DIY: Make Your Own Gem Soap

Sapphire, Amethyst, Emerald, Garnet even Amber gleam brightly at the soap counter. Soap Counter? Yes, soap counter. These gem soaps are as clear and bright as the real gemstones they are named after and the ones at the boutiques cost almost as much as the real gem. For about the price of one of these bars, you can make enough for yourself as well as gifts for family and friends. Just a trip to your local craft store and a hunt through your cupboards is all you need to get started. This article is a do-it-yourself guide to create gem soaps.

Items needed to get started: (1) Four cup glass measuring cup that is heat resistant; (2) Pot large enough to have the glass measuring cup fit inside; (3) Hot pads; (4) Clear soap base [use quality soap base for a clear finish]; (5) Coloring agents such as mica chips [note they give a murky color], color gel [this is the best color to obtain the gem-like quality] or even food coloring [note: the color will be light and will fade over time; (6) Fragrance oils. Do not use extracts as they contain alcohol and that will dry the skin; and (7) Plastic molds [even a disposable plastic container (such as Ziploc) can be used to create larger bars that can be cut down].

Now that all of the items have been gathered, it is time to find a clean work surface and start making your own gems; this is how it is done:

1. Put pot on stove with the measuring cup inside and put few inches of water in the pot to come up the sides of the cup by a few inches. Over low heat bring water up to simmer.

2. Measure the additives you wish to include in your soap and keep them close by. Cut soap into small chucks as this will help the melting process. Using two cups of soap chunks put the soap chunks into the measuring cup and cover with a piece of aluminum foil. Use the wooden spoon to help break down the soap. Be careful not to over stir as this will cause the final soap to be cloudy and lose its gem like coloring.

3. Once the soap is fully melted, turn off heat and carefully remove the measuring cup (thank goodness for the hot pads). Let cool for a few moments. Add your additives (coloring and fragrance) and stir slowly to combine and until desired color is reached.

4. Carefully pour into molds and let harden - this can take up to an hour and a half. Once cool and hard, pop out of molds and wrap in plastic wrap and you are ready to give as a gift or decorate your bathroom. If you use a large container such as a Ziploc storage container, you can cut the soap with a long thin blade (such as a jigsaw blade) to produce more manageable size gem soaps.

The variations are almost limitless in both color and scent combinations. You can even purchase small (often called mini) plastic toys to put into the soap for child. Even using fresh herbs can give an interesting look to the soap.