Use multipurpose liquid from organic waste. Benefits of eco-enzyme: Eco enzyme is a multipurpose liquid produced from fermented organic waste which can be used to replace multiple household product. It can eliminate the need to add any harmful ingredients and can be used on its own or added as part of your liquid soap dilution. Converting waste to eco enzyme also helps to reduce the amount of organic waste piling up in landfills. Eco enzyme liquids can be used for: - Floor cleaner - Toilet cleaner - Kitchen cleaner - Dishwashing liquid - Air purifier - Clothes detergent - Body wash and hair care - Pesticide - Fertilizer How to make eco-enzyme at home Things you need: Citrus Fruit Peels* Brown SugarWater Air Tight Plastic Container** Note: *You can also use other fruits or vegetables but we love the scent of citrus peels most. ** Plastic material is preferred to avoid the container from exploding when gasses built up. Instructions: Measure - Use ratio 10:3:1 to measure the ingredients. (10g brown sugar, 30g of citrus fruit peels, 100g of water). Adjust accordingly with the available waste. Mix - Mix all ingredients into the plastic container and stir. Fermentation - Close the container until it is airtight at a sheltered place. Open the container once a week to release trapped gasses. After 3 months, you can filter the liquid for use. The organic waste residue can be used as fertilisers. 3 Eco-Enzyme soap making recipe to try for your home: 1. Fresh Liquid Hand Soap Ingredients: 150g Coconut oil 100g Rice Bran 250g Olive 122g Potassium Hydroxide 183g Distilled water 183g Eco-enzyme liquid You can opt to dilute the soap paste with ratio 1:1 (soap paste : with eco enzyme liquid or distilled water) Add your choice of essential oil after dilution. 2. Natural Liquid Body Soap Ingredients: 200g Coconut oil 50g Sweet Almond oil 250g Shea Butter 123g Potassium Hydroxide 184g Distilled water 184g Eco-enzyme liquid You can opt to dilute the soap paste with ratio 1:1 (soap paste : with eco enzyme liquid or distilled water). Add your choice of essential oil after dilution. 3. Liquid Laundry Soap Ingredients: 400g Coconut oil 100g Castor oil 143g Potassium Hydroxide 214g Distilled water 214g Eco-enzyme liquid You can opt to dilute the soap paste with ratio 1:1 (soap paste : with eco enzyme liquid or distilled water). Add your choice of essential oil after dilution. Choose Sugar & Spice for your soap making journey! Learn how to make soap from scratch and join our soap making community! We have a cozy environment to make you feel relaxed so that you can enjoy the learning experience - both theory and hands-on! Sugar & Spice studio 81 Ubi Avenue 4 #10-18/19 UB One Singapore 408830 (Near Tai Seng MRT) www.sugarandspice.com.sg WhatsApp Us @ 8742 0336 Sign up for class today!

Good for your health, Good for your skin! Special occasions call for fun new treats. Celebrating Singapore’s 57 th National Day, you might be looking for ways to spice up your usual soap-making recipes. One of the easiest ways to treat yourself, as well as your friends and family, is by including new powders in your soaps. Some of the newest powders in our studio are perfect for this! Gromwell Powder A popular plant used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it offers highly beneficial properties as a powder that make it perfect for soap-makers. It has been used to treat a variety of skin conditions, including eczema, hives, rashes, and psoriasis. The powder, when mixed and applied to the skin, works to soothe and repair irritated and inflamed areas. Gromwell powder also contains high antimicrobial properties, making it a great addition to soaps. Being antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, it works as a natural ingredient to fight common viruses and protect the body. Coptis Root Powder Known for its bright yellow color, Coptis has been known to clear the effects of being in damp climates in Singapore. Externally, it works similarly to Gromwell powder in soothing skin inflammations. The brightness of Coptis powder makes it an easy way to add a pop of color to your designs or create beautiful yellow soaps. Cucumber Powder Often overlooked as a salad vegetable, cucumbers can be used for its hydration benefits in skincare. It is filled with antioxidants, including caffeic acid and folic acid, that help boost the production of collagen and slow premature aging. Cucumber can also soothe sunburns and reduce swelling or puffiness in the skin. The cooling properties already make it a popular ingredient for skincare, but it works beautifully in soaps as well. By using natural ingredients in your soaps, you’re not only able to customise them to fit your wants and needs. Bar soaps are increasingly common as people search for more sustainable products. In co-working spaces like our studio, you get the chance to try many new things without needing to worry about buying equipment and storing ingredients. Enjoy a limited-time 57% discount for Gromwell, Coptis Roots & Cucumber powders when you purchase these powders on our e-store. For aspiring soap makers, book a class with us and see first-hand how these natural ingredients can be incorporated into soaps. Recommended classes for Aspiring soap makers: Soap Basic: Cold Process Bar Soap Making Soap Basic: Cold Process Liquid Soap Making For experience soap makers, book a class with us and be part of our Soap Community: DIY soap making class (single session) 3 months / 6 months / 1 year All Access Pass Plan

