The Joy Of Soap

I LOVE making soap. It is a newfound passion of mine. For years I made Melt and Pour(MP) and glycerine soap. The bases they have out now are really wonderful and luxurious. you can add any oils or butters, colorants, herbs, fragrances etc. You can do some really beautiful things with Melt and Pour Soap. You can use them immediately after setting and the clean up is quick and easy...after all it IS soap! Generally MP soap is glycerine soap. MP soaps hold color the best. You can get the best colors out of glycerine and MP soaps.


This is a GREAT example of Melt and Pour Soap. This is from thekeepershouse . MP soap can be made into beautiful layers, fragrances and scents. MP soap comes out of molds really beautifully.



These Astro Pops from SoapyLove are wonderful! They remind me of when I was a kid and getting my favorite Popsicles from the Ice cream Man that came through our neighborhood.







These "turqoise gemstones" are actually glycerine soap! They are from AmethystSoap over on etsy. These look JUST like turquoise gemstone nuggets dont they?? So cute and creative. It is amazing what can be done with Glycerine soap base.


Last year I started making Cold Process Soap (CP). After my first trace,(where it first starts to thicken) I knew I was hooked. CP soap is the process of heating and mixing together lye, fats and oils, cooling and stirring until they thicken.(or saponify) Pour into molds, let sit for a day or two, and pop out. BUT because it is made with lye they need to sit and "cure" for about 4 weeks. The longer they sit out and cure, the more gentle the soap will be. If you were to use the soap right away, you would have very dryskin. The soap would be excessively harsh. Different oils give the soap different properties. Some oils and fats create great lather. Others give great moisturizing properties. Some make the bar of soap hard. The right combination of these fats and oils can give you amazing results. I like my bars a little on the hard side. I like lots of lather. I love shea and jojoba in my soap. 2 weeks ago I made oatmeal milk and honey soap. I made a great base and added ground oatmeal. The fragrance I used was Oatmeal Milk and Honey.. After I poured it, I cut it into bars. But I didnt like the smooth look of it. It is Oatmeal soap. So I grated it, reheated it and re- molded it into nubby, more earthy organic looking bars. I love it. So in 2 weeks when it is ready, I will have it listed in my shop.



These CP beauties are from DennisAnderson.

His soaps are really beautiful and very natural. This is Tango with Mango soap. The colors are beautiful and his swirling is very nice.






Daisycakessoap is the best B&B seller on etsy. She has sold more soaps than Proctor and Gamble practically! Her soaps are beautiful, unique and the packaging and display are out of this world.





This layered CP soap is from Pinkparchmentsoaps.

It is called raspberry parfait. I think it is beautiful. I love the layering and the slight swirl on top. Raspberry is a favorite soap scent of mine.




There is Also Hot Process Soap Making (HP). Hot Process is like Cold Process, except you cook or crock pot your soap ALL DAY. The bars are bumpy and more "handmade" looking AND you can use the soap as soon as it is set. BUT there are so many talented soapmakers that make the bars as smooth as CP soap, it is amazing. Practice makes perfect!!




This is HP soap from Dragon06.
Vegan friendly Mocha Cappuccino.







LilyBaySoap makes a goat milk HP soap. It looks so luxurious and creamy! Obviously, this is a non vegan bar.




No matter what your soap preference, there can be something found for everyone. Please check out some of the uber talented soapmakers on etsy. You wont be disappointed.