24 January 2022

How to Make Melt and Pour Soap With Embeds - Valentine's Day Soap Ideas

 Learn how to make melt and pour soap with embeds.   I made an adorable Valentine's Day soap for this technique, but you can use other shapes for soap embed ideas.  Melt and pour soap embeds are fun to play with, and I have some tips to help you make fun bars of soap.





How to Put Embeds in Melt and Pour Soap


I haven't made any Valentine's Day soap in a while, so I decided to make some this year.  I have a small heart shaped mold, so I decided to use that for melt and pour soap embeds.


I used my small loaf mold, which I love because it only makes four bars.  I don't sell my soap, so I don't need a full sized loaf.


Learning how to make melt and pour soap with embeds is fairly easy, but I do have some tips and tricks to help you have success.  Sometimes the soap doesn't want to stick when you have a few layers.


I have some tips for layering melt and pour soap in my orange clove soap post, so check that out for more tips for layer. 


For more melt and pour soap ideas, check out these posts:






What Are Embeds in Soap Making?


Embeds are smaller pieces of soap or even toys that are used to change the look of your soap.  There are several soap embeds ideas.


You can make your own embeds with a small mold or even use toys for a kids soap.  Just watch small pieces with little ones who may choke.


What Can I Do With Leftover Melt and Pour Soap?


I try to measure my soap so there isn't any extra, but sometimes it happens that you have leftover soap.  I either grab a small mold and make small soaps or pour the soap into souffle cups.  


You can also pour the soap into a pan to make a thin layer of soap about 1/4 inch thick.  You can then cut the soap into little squares or even use small cookie cutters to make shapes to use for embeds.





How Do You make Soap Embeds Melt and Pour?


To make your melt and pour soap embeds, you simply need to make your melt and pour soap and pour it into a small mold and let cool.  You can color and scent your embeds, but I don't always scent them since they are so small.


There are also column molds that you can use to make a long piece of soap to place in a loaf mold.  You can also use cookie cutters to cut thin layers of soap to make embeds.


You can also get soap embed ideas on Etsy and buy premade embeds.  This is a wonderful option because you can get the embeds for about the price of the mold.


Can I Use Melt and Pour Embeds in Cold Process Soap?


Yes, you can use melt and pour soap embeds in cold process soap.  However, cold process soap is hotter than melt and pour.  It may melt the edges of the soap.  


I also recommend using a low sweat melt and pour base if you are going to use melt and pour soap embeds in cold process soap.  





Can I Use Cold Process Embeds in Melt and Pour Soap?


Normally, you can't mix cold process and melt and pour soaps.  However, you can learn how put embeds in melt and pour soap with cold process embeds.


I recommend using a melt and pour soap with a high melting point if you use cold process soap embeds.  Stephenson's melt and pour soap is a good choice for the higher melting point. 


Essential Oils for Valentine's Day Soap Ideas


I used the Lava essential oil blend for my Valentine's Day soap.  It's a fun blend of Grapefruit, Blood Orange, Ho Wood, and Sandalwood Essential Oils.  


Some other great oils to try are:



You can also try one of these essential oil blends for Valentine's Day , substitutes for rose essential oil, or fun essential oil blends that smell like candy.






How Do You Embed in Melt and Pour Soap?


Here are some tips and tricks and tools that you'll need to learn how to make melt and pour soap with embeds.


You might also like these advanced melt and pour soap making techniques for more ideas. 


Tools for Making Melt and Pour Soap Embeds


Here are some specialty tools that make it easier to make this Valentine's Day soap:


  • There are a few things that you'll need to learn how to make soap embeds.  You'll need a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol.  I recommend getting the highest percentage that you can find.
  • You'll also a thermometer.  I really like the infrared thermometer just because there's no clean up.  
  • I also like using soap clean up tools.  These are optional, but they are well worth it if you make a lot of soap. 


How to Put Embeds in Melt and Pour Soap


  • Make your embeds with melt and pour soap and a small mold.  For Valentine's Day soap ideas, try this small heart mold.  Let the embeds cool for two to four hours depending on how thick they are.  
  • Measure the soap that you want to use for your loaf mold with a digital scale and melt it.  Pour a thin layer of soap into the mold and let cool for 10 to 20 minutes.  
  • Then pour a thin layer of soap on top of the hardened soap.  Spray the melt and pour soap embeds with rubbing alcohol and place the embed in the mold where you want it.  Hold it in place for a few seconds.  
  • Then spray with rubbing alcohol and pour the rest of the soap to fill the mold.  Spray the top with rubbing alcohol.  


 Tips for How to Put Embeds in Melt and Pour Soap


Here are some tips for learning how to make melt and pour soap with embeds.


