Gifts - DIY Melt & Pour

[PaintyLiz]

Is it possible to make a melt & pour soap base?

I would like to show my daughter how to make soap, but she lives far away & has a 10 y/o son, so thought maybe a homemade MP soap would be a good gift, (better than a box of lye).

The other complicating factor is my fav soap is 100% coconut oil.

I just 'rebatched' some 100% Coconut soap and it's beautifu, but a bit weird, although still suds up beautifully.

I added a ton of water so that it was smooth pudding consistency, so it might work, even if it will take a long time to dry.

I searched the archives and didn't see anything about making a diy MP, but I may have missed it.

Another thought, weighed, possibly blended oils & jar of premixed lye? She would handle all, but her son would probably be ok with it, I've already taught him how to make bread, he's very careful. (you can't blind yourself with sourdough starter though LOL)

Thanks for any info/help/entertainment

 

[Savage Daughter]

Yes, it's possible to make a melt & pour base, but there are things to consider.

Not sure what your laws in your area are for sending hazardous materials through the mail, but I would look into that, for sure. Lye is considered a hazardous material, but in shipping it in smaller amounts doesn't seem to be an issue. This may vary in countries around the world.

Making melt & pour would be significantly more complicated than making bread, which itself is a fairly simple process.

I know I have watched several different videos of people making melt & pour in different ways. My suggestion is, since you haven't done this yourself before, I would make several batches myself first, using different methods. Then you're in a better position to suggest which instructions your daughter should follow. It's not what I would consider a 'beginner' activity, even for an adult. Like anything, practice is important.

I seem to remember one video showing melt & pour being made with glycerine rather than alcohol ?? I think....don't quote me on that though I'm sorry I don't have links to videos to share, but I never did save them as melt & pour is not my thing.

 

[artemis]

I searched the archives and didn't see anything about making a diy MP, but I may have missed it.

Try searching for transparent.

 

[lsg]

 

[AliOop]

https://www.ultimateguidetosoap.com/post/easy-diy-transparent-soap

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I would like to show my daughter how to make soap, but she lives far away & has a 10 y/o son, so thought maybe a homemade MP soap would be a good gift, (better than a box of lye).

I made MP soap one time. It was a real kick! I think your daughter and 10 year old grandson would have fun learning to make soap together --- WITHOUT having to deal with lye!

Is it possible to make a melt & pour soap base?

While it is possible, IME and IMO it's an advanced technique that is both time consuming and expensive compared to CP or HP. I speak from experience. One of the first soaps I learned to make back in 2003 were transparent soaps. I made them and taught other forum members to make them for 4 years. Honestly? It's just not worth the time and trouble.

I searched the archives and didn't see anything about making a diy MP, but I may have missed it.

Go no further than WSP (Wholesale Supplies Plus) for all you need to get started.

Melt and Pour Soap Making - 326 Lessons, Articles, Videos, and Recipes for all skill levels. There are so many different colors, scents, molds and ideas featured! They have Melt & Pour Recipes for every skill level and every occasion.

MELT & POUR SOAP MAKING 101

INTRODUCTION TO MELT & POUR SOAP MAKING

They feature a couple of kits that have everything you need to make a batch of M&P. If I were you, I would get one for me and one for my daughter/grandson. That way, you can help when they get stumped. LOL

On the other hand, you can create a kit by reading the ingredients listed then purchasing them locally from Michaels or Hobby Lobby. The M&P base they sell is not as good as SFIC, the #1 choice of M&P soapmakers, but plenty good enough for 1st timers to see if they like it or not.

ETA: Another option is Elements Bath and Body that is now a subsidiary of WSP. That's where I bought my MP base. You can get to their site from the WSP home page. They currently have a LOT of MP molds on closeout. Plus, shipping might be faster than the 2-week delay at WSP. Keep in mind, the products at both suppliers include free shipping ($25 minimum) so it may seem more expensive than buying elsewhere.

Check out their bases and info for getting started.

ELEMENTS BATH & BODY - SFIC M&P BASES

 

[A-Polly]

I second what @Zany_in_CO said. SFIC makes really nice bases. Would like to add that Bramble Berry also sells SFIC bases, plus some very nice, beautifully packaged kits which ship for free! My grandchildren are not yet 10, but we began with a M&P kit a few years ago so that they could make Xmas gifts. Of course, once they get started and have a few supplies, they'll have fun coming up with their own designs. Last month we made Halloween shapes (ghosts, pumpkins, black stars, skulls) with cheap candy molds, and then they had fun each adding different shapes to a layer of clear M&P on top of a solid base layer, using the silicone mold that came with an earlier kit.

BB has 3 levels of kits now, ranging from "mini" (very small, just a little plastic mold), to a full-on "beginner creator box" that is more expensive but contains most everything anyone will need to get started: 3 nice silicone molds, 3 different SFIC bases, plus fragrances, a thermometer (not infrared, alas!), colors, and more. I've only ever tried a "regular" which comes with one silicone mold, one fragrance, etc. My grandkids were particularly taken with the Celestial Soap Kit, I think because of the sparkly blue & purple colors, and glitter!

https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-b...p-kit/V700033.html?cgid=3-kid_kit_pro#start=1
But yes, WSP and BB both have lots of projects and information on their sites; especially WSP — there must be hundreds of projects there! Good luck, I think this sort of thing makes a terrific gift!

 

[PaintyLiz]

Thanks for all the info.

Here is a recipe I found at Nerdy Farmwife. I love her oatmeal & honey soap.
https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/diy-melt-pour-soap-base/
I am not interested in commercially produced melt & pour bases because:

1) I only give homemade gifts
2) I make EVERYTHING I use/eat organically from scratch and don't want propylene glycol & titanium dioxide in my soaps and won't give to my daughter, even though she isn't as fussy.
3) Where's the fun in just buying something?

I don't think I'm going to bother making MP soap, but I am considering grinding up some bars & telling her to just cook it with some water & pour. I just did that with some 100% Organic Coconut Oil soap & it turned out great even though I added too much water. It separated out & looks really interesting, lathers, cleans & rinses well, so I'm happy. The bars are going to dehydrate & shrink as the water leaves. They're just for dishwashing, so no biggie.

~~~ Aren't newbies so annoying! ~~~​

Thanks for the comment on shipping lye, I have no intention of shipping anything, but good to remind people that you can't ship dangerous liquids.