Clay can be an invaluable and natural addition to your soap-making endeavors, providing both soft pastel hues and additional skin benefits. If you're a soap maker looking to add a splash of color to your creations, here are five clays to consider: French Red Clay (Rhassoul Clay): Light red or brown Excellent cleansing and exfoliating: It can effectively remove impurities, dead skin cells, and excess oils from the skin. It is suitable for combination or oily skin. Soothing: It helps to calm skin discomfort and redness, which can be beneficial for individuals with sensitive or irritated skin. Enhanced lathering: It creates a creamy and luxurious foam that adds to the overall bathing experience. French Green Clay (Illite Clay): Pale green Robust absorption and detoxifying : It is ideal for deep cleansing, pore-minimizing, and controlling excess oil. It is suitable for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Gentle exfoliation: Its fine texture helps to remove dead skin cells and leaves the skin feeling smoother and softer. Enhanced lathering: It creates a creamy and rich lather. Brazilian Yellow Clay: Soft, pale yellow Exfoliating and detoxifying: It can remove impurities and balance sebum production and is an excellent choice for those with oily or combination skin. Toning and brightening: It can help improve skin tone and promote a brighter complexion. Soothing Effect: This makes it suitable for individuals with sensitive or easily irritated skin. Australian Rose Clay: Soft and delicate pink Gentle cleansing and exfoliation: Helps to remove impurities and excess oils from the skin without causing dryness, making it suitable for individuals with sensitive or dry skin. Skin softening and soothing: It can help soften and refine the skin's texture, leaving it feeling supple and smooth. It can also help calm and reduce skin irritation. Hydration: It can assist in retaining moisture in the skin, contributing to a hydrated and nourished complexion. Cambrian/Serbian Blue Clay: Blue-gray Detoxification: It can help draw out impurities, toxins, and excess oils from the skin, contributing to a deep cleansing effect in the soap. Exfoliation: The clay can provide gentle exfoliation, aiding in the removal of dead skin cells and impurities, leaving the skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Skin Soothing: It can help calm skin irritation and redness, making it suitable for individuals with sensitive or easily irritated skin. By experimenting with these natural clays and taking creative liberties with your soap recipes, you can create beautifully colored, pastel-hued soaps that not only look fantastic but also provide additional benefits. If you have specific questions or need assistance with your soap-making endeavors, feel free to ask, and we'll be happy to help. Happy soap making! 💛 Love, Sugar & Spice

One thing we love about #soapmaking is the room to express our creativity by using a variety of ingredients such as herbs, clays, and natural additives in the #soapmaking process that produce a different texture and outcome of the soaps. For today’s blog, we would like to share more about herbs that are derived from the leaves of a plant. In conjunction with Mother's Day and Hari Raya, we have selected these 3 herbs : Moringa powder, Indigo powder, and Annatto Seed for you to experiment in your #soapmaking. Moringa Powder | Color: Earthy Green Moringa powder is derived from the leaves of the moringa tree, which are native to the Himalayan Mountains and parts of India & Africa. Moringa powder is mainly consumed as an herbal supplement, however, it can also be added to soaps for its skin-loving properties. Moringa leaves that are dried and ground into powder contain almost all essential nutrients, vitamins (vitamins A & C), amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. It enriches soap with antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that protect the skin from various forms of infection and promote smooth, healthy skin by fighting free radicals, soothing irritation, and combating acne-causing bacteria. Incorporating moringa powder into your #soapmaking can contribute to a nourishing and moisturizing skin care experience. Note: Pic below using 1.5tsp of moringa powder for the leaves Source: