These lightning-quick peppermint soaps are a fun DIY holiday gift idea for friends, neighbors, and teachers that can be whipped up in just ten minutes!
10-Minute DIY Peppermint Soap
What You’ll Need:
- Shea Butter Soap Base
- Peppermint Essential Oil
- Red Soap Colorant
- Soap Mold
- Microwave Safe Measuring Cup w/ Spout
- Toothpick
The large block of shea butter soap base is smooth and silky, and it cuts easily with a kitchen knife. Slice the soap base into cubes, place them inside the measuring cup, and melt in the microwave in 30-second increments. Stir well after each microwave session to ensure that the soap is completely melted. Add a few drops of peppermint oil (around 6-10 drops depending on the intensity of the fragrance) and mix well.
[Note: To make three peppermint soap bars, I used just over 1/2 lb of soap base, and it took a total of 60 seconds in the microwave to melt. The soap cools and sets up rather quickly, so work accordingly!]
Pour the melted soap into the mold and top with a few drops of red soap colorant. Use a toothpick to swirl the white and red colors together, and allow to cool completely before removing the soap from the mold.
Wrap a band of paper or ribbon around the stack of soap, and it’s ready for gifting!
If you love this idea, be sure to check out our other quick and easy bath & body products as well!
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Heidi Kundin has captivated the hearts of millions with her colorful and inspiring approach to crafting, celebrations, and family fun. With over 15 years of experience, Happiness is Homemade has become a must-visit destination for those seeking quick and easy creative ideas and last-minute solutions. Heidi’s warm personality shines through her posts, inviting readers to join her on a creative journey that’s fun, rewarding, and achievable. Heidi is also the author of Homemade Bath Bombs & More and DIY Tie-Dye.
hey Heidi!
sorry to ask a silly question – is this the same as melt and pour soap? I keep seeing this come up a lot in my searches with soap making.
Cheers
Jen
Yes, this is a melt and pour soap! 🙂
Heidi,
Can I add some Vitamin E or Olive oil to the shea soap base once melted
Hi Amy, you can add either of those to the soap base; however, I would not recommend adding too much or else the soap may not set up properly. This may take a couple of test batches for you to find an appropriate ratio. I have never tried it myself, so I’m not 100% sure what the limit would be. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works for you! 🙂
Hi Heidi! I made a variation of the soap, using Lemongrass essential oil and peppermint. I used blue colorant, and I don’t love the shade. Can I remelt this and add additional colorant (yellow…to tone down the blue) or will it wreck the soap?
Hi Kathleen! I have never attempted to re-melt the soap, but it should work. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Heidi! It came out great…The final color made me much happier! The gift recipients loved it, too!!
Thanks for this, can’t wait to try this!
How much soap does this make?
is It ok to use a premise soap like unscented Dove?
I do not think that Dove soap will melt in the correct way for this project.
I love this idea, I can’t wait to try it for Christmas.
Thanks,
Rosie
is there any specific technique, pattern or anything you do when swirling the color onto the soap with the toothpick to make it come out super pretty?
Nope, nothing specific. Just swirl it around until it looks pretty! 🙂
Could you use regular food color instead?
From my experience, food coloring will not work as well. It will color the soap, but it takes a large amount of food coloring for it to become saturated enough, and you run the risk of the dye transferring to your skin when the soap gets wet.
Hi! My first grade students are going to be making a craft to sell to other students in our grade-wide economics sale. We are supposed to choose a craft that makes 250 of something. If I got a smaller size to make the soaps (I’m thinking like a mini muffin tin) how much soap base would I need? I just want to make sure this is affordable for me but I LOVE this idea!
A quick Google search is telling me that a mini muffin cup is about 2 oz if you fill it full. The soap base comes in 16 oz. blocks. Since you’re looking to get so much of it, I’d highly suggest visiting a local craft store (Michaels, Joann, and Hobby Lobby all carry it) with your 40% off coupon in hand! 🙂
How long will the soap keep? I want to make it this weekend and use as gifts through Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Isn’t it nice we have such talented people who share such cute ideas! I love it and it seems simple enough. There again I guess I can change the color and fragrance to use for mother’s day just for those who may not receive a gift but have been gracious to us! There are so many ways we can brighten folks lives. Thanks for sharing.
beautiful i’d love to make for christmas gifts but where would you find the shea butter base and more importantly the molds?
Thank you! There are links in the “What You’ll Need” materials section that will direct you to the products on Amazon.com, and they are also available at most craft stores including Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Joann’s. 🙂
There are a number of websites to buy the soap base and the molds, and it’s cheaper than going to Michael’s or other craft shops. You can try Wholesale Supplies Plus, Bulk Apothecary, Peake Candle &Soap supplies, Wellington Fragrance, Bramble Berry or just type in Amazon or Ebay “soap making supplies. Also, the mold this person used, I believe, is a 5oz mold. I have the same one.
I was wondering if the clear Glycerin soap base would work just as well? Or if you know if there are any other stores that offer this product! Thank you 😀
I have only tried it with the white glycerin base, so I can’t say for sure. The clear should scent just as easily, but I’m not sure how well the swirled color will work. If you try it, please let me know! You can buy the soap base at Hobby Lobby or other local craft stores should carry it as well. 🙂
Since I don’t have a microwave, what would be the best way to melt the Shea soap base?
You can melt the soap base on the stovetop in a double boiler. I have heard of varied success with melting soap in a crockpot on low as well. 🙂
You don’t give any measurements on the Shea butter or the oil, how much of each?
In the post I noted that I used just over 1/2 lb of the soap base along with 6-10 drops drops of the peppermint oil depending on how strong you’d like it to smell. For the mold that I used it yielded 3 bars of soap, but your yield will depend on the mold that you choose to use. Once you have a mold of choice it’s relatively easy to eyeball the amount of soap base that you will need, and you can adjust the amount of essential oil to your personal preference. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi there,
I am curious…can you use a cocoa butter soap base instead of the shea butter base?? Does the difference in consistency between those two bases make a difference in the final product given these measurements?!?
Thanks.
Jazzy
Hi Jazzy,
I have not tried the cocoa butter soap base myself, but I’ve used both the shea butter base and a straight white glycerin base with the same instructions and measurements. I would suppose that the cocoa butter base would work as well as long as it’s the melt-and-pour variety. 🙂
Where can I find these ingredients?? how much does a batch make?
Hi Regina,
There are links in the post that will take you to the specified products on Amazon, or you can purchase the supplies at your local craft store. 🙂
Is the Shea soap base bars of soap you can buy off the shelf or is it a speciality thing. If it is a speciality thing where can I get it?
The Shea soap base is different than soap you can buy off of the shelf. You can get it at Hobby Lobby or online at Amazon HERE. 🙂
Does the Red soap colorant come off on your hands when you use the soap?
Hi Becky! In my experience, the red doesn’t come off on your hands. Once you swirl the colorant into the soap it is usually diluted enough that it won’t transfer. 🙂
I love this idea Heidi!
Thanks, Angie! 🙂