You can only do this with a double boiler. Melting soap on direct heat will likely cause the soap to burn.

Yes, you can put it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. If you completely freeze your soap, you will risk it sweating when it returns to room air. Try to avoid the freezer fan (this causes sweating also).

A crock pot will not work...you will likely burn the soap. A roasting pan will work as long as it has a temperature dial that will go as low as 110º F.

That is okay...you can remelt it! You may want to add 1 tablespoon of water per pound of soap when it has melted.

MP Soap Base should have a slightly sweet smell and frankly, smell like soap. It should not smell rancid or foul.

Try a bread dough scraper. You can cut slices and chunks from the block. It is not sharp so you should not cut yourself. Note: Do not use a knife or sharp instrument. Your hands will get slippery from the soap. Once slip and you could cut yourself.

This is normal due to the size and thickness of the block. Once you slice off some soap, you will see the true color and clarity.

The crystals form when your soap dehydrates and dries out. It is commonly seen during the humid months when the soap sweats and then dehydrates quickly. It will happen if you accidentally boil the soap in the microwave while heating. The best way to prevent this is to wrap the soap as soon as you un-mold it.

After you pour the soap, immediately spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol. This immediately pops the bubbles. Your soap will not smell like alcohol...the smell quickly disappears.

You most likely used a fragrance that contains vanilla. I recommend using the Vanilla Color Stabilizer many online suppliers carry. It will prevent color changes due to vanilla based fragrances. It will not prevent some florals from turning yellow or spices from turning orange. It only works with vanillas.

MP stands for Melt and Pour.

Glycerin melt and pour soap is a combination of natural and man made ingredients that allow you to melt the base, put additives into the base (such as fragrance and color), and then pour the base into molds. When the soap hardens (in about 20 minutes), it can be un-molded and is ready to use.

In an uncovered double boiler.

The official word for this sweating is "Glycerin Dew". MP Soap contains glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant which means that it will naturally attract moisture in the air to itself. Humid climates experience the issue the most. Overheating soap in the microwave is the number one cause of glycerin dew because it disrupts the water balance in the soap. Adding too much fragrance or additional oils can be another reasons.

You can only do this with a double boiler. Melting soap on direct heat will likely cause the soap to burn.

Yes, you can put it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. If you completely freeze your soap, you will risk it sweating when it returns to room air. Try to avoid the freezer fan (this causes sweating also).

A crock pot will not work...you will likely burn the soap. A roasting pan will work as long as it has a temperature dial that will go as low as 110º F.

That is okay...you can remelt it! You may want to add 1 tablespoon of water per pound of soap when it has melted.

MP Soap Base should have a slightly sweet smell and frankly, smell like soap. It should not smell rancid or foul.

Try a bread dough scraper. You can cut slices and chunks from the block. It is not sharp so you should not cut yourself. Note: Do not use a knife or sharp instrument. Your hands will get slippery from the soap. Once slip and you could cut yourself.

This is normal due to the size and thickness of the block. Once you slice off some soap, you will see the true color and clarity.

The crystals form when your soap dehydrates and dries out. It is commonly seen during the humid months when the soap sweats and then dehydrates quickly. It will happen if you accidentally boil the soap in the microwave while heating. The best way to prevent this is to wrap the soap as soon as you un-mold it.

After you pour the soap, immediately spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol. This immediately pops the bubbles. Your soap will not smell like alcohol...the smell quickly disappears.

You most likely used a fragrance that contains vanilla. I recommend using the Vanilla Color Stabilizer many online suppliers carry. It will prevent color changes due to vanilla based fragrances. It will not prevent some florals from turning yellow or spices from turning orange. It only works with vanillas.

MP stands for Melt and Pour.

Glycerin melt and pour soap is a combination of natural and man made ingredients that allow you to melt the base, put additives into the base (such as fragrance and color), and then pour the base into molds. When the soap hardens (in about 20 minutes), it can be un-molded and is ready to use.

In an uncovered double boiler.

