Creating Fragrant Soaps: A Beginner's Guide To Aromatic Crafting

Making your own fragrant soap is a fun and easy DIY project that can be a creative way to pass the time or even a unique gift for your friends and family. There are several methods to create your own soap, such as the cold process, melt-and-pour, or using a pre-made base. Each method requires different tools and ingredients, but the process generally involves melting a soap base, adding fragrances and colours, pouring the mixture into moulds, and letting it cool and harden. The cold process, for example, requires more safety equipment and ingredients such as distilled water, lye, and various oils, while the melt-and-pour method is more beginner-friendly and uses a pre-made glycerin soap base.

Safety gear

Safety should be a top priority when making soap. Sodium hydroxide lye is highly caustic and has the potential to burn the skin, and it can cause eye and skin irritation if it comes into direct contact. However, when handled correctly, it is perfectly safe. Here is a list of safety gear you should wear when making soap:

• Long-sleeved shirt: Wear a long-sleeved top to protect your arms from any splashes of lye or raw soap.
• Pants: Wear long trousers to protect your legs from any spills or splashes.
• Closed-toed shoes: Closed-toed shoes will protect your feet from any accidental drops of hot liquid or raw soap.
• Safety goggles: Goggles will help prevent any eye injuries that could be caused by splashes or flying particles. Look for goggles that seal around the eye and provide full eye protection, such as the Jackson Safety V90 Shield Clear Anti-Fog Lens Protection Goggle or the TR Industrial Anti-Fog Approved Wide-Vision Lab Safety Goggle.
• Gloves: Wear gloves that can withstand exposure to lye, raw soap, and fragrance materials, such as nitrile gloves. These come in a variety of lengths to provide more forearm coverage if desired.
• Respirator: A respirator will protect you from inhaling essential oils, fragrance oils, and colourant particles. Choose a respirator with replaceable cartridges that filter both particulate and volatile organic compounds, such as the 3M 6502QL Rugged Comfort Quick Latch Half Facepiece Reusable Respirator or the 3M Ultimate FX Full Facepiece Reusable Respirator FF-401.
• Fan exhaust system or fume extractor: In addition to a respirator, consider installing a fan exhaust system or fume extractor in your workspace to help clean the air during and after the soap-making process.
• Eye wash station: If you don't have running water in your workspace, set up an eye wash station so that you can quickly wash your eyes if needed.

Measure water and lye

Measuring water and lye is a crucial step in the soap-making process. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Safety First

Before you begin, it's important to prioritise your safety. Put on long-sleeved clothing, safety goggles, and gloves. Working in a well-ventilated area is also recommended to avoid inhaling any fumes produced during the process.

Step 2: Measure the Distilled Water and Lye

For this step, you'll need a plastic pitcher, a small glass bowl, and a plastic spatula. Measure out the distilled water into the plastic pitcher; the amount of water will vary depending on your recipe, but typically, it's around 9 ounces (255 ml). Next, carefully measure out the lye (sodium hydroxide) in a separate small glass bowl; for this example, you'll need 4.56 ounces (130 grams) of lye.

Step 3: Combine Water and Lye

Now, carefully pour the lye into the distilled water in the plastic pitcher. Stir the mixture with a plastic spatula until the lye has completely dissolved. This step will produce fumes, so make sure you're in a well-ventilated area and avoid inhaling the fumes.

Step 4: Ice Bath for the Lye-Water Mixture

Place the plastic pitcher containing the lye-water mixture into an ice-water bath. This simply means placing the pitcher into a larger plastic bowl filled with very cold water. This step helps to control the temperature of the mixture.

Step 5: Measure and Melt the Hard Oils

In a separate large plastic bowl, measure out your chosen hard oils, such as coconut oil and palm oil. The amounts will depend on your recipe, but for this example, use 9.6 ounces (270 grams) of coconut oil and 6.4 ounces (180 grams) of palm oil. You can combine these oils in the same container. Melt the oils by microwaving them in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until they're completely melted.

Step 6: Measure the Liquid Oils

In another container, measure out your liquid oils, such as olive oil, castor oil, and sweet almond oil. For this example, you'll need 12.8 ounces (360 ml) of olive oil, 1.6 ounces (45 ml) of castor oil, and 1.6 ounces (45 ml) of sweet almond oil.

Step 7: Combine the Oils

Pour the melted hard oils and liquid oils into the same container and mix them together.

Step 8: Temperature Check

Using a digital thermometer, take the temperature of both the oil mixture and the lye-water mixture. Ideally, you want both mixtures to be between 80°F and 90°F (27°C and 32°C). They can go up to 120°F (49°C), but it's crucial that they are within 10 degrees of each other. If your oil mixture needs to be heated, place it in the microwave for short intervals until it reaches the desired temperature range.

