How to Make Glycerin Soap

Glycerin is the clear, gel-like byproduct of traditional lye soap. When the lye and the animal fat go through a chemical process called saponification, glycerin is produced. Glycerin is becoming a popular soap making base as it is easy to use and isn’t harmful in its pure state like lye.

The process of how to make glycerin soap extremely simple. The process is so simple that it is often called “melt and pour” soap. You can obtain blocks of glycerin from your local craft supply store or at soap making suppliers that are often found online. Melt the glycerin to between 150 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit, either in the microwave or in a double boiler (there are recipes, as well, that use an oven), and then pour the glycerin into molds that have been sprayed lightly with alcohol to reduce bubbling. You can also add another spray of alcohol on the tops of the filled molds to prevent bubbling on that side of the soap as well. That’s it. Simply melt it and pour it. Because of the simplicity of making glycerin soap, it’s quickly becoming a popular soap making method.

How To Make Glycerin Soap – Personalize It

Because of its simplicity, many soap makers are highly personalizing glycerin soap. The customization process of glycerin soap is as easy as the melt and pour technique. Color and fragrance is added after the heating process is complete. Remove the melted glycerin from the heat source and stir in a couple drops of color and/or fragrance. A few drops go a long way, especially with colored dyes. Stir in the colors and fragrances and then pour the soap into the molds.

You can create a layered effect by pouring different colored melted glycerin on top of each other within the mold. Simply spray a small amount of rubbing alcohol between the different layers and allow the soap to set a little bit before adding the next layer. This creates a lovely layered look when you remove the hardened soap from the mold.

How to Make Glycerin Soap - Customization

A fun way to customize your glycerin soap is to add toys. These embeddable toys can be purchased at various soap making suppliers. They are added into the soap while it is setting. Because of the clarity of the glycerin, the toy is easily seen in the middle of the completed bar of soap. As the soap is used, the toy is freed. This is a fun for kids. You can also use the embeddable toy to personalize gifts or complement the theme of your bathroom.

The process of how to make glycerin soap is extremely easy. It’s a good induction to the world of soap making for people who have not tried it before. Glycerin is very forgiving and, should you mess up a batch, you can usually re-heat and re-pour the soap and try again. With the many ways to scent, color and personalize glycerin soaps it’s no wonder that it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to make soap.