https://draxe.com/nutrition/moringa-benefits/ Beautiful feather swirl flower using Annatto Seed and Moringa powder Annatto Powder | Color: Orange/ Earthy Yellow Annatto powder is derived from the achiote tree that is native to tropical regions of the Americas. The seeds are harvested from the spiky red pods of the tree, dried, and commonly used in various culinary and industrial purposes for their natural coloring properties. Besides giving your soap a vibrant color, annatto seeds contain skin-nourishing properties such as antioxidants and vitamins that shield your skin from damage caused by free radicals and fight the signs of aging. It has excellent cleansing properties that help soothe and calm irritated skin. Play around with annatto powder in your next #soapmaking session and see how the color changes from light to a golden hue (depending on the quantity that is being used) Note: Pic above using 1 tsp of annatto seed powder for the flower design Source - https://draxe.com/nutrition/annatto/ Indigo Powder | Color: Greyish blue/purple The traditional malay kuih-muih soap - Celebration for Hari Raya Indigo powder is a natural dye derived from the leaves of the indigo plant which is native to Asia. It has been used for centuries to color fabrics, textiles, and hair. It has recently gained popularity in natural hair care, beauty products, and soap making. Indigo powder contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit the skin. When used in soap, it can help soothe irritated skin, reduce inflammation, and promote overall skin health. Mix indigo powder into your next #soapmaking session to create the different shades of blue. Note: Pic above using 0.5 tsp indigo powder + 1.5 tsp moringa powder Guidelines for #soapmaking (depending on the vibrancy of the color preference) 0.5 to 1.5 tsp for annatto seed 0.5 to 1 tsp for moringa powder 0.5 tsp for indigo powder Happy soap making!💛 Love, Sugar & Spice Disclaimer - Final soap colour varies depending on soap oils, quality of powders and soap making process (curing/ temperature/ gel phase) Craft with us Shop with us

Imagine having a shower after a long day at work, holding a bar of soap that has geranium, rosemary, and cedarwood essential oil. As you slowly inhale, the scent enters your nose, your body starts to relax, the soothing scent slowly relaxes your brain, and your mood shifts. That’s what I love about my bar soap, which has a sweet floral and woody scent. Let me share with you the science and art of essential oil blending. Essential oils are the essence or “life force” that comes from the flowers, petals, leaves, roots, bark, resins, seeds, and needles of a plant or tree. These oils are obtained through steam/water distillation or mechanical methods such as cold press or absolute solvent extraction. Traditionally, essential oils are used for medical, emotional, beauty, physical, and religious purposes such as ayurveda, scented baths, and incense burning. We talk about essential notes like music or wine - we use the term “notes”. The notes help create a synergistic blend using each aroma chord to have a balanced product. The 3 notes are comparable to having leaves - the first note, a trunk - the middle note, and a root - base note Top Note First smell to arise that is sharp and penetrating First scent evaporates first, scent does not linger. Scents that clear the mind, stimulate thinking and uplift energy. Middle Note Holds the top and base note together to provide a rounder scent Gives the blend softness, fullness and round an edgy aroma. Scents that are soothing, calming and relaxing. Base Note Majority of base notes come from woods, resins, and roots. The scent improves with age. Scents that provide grounding and support of your blend, reduce evaporation of the top notes. We’re done with the theory of essential oil, now comes the fun part which is the blending. Here are some key questions to ask when it comes to blending. Here are some of our scent recommendation Calming - Lavender, Geranium and Bergamot Floral Paradise - Rose, Gardenia, Ylang Ylang Refreshing - Peppermint, Sweet Orange, Juniper Berry Grounding - Patchouli, Cedarwood, Tea Tree Our top tip for essential oil blending is to use a maximum of 3 types of essential oil to create a distinctive scent. The best proportion for the essential oil blend is 3 top notes: 2 middle notes: 1 base notes Have fun experimenting! Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on how essential oils affect your soap. Happy soap making!💛 Love, Sugar & Spice Craft with us Shop with us

