Learn how to paint soap with mica powder and alcohol to make cute Easter egg soaps. This melt and pour soap butter has extra shea butter in it to moisturize your skin, and it only takes a few hours to make.
Even though Easter is over a month away, I wanted to get a start on my Easter projects early for a few reasons.
First, I'm so over winter. I love where I live and I love the farm, but winter gets to me more and more each year. I'm ready to move on to spring scents and fun projects after the long winter.
Secondly, I wanted to give you time to order supplies like this cute Easter egg soap mold so you have time to make things before Easter.
Learning how to paint soap with mica powder and alcohol is fairly easy. You just need soap, mica, and alcohol. It's quick to do, and you can really get creative.
I used this technique for my painted gingerbread house molds, and I knew it would be perfect for these cute Easter melt and pour soaps.
You can also use this technique to paint hot process or cold process soaps, but I used melt and pour because it's quick and easy.
HOW TO PAINT SOAP WITH MICA POWDER AND ALCOHOL EASTER EGG SOAPS
I kept my soap white because I wanted to use several colors of mica to make these cute mica painted soaps. You could also color the the soap.
If you use use a soap colorant, I suggest using a light color. I've painted on colored soap before, and it does work well, but lighter soap will give you more contrast.
MELT AND POUR SOAP
This tutorial for how to paint soap with mica powder and alcohol is easy to make because it uses melt and pour soap. If you're new to melt and pour, you just cut it, melt it, and pour it. It really is that easy!
I used Crafty Bubbles brand melt and pour in white. You could also use clear one with an additive, but I like choosing my own additives for each batch.
SHEA BUTTER
You don't have to add anything to melt and pour soap, but I like to add an extra oil or a body butter. I added shea butter
I added shea butter because it's moisturizing and a natural emollient. It's great for dry skin with vitamins A and E.
MICA POWDER
I used mica powder to make a "paint" by mixing it with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol evaporates, leaving the mica. The colors are bright and vivid and last through a few washings.
This is the set of mica powder that I have. I was worried about the bags, but they don't spill and are easier to use than I thought they would be. This set will last me forever, too.
FRAGRANCE
I'm moving on to spring and fruity scents in hopes of warmer weather, so I used the new Blueberry natural fragrance oil from Crafty Bubbles. It's new, so it's not on their website yet. You'll have to call or email them to order it.
You can use any fragrance oil or essential oil in this painted Easter egg soap.
EASTER EGG MOLD
I used this cute Easter egg mold from Wilton. Each cavity holds about 3 ounces of soap. The soap was very easy to unmold since it's made from silicone.
I don't see it on Amazon, but this one is similar.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound melt and pour soap (I used Crafty Bubbles, but you can use this one
)
- 1 tablespoon shea butter
- 1 ounce by weight blueberry natural fragrance oil or other fragrance oil or essential oil
- mica powder
- paint brush
- rubbing alcohol
- Easter egg soap mold
DIRECTIONS
STEP #1
Weigh one pound of melt and pour soap with a digital scale
Melt at 30 second intervals until melted, stirring at each interval.
STEP #2
When it's melted, add the shea butter and stir well. The heat from the soap will melt the shea butter.
I don't like to microwave shea butter because it can get grainy. It won't make much of a difference in the soap because you won't feel it, but it's still good practice not to microwave it.
STEP #3
Add up to 1 ounce by weight of fragrance oil or essential oil per pound of soap. I use a laser thermometer
The blueberry natural fragrance oil that I used is very strong, so I used less.
STEP #4
Pour into the Easter egg mold and let sit for several hours until cool and fully hardened.
STEP #5
Once the soaps are set up, they should pop right out of the mold.
Add about 1/4 teaspoons mica powder to the bottom of a disposable cup and add enough rubbing alcohol to make a paint. I use a dropper to add the rubbing alcohol.
STEP #6
Stir the mica and alcohol with a paint brush. Then paint your soaps. Get creative!
Let the painted soaps sit until dry, which doesn't take long because the alcohol evaporates quickly.
Once they are dry, they are ready to use. The mica will last through several washings.
Although melt and pour soap is ready to use as soon as it's cool, I like to let mine sit to dry for a few days. I set it on a cookie cooling rack so the air can get all around it.
To help your painted Easter egg soap last longer, use a soap dish
