ShareThisA plentiful batch of handmade soaps can be whipped up easily in your own kitchen. They are so simple to make that I guarantee that you will be hooked on this easy craft.
There are countless combinations of scents, colors and additives you can use when creating your custom-blended soaps.
Lavender, bergamot, lemon verbena and tangerine are favorite scents of mine. For summer, I like to add a combination of citrus and floral oil to my bars. For a holiday, I add a drop of peppermint oil or clove to hand soaps. To create an exfoliating soap, add a little oatmeal to the melted soap.
Soap molds are available in many different shapes and sizes. Traditional bar molds are perfect for creating large bars of soap. Smaller guest-size molds are available in many shapes: hearts, shells, stars, holiday trees and small rounds.
Craft and fabric stores will generally stock the items you will need to get started in soap-making. Online suppliers carry many different scents and additives, as well as products for making lip balms and body creams.
Once your soaps are made, you can package them for storage or gift-giving. Tissue paper makes a quick and easy wrap, and zipper-top baggies work well. If you want to make a quick gift, bundle a few smaller bars together and place them in cello bags, with a little paper shred and a ribbon bow. Personalized labels can be made with rubber stamps or printed directly from your computer.
Once you try this fun and simple craft, you will be creating soaps for yourself and for gift-giving.
Materials:
1 pound melt-and-pour glycerin soap base
Essential oil
Bar mold
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol
Plastic cling wrap
Microwave
Medium glass bowl
Optional: additives such as lavender, peppermint oils and glycerin soap colorant
Packaging: tissue paper, cello bags, ribbons, labels
Cut a 1-pound brick of glycerin soap base into 2-inch cubes. Place cubes in a glass bowl and cover with plastic cling wrap to keep excess moisture from evaporating. Melt on high for 1 minute and stir until melted.
If desired, add a few drops of colorant and/or additive to the soap and blend thoroughly. Add several drops of essential oil to the mixture and blend.
Pour the soap into molds. Spray the soap surface with rubbing alcohol to remove excess bubbles. Allow the soap to harden/set for several hours before popping it out of the molds.
Package the soap in a paper sleeve trimmed with decorative scissors, place it in a cellophane bag or wrap it in tissue paper. Embellish paper labels with ribbons, stickers and rubber stamps and attach to the packaging.
(Cathie Filian is a lifestyle expert, Emmy-nominated television host, author and designer. Learn more about Cathie at www.cathiefilian.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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