SeaMyst's Soap Making Techniques

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Introduction
The Soap
The Equipment
Basic Instructions
Recipes
Psychic Senses
Witch's Friend
Lady of the Moon
Lover's Lift
Money Money

...how I came to be making soap
...basses and ingredients
...equipment you'll need to have
...how to make a basic bar
...how my recipes work
...stimulating the psychic in you
...a recipe for general purposes
...a recipe for full moon rituals
...a recipe to draw love to you
...a recipe to draw money to you

					INTRODUCTION
					I first became interested in making soap about three years ago (2001) when I realized that nothing at the grocery store would ever satisfy me. I preferred soap with natural ingredients that pampered my skin rather than drying it out. I already have dry skin, thank you very much! And, it had to smell wonderful, not like ... well, soap. So I bought a few books; then I bought a few more; and finally I was ready to give it a try. However, I had a problem. I had no idea where to go for supplies or even what the best supplies would be for me since I wanted to create my own recipes. That required more research and a lot of internet surfing. Eventually, I found what I was looking for. I’ve had good success with it and even talked MoonCrow into making a pentacle mold for me! As MoonCrow and I discussed the content we wanted on this site, he reminded me of all the research I had gone through in my quest for better soap. I started thinking that I could easily provide others with the simple way I found to create exactly what I wanted - good smelling, non-drying, magically charged, wonderful soap that could be used prior to rituals or every day as the mood stuck. Here, then, is my method gleaned from hours on the net and hours at the books. And, of course, some trial and error along the way! The soaps in the recipes that follow are designed for daily use as well as for special occasion use, such as prior to ritual. I hope you have fun creating great soaps of your own!
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					THE SOAP
					Soap making generally falls into one of three methods - Hot Process, Cold Process, and Melt and Pour. Both the Hot and Cold Process Methods require working with lye, and extensive precautions and proper safety techniques are mandatory. A great many books are available for those of you ambitious enough to create from the lye up. For this article, we’ll concern ourselves with the much simpler process of Melt and Pour soaps. Melt and Pour refers to the technique of melting down a purchased base soap, adding essential oils, colorant, herbs and such, and pouring into molds to cure. To begin, you need a base soap. You want a quality foundation for your soap to get the best results. One type of soap base is made from Cold Process lye and pure olive oil (Castile soaps) or vegetable fats. These type of bases produce harder, natural looking bars but can be difficult to work with. If you choose this type of base, look for soaps with no additives. These are not the readily available soap bars at the supermarket. Supermarket bars are full of detergents, chemicals and artificial preservatives that can clog pores and create dry, flaky skin. In fact, if you take a close look at the packaging, you’ll see that many of the bars on the shelves do not say “soap” anywhere on them! Another type of soap base, the one we will be working with here, is the glycerin base. Glycerin is colorless, translucent, and melts easily. Bars made from this type of base are nearly impossible to ruin and they are ready to use within about an hour of pouring. Perfect for the impatient beginner! Within the glycerin base soaps, you’ll find three types: Clear Glycerin ~ a slightly cloudy base with a low, but sweet odor White Glycerin ~ a milky, translucent looking base with a lower melting point (the opaque white color comes from the addition of titanium dioxide - a natural white pigmentation) White Coconut Oil ~ a bright white bar when fully hardened and is pH balanced and enriched with vitamin E Some companies reduce costs by adding wax based fillers to their soap bases. These fillers affect the look, feel, and cleansing qualities of your soaps. Generally speaking, the cheaper the base, the higher the wax filler content. Be cautious as well of alcohol additives. Alcohol is used to remove moisture and create a more transparent bar, however it leaves behind a strong odor that is difficult to cover. Alcohol also irritates and dries out the skin, as well as creating a possible fire hazard during the melting process. So where do you get a quality glycerin soap base? Try your local health food stores or order online. Whether you plan to make a little or a lot, bulk ordering online will save you the most money. Remember, even if you decide soap making is not for you, the soap base can be sliced off and used “as is” so you aren't wasting anything if you decide soap making is not for you. Read the ingredients closely so you know what you’re paying for. I’ve tried several different bases and have found I prefer the White Glycerin base from SunFeather Natural Soap Company* as it meets the above criteria, is easy to work with, and feels wonderful on the skin. Once you have your foundation, you need to select your additives. With soap, scent is arguably the most important ingredient. Pure essentials oils will produce the best results although fragrance oils will work as well. Additionally, a little goes a long way when working with essential oils while fragrance oils require significantly more product to produce enough scent . We’ll get into how to choose oils based on specific need, aromatherapy, and magical working later on. You may also add herbs and flowers to your base soap, a variety of natural additives such as beeswax, green tea, and seaweed, small toys in children’s bars, and, of course, colorant. Colorants for soaps come in a large variety. For a natural look, consider adding ground spices such as cocoa powder or dried herbs. Mica powders and flakes create a nice metallic sheen but use a face mask if you work with these. Solid colorants, available through most craft stores come in disks that are easy to use and blend. For a more professional and high quality look, though, liquid colorants are what you want. Liquid cosmetic grade colorants can be used for soap, bath salts, bath oils and candles. These are not water based like food coloring and they mix easily with the oils in the soap base. Also, they don’t stain your skin like food coloring. They can be purchased online at a variety of soap making sites including SunFeather Natural Soap Making Company, noted above. Food coloring is not recommended as the color fades quickly and is difficult to mix with the base. It tends to float on the soap oils! Be aware that with whatever form of colorant you choose, the color will “fade up” as the soap cures - so add accordingly. Finally, you need a mold for your soap. Many types can be purchased, from fancy guest type molds to simple bar molds. You can even convert some of the items you have in your household right now to excellent soap molds! Soap molds can be purchased through craft stores and online shops and are highly recommended. I’ve used many molds purchased through Milky Way Molds on the internet and find them to be inexpensive and of high quality. However, plastic food storage containers (make sure they are dishwasher safe so they won’t melt under the heat of the soap), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe found in hardware stores, plastic candle molds, even wooden molds - any sort of container with smooth contours that is heat proof and that will allow you to de-mold easily - will do.
					* At the end of this article, you'll find links to the sites and products noted above. Or click here to go there now.
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					examples of molds

