How to make soap with 2lbs of melt and pour soap base.


Making melt and pour soap for the first time may seem like a daunting task, however its actually so simple you may be left wondering if you did it right.

Soap making using 2 pounds of melt and pour soap requires 6 steps

  1. Cut up the melt and pour soap into chunks
  2. melt it in a heat resistant container (measuring cup)
  3. add your chosen fragrance or color (optional)
  4. pour liquified soap into your desired mold for shaping
  5. let it cool and solidify for an hour and a half
  6. Enjoy your new soap.

Ingredients needed to make melt and pour soap.

Melt and pour is fairly easy to make and added ingredients are not necessarily needed. If you require additives for your soap, you can always purchase a soap base that will work best for your needs.

Ingredients to make melt and pour soap with 2 pounds of soap base.

Yes, all you require for melt and pour soap is technically the melt and pour soap base. No other ingredients are necessary unless you want to make it smell nice and have a nice color.

Tools needed to make melt and pour soap.

  • Soap cutter (optional dedicated knife)
  • Heat resistant container i.e. Anchor Measuring cup
  • Silicon spatula
  • Soap mold (preferably individual separated mold)
  • pipette (optional)
  • Teaspoon for measuring (optional)

How much soap does 2lbs of melt and pour make?

2lbs of melt and pour soap can make 9 bars of 4oz soap. The beauty of melt and pour soap is that the volume of soap is the same as the volume of water.

What this means is that unlike cold process soap where you must take into account the weight of all ingredients such as oils, water and even the lye. Melt and pour soap does not have this issue.

While its weight is not the same as water its overall volume weight is the same.

This means 2 pounds of soap when converted to ounces equals 32oz of actual soap.1 pound is equal to 16 ounces.

A typical 6 cavity soap mold can hold 4oz of soap by volume.

This translates to one 6 cavity soap mold holding only 24oz of soap, leaving you with 12 ounces of soap left.

With two 6 cavity soap molds you can then make up to 9 4oz bars of soap with 2 pounds of melt and pour soap

Loaf soap mold

If you decide to use a loaf soap mold you can get 10 bars of soap weighing 3.2oz. Smaller than the individual mold sized but you get 1 more bar soap.

The soap loaf mold is 10 inches long and can hold up to 42oz of melt and pour soap. At 42oz you can yield 10 bars of soap weighing 4.2oz however because you are only using 32oz it will be less.

To gain 10 bars of soap you will have to cut your loaf of soap 1 inch thick to ensure you get 10 bars of soap.

Some soaper will develop designs and can stretch the size of the bar by cutting them half an inch thick gaining 20 thin bars of soap weighing 1.6oz.

2lbs of melt and pour soap

How long does it take to melt 2 pounds of soap?

In the right container it can take less than 2 minutes to melt 2 pounds of melt and pour soap.

The time to melt 2lbs of soap will vairy based on the method used. There are two accepted methods to meld your melt and pour soap.

  1. Use of a double boiler
  2. Use of a microwave

Melting melt and pour soap in a double boiler.

When using a double boiler to melt your melt and pour soap it may take about 5 minutes or so to get all your soap melted.

The good news about this method is that you get a more consistent and even melting of the soap compared to using a heat resistant container in a microwave.

The heat from the boiling pot heats the soap more evenly and often reduces the introduction of bubbles to the soap.

With slow stirring and a close eye on the temperature the double boiler method can be the safest but longest method to melt 2 pounds of melt and pour soap.

Melting melt and pour soap in a microwave.

When melting melt and pour soap in the microwave it will depend on the size and power of your microwave that will determine the speed in which your soap melts.

On average however it will take between 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes to completely melt your soap without burning it.

I have found that using a larger container gives a faster melting time than a smaller container. For example, I noticed that it took me 2 minutes to completely melt 2lbs of soap in a 16oz container vs 1 minute 30 seconds to melt 2lbs of soap in a 32oz container.

Using the microwave however you should always melt in 30 second burst as after the second burst the soap tends to begin to melt much faster.

essential oil vs fragrance oil

How much fragrance is needed for 2 pounds of soap?

3-4% of fragrance is a median amount to add to your soap, based on the weight of the total soap base.

Melt and pour soap bases are made by various manufactures. This means that not all soaps are created equal.

Having said that there is a variable between the major brands for how much additive and or fragrance can be added to the melt and pour soap base.

This variance differs as one brand states 2-3% while the other states 4-6%. As a soap maker having to wonder which brand does what it is easier to keep within a median line for the adding of fragrance to the soap.

This is where we tested percentages between 3-4% for a number of soap brands. This amount works well in any brand melt and pour soap without compromising the soap itself.

Fragrance chart for melt and pour soap

Soap weight1%2%3%4%
1lb – 16oz0.16oz0.32oz0.48oz0.64oz
2lb – 32oz0.32oz0.64oz1oz1.3oz
3lb – 48oz0.48oz0.96oz1.44oz2oz
4lb – 64oz0.64oz1.3oz2oz2.5oz
Melt and Pour soap Fragrance amount chart

How much color should I add to 2lbs of melt and pour soap?

1/2 teaspoon of powdered color such as mica or pigment per pound of melt and pour soap a small shaving of a color block and 1/4 of dispersed powder to melt and pour soap.

There are a number of methods and materials that can be used to color melt and pour soap. Each method and item has its own way of being added to the soap.

Some can be added directly to melt and pour soap while other require disbursement of the power before adding.

To learn more about how to add color to melt and pour soap you can read more HERE.

To use our color chart for adding colorant to melt and pour soap click HERE.

Bahamas Soap Maker

Rashad has been making soaps since the inception of Bahamas Candle and Soap in 2008. Since this time he has taught a number of students how make homemade soap using the melt and pour process or the cold process of soap making. His preference is cold process soap making because of the versatility you have in designing not only the ingredients but the aesthetics of the soap. Soap making became more than a hobby for Rashad and he loves trying new techniques and teaching others how they too can make their own soap at home.

Recent Posts