Have you ever noticed that certain essential oils cause your soap to harden more quickly than usual? I remember once adding an essential oil that accelerated tracing and resulted in crumbly soap. On another occasion, I used patchouli essential oil for my soap, and it turned brownish-yellow rather than the pale yellow of the base oil that I wanted to retain. Other times, I noticed that the essential oil I used did not retain its scent over time as it dissipated. Initially, scents like rosemary and clary sage were strong, but they became more subtle over time. Since then, I've been more mindful when using essential oils in my soap crafting. Depending on whether it's for the body or face, I carefully choose the type and amount of essential oils to achieve the desired design and functionality. In soap making, "trace" refers to the point in the mixing process where the oils, lye, and water have emulsified to the extent that they cannot be separated again. When the mixture reaches a light trace, it indicates that it will continue to thicken and harden on its own. The three different stages of trace are listed below: Light Trace: The soap mixture is just beginning to emulsify and is still fluid enough to manipulate easily. Medium Trace: The soap mixture has thickened further, resembling a thin custard consistency. Thick Trace: At thick trace, the soap mixture has significantly thickened to the point where it leaves a trace or "ribbon" when drizzled back onto itself. The use of essential oils will influence trace in soap making. Certain essential oils accelerate the tracing process, which impacts the final outcome of your soap. For instance, adding fast-tracing essential oils during medium trace can rapidly transition the mixture into thick trace within seconds, potentially changing the soap's design if a smoother texture was originally intended. Here is a reference list of essential oils categorized by their tracing behavior through our experimentation in the studio: Fast Tracing: Cinnamon Bark, Lavender, Citronella, Nutmeg, Clove Bud, Rose Geranium, Geranium, and Ylang Ylang Non-Fast Tracing: Cedarwood, Lemon Eucalyptus, Clary Sage, Lime, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Fir Needle, Rosemary, Ginger, Sweet Orange, Juniper Berry, Tea Tree. Apart from affecting the trace stage, essential oils can also change the color of soap. For example, vetiver and patchouli essential oils are brownish-yellow and will change the color of your soap if no other additives are used. To counter this effect, you can add mica, oxide, or titanium dioxide to retain the original color. As a general guideline, we recommend the following quantities (in ml) when adding essential oils to your total soap weight: 2-3% for heavier base essential oils (thick in texture and typically woody/herbal in scent). 4-5% for essential oil blends (mixing of 2-3 different essential oils). 6% for pure citrus essential oils. These recommendations help ensure a balanced and effective use of essential oils in soap making, considering their textures and scent profiles. Lastly, the scent of essential oils in your soap will diminish over time due to several factors: Oxidation and evaporation Exposure to light and heat Improper storage of the cured soap Top note essential oils fade more quickly, while others gradually develop a subtler scent. To preserve the scent, wrap your soap in cling film and store it in an airtight container. Separating different scents into different boxes will ensure they don’t mix. Check out our blog post on essential oil blending https://www.sugarandspice.com.sg/post/essential-oil-blending where we provide recommendations for blends. *Other factors that can affect trace include the type of oils or butter, temperature, additives used in soap making. Happy soapmaking! 💛 Love, Sugar & Spice Craft with us Shop with us

Try our Pink Himalayan Salt bar recipe! Salt is a crystalline mineral made of two elements, sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Most of the world’s salt is harvested from salt mines or by evaporating seawater and other mineral-rich waters. Salt Soap Benefits: Moisturiser – Salt is a natural humectant, drawing moisture to skin and helping to retain it resulting in soft skin without skin being left feeling greasy. Exfoliator – A gentle exfoliator to slough off dead skin cells and promote skin rejuvenation resulting in smoother softer skin. Detoxifier - Salt is a natural detoxifier, as the salt absorbs the toxins from the skin. Combine the cleansing, detoxifying and exfoliating qualities of a salt bath to your cold process soap recipe. The end result of the bar will be super-hard and it can produces a creamy lather. Choose Your Salt Himalayan Pink Salt Pink Himalayan salt is made from rock crystals of salt that have been mined from areas close to the Himalayas, often in Pakistan and from the Khewra Salt Mine, the second largest salt mine in the world. Himalayan salt contains traces of iron oxide (rust), which give it a rosy hue and also a small amount of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium , making it slightly lower in sodium than regular table salt. Sea Salt Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater. Like