Making Flower Soaps (with Glycerin Melt and Pour) - Video

Did you know? Faith tests stuff! This week it's another Stephenson product, their Melt & Pour Crystal Soap Base.

For some projects, only a crystal clear soap will do. Stephenson Melt & Pour happens to be perfect in these cases. It melts easily in either a crockpot or microwave, and has a longer working time than their Jelly Soap Base. It's easy to cut up the amount you need, and what's left of the slab seems to have an indefinite shelf life as long as you let it live in its lidded container.

In terms of the cost - get this - I paid only $6.53 per container when I ordered ten of these from Voyageur Soap and Candle Supply in November of 2020. Lucky me! I am still going through this little stockpile, which made the cost of the project shown quite affordable for me personally. At that time, shipping was cheaper than now too. Voyageur still carries a similar product (not completely clear if it is the same Stephenson's one I got from them 2 years ago) at the very competitive price point of $6.67. I was a little confused by the product detail saying these are only 1 pound containers, though. My Nov 2020 invoice says that too, even though what I have are definitely 2 pound containers. If you're looking to order this from Voyageur, you might want to confirm how much melt and pour you actually get for $6.67.

Either way, this price is *very* competitive compared to, say, Michael's Craft Store, where you might be able to score something similar for about $20 (if you are lucky enough to find it at all). Depending on how much you're looking to purchase, finding some at your local craft store might be a cheaper option. However, if you did want to order from fragrances, molds, dried flowers, or any other supplies at the same time, ordering from Voyageur will be cost effective and help ensure you get better quality products.

https://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/collections/melt-pour-soap/products/sfic-crystal-clear-melt-pour-soap-base

You can use any essential or fragrance oil (or none, if that's your thing) you like for this. You won't need much. You definitely will need some silicone molds, though. Michael's Craft Stores have loads to choose from in the baking aisle, and there's usually lots of choice on Amazon too. If you use a rigid mold, you just won't be able to turn out your soaps once they harden. Stick with soft silicone. You won't need any colourant to create a soap with embeds like the one shown today. Crystal soap base does take colourant well though, if you want to try it in a future project.

As for embeds, I used what I had on hand. I'm too lazy to calculate how much of each bag I used (not much) or to go through my Amazon receipts and figure out how much I paid for each product. I used what was here, which was definitely the cheapest option for me today.

The same goes for the made in Canada wooden soap dishes shown at the end. I have a box of them here I'd previously ordered on Faire. It was just their day to shine. I think they add value and charm to the finished product.

You could easily substitute your own dried flora for the flower buds and petals I used, or maybe try this soap with dried citrus slices within instead (I definitely want to try this particular variation next time). This fun and affordable project is limited only by your imagination and is both manageable and enjoyable for all skill levels.

Keep choosing creativity over perfection (and enjoying the process),

Faith (The Chaotic Soaper)