The official word for this sweating is "Glycerin Dew". MP Soap contains glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant which means that it will naturally attract moisture in the air to itself. Humid climates experience the issue the most. Overheating soap in the microwave is the number one cause of glycerin dew because it disrupts the water balance in the soap. Adding too much fragrance or additional oils can be another reasons.

This is a tricky question. The FDA sets guidelines for colors in cosmetics but....soap has an exemption. This means technically you could use anything to color soap. For liability reasons, you may want to comply with the government and only use colorants approved by the FDA for skin contact. Your supplier will be able to tell you if the color you are purchasing is approved by the FDA for skincare products.

The migration or "bleeding" of color is because you used a cosmetic grade dye. Dyes are great because they produce bright, stained glass clear color. Dyes are water based and so is mp soap...so they will bleed together in layered soap. If you do not want your colors to migrate or "bleed" you will need to use a cosmetic grade pigment or non migrating mica.

Pigments are all natural and will not migrate in soap. They tend to be very dull and earth like in color. The red tends to be more of a brick red and the yellow more of a mustard yellow. Mica can sparkle brilliantly. It can also have a soft frosted appearance. Some micas migrate while others do not. Dyes are water based colors. They are bright and vibrant. They look much like stained glass on a church window. They will always migrate in mp soap. They are the only color that allows a clear bar of soap to stay clear.

If your soap bubbles are the color of your soap, you have used too much color. Your soap bubbles should always be white.

A true red bar of soap can only be made with a clear soap base. If you try to make it with white soap, it will turn pink. It is sort of like mixing white paint and red paint....you will always get pink paint. If you would like to make a red bar of soap that you cannot see through, color your clear soap red and then add a small piece of white soap. This will cloud the clear base and your soap will stay red.

No, fragrances can vary greatly in color. They can be dark brown, amber, yellow, orange, green, clear. The color is related to the combined ingredients.

Not necessarily. Since EO's are all natural and not chemically manipulated, they may not be as stable in some applications. You will also find that if someone has an allergy to a certain plant, the reaction may be exaggerated with the essential oil since it is a concentrated form of the plant material.

In most cases, fragrance oils can be used in soapmaking. If a fragrance contains a high percentage of alcohol, it will cause cold process soap to seize. Some fragrance oil ingredients may cause melt and pour soap to cloud. Above all, the fragrance oil ingredients need to be RIFM approved for skin contact.

You really want to use a fragrance that has been approved and formulated for your specific application. For example, oil based fragrances will float in a linen spray. Candle fragrances may contain ingredients that are not approved for skincare products. Following your suppliers guidelines will help protect you from liability claims.

Yes! This is a great idea and allows you to have a scent that is 100% all your own. To blend your own scent, gather several plastic droppers and paper towels. Drop different fragrances next to each other on the paper towel. Allow the towel to sit for 1 hour. Take the towel to another room and this is how your blend will smell. Using this technique will save you money because it allows you to tweak your blend without using large amounts of fragrance oil.

Most companies that sell fragrance oil for soapmaking, sell a very concentrated version formulated manufacturing products. Applying this directly to the skin will likely cause a chemical burn.

An essential oil is derived from a fruit, leaf, root, stem and/or flower. It can be steam distilled or cold pressed. Some companies use solvents to extract their oils. Your supplier can tell you what they carry.

A trademark can protect words, names, symbols, or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufacturered or sold by others. Trademarks are granted and managed by the federal government. When an applicant applies for a trademark, they must specify a classification category or categories. For example, a fragrance name can be trademarked for a finished candle, lotion, soap, etc. When buying a "type" or "compared to" fragrance oil you are taking the responsibility to know if your final product will infringe on a trademark. You can search active trademarks by going to www.uspto.gov

The amount of fragrance oil will vary from scent to scent. In general the guidelines are as follows:
MP Soap - 3%
CP & HP Soap - 5%

Fragrance oil formulas are proprietary. This means that the specific formula and ingredients are the property of the fragrance manufacturer and do not legally need to be disclosed to the public. Most companies will not disclose them because they do not want another manufacturer duplicating them.