					THE EQUIPMENT
					For melting your soap base, you can use your microwave oven, a double boiler on the stove, or my favorite method - a crock pot or slow cooker. The microwave is the quickest but least preferred method as the soap tends to melt unevenly and requires a high level of attention. (Also, the more you have to stir, the more air you mix into your base, creating bubbles in your finished soap.) The double boiler melts the soap slowly and evenly, requiring about a medium level of attention. However, the crock pot is simple. Pop your soap in, turn it on and forget it for awhile. Check it now and then, give it a quick stir, and before long, you’re ready to begin adding your oils and herbs. Additionally, melting and mixing your soaps in the crock pot keeps your soap in liquid form at an even temperature for as long as you need. No rushing, no need to re-melt. If you don’t have a crock pot, small ones are inexpensive and can be found at local drug stores and discount stores. Larger pots are useful particularly if you intend to make large batches at a time and still run less than your average double broiler to purchase. You’ll also need glass measuring cups (heat resistant such as Pyrex) preferably in a variety of sizes, glass mixing bowls (unless you mix right in your crock pot!), a good set of metal measuring spoons, glass droppers for your oils, a grater or food processor, metal mixing spoons, and if you plan to whittle your soap down to size, a sharp knife. Glass and metal tools do not transfer fragrances. If you clean thoroughly after soap making, you can return them to kitchen use. If you decide on wooden spoons, however, you must not return them to the kitchen. If in doubt, label the used item “for soap making only” and keep it with your crafting supplies. Use only metal measuring spoons or glass droppers when measuring out essential oils. Essential oils eat through plastic eventually. Although it is not necessary, it is always good advice to consider wearing gloves while working with essential oils as many can “burn” the skin in their undiluted form. Gloves also give you added protection if you happen to spill some of the melted soap on a finger while pouring! The grater or food processor is used to flake or slice up your soap base. If you are working with single bars of purchased soaps or similar small quantities, a grater might be all you need. However, if you are planning large batches, consider an inexpensive food processor to slice those bars down to size. A knife is certainly another alternative. Again, you might want to label these items "for soap crafting only" and store them outside of the kitchen. Finally, consider some form of drying rack for your soaps. You want something like a bakery rack to place your de-molded soap on that allows air to circulate freely all around. In a pinch or for longer term storage, plastic needlepoint sheets found in most craft departments work well and they’re very inexpensive. Make sure your soap is fully cooled before transfer to the plastic though. You don't want to melt the plastic sheets into your bars!
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					BASIC INSTRUCTIONS
					So, you have your ingredients, your equipment, and your recipe. Now what? How you begin is best determined by the melting method you’ve chosen. If you’ve chosen the microwave or the double boiler method, you’ll need to work quickly once the soap has fully melted. It’s a good idea to have pre-measured your colorant, scent, and other additives into small glass dishes and have them close by. If you’ve chosen the slow cooker method, you can gather your ingredients at your leisure. Start by grating, slicing, or cutting your base soap and put it into your pot. A large grate or thin slices, about ¼ inch thick, will melt the best. Using larger chunks or tossing whole bars into your pot will require a longer melting period with heavy stirring. It is possible to burn your base doing this while you try to get the larger chunks to melt. Stir as needed to ensure even melting, but stir as little as possible. And avoid whipping in a lot of air. Think slow and gently, not vigorous. Again, with a slow cooker, stirring once or twice will do it. When your base has melted completely, transfer a small amount to a glass dish. A little one like a custard cup works well. Quickly add your colorant, stirring until completely mixed in. Add more melted soap if necessary. Then, return your mixture to the larger pot to color the rest of your soap. If you find it isn’t dark enough, repeat until you have the desired color. (This process is very much like adding flour or cornstarch to a bit of gravy to thicken it before adding to the whole to avoid lumps.) At this point, add your essential or fragrance oils and any other additives. If you choose to add beeswax or other solid wax type ingredients, you’ll need to melt them separately before adding to the melted soap. Make sure any oatmeal, coffee, or herbs are ground well before adding. Mix everything well. The scent may seem a bit overpowering while the soap is in liquid form but remember, it lightens up quite a bit upon drying. When you’ve mixed thoroughly, it’s time to pour your soap out into your molds. Be sure you have enough on hand so you aren’t running for more in the middle of a pour. You can always leave any little extra bits to harden in your pot as well. They can be removed later and cut down to workable size with a knife or re-melted later and popped into a mold. If you use standard candy or soap molds that are very flexible, there is no need to pre-treat your molds with any kind of releasing agent. The molds will bend similar to ice cube trays and the finished soaps will pop right out. If you use PVC pipe, just push on one end to de-mold. If you’re worried, you can always use a bit of Vaseline or cooking spray on the inside of a mold. I prefer to use nothing as a residue is left behind when using a releasing agent. The easiest way to pour your soap is from a Pyrex or glass measuring cup with a lip on it. A four or eight cup depending on how much melted soap you have is wonderful. You can certainly pour from whatever pot you’ve melted your soap in, but without a lip, it will make it a bit messy. Pour the soap into your molds. Gently tap the molds to release as many air bubbles as possible. The soap will cool very quickly so this must be done right away. A straight pin can be used to pop larger bubbles or those that form around the edge. You can also leave those that appear around the edge and trim them off after de-molding. The soap must remain in a cool area in the molds for at least an hour. When thoroughly cooled, gently de-mold onto your curing racks. Let it sit on your curing racks for a few hours or overnight if you have the time and space available. The soap is ready to use right after de-molding however, the longer you cure it before use, the longer the finished bar lasts. Finished soaps do not need to be wrapped for storage, but depending on heat, humidity, and dust in your area, you may choose to wrap them in waxed paper. If you have low heat and humidity, plastic wrap works as well. Just be aware that the soap may sweat if the humidity or temperature rises. Your glycerin soaps can also become “fuzzy” if left unwrapped. This is simply the attraction of water and particles out of the air and doesn’t harm the soap or the user. In my area, I wrap in plastic wrap and store in a cupboard. I've also dropped several of the same scent and type into a Zip-Lock storage bag under the bathroom sink with no harm done. Don't forget to take a few pictures of your first successes! Pat yourself on the back and enjoy your personalized, handcrafted soaps!
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					some of my very first soaps

