If you are getting started with melt and pour soap (or are searching out the best supplies for soap-making projects), you have come to the right place! This comprehensive guide covers the melt and pour soap supplies you will need to make fantastic soap projects. Specifically, the projects in the book Good Clean Fun: THE Idea Book for Creative Melt and Pour Soap Projects. This resource guide lists all of the melt and pour soap supplies that were used in the book, along with some other fun materials that would make even more lovely projects.
If you don’t yet have a copy of Good Clean Fun, what are you waiting for?! It’s a whole lot of inspiration and ideas for making perfect looking melt and pour soap projects with ease. Read more about Good Clean Fun here and grab your copy today!
Melt and Pour Soap Supplies and Resource Guide
Melt and Pour Soap Base
There are a wide variety of soap bases, some scented, some unscented, some clear, some white, but they can all be split into two main categories: opaque and clear.
Opaque soap bases will give you solid-colored soaps that are not translucent. The base will be white or off-white. Here are some good opaque bases:
- Triple Butter Soap Base (shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter)
- Oatmeal Shea Soap Base
Clear soap bases are translucent. Clear soap bases are best to use for projects that add decorative imbeds that you want to be able to see through the soap. To get a truly clear soap, there are not many options without chemicals. There is an option for SLES & SLS free soap which can be used in the recipes calling for clear soap base. Here are some clear bases:
- Carrot, Cucumber & Aloe Vera Soap Base
- Honey Soap Base
- Crystal Clear Soap Base
- Crystal SLES & SLS free Soap Base
Color
Here is a list of natural pigments to try:
- Green –spirulina, sage powder
- Golden yellow – safflower powder
- Yellow –turmeric
- Orange (yellowish) –annatto seed powder
- Orange (reddish) – paprika
- Pink – madder root
- Purple – ratanjot
- Brown – cocoa powder
And here are some soap dyes
- Soap Making Set – 9 Liquid Colors for Soap coloring
- Solid soap dye – Neon pack of 6
Essential Oils
The best way to get started with essential oils is to purchase a starter pack and start using them. You will quickly learn which scents you love and which you don’t.
- Plant Therapy Top 6 USDA Certified Organic Essential Oils Set
- 14 Essential Oil Set (7 Synergies and 7 Singles)
- Plant Therapy Essential Oil Sampler Gift Set
More Essential Oils:
- Carrot Seed Essential Oil
- Cinnamon Essential Oil
- Citronella Essential Oil
- Clove Essential Oil
- Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Lemongrass Essential Oil
- Peppermint Essential Oil
- Pine Essential Oil
- Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil
- Rose Essential Oil
- Geranium Essential Oil
- Rosemary Essential Oil
- Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- Thieves Essential Oil Blend
- Vanilla Essential Oil
- Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is very handy to have when making melt and pour soap. Keep some in a small spray-top bottle while making soap projects as it will be noted in some of the recipes.
Botanicals
You can choose botanicals from your garden or pick up some online.
- Flower Kit (6 pack) Cornflowers, Jasmine, Pink Rose Bud & Petals, Chamomile, Marigold, Lavender
- Calendula flowers
- Lavender flowers
- Rose petals
Equipment
To start making melt and pour soap projects, you will need a few pieces of equipment. Many of these are commonly available in your kitchen. The other, more specialized equipment can be easy to find in craft stores and online.
Soap Molds
You can use any silicone or hard mold you like for melt and pour soap. Here are some that are used in the book and a few others I love:
- Large silicone loaf mold
- Cupcake mold
- Oval soap mold
- Sunflower mold
- Rectangle silicone mold
- Tree silicone molds
- Christmas silicone mold
- 8-Cavity Floral Leaf silicone mold
- Seashell mold
Metal molds such as cupcake and cake pans as well as hard plastic soap and candy molds can also be used but they can be difficult to remove the soap from. Tip: Shrink soap by placing it in the freezer and it will release from the mold more easily.
Soap Making Accessories
There is a DIY Soap Cutting Guide Box in the Projects chapters of Good Clean Fun. If you would like to purchase one instead you can look at these:
- Adjustable DIY Soap Cutter Mold
- Stainless Steel Cutters + Adjustable Wooden Soap Loaf Cutter
- Stainless Steel Wavy & Straight Soap Cutter Tools
Soap Stamps / Embossing
Soap stamps and rubber embossing plates can add a lot of personality to the projects. I love these ones:
- Square soap embossing stamps set of 8
- Rectangle soap embossing stamps set of 8
- Square soap embossing mold set of 3
- Rectangle soap embossing mold set of 3
- Round Handmade Soap Stamp
That’s it! Whew! With all of these supplies, you are sure to have some Good Clean Fun in your future. Have fun out there.
Soapmaking is so fun! Thanks for this list!
You’re welcome!
Thanks for this great and easy to read article ..
I may have a Q or more ,
I’m planning to make my very first soap in order to gift it to my friends .. I live in the middle East and I can’t purches my supplies from Amazon but I found some ready to use soaps in Iherb and I want to ask you if they will work as melt and pour soap .. I found these two ( https://sa.iherb.com/pr/Canus-Pure-Vegetable-Soap-with-Fresh-Goat-s-Milk-Fragrance-Free-5-oz-141-g/53106# … & https://sa.iherb.com/pr/Clearly-Natural-Essentials-Pure-and-Natural-Glycerine-Soap-Unscented-4-oz-113-g/5636# )
I’m thinking of making oats goat milk soap cutting it into small stars then make a clear soap with some lemon zest and fregrance and pour it over the little stars ” inspired by your photo above ^^ ” , Will that products work for me or you recommend getting something else ?
And if I wanted to add some glitter a very small amount to the clear soap can I use fine crushed craft glitter or it would be dangerous for the body although I will use a tiny amount of it just to add some fun effect to my soaps .
And one more Q Is it ok to use make up shimmer or glitter ( also a tiny amount ) or it’s a bad idea ?
Sorry for the long Qs I want to make it the right way possible .
Thanks for your time ♡
I have bought your book but it hasn’t arrived in my email inbox yet. Can you send it to me please?
I don’t have a microwave. Could I heat the soap on low heat on the stove til melted? I do not want a microwave. Also could you provide a good source for goats milk soap? I am allergic and so far the soap I purchase is made from fresh goats milk ans I do ok with it. Thank you for your time