There are many terms that have popped up over the last few years. They include, among others "Extreme Concentrates", "Manufacturers Grade", and "Perfumers Grade". These are terms not generally recognized by the flavor and fragrance industry. They are terms that have been utilized by on-line distributors in attempt to explain different fragrance dilution percentages and price structures.

EO is a common soapmaking abbreviation for Essential Oil.

Every flammable liquid has a vapor pressure, which is a function of that liquid's temperature. As the vapor pressure increases, the concentration of evaporated flammable liquid in the air increases. The flash point is the minimum temperature at which there is enough evaporated fuel in the air to start combustion. The fire point of a liquid is the temperature at which it will continue to burn after ignition for at least 5 seconds.

FO is a common soapmaking abbreviation for Fragrance Oil.

Fragrance Oils can be a mixture or combination of mixtures of natural and synthetic materials. Synthetic ingredients are manufacturered through chemical process. They are "man made".

RIFM stands for the Research Institute of Fragrance Materials. This agency performs independent testing to see if the ingredients that go into fragrance oil produce allergic reactions. They make recommendations on what levels these ingredients should be used in products. They list and "delist" ingredients each December based on their research. Manufacturers follow their guidelines closely.

A well formulated fragrance contains balanced top, middle and base notes. This balance provides a complexity and character to the scent. The depth and complexity of a fragrance affects the price of the oil. Sometimes a fragrance formula requires deep base notes that are actually essential oils. These are often more expensive. Substituting them for less expensive synthetic ingredients can produce a fake backdrop to the aroma. Oils can be formulated to different price points. Some oils on the market are “cost reduced”. Often this means “diluting” the original formula. Wholesale Supplies Plus does not have expensive formulas diluted. Instead, we encourage customers to use less of a more expensive oil.

A good fragrance has a blended aroma of top, middle and bottom notes. Fragrances can smell strong out of the bottle but not perform in soap because they are "top heavy" and lack depth that your nose cannot detect. On the other hand, a fragrance can smell less than impressive out of the bottle but perform well in soap because it has a good blend of top, middle and bottom notes. Last, when a fragrance formulator blends a fragrance oil they are given a target price point. One fragrance may have thousands of formulas with prices from $5.00-$75.00 per pound. In general, the higher the price, the stronger the fragrance oil will be.

Fragrances have ingredients and some of those ingredients have a natural color.

Vanilla based fragrances will always turn color...the more vanilla, the more likely the soap will eventually turn dark brown. The color change can occur from days to weeks to months. It is most often associated with the vanilla level in the fragrance oil. It is an inherent property of the vanilla. We developed a product called Crafter's Choice Vanilla Color Stabilizer. This product is added to MP Soap and it will stop a vanilla fragrance from turning brown. It does not work in CP or HP Soap.

Vanilla based fragrances will always turn color...the more vanilla, the more likely the soap will eventually turn dark brown. The color change can occur from days to weeks to months. It is most often associated with the vanilla level in the fragrance oil. It is an inherent property of the vanilla. We developed a product called Crafter's Choice Vanilla Color Stabilizer. This product is added to MP Soap and it will stop a vanilla fragrance from turning brown. It does not work in CP or HP Soap.

No, your soap needs to be fully wrapped in plastic wrap, shrink wrap or a cello bag. If you do not wrap your soap in an air tight wrap, it will likely develop glycerin dew.

Yes, we have found that the cheapest wrap works best because it stretches a bit more than the expensive wraps. This stretch will give you a tighter and smoother fit.

Yes. You will want to make sure that you do not keep the heat source in one place for long periods of time. We find that waiving the source back and fourth prevents soap melting.

Yes, this provides a beautiful package. You will want to first wrap the soap in plastic wrap.

According to the FDA, soap is exempt from labeling. In saying this, many do label their soap for obvious liabilty reasons. If you have a customer with a specific allergy, they will appreciate the labeling.