					A NOTE ABOUT RECIPES
					My recipes are not precisely measured. I tend to make large batches using about 10 cups of sliced base soap to about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of mixed essential oils. I’ve broken these down into much smaller amounts here. You may find you need a bit more scent for the amount of base or possibly a bit less depending on the base soap you use and your own preference. (Be sure to measure your soap base after slicing.) Play around with the oils and get just the right scent that is pleasing to you before you melt your base. Then it is just a quick addition when the time comes. I've picked up a stash of little bottles that I keep my mixed oils in. It saves me a ton of time and effort (and looking up a recipe) when it's time to make more soap. I can just grab the bottle that says "moon" on it and I can whip up a batch of Lady of the Moon soap in under an hour. Remember, too, if you keep stores of your pre-mixed oils on hand, you can add the same scents to bath salts, scrubs, shampoos, and other such items and create entire bathing beauty sets for your own pleasure or for gift basket giving. As noted above, the soaps you create can be used for magical purposes, for every day showering, for children, for gifts, anything for which you'd grab a bar of soap. MoonCrow uses my soap in a shaving mug along with an old-fashioned shaving brush. He swears that since he switched to using my soap in his mug, he hasn't had the dry skin and breakouts he used to have using regular soap or shaving cream. I'll take that testimonial and pat myself on the back! I've gifted many of my soaps to friends and MoonCrow is currently passing them out to his friends at work. The comments I receive always mention how soft their skin feels and how the scent lasts on their skin for a good part of the day. I attribute these comments to the quality of the base I use, and the high quality essential oils. I just mixed them together! As with anything you create, if you infuse the soap with your intent and energy, you’ll be working toward your magical goal each time you use it. Enjoy!



