Practical, luxurious and ecofriendly, handmade soaps are a touch of extravagance in a thrifty world.
To gather ingredients, start with a craft store and buy a bag of glycerin cubes. They come in a variety with wondrous additions for skin quality.
In that section there will be scents to add and molds to make your creations lovely. To add color, add vegetable dye (food coloring) to your batch when you are making it at home.
Do you have a favorite scent in essential oils? Pick up a bottle to scent your soap just right.
In a glass bowl or glass measuring cup, heat the glycerin to liquid form in the microwave following manufacturer's instructions. Thirty seconds at a time is usual. A Dutch oven with a pan suspended over, not touching, boiling water will work too. Remove glycerin from heat.
Add color a few drops at a time, scent likewise, and stir with a handle of a wooden spoon for easy cleanup. Mixing just the right color can be done to make your creation distinctive. The food color won't stain what is washed in the soap.
Pour the warm soap into the mold neatly. That's it! Let it harden an hour, pop out of the mold and set it in the bathroom to amaze your family and friends.
If you want to be really rustic, make this homemade soap that will lather nicely and leave hands pampered. Start with eight ounces of soap flakes that you normally use to hand-wash delicate fabrics with, no substitutes. An eight ounce box takes the worry out of measurement.
Put the flakes into a Dutch oven bowl, adding olive oil, about two tablespoons. Stir a bit and for really elegant soap, add approximately two ounces of honey, new enough to be clear. Melt it if you have to, which should clarify the honey. Stir this together.
Stir for about fifteen minutes over, not touching, boiling water with a wooden spoon. A soft ball similar to dough should form. Now add the scent. (Added sooner, the scent tends to disburse from the heat.)
Here is where the fun really begins: If you just want a good smell, two teaspoons of any essential oil you like will make a delightful fragrance. Frangipane ( love the exotic sound of the name), or lilac or whatever pleases your senses will make a grand scent. Mix oils to get a speciality scent of your own design. A touch of cinnamon can be added for pizzaz.
If you want antiseptic soap, lavender oil, lemon or clove or even rosemary oil can be added. Don't worry about color because the golden tone of the honey is attractive by itself.
Cool the mixture until you can turn it out and knead it into a smooth and firm ball. Split it in two for two good sized bars or even smaller portions for nifty personal soaps. Pack the molds carefully with the mixture. Release and in a warm, dry place, let the cakes of soap set for about a week, two at the most, covered with a cloth to preserve the scent.
They ought to be firm enough after this time to use with thrift. These make great gifts, for use in a guest bathroom, and for yourself, just because you deserve the elegance. * * *
