by Rustic Escentuals

Did someone say stars? How fun! In this tutorial I once again pulled out the cookie cutters and the old Red, White, and Blue for some Fourth of July fun. (For those not in the U.S., choose any color you want!) Are you ready? Let’s go!

 
Supplies and equipment needed:
Microwave safe glass containers (3 if you have them)
Sharp knife to cut soap into cubes
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol
Butter knives
Rubber gloves
2 Cookie Cutters – one 2″ Star and one 1 1/2″ Star (from point to point)
Stars Embed Mold (20 cavities. Measures 1″ point-to-point and1/2″ deep)
Disposable pipettes
Thermometer to monitor soap temperature
16 oz Ultra Clear Melt & Pour soap base
14 oz White Melt and Pour soap base
Gel Soap colorants in Bright Blue and True Red
Red Currant Fragrance Oil
Silicone baking pan

 

 
I used 1″ Star Embeds and Stars cut out from cookie cutters for this soap project.
Prepare these in advance.

Step 1: Take 16 ounces of cubed clear melt and pour soap base and place in a microwave safe glass container. Melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts until melted. Be careful that you don’t boil the soap – boiling will result in a poor quality, rubbery soap.

Step 2: Pour 2 oz of the melted clear soap base into another container, mix 3 drops of Bright Blue Gel Soap Colorant into the 2 ounces of soap and stir slowly until mixed well. Using a disposable pipette, add in 1 ml of Red Currant Fragrance oil. Stir slowly until everything is fully incorporated.

Tip: Always stir slowly when adding colorants, fragrances or any type of additions to your soap base to avoid creating any more bubbles than you have to.

 

 

 
Step 3: Using a thermometer, make sure the temperature of your soap is around 135 degrees. Pour the blue soap into your star embed mold. I then put these to the side, but it only takes about 30 minutes for them to completely set. Once set, pop them out carefully. If you are having difficulty removing the soap from the mold, place in a freezer for about 5 minutes, remove and wait another couple of minutes.

 
Step 4: Take the remainder of your clear soap base, approximately 14 ounces, and re-melt it if it has cooled too quickly (see step 1). Add in 13 drops of True Red Gel Soap Colorant and 4 ml of Red Currant Fragrance Oil (you can add more or less depending on preference). Stir slowly until fully mixed and pour into your silicone-baking pan. This will be approximately a 1/2“ layer and you can pick up these silicone pans almost anywhere. The temperature of the soap can be around 140 degrees. Silicone molds can withstand warmer temperatures and are great because the soap comes out easily. If you don’t have a silicone-baking pan handy, you can use one of your soap molds or any flexible container.

Tip: When working with a larger pan, make sure your workspace is level or your stars will be uneven when cut out. And who wants an uneven star?!

 

 

 
Step 5: Spray soap with alcohol to remove any bubbles that may have form whiled pouring.

 
Step 6: Wait for soap to set, approximately 20 minutes. Begin checking the soap at 10 minutes and then go from there. If it’s not firmed up yet, wait a couple more minutes. When the soap is firm, slowly release the soap from your mold, Start at one end and pull up slowly. Place on a flat surface.

Step 7: Prepare the White soap base using steps 4 through 6. No colorant is needed for this step.

 
Step 8: Once your silicone pan soaps are ready and on a flat surface it’s time to have some soapy fun with the cookie cutters.

 
Step 9: In this tutorial I used the 2″ star cookie cutter on the red soap and 1 1/2″ star cookie cutter on the white soap. Cut out as many as you want. You’ll want the same number of red, white and blue stars. Press the cookie cutter firmly into the soap and push out the star. Fun Tip: To change it up a bit, mix up the color of your stars.

 

 

 

Putting together your soap

Step 10: Melt a couple cubes of clear melt & pour soap base. This is not a lot of soap so make sure you only use about 10 second bursts in the microwave. This will be your soap “glue”. Place each piece, Red star, White Star, and Blue star next to each and spritz the red star and the white star with alcohol. This will help the 2 parts adhere to each other.

NOTE: Make sure you spritz the sides you are going to be gluing together.

TIP: Arrange the cut-outs on your work space so that you know ahead of time how you will be arranging your embeds. This will save a lot of time!

 

 
Step 11: Using a pipette drop some melted soap base onto the top of your larger star (red) and quickly place the smaller white star on top of your red star. Press firmly, making sure it’s on. This acts as a glue holding the pieces together. Don’t wiggle around the pieces – all you need to do is place it on firmly and let go.

 

 
Step 12: Once set, spritz the top of the white star and bottom of the blue star. Using your pipette drop some melted clear soap base onto the white star and quickly place the smaller blue star on top. Press firmly making sure it’s on, then let go.

 

 

 
Step 13: Continue until you work through all of your stars. Let these set for about 30 minutes.

 
Play around and have fun! Say Oohh, Ahhh, and step back to admire your work! You can make primitive and/or seasonal sets with the scents & colors you choose.