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Melt and Pour Soap – The Easiest Way to Make Soap

If you are looking for an easy way to start making soap, melt and pour soap is it!

Have you seen all the soap makers at the farmers market and dreamed you could make soap too? I had a similar experience and thought soap making was way out of my league until I stumped on something called melt and pour soap.

If you are looking for an easy way to start making soap, melt and pour soap is it! Also referred to as hot process soap, it is an inexpensive and quick method to make soap. And I’m answering all your questions about melt and pour below to show you why!

Then we’ll put what you’ve learned into a simple-to-make rosemary citrus melt and pour soap recipe! Are you ready?

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Related: Exfoliating DIY Soap

Related: Lemon Zest Hand Soap

Melt and Pour Soap - The Easiest Way to Make Soap

All Your Questions About Melt and Pour Soap Answered:

What is melt and pour soap made of?

It is a unique base of ingredients carefully crafted for soap making (see an ingredient list here). Melt and pour soap base comes in a variety of choices such as:

Goat milk melt and pour soap base is my favorite to work with. It is specially formulated to suspend additives evenly throughout the soap. Meaning if you add rose petals or lavender buds to your homemade soap, they won’t sink to the bottom of the soap. Instead, they will be blended throughout the soap (see an example here).  

On the other hand, take shea butter melt and pour soap base; while equally lovely for the skin, whatever you add to the soap will either sink to the bottom or lay on the top (see an example here). So, I don’t recommend adding things like flower petals or herbs.

Are melt and pour soaps natural?

That depends on which ones you choose. Many are not natural and or don’t even list their ingredients. I recommend only purchasing melt and pour soap bases that list ingredients and absolutely do not include fragrance! You can easily look up ingredients in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database.

Handmade Soap, Easier Than You Think!

Does melt and pour soap have to cure?  

You’ve likely read about cold process soap making needing to cure for weeks until you can use it. Well, here’s some great news – melt and pour soap base is already cured. So, you can completely avoid that long process and enjoy your soap as soon as it’s solid and cool.

What melt and pour soap supplies do you need?

Unlike cold process soap, you really don’t need a lot to make melt and pour soap. Here’s a shortlist of what you’ll need to gather—some of which you likely already have in your kitchen.

Handmade soap is so so easy to make with melt and pour soap!

Can you add color to melt and pour soap?

Yes, there are several options to color melt and pour soap. The easiest is with natural food coloring made from 100% natural vegetable juices and spices. It works just as easily as standard food coloring but without chemicals.

Another natural option is using plant powders to color soap, such as matcha powder, beetroot powder, or lemon peel. I’ve used each with success to color soap and bath bombs. Just keep in mind with this option, the final color will be much lighter than what you see before the soap sets.

How do you scent melt and pour soap?

Adding scent to homemade soap is my favorite part of soapmaking, and it will likely be yours too! Essential oils can provide a wonderful natural fragrance to all your melt and pour soap recipes. Check out the Simple Living Library for several essential oil blend recipes and soap-making printables!

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    Now, let’s put it all together with a refreshing rosemary citrus melt and pour soap recipe! Combining lemon, sweet orange, and rosemary essential oils for scent. Along with lemon and orange peel for color. And goat milk soap base to suspend fresh rosemary within the soap, just because it’s pretty!

    Hands down the easiest DIY soap ever! Make rosemary citrus melt and pour with natural ingredients.

    Rosemary Citrus Melt and Pour Soap Ingredients:

    ½ lb goat milk soap base

    5 drops sweet orange essential oil

    10 drops lemon essential oil

    15 drops rosemary essential oil

    1 tablespoon orange peel

    1 tablespoon lemon peel

    2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

    1 square silicone soap mold

    How to Make Rosemary Citrus Melt and Pour Soap:

    #1: To begin, prepare the soap mold by cleaning, drying, and spritzing with rubbing alcohol. Set it aside and measure out dry ingredients into a small bowl: one tablespoon of lemon and orange peel. Followed by two tablespoons of fresh rosemary, torn or chopped.

    #2: Next, chop ½ pound of goat milk soap base into small chunks using a soap knife. Toss the chopped soap into a 32-ounce glass measuring cup and place it in the microwave. Melt in 30 seconds intervals, stirring intermittently to avoid burning.

    #3: Remove melted soap promptly from the microwave and add prepared dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly using a non-stick heat-resistant spatula. Once blended, quickly add five drops of sweet orange essential oil, ten drops of lemon essential oil, and fifteen drops of rosemary essential oil.

    #4: Pour rosemary citrus soap into the prepared silicone mold and spritz with rubbing alcohol to remove any bubbles in the soap.

    #5: Allow soap to cool in the mold for one to two hours or until solid before removing from the mold. Yields: 3 bars of soap

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    Try melt and pour soap for yourself with the perfect combination of citrus and rosemary in an easy to make recipe!

    Try melt and pour soap for yourself with the perfect combination of citrus and rosemary in an easy-to-make recipe! Have more questions about melt and pour soap or hot process soap? Drop it in the comment box below!

    6 Comments

    1. Hi, I am making some rosemary and citrus soaps and love the result. BUT only for a few time!! I don’t like the black color in my soap caused by the rosemary bleeding in my light colored soap! how can I avoid that. I am using dried rosemary and dried lemon zest!
      thanks

      1. lifenreflection says:

        Carole, most dried herbs will look dark in soap bars after awhile. But, there are few they hold their color better. Such as parsley flakes, they can hold their vibrant green better and sage keeps a dark green tint too. Either could be easily swapped for the rosemary in this recipe.

    2. How long will the soap keep before I have to use it with using the fresh rosemary in it?
      Thanks

      1. lifenreflection says:

        Tammy, the essential oils in the soap help keep bacteria growth away as well as the lye in the soap base. However, once the soap comes in contact with water I recommend using it up within two months. Other than that, you can store it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight for a very long time.

    3. Dorie Carstens says:

      Hello,
      Is this recipe only for 8 oz of soap? It looks like a lot of essential oils and additives for 1/2 lb when compared to other recipes I’ve used. Thank you for the ideas.

      1. lifenreflection says:

        You can reduce them as you, please. This recipe makes three to four square 2-ounce soap bars. I linked to the soap mold I used, I hope that helps.

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