A common problem with glycerin soaps is that they melt fairly quickly.  Now you can know soap making secrets of how to make them last! 

The reason has to do with how hard the bar of soap is - the harder the bar, the longer it will last.

I've been making and selling aromatherapy glycerin soaps for over 2 years and have worked hard to solve this problem.  My 100g soaps now last one person for one month with regular shower use.

First, choose the right glycerin soap base.

In this case, natural vegetable glycerin soap base is vastly superior to petroleum soap bases (most glycerin soap base is petroleum based).

But just all natural isn't enough to get a long lasting bar of soap.  The best glycerin bases are made from coconut oil.  You can also add a little extra coconut oil (no more than 5%) to increase the hardness of the bar even further.

• Regular coconut oil is solid at room temperature and makes the finished bar a little more opaque.

• Fractionated coconut oil is liquid at room temperature and does not make the finished bar opaque, however it is VERY EXPENSIVE.
   

Coconut oil also makes the glycerin bar lather much better (many people don't like glycerin soaps because they don't lather).
 

So a coconut based all natural glycerin soap base is best.  Click here to find Natural Coconut soap bases on ebay.
 

What about ORGANIC?

If a soap base says it is 100% organic or all organic, DO NOT BUY IT.  Making soap requires some naturally occuring minerals - and by definition, minerals are NOT organic (they have never been alive).

• If a soap base claims to be all organic, they are lying or they don't know what they are talking about, so do not buy from them.
   

• If a soap base claims that only the OILS are 100% organic, then you have found people who know what they are talking about.  Buy from these people!
   

• Try Organic Bases on ebay - you will need to sort through the products based on what I've just described above.

Second, take care with how you melt your soap base.

Many soap bases claim you can microwave the soap base.  Now while this is absolutely true, you won't get a bar of soap that will last long!  So, NO MICROWAVING.

To make the soap harder, you must keep the base heated long enough to drive out water in the base. 

The excess water is what make the bar soft; by getting rid of any water captured in the soap base you make the soap harder and last longer.

AFTER you have melted your soap, you turn down the temperature and keep the soap liquid and warm for at least 20 minutes (add any additives, colors, aromas, etc. AFTER the 20 minutes).  You will be amazed at what a difference this makes in hardness.  

 

But if I can't use the microwave, how do I melt the soap (and keep it warm)?

You have two options here:

• Use a double boiler (never melt soap base with direct heat).  You can either use a traditional double boiler, putting water in the bottom pot and the soap base in the upper pot, or you can use a makeshift double boiler where you heat your water in a pot and simply place a decent sized Pyrex measuring cup into the pot (it's best if the handle is hooked over the side of the pot - if the Pyrex is flat on the bottom of the pot you'll get water splashing and spitting).  Then, just put your glycerin soap base in the Pyrex. 
     

• What's also nice about this is that after the melting and warming process, you remove the Pyrex, mix in additives, colors, aromas, etc. the use the Pyrex to pour the soap into your molds. 

• It's best to not use the same Pyrex for soap and for food, so look here for Pyrex on ebay.
   

• The problem with the double boiler option is that you will have to watch your soap to regulate the temperature during melting (it should melt but never boil, although a light simmering is OK), then turn down the temperature as much as possible during the 20 minutes of warming without letting the glycerin harden (you want to keep it liquid).  So expect to stand over your soap for at least 30 minutes.
   

• Buy a soap melter.  Soap melters vary in expensiveness and ease of use. 

• A relatively reasonably priced soap melter that is very easy to use (just a "melt" or "warm" switch, no temperature regulation by you needed) is made by Life of the Party.  This is what I use (actually I have one for making aromatherapy glycerin soaps and one for making aromatherapy natural wax candles).

• Many people also make custom soap melters with spigots and sell them on ebay.  You can find soap melters here.  After you get the hang of which temperatures to use (your melting temperature and your warming temperature), you won't need to "watch the pot" like with a double boiler.
   

So now you know the soap making secrets for longer lasting bars!

If you want to use aromatherapy (essential oils) to make your soaps smell wonderful, please read my other guides:

• How to Choose essential oils that actually work
   

• Safety guidelines for using essential oils (this is for you to print out and keep as a reference - like any reference, it is a bit of "dry" reading!
   

If you are now tempted to make or buy aromatherapy candles, please read my guide to understanding natural candles:

• Are natural wax candles really natural?

Please check out my other reviews, too:

"How to Make Your Own Chandelier Earrings Easily"

"Make Your Own Chocolate Candies"

"The Secret of Using Rutin to Trim Your Waist"

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