table salt, it is mostly just sodium chloride. However, depending on its source and how it was processed, it usually contains various trace minerals like potassium, iron and zinc. The darker the sea salt, the higher its concentration of impurities and trace nutrients. However, due to ocean pollution, sea salt can also harbor trace amounts of heavy metals like lead. Kosher Salt Kosher salt has a large grain size. The main difference between regular salt and kosher salt is the structure of the flakes. With the large grain size, it can sometimes be a bit harsh on the skin but will result in a deep exfoliating soap. Precaution when using Salt: The salt soap will start to harden almost immediately. If you're using a log mold, cut the soap as soon as it's firm enough. The soap will still be warm even as it's going through the saponification process. However, if you wait too long, the soap will be hard, difficult to cut, and result in crumbly bars. Tip: If you don't like the exfoliating feeling of a salt, you can also brine the salt in water and add it to your lye solution. Salt bar is great for oily skin. Formulated by instructor Jin Watch a full step-by-step video on How To Make Pink Himalayan Salt bar. Note: This recipe is for a 200g soap. Please formulate according to your desired batch. In this recipe, for the salt, we recommend 30% of total soap weight or less. For essential oil, we recommend adding 5% of total oil weight. Where to get your soap ingredients? You can get soap ingredients from Sugar & Spice refill stations or on our e-store. Like to give our salt bars a try? Get FREE samples from our studio: 81 Ubi Avenue 4 #10-19 UB.One Singapore 408830 (pre-appointment required). While stocks last! If you like it, don't forget to try the above recipe for your next soap making project! New to soap making? Book for our Basic Cold Process (CP) soap making classes (Suitable for Beginners): Basic CP soap making class (Learn how to make bar soaps) CP Liquid soap making class (Learn how to make liquid soaps) For Experienced soap makers, rent a space for soap making: DIY Workshop

Most people who love art and craft know how important a homey place can be as a cradle for great ideas. Having a cosy space to do things that we like may be a luxury of city life, but we believe it's worth everything to make one if we can't find one. After months of planning and making, we have finally turned our studio at UB. One into a warm and snug place. It is now ready to welcome guests who are interested in making their own soaps. The studio is fully equipped to host soap making classes for up to 30 students. See more photos of the studio in our Gallery. With such a relaxed atmosphere conducive to learning, now we are able to allow more crafters and artists to conduct workshops and classes here. If you are looking for a convenient and yet affordable space to share your passion with more people, contact us for more details. Yes, this is probably the cheapest rate you can find in Singapore! The only reason we open and offer this space to you is we hope to see more art and craft classes around in Singapore. Believe it or not, attending these classes is one of the best ways to relax and de-stress! #workshop #home #clase #soapmaking #idea #cozy #homey #space #equip #AngMoKio #classroom #art #craft

This could be the most frequently asked question by soap makers in Singapore. Well the search ends here. But let's review some brief Q&As about lye first for those who are new to soap making. What is lye? Lye, or sodium hydroxide, is an essential chemical required to make soap. It is caustic by itself but there is no more lye in the end product of any soap because all lye will be reacted with oil to become soap. This process is called saponification. Lye exists in nature when rain water mixes with ashes. Is there a substitute for lye in soap making? The short answer is no as all soaps are made with lye. Either sodium hydroxide is used for hard bar soap or potassium hydroxide is used for liquid soap, there is no substitute for lye. Nothing else will make oil to become soap. We have gathered some resources here if you are interested to find out more about the relationship between lye and soap: What is lye? The truth about lye and soap. Is there lye in your soap? Won't it harm my skin? Can you make soap without lye (sodium hydroxide)? Making soap without lye: How to avoid the dangers of lye? How to make your own sodium hydroxide (lye)? Why you can’t buy lye in Singapore? Many Singaporeans who are just started to learn about soap making, particularly cold process soap making, may find it a bit frustrated to source for this material in the first place before they start making anything. The main reason why you can't simply buy lye off the shelf in Singapore: It is for the sake of safety and environment. In Singapore, both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are