Description: Melt & Pour glycerine is soap is made with approx. 20 % white soap and 80% vegetable glycerine. The white soap originally has sodium hydroxide (lye is produced when sodium hydroxide is mixed with water) as an emulsifier (to bond the oils and the water). The white soap is then cured for 3-4 weeks during which time the lye reacts with fatty acids and becomes inert. During the curing process the lye dissipates and the total residue in the final product is only approx. 0.1%.
Getting Started: 1. Melt and Pour soap is already reasonably soft, so it doesn't take long to melt, either in a microwave or over a double boiler on the stove. (Remember if you do not have access to a double boiler then a large saucepan part filled with water with a smaller pot resting on some forks in the bottom of the larger pot will suffice).
2. Colour is to be added at this stage. Food colours can be used if lighter shades are required, however too much will result in the final product staining your hands. For stronger cooured soaps oil soluble based colours are preferential.
3. During this step the scent is added. Both essential and fragrant oils can be used according to preference. The ratio can vary according to the potency of the oils and the desired end product (the essential oils being the strongest). We recommend that you try about 1 tablespoon per 500g of melt and pour soap.
4. At this stage you can customize your soap with various additives. We recommend you experiment with carrier oils (such as almond), you can add up to 5%; or raw materials such as aloe vera, vitamin E, crushed plant material (jojoba or sandalwood) or ground pumice stone, you can add up to 2%.
5. Pour your mixture into a mold (molds can be as simple as a tupperware container or jelly mold) and leave to set.
6. Once your soap has hardened it is ready to use and enjoy!
