Do you like soap that smells really good and makes your skin feel nice and soft? Are you looking for a fun and easy project to do with your kids, your friends, or yourself? Maybe you're looking for some DIY gifts for friends or family?

Well, I can help with that. It's very easy to make your own scented soaps that make your skin nice and smooth. You know me as a RI Children's Photographer, but I have a confession...I'm addicted to really nice soap that smells really good. I'm often sticking my nose in some fancy natural soap at Belmont Market or Green Line Apothecary and then buying the ones that smell the prettiest to me! A friend of mine gave me some homemade soaps about a year ago, and they were fantastic! Hmmm, could I make some of my own? Yes! It's very, very easy. Keep reading to find out what you need and how to do it.

You will need:

Melt and pour soap base (2-lb block)
A silicone soap mold
A microwaveable bowl
Whatever essential oils you like...let your creativity flow!

A FEW DETAILS: I purchased my soap base and soap molds on Amazon. There are several different types of soap base, including plain glycerin and glycerin with goat's milk (which is what I have). They're most often sold in two-pound blocks. I cut 1/4 block (I eyeball it) each time I make my soap, and that will get me about 3 bars. My molds are plain squares, but they come in other shapes. They are often advertised as candy molds or resin molds as well as soap molds. You can use any oils you have and like. Those with stronger scents tend to work better as you need to use quite a bit of oil to scent your soap. If you've ever had dreams of being a perfumer, this is a good way to pretend you're being one. I've made scent combos that are mundane and others that are much more wild and crazy. For today, I went fairly simple with a ginger/bergamot combo.

Time to get melting! Cut off the desired amount from your soap bock and put in the bowl. Put it in the microwave to melt. The melting time will depend on both the size of your block and the strength of your microwave; my average melting time is about two and a half minutes.

Add your oils to the melted soap. As I mentioned before, you need quite a bit for a noticeable scent. I added 12 drops each of ginger and bergamot oil. Stir your melted soap to mix the oils in, then pour into the mold.

Depending on the size of your mold, it will take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes for the soap to harden enough to remove from the mold. The silicone molds make soap removal very easy! I usually let the soaps sit a little longer before using them. You can store extras in a number of ways: in paper bags; ziplock bags; or wrapped individually in plastic wrap. Use your new soap in the shower, for hand washing, or give some to a friend!

If you've made soap before and have a favorite scent combo, let me know in the comments!

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