You will need:
• 1 block of soap base (available at craft stores)
• Food colouring
• Essential oils
• Soap mold or muffin tin

To view instructional images, click on "SEE ALL IMAGES" under image at top left.

To make:

1. Cut the soap block into manageable chunks. The smaller the chunks, the easier it will melt.

2. Melt 1 cup of the chunks, using either a microwave or stove-top. If using a microwave, melt the base in a microwave-safe container on high for 10-second increments, until it is liquid. Do not let it boil. If using the stove-top, melt the base on low heat, adding a small bit of water to compensate for evaporation.

3. Once the soap base has taken liquid form, pour it into a bowl.

4. Add a few drops of colour to the base, gently stirring until you have the desired shade.

5. Scent your soap base. The rule of thumb is to add 8-10 drops per 1 lb of base.

6. Pour the liquid soap base into the mold.

7. Allow soap to cool and harden completely. If you wish to speed up the process, you can place your mould into the freezer, but be careful that the soap doesn't freeze.

8. Once the soap has hardened, pop it out of the mould.

Variations:

Embedded soap
Embedding small coloured or uniquely-shaped soap pieces into a bigger bar of soap is easy. This method can also be used to embed small toys into your soap bars.

1. Using a cookie cutter, cut up bars of soap that you've already made into different shapes.

2. Melt a portion of transparent soap base and colour it lightly.

3. Pour 1/4” of this base into the bottom of the mould and allow it to cool.

4. Once this layer is almost set, spritz it with rubbing alcohol and set your smaller soap shapes gently on top of it.

5. Fill the mould with the remaining liquid soap and let it set completely. Pop it out of the mould when ready.

Layered soap
You can easily make bars of soap that feature coloured layers.

1. Pour a 1/4” layer of dark-coloured liquid base into the bottom of the mould.

2. Let it cool until it is almost completely set, then spritz it with rubbing alcohol and gently pour a layer of lighter-coloured liquid base on top of it.

3. Continue this process until the liquid base reaches the top of the mould. Let the soap cool, and pop it out of the mould when it has set completely.