Glycerin Soap Making 

Getting started

You can buy glycerin soap in 32 ounce blocks (containing 40 smaller cubes) at stores like Walmart (about $6). There are two kinds of glycerin: regular and exfoliating soap. Regular formula produces a clear soap. The exfoliating is a thicker formula which allows for the suspension of additives which gently scrub away old cells (ex. loofah, oatmeal, sea kelp...). These are made of pure vegetable soap with moisturizers and are enriched with aloe vera and vitamin E. Soap bars made with exfoliating materials will be less transparent that those made with glycerin base.

*Cut the desired amount of soap you want with a table knife. The soap will then need to be melted.

    *for small molds (like flowers, sea figures)-  use about 1 cube of glycerin
    *larger molds like animal shapes-                  use about 3 cubes of glycerin
    *full size bar soaps-                                         use about 6 cubes of glycerin

Note: Place the unused portion of the soap into an airtight bag to prevent it from drying out.

If using a microwave, place the soap into a glass measuring cup and cover with plastic wrap. If using a double boiler, place the soap directly into the pan. When melting the soap in the microwave you will want to heat the soap until most BUT NOT ALL of it is melted. The remaining chunks should be GENTLY STIRRED UNTIL COMPLETELY MELTED.

Caution: BE CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING THE SOAP FROM THE MICROWAVE.
THE SOAP AND THE CONTAINER WILL BE VERY HOT!

The Following are some approximate microwave heating guidelines (Individual microwave models may vary)

    Setting - High
    4 cubes- 40 seconds
    10 cubes- 1 minute 20 seconds

Adding Color and Fragrance

Slowly add drops of dye(s) individually, or in combination, to create the color you want. Some possible combinations include:

    orange- yellow and red        purple- - red and blue
    green- yellow and blue        turquoise- blue and yellow
    pink- small amount of red

*** Bars with a pearlized look can be created by stirring the pearl powder into the soap. Approximately 1/8 tsp. will color four cubes.

If you want fragrant soaps, simply add the desired amount of fragrance to meet you personal preference. Following are suggested starting points.

    mild children's soap- 5 drops per cube
    fragrant bath soap- 10 drops per cube

Pouring Soap

The ideal pouring temperature for the soap is 160 degrees F. Once this temperature has been achieved, simply pour the soap into the desired mold. The bar will be easier to remove if you do not fill completely to the top of the mold.

NOTE: IF THE MOLD WRINKLES WHEN YOU POUR SOAP INTO IT, THE SOAP IS TOO HOT AND SHOULD BE GENTLY STIRRED UNTIL IT IS COOL ENOUGH. IF THE SOAP IS TOO COOL IT WILL DEVELOP A SKIN IN THE SURFACE AND MAY NEED TO BE REHEATED.

Once the soap has been poured it is best not to move the mold until the soap sets up (5-30 minutes) depending on the mold size, otherwise wrinkles may appear on the surface.

Removal:

Once the bars have set up at room temperature, removal may be aided by placing the molds in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

SPECIALTY SOAPS

Be creative! You may add essential oils, herbs, or crushed loofah to your soaps. You can create multi color bars by pouring layers of different colors. A soap within a soap can be achieved by surrounding a pearlized heart soap with transparent soap.

  Tips

Rub finished soap with a piece of pantyhose to give the soap a smooth opaque surface.

Wrap in cellophane or plastic wrap for storage.

Supplies -   Soap flakes- get some bars of pure soap ( Ivory, Castile)
    and finely   grate them to make soap powder.
    Start with just 1/3 to 1/2 cup of water per 3 cups of soap powder.
    Add more as needed.
    Liquid food coloring (optional)
    Scent (optional)
    Vegetable oil
    Bowl
    String (if you want soap on a rope)
  Molds

Project how to -

In a bowl pour approximately 3 cups of soap flakes.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cups of water with a few drops of food coloring.

Add a few drops of scent if you want to.

With your hands mix the contents of the bowl until it forms the consistency of play dough.

To shape it, take a drop or two of vegetable oil and rub it between the palm of your hands --now shape anyway you with. 

Press into molds and let dry overnight, before removing from molds.

If you want to make a soap on a rope, cut a piece of string and tie the ends together. Push the knotted end gently into the your finished shape.

More options:

Using the above recipe, pat or roll the mixture out to a suitable thickness and let the kids use cookie cutters or theme cutters to make individual soaps. Make soap-on-a-rope by cutting two identical pieces and sandwiching the string between the layers. You could also make two-tone soaps by using identical shapes of different colors and sandwiching them together. Smaller cutters make nice shapes in guest-soap size that can be placed in a small wicker basket for gift giving, bathroom display or drawer sachets. LESSON PLAN AND Class activities for soap making: for special needs students Choice making- students pick soap colors, molds and scents.[ We made pink bubble gum smelling soap, and blue "gentle rain"]. I asked the students to find colors that were related to the scents. "What color does bubble gum make you think of?" Taking turns: Students took turns with measuring, stirring, adding colors and scents and filling molds. Communication: Using the "cheap talker" communication aide ( a device where you can put in up to 8 different messages and access the messages by touching a square button.) On the cheap talker are the directions for making the soap. Students take turns reviewing the directions by touching the buttons which are set up in order, left to right, top to bottom

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