. This method is especially handy if you’re making a large batch of soap. Both methods are equally effective. 

 Q: How to color the soap? 

 There are Several methods available to color the soap. You may use pigment powder or even all-natural ingredients, such as beet root powder for a red appearance or sea clay to achieve a green/grey color. We have natural colorants available which can also be used. If using clay, mix small clay in a small amount of rubbing alcohol before adding the mixture to soap base. The heat of the melted soap will burn off the alcohol, leaving the pigment behind. 

 Q: How much fragrance oil should I use for my soap? 

 The general thumb rule is not to exceed 3-3.5% of the total soap base. If you are using 1 kg soap base, you can use 30-35gms of fragrance oil.  

Q: Why are there bubbles on top of my soap? 

 Bubbles may appear on the surface as you pour the soap into the mold. This is where the spray bottle of rubbing alcohol comes in handy – give the surface of the soap a quick spritz and watch the bubbles disappear  

 Q. How long do I have to wait for my soap to set? It 

Usually takes 6 hours for a smaller moulds to set. However, if you want to fasten up the process, after 1 hour of cooling you can transfer the soap to the refrigerator. 

 Q: Why won’t my soap lather? 

 When making melt and pour soap, it is important to keep additives to a minimum. Melt & pour soaps are pre-formulated bases that are meant to be melted and poured! Using too much oil or butter (such as shea butter) in your soap base can compromise the bubbling action. Many soap bases are already enriched with these skin-loving moisturizers, so if you do want to add more butters, start with a little bit such as 2 tsp per 1kg of soap base.

 

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