Whether youre pinching your penny or looking for a new hobby, the process of making your own homemade natural soap has attracted many. A starter kit designed for beginners might be the best option for you if youre just starting out. If you want to take on a bigger challenge, however, you might consider searching out recipes and trying one on your own.
Starter Kits for Natural Soap
Soap making starter kits contain all the soap supplies you will need, and are the simplest way to go. Complete with molds and detailed instructions, you will be guided every step of the way. Look for a kit in a craft store, or shop online.
Melt and Pour Soap is what youll most likely find in these starter kits. Just as its name indicates, you melt the glycerin, and pour it into the molds. Using your microwave makes the process even simpler.
The Hot Process
When making natural soap using the hot process, be prepared for a few hours of heat. Mix your soap supplies and ingredients over the stove in a double boiler or stock pot, and cook for several hours. Finally, pour into molds.
The nice thing about the hot method is that because of the cooking process, it expedites the time it takes for your soap to cure. On the downside, some of the valuable glycerin is lost while the mixture is heated over the stove. Soothing the skin by pulling moisture right out of the air, glycerin is one of the most valuable components of natural soap.
The Cold Process
While the glycerin retention and preparation is much more favorable in the cold method, the time to wait is not. Soap created through the cold process takes three to four weeks to cure, meaning you must hold off for that long before ever using your soap.
Find an easy recipe that others have been successful with. After setting out your soap supplies, line the container(s) you will be using with plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, add the lye to the distilled water and take caution lye causes heat, and there will be fumes.
Melt the oils in the microwave, and add to the lye-water mixture; stir. Place the mixture in the lined containers, and wait for it to solidify. Cut into bars, and set aside to cure according to recipe instructions. Use within twelve months.