This candy cane soap smells as nice as it looks! Layers of pink and white glycerin soap come together with crushed candy canes for a cute and easy gift idea this holiday season.
The kids and I made homemade glycerin soap over the summer and it was a lot of fun. I used some of our extra white glycerin blocks to create this soap to go with what I am putting together for Christmas gifts to the boys' teachers this year.
I guess I can't really say that I "made" soap. What I did was buy a bag of glycerin chunks at the craft store, melt them down, add color and a scent, then re-shape them into molds. But it still transformed them into something different and heavenly scented.
I'm no expert when it comes to soap. As you can see the lines aren't perfect. If I knew what I was doing, the lines would be solid. But I'm not sure how to do that and have the layers stay together when it is done. I was afraid if I let each layer dry before adding another that the layers would separate when I went to slice the soap into bars. So I didn't let each layer set up before adding the next one. I just waited until it just started to set up then poured the next color. So there is a mixture of stripes and swirls, but the soap is nice and solid. Perfect for a novice like me.
Right after I poured the last layer I sprinkled the top with a layer of crushed candy canes. I let it sit for an hour, then ran a knife along the edges of my mold (a small loaf pan) and the soap popped right out. I then sliced it into bars with a kitchen knife.
For those wondering about the candy canes: It is merely for decorative purposes and washed off the soap after the first couple of uses. You don't need it, but it looks pretty. It doesn't make your hands sticky either since you are already washing them. Kind of cancels it all out.
Each parchment package has 2 small bars of soap. It really does make your hands smell like candy canes!
If you would like to see how to melt, add scents and colors, and mold glycerin, see our post here. I used red soap coloring (food coloring would work too) and peppermint extract. About ⅛ tsp. for each white layer.
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Oh how I love my readers! Here is a tip from Michelle on how to create perfect layers when making soap like this:
"Don't worry about your layers they are great! These look good enough to eat.I have played with melt and pour soap before, for distinctive layer just spray some alcohol on the first layer, let it harden, spray again then add your next layer.But again these look divine, so pretty and a great handmade gift."
Thanks Michelle!
If you enjoy making your own beauty products, you may enjoy this collection of homemade beauty gifts that I put together below!
Julie@teachinggoodeaters says
Usually I'm not a fan of scented soaps since I'm allergic to most scents... but this one, sounds wonderful and looks wonderful too!
Desiree @ The 36th AVENUE says
I love this!
I would love for you to share it at my link party...
http://www.the36thavenue.com
Lauren says
I wish I could smell these. I'm sure they smell as great as they look!
marissa says
these are stunning almost too pretty to use I'd love you to link this up to my what we wore party over at http://raegunwear.blogspot.com
Amanda says
These look gorgeous! Good enough to eat!
Binge Crafter says
This is GORGEOUS! Found you through Someday Crafts.
Angela
bingecrafter.blogspot.com
Cheryl @ Sew Can Do says
I love to make melt & pour soap too and this is a great idea and looks so good!! Would love if you linked it to my Craftastic party:)
MissMOE says
These do look good enough to eat! What great gifts.
Beth (www.livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com) says
These look amazing! So cute & I bet they smell delicious too! What a great idea. Thanks for linking up to TGIF! Don't forget to grab the TGIF button for your linked up post or sidebar so that others can find the party & link up too. Thanks & See you next week,
Beth =-)
Brooke (Siayla) says
These look good enough to eat 🙂 Visiting from TGIF link party!
Ellen says
Thses are wonderful! And I agree with Nicole: if they were "perfect," they'd look machine-made. Imperfections add charm to handmade things.
Michelle says
These are SOOOO pretty! My daughter and I like them and I plan on pinning it! 🙂
Sunny Vanilla says
These are beautiful! I love the colors in it - soft shades of red and pink! So cute 🙂
I bet it smells nice too!!!
Nicole says
I actually love how it's not "perfect." What a nice festive gift for the teachers. I'm sure they'll love it.
LeighAnn says
Oh I LOOOVE this! I've been thinking about making soap lately but have too many other projects to do. I want to make this for myself all year long!!