Homemade Beach Soaps
I just arrived back from a quick trip to Atlanta where I had a few business meetings.
When I was a child, I remember bringing a box of soaps that my mother had given me as a holiday gift for my school bus driver. I remember her excitement receiving the gift (the only holiday gift she received as far as I could tell) and, well, the experience stuck with me: it's a nice thing to bring a handmade gift when you meet people. So, before I headed to Atlanta, I decided to make some homemade beach body scrub soaps.
Over a double boiler, I melted blocks of olive oil glycerin soap over a very low, simmering heat. The soap melted slowly, so I stirred it around with some leftover Chinese food takeout chopsticks. Then I added some seafoam green dye and about a 1/4 cup of sand. I did a green batch and then I did a rose colored batch.
I used empty juice boxes that (yes) i fished out of the trash can at a restaurant. I know... but I didn't feel like buying orange juice boxes to simply empty them out to recycle them for this project. So I shamelessly took them out of the trash at a Wegman's supermarket... But after they are washed clean, they make the perfect forms for soaps. They took about 2 hours to cool completely.
Here are the sliced soaps tied together with red/white bakery twine and put into inexpensive wood gift boxes. Each slice of soap has sand embedded inside, so when used on the body, it gently exfoliates dead skin.
And here they are all wrapped up with this wood grain ribbon I found in a clearance bin at the store. I almost never buy new ribbon (you can find so much vintage ribbon for sale at flea markets for, like, $1 for 60 yards), but it was so inexpensive and good-looking, that I made one exception.
I hope those who received it enjoy it!
You must absolutely get up at the crack of dawn to post so early! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the soap and the whole process you showed. I'm greatly impressed by your creativity. I'm sure the recipients were thrilled!
Posted by: kelly | January 21, 2008 at 06:55 AM
Brand new rookie reader and I am LOVING my subscription to your blog! Keep it up! Please! LOL
Living in a small town over an hour from a city of any significant size, I'm wondering where would I find blocks of olive oil glycerin soap? And, if I CAN find it, how economical is it?
Posted by: Beth/Mom2TwoVikings | January 21, 2008 at 07:20 AM
Oh man, this post reminded me of when I was in high school and would make soap as gifts! I should start that up again, it was pretty fun :)
Posted by: michelle | January 21, 2008 at 08:37 AM
Is there something else that would make the soap green other than dye? It seems like there should be something.
Posted by: Rosie | January 21, 2008 at 08:42 AM
You can come to my house and bring me a gorgeous box of handmade soap ANYtime! Googling olive oil glycerin soap as we speak...you ROCK Danny!
Posted by: Jen | January 21, 2008 at 10:58 AM
What did you use to cut the soap after it hardened? Just a knife?
Posted by: Ali | January 21, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Awesome project! I love the dumpster diving aspect of it, too! :)
Posted by: Tommy | January 21, 2008 at 01:49 PM
aw i love soap. when i graduated high school my mom had this woman make this amazing organic vegan soap that made your skin so soft and smelled so delicious! she even printed my name and grad. date on it. we gave them to my guests that came to my grad. party. after seeing this post though, i'd love to attempt to make my own soap! thanks!
Posted by: shelby k | January 21, 2008 at 10:35 PM
I love this idea !! I've never made soap but after reading this I'm gonna give it a try !! Thanks for inspiring us !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: berton | January 21, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Really, that is such a sweet and gorgeous idea. Thanks for another "recipe" to put in my to-do book!
Posted by: green your apartment | January 22, 2008 at 01:23 AM
What a sweet guy you are!
Posted by: Bettina | January 22, 2008 at 07:53 AM
What a lovely idea. Makes me want to try it myself!
Posted by: Freshly Found | January 22, 2008 at 01:43 PM
I love this!
on a side note...were you at Mozza on Sunday?
Posted by: gwen | January 22, 2008 at 06:20 PM
i love that you shamelessly fish containers out of the trash! that's definitely thinking out of the box for mother earth! cheers!
Posted by: Yin | January 22, 2008 at 07:16 PM
will you marry me?
rose
Posted by: rose | January 23, 2008 at 05:50 PM
If you are not keen on adding colorant, you can get the green and rose color from french green clay and rose clay, respectively. Plus clays are good for removing impurities.
This is a nice how to!
Posted by: Jillian | January 24, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Thanks for the inspiration, makes me want to make my own soap.
marcia
Posted by: Marcia | January 24, 2008 at 04:31 PM
Nice soap. But don't be a hypocrite. The HOLIDAY is called CHRISTMAS. If you don't want to use the word CHRISTMAS, then don't celebrate the HOLY DAY. Just refusing to use the word does not change the significance of the celebration. Never ceases to amaze me that people who refuse to say CHRIST will still use him to share in the celebration of his birth, as long as it means they can get stuff.
Posted by: Karen | April 06, 2008 at 03:21 AM
karen is a tard.
Posted by: | May 01, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Thats a great idea!I think i'll start gifting soaps to people.I simply loved this idea,I havent made soaps before but i'll try it.
Posted by: julia smith | August 28, 2008 at 04:32 AM
Handmade soap products that are all made from 100% natural ingredients, we have a very large selection of soaps to meet your needs and mood, why not enjoy a relaxing bath with one of our jumbo bath bombs with that extra fizz. We can also supply gift baskets for those special occasions!
Posted by: Peter | April 23, 2009 at 12:35 PM