How to Make Embedded Soap
Choose your embed materials., Choose your colors., Melt the soap base., Add scent to your base., Spray your soap mold with alcohol., Pour a layer of soap., Let the bottom layer of soap set partway., Place your embed., Pour the second layer of soap...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose your embed materials.
Before you make embedded soap you have to decide what you want to embed.
Dried herbs and small toys are the most popular, particularly if you’re making the soap to give as a gift.
You should avoid embedding things that are dangerous, like sharp objects.
Fake flowers will wilt and lose their color, so you should avoid using them as well., Crayons are not approved for use in soap, but colorants like LabColors, Color Blocks, Micas, and Clays are.
They come in a wide variety of colors.
Choose colors that complement your embed and the theme of your soap.For example, if you're making soap for kids, you might want to choose bright, primary colors.
If you're making soaps that you want to look more feminine, try softer, more pastel colors.
The color of your soap base will affect the final color of your soap.
A clear base will give you an intense color; a white base will make your color look more pastel., Microwave 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares of base for 30 seconds at a time.
You should stir in between each round until the base is completely melted and smooth.
The amount of base you need will vary by recipe., Once you’ve got your soap base melted, you can add fragrance.
Most people add fragrance by adding a few drops of essential oils to their soap base and mixing it well.You probably only need three to four drops if you’re using essential oil for fragrance.
For a subtler fragrance, you can use two drops or so.
More than four will probably make the scent pretty overwhelming. , Spraying your mold with alcohol will get rid of any air bubbles on the surface of the mold.
This will give your soap a smooth surface and prevent air bubbles from forming in the soap.Using a silicon pan – like a jelly roll mold – is your best bet for melt and pour soap, since it will make it easy to take the soap out once it has set. , The bottom later of soap base should be thick enough that your embed won’t just sink to the bottom of the mold.
Be sure not to make the bottom layer so thick that the top layer of soap won't properly cover the embed., If you try placing your embed in the bottom layer of soap right away, it will just sink to the bottom.
Let the bottom layer set for a few minutes before pressing the embed partway into the bottom layer of soap., Once the bottom layer of soap is partially set, place your embed where you want it to go in the soap.
Depending on what it is, you might want to push it almost all the way to the bottom or the pan, or you might want to just barely put it into the bottom layer if you want it to stick out the top.If you’re adding more than one embed – as you might if you’re using dried herbs, for example – place them carefully.
Dropping a handful of herbs into your bottom layer probably won’t produce the prettiest soap. , Wait a few minutes after placing your embed and then pour the second layer of soap.
Pour slowly, as you don’t want to risk the embed being moved from the force of the second layer being poured., After you’ve poured the second layer of soap, let the whole thing set for a few hours.
Once it's set, take the soap out of the mold.
If you’re using a silicon mold, you can carefully peel the mold away from the soap.
Then cut the soap into the shapes you want – you can simply cut it into bars or use cookie cutters to create different shapes., If you’re not using or giving your soap away immediately, wrap it in plastic.
This keeps it from getting ruined and maintains the scent.
Store it in a cool, dark place., Because you're using lye in cold process soap-making, make sure there are no kids or pets in the area.
You'll also want to put on your protective gear: safety goggles and gloves., Measure out the lye and water you need for the recipe you're using.
Slowly add the lye to the water and stir until the liquid turns clear.Turn your head away from the container you're mixing in the lye and water in.
Breathing the fumes is very dangerous.
Do not add the water to the lye, as this will cause the mixture to foam up.
You should mix the lye and water in a stainless steel or tempered glass container. , Measure out each of the oils your recipe calls for.
This might include having to first melt down the oils
- particularly if you're using something like shea butter.
Once they're all measured out, mix them together.You should use a metal or tempered glass bowl to the mix your oils. , Before you pour the lye into the oils, make sure the mixtures are within ten degrees of each other and have cooled to under 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius).
Pour the lye slowly into the oils.To prevent air bubbles, you can pour the lye down the stick of your stick blender into the oils. , Using a stick blender, pulse the lye and oil mixture a few times to start the mixing process.
Once you've pulsed the mixture a few times, you can keep the stick blender on and blend the soap together continuously.Look for tracing to know when the soap is fully mixed.
Tracing means that soap drizzled on top holds its shape for a moment before it sinks back down., Before you pour the soap into molds, add your color, fragrance, and embeds.
You should always stir these in by hand.
You should also add color before fragrance, and place the embeds last., Once you've added your extras, pour the soap into your molds.
Allow them to set for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature.
Once they've set, take them out of the molds, cut them, and let them cure for 4 to 6 weeks. -
Step 2: Choose your colors.
-
Step 3: Melt the soap base.
-
Step 4: Add scent to your base.
-
Step 5: Spray your soap mold with alcohol.
-
Step 6: Pour a layer of soap.
-
Step 7: Let the bottom layer of soap set partway.
