Melt and Pour Soap - a basic melt & mould guide

Here is a simple and basic guide on how to make melt and pour soap. Pretty much every soap making recipe starts with the few steps mentioned in this post, a great help for first time soap makers...

Ideal for the craft market, because it requires little in the way of specialist equipment, customers typically need only to add colour and fragrance to achieve fantastic finished soap bars. Our Melt and Pour soap bases are also popular with large scale, automated, manufacturers wanting to produce mass market innovative soap lines to differentiate themselves from their competition.

Making soap using Melt & Pour Soap Base is easy and simple using

1. Microwave

2. Double Saucepan on your stove top

First you’ll need a little bit of equipment to get started so get together this little list of tools:

• Soap Moulds 
• M&P Soap Base 
• Cosmetic Grade fragrance
• Soap Cutter or Sharp Knife to cut soap base into cubes
• Microwave container or Double saucepan
• Spoons to Mix
• Plastic Wrap / Clingfilm
• Colouring and additives according to your recipe

1. So the simple MICROWAVE instructions are here:

• Cut up your Soap Base into chunks, just like ice cubes 
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• Weigh your soap according to the tutorial / recipe (if your following one)
• Place your soap cubes into your microwave container
• We suggest covering the top of your cup with plastic wrap or a dinner plate this helps to keep the moisture level stable
• Pop your soap base into the microwave for 1 minute, per 500g, then reduce to medium or low in 30 second bursts. Just keep an eye on it!
• Stir, and gently mix the soap occasionally ensuring that all soap base is fully melted.
• Once melted feel free to add your fragrance, colour, and any other additives you wish to add (see our projects in this blog area for recipes and ideas)
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• Mix, gently and then pour out the melted soap base into your moulds.
• Spray the surface with rubbing alcohol to remove bubbles. It may also help layers stay together in loaf mixtures.
• Allow the soap to set for 6-8 hours, then remove and get ready to enjoy.
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2. Alternatively, you use a DOUBLE SAUCEPAN. This would be a more classic method and much more convenient when using larger quantities of soap or indeed if you are doing 2 colours or styles - eg. 1 for transparent and one for white.

Also it is easier, it has a lid to keep the steam form escaping and it doesn't need to be moved; checking the melt process is easier.

The inner/smaller pot holds the soap and this sits int he larger one which has water in it. Your inner pot should just float a little, so that the water is the only heat it gets underneath and around the side.

• Cut up your Soap Base into chunks, just like ice cubes 
• 
• Weigh your soap according to the tutorial / recipe (if your following one)
• Place your soap cubes into inner pot of the double saucepan
• 
• Keeping the lid on during ht emelt process helps to maintain the moisture level
• Stir, and gently mix the soap occasionally ensuring that all soap base is fully melted.
• If you are making other batches from your melted soap, decant the desired amount into another bowl to mix in your additives. This leaves the rest of the soap ready for your next batch.
• Once ready, add your fragrance, colour, and any other additives according to your recipe.
•      
• Mix, gently and then pour out the melted soap base into your moulds.
• Spray the surface with rubbing alcohol to remove bubbles. It may also help layers stay together in loaf mixtures.
• Allow the soap to set for 6-8 hours, then remove and get ready to enjoy.
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