There are lots of very quick and easy effects that can be produced by suspending or embedding objects in melt & pour soap. Simply by adding a few dry botanicals or exfoliates to your mp soap base can give it a really creative look and feel.
Clear soap base is perfect for making soap with embeds, whilst basic white based soap is better when the additives have been scattered throughout or on the top of the soap for decoration. You just need to use your imagination and get creative… poppy seeds, coconut flakes, oats, flowers and even small toys can be added to soaps.
Melt and Pour Soap Suspension
Ingredients
- 5oz clear Melt & pour soap base (makes one bar)
- Soap mold (try to use a flexible mold for this soap, as too much force when removing the soap can result in the layers separating ).
- Object or objects to be embedded (I’m using a sprinkling of Dried Calendula Flowers from Mountain Rose)
- rubbing alcohol
Method
- Melt the soap in the usual way (see Melt and Pour Soap Process).
- Pour a layer of the melted soap into the mold, spray with rubbing alcohol to remove any bubbles and then allow a skin to form over it.
- Once a skin has formed enough to hold the item you intend to suspend, carefully place or sprinkle it on top.
- Use the remaining soap to top up the soap mold and once again spray with rubbing alcohol to remove any bubbles (See notes bellow). You may find that you need to re-melt the remaining soap. If so do not allow it to become too hot or you may end up melting the existing layer.
Note
If the embedment is very light, only pour a small amount of soap onto it (Just enough to trap it) spray with the alcohol and leave until a skin has formed as with the first layer before completely topping up.
My Chunky Soap Bar
I’ve used both white and clear base melt and pour soap to create this chunky soap bar effect, but it could have also been made with just the clear base soap.
Whilst working with melt and pour soap I often find that I have a little bit of soap left over, so instead of throwing it away I pour it into a mold, let it harden and then cut it into chunks and use them within another bar like bellow.
What you will need
- Clear Melt & pour soap
- White soap base or clear for the soap chunks
- Non bleed Soap colorants
- Fragrance oil
- rubbing alcohol
- Suitable soap mold (try to use a flexible mold for this soap as too much force when removing the soap can result in the layers separating)
Method
- Melt the white soap base, and then split it into two bowls.
- Add the colorants and transfer to a small mold or something similar until solid. Once solid, cut into chunks.
- Melt the clear base soap and stir in your chosen fragrance oil. Pour a layer of about 1cm into the mold and spray with rubbing alcohol to remove any bubbles.
- Allow the freshly poured soap to form a good skin on top; it needs to be just solid enough to securely hold the additional layer of soap plus the soap chunks.
- Once a secure skin has formed arrange the soap chunks on to it.
- Spray the soap chunks and soap layer well with alcohol and then pour another layer of soap up to the top, but not above the soap chunks, then spray again with alcohol.
You may need to remelt the soap here, but you don’t want the soap to melt your original layer. It’s a fine balancing act but you also still need to have it at a good pouring consistency, 120F is about the maximum temperature you can pour it.
- Once again wait until a skin has formed on the freshly poured soap, spray with alcohol and then pour another 1cm layer of soap on top and spray again to remove any bubbles.
- Leave to harden before removing from the mold.
As you can see above with a little imagination creating unique homemade soaps for your own use or as special gifts is quite easy.
There are so many different dyes, scents and objects to suspend within your melt and pour soap it can be mind boggling at times. To get myself started I bought some dyes and scents seen on my soap making supplies section it’s so easy to order and delivery was very quick.
I have a lot of fun with melt and pour soaps & I know you will too!
Please leave a comment below to give more ideas for Melt & Pour soap. What ingredients do you use? What have you embedded in your soap?
A question about your M&P recipe. Why can stages 6 & 7 not be combined? E.g. fill the mold right up to the top at stage 6?
Hi Les,
This helps the positioning of the soap chunks. It just makes it easier. But you absolutely can fill the mold to the top at the end of step 6 if you wish.
Hi Angela, Thanks so much for clarifying that. One other related M&P question … when I make M&P embeds in insert into M&P, in a similar way to the above, I notice that sometimes the embed colour bleeds into the clear soap base. After a few experiments, I have found out three things: 1. using liquid colour in the embeds is better than powered/mica; 2. the clear soap base needs to be as cool as possible when pouring 3. the finer the embeds the more bleeding there is (e.g. if its a thin snowflake embed then there tends to be more of a feathering/bleeding effect, than a soap chunk). Are there any other tips you can suggest for getting a really neat finish?
Hi Les,
Thanks for letting me know the results of your experimentation. What you’re saying makes a lot of sense, and also I don’t think I could suggest anything further. You’re doing all the right things. Happy soaping, and thanks again!
thanks so much!
just curious, if you make a soap using a shea butter soap base and insert a toy or small jewel inside, will you be able to see it like you can with a clear soap base?