					Psychic Senses Soap
					This soap is designed to open your mind to your psychic abilities and can aid in divination. Cinnamon, Bay, and Lemongrass all promote the sharpening of psychic abilities. 6 drops Cinnamon Essential Oil 6 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil 4 drops Bay Essential Oil 1 - 1 ½ cup sliced Soap Base. Colorant as desired.
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					Witch's Friend Soap
					This soap is designed for use before any ritual to increase your own personal power. Rosemary for protection, purification, healing and intellectual powers; Balsam Fir has a wonderful earthy scent that is grounding; Orange for purification also imparts a “sunny” scent. 6 drops Rosemary Essential Oil 4 drops Balsam Fir Essential Oi 2 drops Orange Essential Oil 3/4 to 1 cup slice Soap Base colorant as desired (purple is nice here)
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					Lady of the Moon Soap
					This soap is designed for use with Full Moon rituals or anytime you want to be more in tune with the Goddess within. Sandalwood imparts spirituality; Camphor purifies; Lemon attunes you to the moon’s energies; Eucalyptus for healing and purifying. (this is nice to leave white) 6 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil 4 drops Camphor Essential Oil 4 drops Lemon Essential Oil 2 drop Eucalyptus Essential Oil 1 to 1 1/2 cups sliced Soap Base colorant as desired (this one is nice to leave white)
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					Lover's Lift Soap
					This soap is designed to attract love to you or for use in love rituals. It's nice if you just want to smell pretty, too! 3 drops Rose Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil 2 drops Gardenia Essential Oil 2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 2 drops Lavender Essential Oil 1 drop Orange Essential Oil 1 drop Rosemary Essential Oil 1 drop Vanilla Essential Oil ¾ - 1 cup sliced Soap Base Red or Pink colorant as desired.
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					image displayed with permission © Jen B Philpot

					Money Money Soap
					Use this soap to attract money or prior to money drawing ritual. 5 drops Patchouli Essential Oil 3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 2 drops Bay Essential Oil 2 drops Cedar Wood Essential Oil 2 drops Allspice Essential Oil 1 - 1 ½ cup sliced Soap Base Green colorant as desired.

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