Jolly soaps

Difficulty: Beginners
Time: 1 hr
Yields: 4 bars of soap

With this soap, I wanted to catch a bit of the fun and silliness there is at Christmas. Think silly Christmas hats, Secret Santa and Bad Santa (something I only found out about this year!), terrible jokes and a bit of fun and cheer. Christmas is all about getting together and enjoying each other’s company. My favourite is always the Christmas crackers, and even though the jokes are starting to get old, we still all read them out loud and put on the silly hats.

These Jolly Soaps are quick and easy to make and the perfect Secret Santa or Bad Santa gift. Or get the kids to make them as Teacher’s Gifts. You only need white and clear melt and pour soap base, green and red food colouring, and Holly Berry fragrance. And a small square mold or container.

ONE: Cut the clear melt and pour soap base into small cubes and add to a heat proof Pyrex jug. Heat on high in the microwave in 20 second bursts, until the soap has melted. Try to avoid the soap from reaching boiling point!

TWO: Add 1/2 teaspoon of fragrance and stir well.

THREE: Pour half of the melted soap base into a separate container.

FOUR: Add 2-3 drops of green food colouring to one container and 2-3 drops of red food colouring to the other container, and  give both a good stir.

If you choose to use a different fragrance, make sure they are safe to use on skin. This is particular important when using candle fragrances. Not all candle fragrances are suitable for use in body care products and soap. So don’t forget to read the safety data of the fragrances you intend to use, or check back with the supplier.

FIVE: Pour the two colours into two small containers and let them cool down and harden.

I used my square cavity mold, but you can use a disposable cup, yoghurt bottles or a little plastic container. It doesn’t really matter what shape it is, because you’ll be cutting these up later.

SIX: Once the two soaps have completely cooled down and hardened, unmold them, and cut them into smaller shapes. Try and vary the shapes: cubes, long, triangles, pyramid-shaped etc.

SEVEN: Next, cut the white melt and pour soap base and place it in a heat proof Pyrex jug. Melt on high in the microwave in 20 second bursts until melted.

EIGHT: Add 1/2 teaspoon of fragrance and give it a good stir.

NINE: Pour about 1/3 of the white soap into the soap mold.

TEN: Place some of the green and red shapes into the white soap, and let it stand for a few minutes to set a little.

ELEVEN: Pour some more white soap and add some more shapes, and keep doing this until the soap and shapes have been used up. Between each pour, let the soap set a little. Should the white soap become too thick to pour, re-melt it in the microwave.

You can either finish off with a white layer of soap, or you can let some of the shapes stick out of the white soap for a more funkier look!

TWELVE: Let the soap cool down completely and harden before carefully unmolding. Remember, melt and pour soap bases contain a lot of glycerin and the soaps will sweat (attract moisture) in humid conditions, so they will need to be wrapped (Glad Wrap or cello bags).

PLEASE NOTE FOOD COLOURING WILL BLEED INTO THE WHITE SOAP OVER TIME.