I have a bunch of soap making supplies
left from making my first batch of melt and pour soap. I also have some end of the season basil from our garden that doesn't taste
that great in cooking. I put them together and made an orange citrus basil soap
using an Aloe Vera vegan glycerin melt and pour soap base.
The result is scrubby dubby good and something I plan to make now for holiday gifts later. Hint: Citrus Basil soap makes great stocking stuffers and teacher gifts!
How Make Aloe Soap
The herbs in this soap will float to the top and sink to the
bottom of the soap mold. To make sure the basil is throughout the soap, melt
and pour the basil infused and scented soap in individual layers. Don’t worry, it is easy. I’ll walk you though it.
My aloe soap base is light green. I chose not to color
it to see what would happen after I added the basil. If you want a more pronounced green color or to do
something crazy like color it blue or whatever color floats your boat, you can add a drop or two of soap color to
the melted soap after you add the scent in Step 3.
You will need:
Orange citrus fragrance oil - WARNING: Some people have a skin reaction to pure orange essential oil
that is why I’m using a blend.
Cooking oil and a pastry brush
Metal fork
Microwave oven or stove and double boiler full of water
Small spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol
Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.
Disclosure: I am including affiliate links for your convenience.
Make it:
1. Spread a thin layer of cooking oil with the pastry brush
in your soap mold. I used a glass Pyrex dish as an experiment for my plastic
free readers. You can use anything that will hold hot soap and not melt. I tried
a plastic yogurt cup and purchased soap mold with equal results.
I use olive oil because it has moisturizing properties and was at the front of the pantry shelf.
2. Melt one to two cubes of soap base in the microwave or
double boiler on the stove. Since I am using as using such a small amount of
soap base, it took 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave to melt the soap base to
make one bar of natural soap.
3. Add a few drops of orange citrus fragrance oil to the melted soap base.
How much you use depends one how heavily scented you want your soap. The
general rule for a heavily scented bar of natural soap is to add 4 to 5 drops
of fragrance oil (less if you are using a concentrated pure essential oil) per
ounce of soap base.
4. Add a pinch of dried basil to the melted soap base and stir
gently with a fork to reduce the chance of creating air bubbles in the soap.
Use a light hand when you are putting additives in your soap. If you add too
much the soap may not clean and lather as well as you might like.
Stirring!
5. Pour the soap into the mold. Caution:
The basil will sink to the bottom and float to the top of the soap mold. That’s
why we are doing this in one to two ounce pours.
6. Spray the soap in the mold with rubbing alcohol to remove
any air bubbles from the top of the soap if needed.
7. Allow the soap to set for 10 to 20 minutes.
8. Repeat Steps 2 through 7 with for the next layer of soap
base.
9. Spray the soap mold with rubbing alcohol to
allow the next layer of soap to stick to cooling soap in the mold, and pour the
next layer of soap to the mold.
10. Allow the soap to set for another 10 to 20 minutes.
Repeat Steps 8 and 9 for as many layers of soap you need to fill the soap mold.
11. Allow the soap to set for several hours until hard. I
let mine set overnight.
12. After the soap sets release the soap from the mold by press
on sides of mold to loosen the soap from the soap mold. If you are using a
glass dish, you may need to carefully run a knife around the sides of the mold
to release the soap.
13. Scrub it up with your homemade soap!
If you'd rather buy than DIY, check out the following options - and more! - below!
If you'd rather buy than DIY, check out the following options - and more! - below!
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6 comments :
It looks extravagantly luxurious! Hope you love using it!
hugs ~ Crystelle
This looks like such a fun project - I can't wait to try!
I'll bet these smell yummy! Putting these on my to do list. xx
I bet that smells great! Thank you for joining in the fun at the Thursday Favorite Things hop. Happy Monday wishes xo P.S. sorry I'm so late visiting :-)
It's very pretty. How do you like it? I love basil!
Thanks for sharing on Repurposed Ideas Weekly.
This looks great! I've never made soap before but have always wanted to try! Love the sound of the citrus and basil!
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