[Nfb-krafters-korner] soap making

[Blindhands at aol.com]

Referring to the soap making class that is being given, we will be using  
melt and pour soap.  You melt it in the microwave as Henrietta  explained.  You 
can add color and fragrance oils to the melted  mixture.  There is no problem 
with touching anything as it is safe.   You need to be careful not to get it 
too hot as you should be able to touch it  with your finger and it should feel 
hot, but not burn you.  I stick my  finger in the edge of the mold and pour 
slowly until I feel the soap touch my  finger and pull my finger out.  The soap 
will harden to your finger as soon  as you pull it out as long as it is not too 
hot.  This is why I use a 2 cup  measuring cup that has the pouring spout.  
It allows you to pour it  directly and you need to be careful and do it slow.
 
All of this is soap and can be cleaned up and washed.
 
You do not need any special tools except for the large eye droppers that  
Brambleberry has in case you want to be more precise when adding the fragrance  
oils to a smaller amount of soap.  Remember 1/2 oz of fragrance oil will  scent 
1 pound of melt and pour soap.  So 1 oz. of fragrance oil will do 2  pounds 
of soap.
 
I would not suggest that you put the fragrance oil in the mold to mix it  
especially if the molds are small.  As you will get too much scent in that  small 
amount of soap.  If you add the fragrance oil to the measuring cup  with the 
amount of soap melted [example 1 or 2 pounds of soap] then you can stir  in 
the fragrance oil or color and mix it well before pouring it into the  mold.
 
You need to let the soap set up for a while in the mold before removing it  
out of the mold.  That is why I like to have a couple of molds to pour into  
and let it set over night or at least a couple of hours.
 
Don't forget if they are not ready to come out of the mold and break all  you 
have to do is remelt it and pour it in again.
 
I like using the smaller molds example approx. 2 oz as you get a couple of  
molds per mold and they set up faster.
 
 
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