Step 9: Prepare the Fragrance Oil

In a small glass bowl, measure out your chosen fragrance oil. For this example, you'll need 2 ounces (60 ml) of fragrance oil.

Step 10: Add Clay Powders (Optional)

If you want to add some texture or colour to your soap, you can mix in some clay powders at this stage. Measure out 2 tablespoons of kaolin clay powder and 1 teaspoon of rose clay powder (optional). Add these powders to the oil mixture and blend with a stick blender until you achieve a smooth consistency.

Step 11: Combine the Oil and Lye Mixtures

Put your safety goggles back on, as this step can be a bit tricky. Carefully pour the lye-water mixture into the oil mixture. Use your stick blender to combine the two mixtures and continue blending until you reach "trace." Trace is when you can see the mixture sitting on top of each other, slightly separated, when you lift the blender out. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

Step 12: Add the Fragrance Oil

Now, pour in the fragrance oil and gently stir it into the mixture.

Step 13: Pour into Soap Mold

Carefully pour the soap mixture into your chosen soap mold. You can use a single large block mould or smaller individual moulds. If you like, you can create waves or lines on the top of the soap in the mould using a spoon or fork for added texture.

Step 14: Allow the Soap to Harden

Place the mould in an upturned box or a safe, undisturbed area for about 24 hours to let the soap harden.

Step 15: Remove from Mould and Cut

After the hardening process, you can safely handle the soap without gloves. Carefully remove the soap from the mould and cut it into your desired sizes and shapes using a soap cutter or a kitchen knife.

Step 16: Cure the Soap

The final step is to cure the soap. Place the soap bars on a plate or tray and store them in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks. During this time, excess water will evaporate, making the soap stronger and longer-lasting.

And that's it! You've successfully measured and combined the water and lye, and your soap is now ready for the curing process. Remember to always prioritise safety when working with lye and follow the measurements and instructions carefully. Happy soap-making!

Melt hard oils

Hard oils are solid or semi-solid at room temperature and are key to creating a long-lasting bar of soap. Examples of hard oils include coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, and mango butter.

To melt hard oils, you can use a microwave, a double boiler, or a stove. If using a microwave, cut the hard oils into small cubes and place them in a microwave-safe container. Microwave the oils in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until they are fully melted.

If you don't have access to a microwave, you can use a double boiler or a stainless steel pot on the stove. For the double boiler method, fill a large pot with water and place a heat-safe bowl on top. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Turn the heat to low and let the water simmer. Place the hard oils in the bowl and stir until melted.

Alternatively, you can use a stainless steel pot on low heat on the stove. Place the hard oils directly in the pot and stir until melted. This method can take a while, so be patient and monitor the temperature to avoid overheating.

Once your hard oils are melted, you can measure out the desired amount and combine them with liquid oils before adding your fragrance and colour of choice.

Add fragrance

Adding a fragrance to your soap is a great way to make it your own. You can choose from a wide range of ingredients to scent your soap, including fruit extracts, herbs and spices, and essential oils.

When adding fragrance to your soap, it is important to use the correct amount. A good rule of thumb is to use 0.3 to 0.5 ounces of fragrance per pound of soap base. If you are using essential oils, a more precise measurement is 5 grams of essential oil per pound of soap.

Before adding your fragrance, make sure your soap base is melted and smooth. Remove the soap base from its packaging and cut it into small cubes. Place the cubes into a microwavable container and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the soap is fully melted.

Once your soap base is melted, it's time to add your chosen fragrance. Pour in your fragrance and stir slowly and thoroughly for about 20 to 30 seconds, being careful not to stir up too many bubbles.

If you are making layered soap, you will need to add your fragrance to each layer separately. Simply follow the above steps for each layer, allowing each layer to set before pouring the next.

Pour into moulds

Now that you've prepared your moulds and added any decorative touches like dried flowers or herbs, it's time to pour in your soap mixture.

Slowly pour the soap base into your moulds, taking care to minimise the number of bubbles that form. Spray the surface with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol to break up any bubbles that do form. You can also spritz the moulds with alcohol before pouring to prevent bubbles from forming.

If you're creating multiple layers of colour, fill each mould only halfway, then wait 5 to 10 minutes for the first layer to set before pouring in the next. You can check if it's ready by lightly touching the surface. If it holds without breaking or rippling, you can pour the next layer.

Once you've filled your moulds, give them a light tap on the counter to bring any remaining air bubbles to the surface and spritz once more with alcohol. Then, leave your soap to set. This can take anywhere from 1 to 24 hours, depending on the recipe and the number of layers.

After the soap has hardened, gently tug on the sides of the mould and apply gentle pressure to the bottom of the bars to pop them out. If you're having trouble removing the soap, try tapping the mould on a hard surface or gently warming the outside of the mould to loosen the soap.

Frequently asked questions