Buzz
If you're looking to try your hand at soap-making but are hesitant to work with lye, consider crafting a new bar of soap from leftover soap scraps. This is a great way to learn basic soap-making techniques and experiment with additives like oatmeal or essential oils. This process, known as hand milling, allows you to recycle soap scraps and create homemade soap, resulting in what’s often called 'rebatch' or 'handmade soap'.
Steps
Prepare the Basic Ingredients
Select Soap. You can use any soap you like, but natural, unscented soaps like pure Castile soap work best as they give you more flexibility to add your own scents or other ingredients. Prepare about 340g of soap.
- Rebatch soap will have a grainy texture once hardened, unlike regular smooth bars of soap.
- If using leftover soap scraps, try to use pieces with similar fragrances, otherwise your soap may have an unpleasant scent.
- Feel free to use different colors, but keep in mind that the colors might not blend together well, and sometimes rebatch soap ends up with a marbled or patchy color effect.
Grate or Cut the Soap into Small Pieces. The easiest way to do this is by using a grater, but you can also use a knife to shave it. The smaller the pieces, the faster the soap will melt.
Place the Soap in a Double Boiler. Fill the bottom pot with water up to about 2.5 - 5 cm. Put a heatproof bowl in the pot, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the pot's base. Add the chopped soap into the bowl.
- You can substitute the double boiler with a slow cooker if you have one.
- You can also melt the soap directly in a pot, but be sure to cut it into small pieces to prevent burning.
Add a Small Amount of Water to the Soap. You will need 250 ml of water for every 340 g of soap. This step helps soften the soap. However, don’t add too much water or the soap may not harden properly.
- For a unique twist, try using tea or milk instead of water. You can also use buttermilk for a creamy texture.
- If you’re making cold-process soap, you may need less water if using plain water.
Start Heating the Soap, Stirring Every 5 Minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait for the water to boil. Every 5 minutes, use a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to stir the soap. Be sure to scrape the soap from the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- If using a slow cooker, cover it and set the heat to high. Occasionally open the lid and stir to prevent burning.
- If melting the soap in a regular pot, keep the heat low to prevent scorching.
Continue Heating and Stirring the Soap Until It Becomes Soft. Rebatch soap will never melt completely like soap made from scratch. It will turn into a chunky, oatmeal-like mixture, with a texture similar to mashed potatoes. Be patient, as this process may take 1-2 hours.
- Eventually, the soap will stop changing texture. If, after some time, the soap still remains in the same state, it means it won't melt any further, and you can move on to the next step.
- If the soap starts to burn, turn off the heat and add a small amount of cold water.
Additives
Wait for the Soap to Cool to 65-70°C. You don’t have to use any additives if you don’t want to, but they can give your soap a refined touch. You also don’t need to use all the additives available. Pick one or two (or three!) ingredients that you enjoy the most!
Stir in Some Fragrance or Essential Oils for Scent. You should use about 15 ml of essential oil for every 350 g of soap. If your soap already has a scent, you can skip this step or add a similar fragrance. For example, if your base soap has a lavender scent, you can add a drop of lavender essential oil during rebatching.
- You don’t need to use as much essential oil as fragrance oils, since essential oils are much more concentrated.
- Don’t use candle fragrance oils, as they are not safe for skin contact.
- Another option to add scent is using spices. This also adds color to your soap. You can use 1-2 tablespoons (7.5-15 g) of a spice, such as cinnamon powder.
Add Oils for a Luxurious Soap. If you want a more luxurious result, you can add a few drops of nourishing oils, such as vitamin E oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, etc. Anything you’d like to apply to your skin is suitable to put into the soap. However, don’t overdo it; adding too much oil can affect the soap curing process!
- Another skin-nourishing additive is honey. Not only does it provide a pleasant fragrance and moisturize the skin, but honey also gives the soap a beautiful golden color. You can use ¼ - ½ cup (90-180 g) of honey.
