A couple of years ago I made candles - now I'm starting a dead easy SOAP thread

[LaurieFairyCake]

melt and pour bases make this the easiest thing ever. I've got normal which is clear and goats milk which is a lovely milky base.

The ones I'm doing now in silicone cupcake cases are lavender - tiny bit of pale blue dye, lots of lavender flowers from the garden, and good lavender essential oil.

The second batch is oat and honey - actual honey, tiny bit of lemon dye and some rolled oats.

Once done I'm going to let them dry in the silicone cases and then just tie up each one individually with those silly bits of ribbon I collect from inside clothes or scraps.

The bases I'm using are from <a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/Melt-Pour-Soap-Base-Clear/dp/B004954VKW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348230167&sr=8-2&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">here, ordered Wednesday, turned up an hour ago (friday) so nice and quick turnaround

I got both the clear and the goats milk bases from them.

Pictures to follow once done.

[bunjies]

I remember your candle thread Laurie and it even inspired me to make my own for a while. Unfortunately life got in the way and so I still have a huge bag of wax sitting there. I must get on and make some more now that things have settled down. Good luck with the soaps, are you going to sell them or give them as gifts?

[LaurieFairyCake]

Just give them away and also they're cheaper than buying soap unless you buy the very cheapest soap ( we always get Dove) so I think having nice soap, which of course I prefer, will be better. I love Crabtree and Evelyn lavender soap so I think the goats milk with lavender will be just as nice.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've uploaded the first soap - was hard enough to take out of the silicon cupcake case in 20 minutes.

It smells lovely and I think a stack of hearts tied with a velvet ribbon would be very pretty

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Hullo, Laurie, you inspirational beast.

[GOLDdebka]

What a lovely idea.

Are they fresh or dried lavender flowers? We have lavender but I think it's a bit past its best now...

[GOLDdebka]

And the dye- could I use paste food colourings do you think?

[OneOfMyTurnsComingOn]

Fab! Thanks for this

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've picked tons of lavender and hung it to dry for a couple of weeks - you can use it fresh, it's just more of a bugger getting them off the stem.

My lavender soaps aren't dry yet, will upload a picture when they are - I used 20ml of essential oil and a large bunch of lavender heads - I didn't have any of the blue/lilac colour (used it all for candles) so I think the lavender soap will be a greeny colour.

I've used the clear soap base for both but I think the lavender ones will look best in the goats milk base but that's for making tomorrow - my entire house, just like with the candles, stinks of lavender and honey!

[LaurieFairyCake]

[LaurieFairyCake]

I would think you could use paste food colouring (if it's safe enough to put in your mouth it must be fine)- you must only use a tiny amount though as it will dye the body.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've now uploaded the lavender ones and put all of them in a box to just stiffen.

It is as I thought with the lavender, they would look much prettier in a milky soap base and if I don't want them green I'm going to have to use a blue colouring.

Also I missed out the most amazing thing - if you don't like them/they're too strong/not strong enough with oil YOU CAN JUST REMELT THEM!! and add more base/oil/ingredients - how fab is that !!

In that box is 1kg of clear soap base made up - 29 soaps for £7 (including postage). I ordered 4kg all together to get cheaper postage. I also used about 70p worth of honey/ a handful of oats/ lavender oil about £2.

I think there's a few nice small gifts in there for £10 - and there's endless combinations you can make up.

[oopslateagain]

Ooh just seen this - I've never made soaps! Yours look fab Laurie!

How much 'liquid' can you add - like honey - before the soap becomes unstable?

[MrsMiniversCharlady]

My friend makes hand-made soaps for a living so if I started giving them away I think she'd kill me

I enjoyed making the candles though and would love to make some more but I can't find the bloody wax I bought anywhere and I know as soon as I buy some more the first lot will turn up again

[sleepybump]

ooo nice thread!

I've been looking at making soaps for Christmas this year (we're on a very tight budget!). I'm thinking about some real christmassy fragrances etc. Does anyone have any idea of things that work best? I'm thinking cinnamon/orange/almond smells remind me of christmas, does anyone have any fail-safes I could use for my first go? :)

Also what types of dye should I use (I admit I was thinking of food colouring, but after seeing the state of my hands after a batch of random-rainbow-coloured cup cakes, I'm not so sure this is such a great idea!)

Thanks!

[LaurieFairyCake]

I've no clue oops, I put in about 30ml, so quite a lot. I've just used one of the oat/honey ones, (couldn't resist) and its lovely and soft.

[LaurieFairyCake]

sleepy, the food colouring won't touch your hands, you just need a tiny bit to stir in- I didn't touch the mixture at all, poured it from the pan to a jug, to the silicone cake cases.

I think christmassy scents would be lovely - last year I did orange, Clove and cinnamon - you go very light on the clove as it's overpowering.

How about pine and bergamot?

[DameFanny]

You can make 2 lb of soap from a litre of cheapest possible olive oil and a bit of sodium hydroxide...

[cold process soaper]

[DameFanny]

You might find pine and bergamot a bit harsh on the skin together btw

[LaurieFairyCake]

Ooh lovely, tell us all about cold process soapmaking

[Yorky]

I was just about to say 'go easy on the pine as a Christmas scent', I haven't got over the overpriced candle party I went to where their pine scented candle screamed 'loo freshener' at me!

Mmmmm to milky honey soap, and to cinnamon smells.
One of my strongest scent associations with Christmas is sherry

[DameFanny]

Oh it's fab Laurie - I really need to get my butts together and make some batches for Christmas.

Basic recipe is some sort of fat, some water and some sodium hydroxide.

Heat the fat if solid, otherwise if its oil then add the sodium to the water, then once that's gone all fizzy and hot stir into the liquid fat and keep stirring till its starts to trace - which is when out starts to hold its shape a bit. Then you have to add any smells and colours quick as you can so you can pour it into moulds before its gone too hard.

Caution - that's the outline once you know what you're doing. When you're starting you need to follow more detailed instructions, and when you're making up recipes you need careful calculations for all the ingredients.

And however long you've been doing it you need gloves, goggles and possibly a mask.. Because you're playing with proper dangerous chemicals and turning them into gorgeous smelly cosmetics.

I love it

Pm me if you want a recipe, but be warned you have to wait a month for it to cure before you can use it.

[DameFanny]

Butts? Act ffs.

[sashh]

Gld you chipped in DameFanny I have a soap making friend, he regards melt and pour as not making soap. I've been bored to death educated about cold process vs hot process, the pros and cons of various ingredients and the saponification value of different oils/fats.

[cynner]

Laurie, I am so happy you started this thread. Do you think it is possible to toss in some glitter? My four and five year old dd's would love to find something like that in their stockings..

[DameFanny]

Sassh - I mostly go for room temperature proceed for non milk soaps, followed by low oven cure if you want to speak his language!