Fresh, organic spices make lovely hand milled soap ingredients. The scents are pleasing and some spices are said to have medicinal benefits when used topically. When possible, use fresh, organic spices, and grind your own if you can.
Soapmakers cause their soap bars to be harder and longer lasting by hand milling their basic soaps. Once soap is remelted and ready to pour into individual and decorative molds, spices can be added to give the soap special qualities. It is best to start with high quality, hand made soap. Each of the following recipes is based on one general technique of hand milling soap.
Clove Soap
The scent of clove is invigorating, and used externally cloves can give relief for insect bites. The pungent oil in cloves is also said to repel insects.
Use clove more sparingly than additives in other recipes; too much clove can irritate skin.
- 12 ounces grated soap
- 9 ounces water
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
Stir the cloves thoroughly into the melted soap just before pouring into molds.
Ginger Soap
Ginger soap is lovely to bathe with on a cold winter's night. The ginger in the soap literally warms the skin, and the scent is refreshing.
Some believe that the scent of ginger sharpens and clears the mind. Ginger has also been used as an external analgesic, so people with minor aches and pains may find relief while bathing with ginger soap.
- 12 ounces grated soap
- 9 ounces water
- 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
Melt together the basic soap and water. Remove from heat, add ginger, and stir thoroughly and gently. Pour into molds.
Cinnamon Soap
Almost everybody loves the scent of cinnamon, which makes cinnamon soap a good bet when making soap as gifts. The scent is invigorating and a nice way to start the day. Cinnamon soap and the following recipe, Citrus Spice Soap, make wonderful Christmas presents.
- 12 ounces grated soap
- 9 ounces water
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon
Use pungent, freshly ground cinnamon. Stir into the melted soap just before pouring into molds.
Citrus Spice Soap
The scent of this warming and invigorating soap makes it perfect for Christmas gifts.
- 12 ounces grated soap
- 9 ounces water
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground orange or lemon peel
For best results, grind the fruit peel just before adding to the soap.
Melt the soap and water as usual, add the spices and stir very gently, then add the peel and stir. Too much stirring will cause lots of suds, which will make the soap difficult to mold. On the other hand, the additives should be completely mixed in for best results. So stir very gently, then pour into molds. (If there are excess suds, wait for them to subside.)
 |