  • Pour your soap at a lower temperature.  This will vary by soap base brand, but pour as low as you can.  I like to let the soap sit until it forms a scum on top and then quickly stir and pour.
  • Always spray with rubbing alcohol between layers.
  • I made layers for this Valentine's Day soap so the layers would support the embeds and make it less likely that they fall over.  If you use a column embed, this isn't as much of a problem.
  • Use mica powder to color your soap and melt and pour soap embeds.  Liquid soap colorants can fade and run into the surrounding soaps after a few weeks or months.
  • I don't bother scenting the embeds.  Adding essential oils to the rest of the soap works fine and makes it easier to make. You can calculate the amount of scent to use if you wish.



How Long Do Melt and Pour Soaps Last?


The shelf life of this Valentine's Day soap is about 1 to 2 years.  Once you start to use it, it will last for 3 to 4 months.


Melt and pour soap will dissolve if it's left in water.  I recommend using a soap dish to keep it out of standing water.


Does Melt and Pour Soap Need to Be Wrapped?


Melt and pour soap is high in glycerin, so it draws moisture from the air.  If you don't plan to use it right away, then I recommend wrapping your Valentine's Day soap in plastic wrap to prevent sweating.


The generic Walmart brand of plastic wrap is the best I've found for soap.


Valentine's Day Soap Ideas Supplies


You will need the following to learn how to make melt and pour soap with embeds:






How to Make Melt and Pour Soap With Embeds


Step #1


Cut the soap base into 1 inch cubes.  Place 8 cubes in a measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Remove and stir.  If not fully melted, reheat for an additional 20 to 30 seconds until melted.  Add red mica and stir well.





Step #2


Pour the melt and pour soap embeds into the heart mold.  Spray the tops with rubbing alcohol and let sit for 2 to 4 hours or until fully hardened.  





Step #3


Divide the rest of the soap between the 3 measuring cups and heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.  Once melted, add a different color of mica to each cup and stir well.  Divide the essential oil equally between each of the three cups and stir.





Step #4


Pour a thin layer of one color of melted soap into the loaf mold.  Let cool for 10 to 20 minutes.  Spray with rubbing alcohol and pour another thin layer.  Spray the embeds with rubbing alcohol and place the heart embeds into the melted soap and hold in place for 20 seconds until they don't tip over.  Let this layer cool.





Step #5


Pour another color into the loaf.  Add more embeds as desired. Spray them with rubbing alcohol and hold them in place until they stand up on their own.





Step #6


Repeat with the final layer of soap.  You can also have heart embeds sticking out of the top of the soap if you desire.  You can reheat the soap if needed.  Spray the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol.  


Step #7


Let the soap cool for 24 hours.  Unmold it and cut into four 1 inch bars of Valentine's Day soap. I like to use a soap cutter because it works better than a knife for me.





Now you know how to make soap embeds for Valentine's Day soap ideas!


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melt and pour soap, soap embeds, valentine's day, heart, soap
Yield: 4 bars
Author: Cari @ Everything Pretty
Estimated cost: $10

How to Make Melt and Pour Soap With Embeds

prep time: 15 Mperform time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 15 M
How to make melt and pour soap with embeds.

materials:

  • 1 3/4 pound melt and pour soap
  • 4 inch mini loaf mold
  • Heart candy mold
  • 1/2 teaspoon each red, pink, blush, and rosy mica powder
  • 3 microwave safe measuring cups to melt soap
  • Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol
  • 0.25 ounces essential oils

tools:

  • Wood craft sticks or spoons to stir
  • Digital scale
  • Soap cutter

steps:

  1. Cut the soap base into 1 inch cubes. Place 8 cubes in a measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. If not fully melted, reheat for an additional 20 to 30 seconds until melted. Add red mica and stir well.
  2. Pour the melt and pour soap embeds into the heart mold. Spray the tops with rubbing alcohol and let sit for 2 to 4 hours or until fully hardened.
  3. Divide the rest of the soap between the 3 measuring cups and heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Once melted, add a different color of mica to each cup and stir well. Divide the essential oil equally between each of the three cups and stir.
  4. Pour a thin layer of one color of melted soap into the loaf mold. Let cool for 10 to 20 minutes. Spray with rubbing alcohol and pour another thin layer. Spray the embeds with rubbing alcohol and place the heart embeds into the melted soap and hold in place for 20 seconds until they don't tip over. Let this layer cool.
  5. Pour another color into the loaf. Add more embeds as desired. Spray them with rubbing alcohol and hold them in place until they stand up on their own.
  6. Repeat with the final layer of soap. You can also have heart embeds sticking out of the top of the soap if you desire. You can reheat the soap if needed. Spray the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol.
  7. Let the soap cool for 24 hours. Unmold it and cut into four 1 inch bars of Valentine's Day soap. I like to use a soap cutter because it works better than a knife for me.
Created using Craft Card Maker

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