| Melting the soap: Cut 8 oz. of soap (½ of a 1 lb. block) into chunks, and place in a double boiler or microwave-safe container. Heat soap slowly until just melted. If using a microwave, heat for 15-20 seconds at a time. Soap melts at about 140°F and should not go over 160°F. If the soap gets too hot, it will smell bad and lose transparency and moisture. This is not what you want for your soap creation! Temperature control is one of the keys to making a good bar of soap. You can use a candlemaking or candy thermometer, but it’s not usually necessary if you heat the soap carefully. Stir very gently to avoid adding air bubbles to the melted soap.
Adding color:
You can either use color nuggets, or liquid colorant. If you are using color nugget, each will dye approximately two pounds of soap; for 8 oz. of soap, you’ll only need ¼ of the "nugget" or less. Remember to stir gently. For soft, pastel colors, start adding a very small amount of the colorant until it reaches the intensity you want. If you are using liquid colorant, follow the instructions to determine how much color you would like.
Adding scent:
A little goes a long way! ½ oz. (1 tablespoon) of fragrance oil is the most you’ll need for one pound of soap...so for 8 oz., add 1 - 1½ teaspoons of scent, stirring gently. Be sure the fragrance you’re using is soap-safe so it won’t irritate your skin. Also, keep in mind that the color of the fragrance oil will affect the final color of your soap
Pour into mold:
Pour the melted soap into two 4 oz. soap mold cavities. Any air bubbles in the liquid soap will rise to the top. To remove the bubbles, you can lightly spray with rubbing alcohol right after pouring, or smooth them off after the soap is finished. Let the soap completely harden before removing it from the mold.
Use and enjoy!
Your soap is ready to use as soon as it hardens. If you won’t be using it right away, wrap the bar(s) in plastic wrap. Your soap is high in glycerine content which softens the skin. It also attracts moisture, especially in humid climates. If left out in the air, it will form beads of moisture on it, and will become unattractive and messy. You can prevent this by wrapping your soap in airtight plastic wrap.
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