How can I make soap base?

by Naoko
(UTAH)

It says I can use soap base to make soaps, it got glycerin to moisturize your skin. My understanding is that homemade soaps minus fragrance/color is base soap. Am I wrong? Adding oil glycerin to soap recipe increases moisturizing strength? Or oil itself has enough, so it's not necessary? I'm confused about whole glycerin, soap base thing..please help me!
Thank you!

Answer:
Naoko,

You are right...handmade soap without the "goodies" is often called soap base. It's certainly the term I use.

I'm guessing that whatever you're reading is referring to a melt and pour soap base rather than a handmade cold process soap base.

Melt and pour soap (sometimes referred to as glycerin soap base) can be bought from most soap making suppliers online and is quite fun to use.

Since it's already soap, you don't have to worry about using lye or oils at all. You just chop it up and melt it in the microwave, add colour and fragrance and pour into molds...at least that's the very simplest way to use it.

You don't add glycerin to cold or hot process soap when you make it because the process of making soap also makes glycerin. Your final soap will already have glycerin in it naturally.

Hope that helps to clear things up for you.