Add a Few Drops of Soap Dye to Color Your Soap. Soap dye is transparent, so it is ideal only for white soap. You can buy soap dyes online or at craft and art supply stores. Add 1-2 drops of dye to the soap and stir well. Continue stirring until the color is evenly distributed. If the color isn’t vibrant enough, you can add one more drop.
- Soap dyes are very concentrated, so you should only add 1-2 drops at a time until you achieve the desired color.
- You must use soap-specific dye. Don’t substitute with candle dye, as it’s not safe for skin. Food coloring also won’t work as effectively.
- You can also use the dye to enhance the existing color of the soap. For example, you could deepen a light green soap color with a drop of blue dye.
Enhance the soap's texture with some plant-based ingredients and exfoliants. These ingredients are excellent for dry or dull skin. The exfoliants gently remove dead skin cells, leaving your skin soft and smooth. Sea salt, oatmeal, and dried lavender buds are fantastic options. Here are the recommended amounts of ingredients for every 340g of soap:
- ¾ - 1 cup (90 - 120g) of exfoliants such as oatmeal, almond meal, coffee grounds, etc.
- 1 cup (50g) of herbs with low essential oil content like chamomile, calendula, and lavender. Fresh or dried works well.
- 1 - 2 teaspoons (1 - 2g) of herbs with low essential oil content, such as rosemary. Fresh or dried is fine.
Pouring the Soap
Prepare the Mold. Buy a plastic soap mold. If you only have a plain mold but want a unique soap design, place a rubber soap stamp at the bottom of the mold with the design facing up. You can also spray a thin layer of cooking oil to prevent sticking or apply a bit of petroleum jelly to the mold.
- Soap molds and stamps can be purchased online or at craft and art supply stores.
- You can also use silicone ice cube trays or baking trays as alternatives.
Scoop the Soap into the Mold. Since the soap is quite thick, you won't be able to pour it. Instead, use a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to scoop the soap into the mold. Flatten the surface of the soap using the spoon.
Drop the Soap Mold. Lift the soap mold about 15-30 cm above the table and drop it. This will help the soap settle evenly in the mold and remove any air bubbles. You may need to repeat this a few times.
Allow the soap to dry for 1-2 days before removing it from the mold. Once the soap has dried, carefully take it out of the mold. If you're using a rectangular mold, you can slice the soap into pieces about 2.5 cm thick.
- If you're in a hurry, you can place the soap in the freezer for 1-2 hours before removing it from the mold.
Let the soap cure if necessary. Depending on the type of raw soap, rebatch soap might still be a bit soft and sticky. In that case, place the soap on a wire rack and allow it to dry for 2-4 weeks. If you're using store-bought soap, you can skip this step, but if you made the soap using hot or cold processes, you may need to follow this step.
- Some rebatch soaps (usually those made from store-bought soap base) only need to dry for about 2 days.
Tips
- A simple way to make use of leftover soap scraps is to slit a sponge and stuff the soap pieces inside. When wet, the sponge will absorb the soap, create lather, and you can use the remaining soap scraps.
- Another method is to soak the soap scraps in water for a while to soften them, then press them together with your hands until they stick. Let the new soap "cake" dry a little until it hardens, and you'll have soap ready to use.
- Rebatch soap always has a lumpy texture. It will never be as smooth as soap made using the cold or hot process or soap made from a base.
- Open a window or turn on a fan, especially when you're making fragrant soap.
- Some online stores sell "soap bases." These bases typically melt into a smoother texture, similar to cake flour.
- Don't throw away leftover soap pieces. When using a new bar of soap, wet the old soap scrap and stick it onto the new bar. It will dissolve as you wash.
Things you will need
- 340 g of soap
- 250 ml of water
- Cheese grater
- Double boiler
- Soap mold
- Soap colorants, fragrance, etc. (optional)
- Herbs, spices, etc. (optional)
- Wooden spoon or plastic whisk