-
Step 8: Place your embed.
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Step 9: Pour the second layer of soap.
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Step 10: Let your soap fully solidify.
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Step 11: Wrap in plastic.
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Step 12: Prepare your soap-making area.
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Step 13: Add water to your lye.
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Step 14: Mix your oils.
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Step 15: Pour the lye mixture into the oils.
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Step 16: Mix the lye and oils.
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Step 17: Add embeds and other extras.
-
Step 18: Pour the soap into molds.
Detailed Guide
Before you make embedded soap you have to decide what you want to embed.
Dried herbs and small toys are the most popular, particularly if you’re making the soap to give as a gift.
You should avoid embedding things that are dangerous, like sharp objects.
Fake flowers will wilt and lose their color, so you should avoid using them as well., Crayons are not approved for use in soap, but colorants like LabColors, Color Blocks, Micas, and Clays are.
They come in a wide variety of colors.
Choose colors that complement your embed and the theme of your soap.For example, if you're making soap for kids, you might want to choose bright, primary colors.
If you're making soaps that you want to look more feminine, try softer, more pastel colors.
The color of your soap base will affect the final color of your soap.
A clear base will give you an intense color; a white base will make your color look more pastel., Microwave 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares of base for 30 seconds at a time.
You should stir in between each round until the base is completely melted and smooth.
The amount of base you need will vary by recipe., Once you’ve got your soap base melted, you can add fragrance.
Most people add fragrance by adding a few drops of essential oils to their soap base and mixing it well.You probably only need three to four drops if you’re using essential oil for fragrance.
For a subtler fragrance, you can use two drops or so.
More than four will probably make the scent pretty overwhelming. , Spraying your mold with alcohol will get rid of any air bubbles on the surface of the mold.
This will give your soap a smooth surface and prevent air bubbles from forming in the soap.Using a silicon pan – like a jelly roll mold – is your best bet for melt and pour soap, since it will make it easy to take the soap out once it has set. , The bottom later of soap base should be thick enough that your embed won’t just sink to the bottom of the mold.
Be sure not to make the bottom layer so thick that the top layer of soap won't properly cover the embed., If you try placing your embed in the bottom layer of soap right away, it will just sink to the bottom.
Let the bottom layer set for a few minutes before pressing the embed partway into the bottom layer of soap., Once the bottom layer of soap is partially set, place your embed where you want it to go in the soap.
Depending on what it is, you might want to push it almost all the way to the bottom or the pan, or you might want to just barely put it into the bottom layer if you want it to stick out the top.If you’re adding more than one embed – as you might if you’re using dried herbs, for example – place them carefully.
Dropping a handful of herbs into your bottom layer probably won’t produce the prettiest soap. , Wait a few minutes after placing your embed and then pour the second layer of soap.
Pour slowly, as you don’t want to risk the embed being moved from the force of the second layer being poured., After you’ve poured the second layer of soap, let the whole thing set for a few hours.
Once it's set, take the soap out of the mold.
If you’re using a silicon mold, you can carefully peel the mold away from the soap.
Then cut the soap into the shapes you want – you can simply cut it into bars or use cookie cutters to create different shapes., If you’re not using or giving your soap away immediately, wrap it in plastic.
This keeps it from getting ruined and maintains the scent.
Store it in a cool, dark place., Because you're using lye in cold process soap-making, make sure there are no kids or pets in the area.
You'll also want to put on your protective gear: safety goggles and gloves., Measure out the lye and water you need for the recipe you're using.
Slowly add the lye to the water and stir until the liquid turns clear.Turn your head away from the container you're mixing in the lye and water in.
Breathing the fumes is very dangerous.
Do not add the water to the lye, as this will cause the mixture to foam up.
You should mix the lye and water in a stainless steel or tempered glass container. , Measure out each of the oils your recipe calls for.
This might include having to first melt down the oils
- particularly if you're using something like shea butter.
Once they're all measured out, mix them together.You should use a metal or tempered glass bowl to the mix your oils. , Before you pour the lye into the oils, make sure the mixtures are within ten degrees of each other and have cooled to under 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius).
Pour the lye slowly into the oils.To prevent air bubbles, you can pour the lye down the stick of your stick blender into the oils. , Using a stick blender, pulse the lye and oil mixture a few times to start the mixing process.
Once you've pulsed the mixture a few times, you can keep the stick blender on and blend the soap together continuously.Look for tracing to know when the soap is fully mixed.
Tracing means that soap drizzled on top holds its shape for a moment before it sinks back down., Before you pour the soap into molds, add your color, fragrance, and embeds.
You should always stir these in by hand.
You should also add color before fragrance, and place the embeds last., Once you've added your extras, pour the soap into your molds.
Allow them to set for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature.
Once they've set, take them out of the molds, cut them, and let them cure for 4 to 6 weeks.
About the Author
Deborah Davis
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in practical skills and beyond.
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