skincare2.jpgMelt-and-pour soap recipes are like good short stories-there’s one for just about every occasion. Now the occasion is invigorating tired, dull skin and the melt-and-pour recipe takes just 15 minutes to make.

Ingredients

* 1 3.5 to 4 ounce bar of soap
* ½ cup of safflower, sesame, jojoba or almond oil
* ½ cup of filtered water
* 2 tablespoons of powered oat meal
* 1 shredded, small loofah pad (about the size of a 4 ounce bar of soap) or shredded facial scrub pad

Tip

To “shred” your loofah pad or facial scrub, cut the pad length-wise at forth-inch intervals. Then cut the length-wise slits again at forth-inch intervals. Use a “hard” melt and pour soap for this recipe, meaning using a soap with more of a water-based than an oil-based (creamy) soap. For example, aloe vera based soaps have more water content than oil, making it a great candidate for this milling project. This way, the soap will hold the shredded pads better.

Utensils

* 1 large bowl
* 1 large spoon
* plastic wrap
* cheese grater

Melting

Over the large bowl, grate the soap bar. Add the water and oil to the grated soap in the large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Place the bowl in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Watch the bowl to ensure that it does not bubble over. After 30 seconds, if the soap has not melted to a point where it is malleable, place it in the microwave for 15 more seconds.

Mixing

Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl. Now mix in the powered oatmeal and shredded loofah or facial pad. Stir the ingredients for one to two minutes.

Molding

The best mold for this soap is the hand patty. This shape allows the soap to mold to your own hands and makes exfoliating your skin delightfully easier.

To make hand patties. Just scoop the softened soap into your hands and roll it into a large ball. Then gently press the ball flat, to a height of about one-half to three-fourths of an inch.

That’s it. Now you have a soap just for the moments when you need an uplifting shower.

You can get started by using natural beauty recipes

Tags: