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Soap is a necessity for all as it is what we use to clean ourselves whenever we shower. It may come in several forms but whatever you choose to use, its basic function is to remove dirt and oil on our bodies. In recent times, liquid soap and body wash has become more and more popular compared to the regular bar soap. But with the many creative designs that can be made with bar soaps, they are becoming relevant again and even used as displays on bathrooms.

Since soaps can have a lot of different properties, and most people have no idea how to make soap, a lot of people think that soap making is a very hard process to do. On the contrary, it is a very easy process that even small children can make soap as long as adult supervision is present.

There are two ways as to how soap can be made. The first is the hot method which will require heating of your ingredients while they undergo a process called saponification. The other method is the cold method, which does not require any heating. The first method is usually used when your lye is impure and you have no way of measuring exactly how much lye you are working with.

The main ingredients that you will need to make soap are just oil and lye. Using these two ingredients, you will already be able to make the most basic type of soap. Lye will first be mixed with water until it is fully dissolved. Oil will then be added once the lye has fully dissolved. Heating is continuous during this time with the hot method, but no heating will be required if you choose to use the cold method. Just be sure that you have the exact measurements that you need for the cold method to work.

Once a homogenous mixture with condensed milk consistency has been achieved, it can then be poured into molds for them to cool. This would take about 5 hours. Different molds may be used to make different designs of soap. Adding dye before pouring the mixture onto molds may also be done to give your soap the color that you prefer.

The hardened soap can then be taken out of their molds and further designs can still be added using knives. Fragrant oils and lotions can be added to give your soap the properties that you like. Others may even use herbal leaves to help give their soap a more therapeutic effect.

When making your soap, you should already have the finished product in mind. This means that you should choose the specific type of oil that you will use so that your soap will have the property that you like. If you plan on using your soap as a display, use oils that will give your soap a harder property. If you want to use it for showering, you may choose oils that will be good for lathering.

Because of the many ways that you can alter hard soaps, soap making is really a very fun hobby to do. It will stimulate your hands and mind as to how to think of creative ways to make your soap. Now, you won't have to buy those regular and boring soaps at the supermarket, when you can start making your own soaps at home.

Jen Hopkins has worked in the skin care industry for years. She maintains websites about homemade soaps, and handmade soap recipes. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.