controlled industrial chemicals regulated by National Environment Agency (NEA). No individuals are allowed to import or purchase such controlled chemicals for personal or domestic use because handling of these chemicals requires a high standard of safety measures with a proper plan for waste disposal. With such regulation, injuries to human and introduction of contaminants into the natural environment can be prevented/minimised if there is any mishandling of the chemicals. So, where can you get lye in Singapore for soap making? Soap makers in Singapore can only get lye by renting a soap making workshop approved by NEA with a permit. These workshops must meet the strict safety requirements imposed by the authority. As lye is only allowed to be used in these premises, it has become illegal and irresponsible (to ourselves and the environment) to use lye and make cold process soap at home. We are a group of soap makers who faced the same problem of getting lye to make our DIY cold process soap in the beginning. Eventually we decided to setup a workshop by applying to NEA for the permit and started out our very first soap maker's workshop Sugar & Spice in early 2017. Now our workshop allows soap makers around Singapore to gather here and make their own cold process soaps with lye safely without any worry of compromising the environment and our own safety. You can use lye (both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide) supplied by us in the workshop for soap making at discounted price. Simply rent an hour or two of our studio to use the facilities and equipment freely. Other soap making ingredients and materials are available as well. There is no need to purchase a whole list of soap making equipment and ingredients to start as a beginner! Alternatively you can bring your own ingredients and equipment if you are already a soap maker. We also conduct easy-to-learn cold process soap making classes for beginners every week in our workshop. All classes and DIY workshop can be booked online. Find out more details about our DIY workshop and classes here. Hardcore soap makers can even sign up as a member for unlimited use of our workshop and enjoy 50% discount on lye plus other attractive privileges. Check out our member’s privileges here. Our aim is to provide a convenient and free-and-easy environment for enthusiastic soap makers to make their cold process soaps. A soap maker should enjoy exploring the maximum creativity and possibility of soap making with minimum worry about the rest. We are soap makers too! We strongly believe nothing can stop us from developing this healthy and yet fun hobby. Though we are unable to enjoy the freedom of making cold process soap at home like in other countries, having a little bit more sense of social responsibility is something we can be very proud of :) Meanwhile, you may want to check the following three other workshops in Singapore that provide the same services if you have yet to do so: Soap Ministry Rough Beauty Singapore Soap Happy soaping! What is Lye? How to make your own lye for soap making? Available Soap Making Classes #lye #sodiumhydroxide #potassiumhydroxide #singapore #soapmaker #soapmaking #purchase #workshop #NationalEnvironmentAgency #permit #environment #supply #ingredient #material #member #privilege #convenient #creativity #DIY #class

LIVE Demo conducted at Sugar & Spice during our Soap Makers's Weekend. Event: Soap Makers Weekend We had a little get-together tea party & soap demo with our soap makers during the Soap Makers Weekend. Cold Process Soap Recipe: Christmas Soap We did a demo on the layering technique for the Christmas soap while our guests had fun designing the top soap with Christmas elements using soap clays. Learn how to make soap clay flower confetti. Want more soap recipes? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @Sugar & Spice Singapore Terri's Soap Recipe! Christmas Soap: (500g) Ev Coconut (35%): 123g Olive (55%): 193g Castor (10%): 35g Lye: 53g Water: 112ml Peppermint: 5ml Rosemary: 5ml Wheatgrass (Green): 0.5tsp Rose Clay (Pink): 0.5tsp Titanium Dioxide (White): 0.5tsp Join our Community of Soap Makers! If you have always wanted to give soap making a shot, come say hello to us! Seasoned soap makers are also welcomed! We just love to gather soap makers together and form a little community! Our studio is conveniently located at 81 Ubi Avenue 4 #10-19 UB.ONE Singapore 408830 (We are just 5 mins walk from Tai Seng MRT). See Class Schedule here. Available Classes (Suitable for Beginners!) Basic CP soap making class Learn how to make natural bar soaps from scratch! (Suitable for Beginners!) CP Liquid soap making class Learn how to make natural liquid soap from scratch! (Suitable for children and adults!) Melt & Pour soap making class Learn how to make your own handmade soap in the easiest way! (Rent our workshop for soap making!) Cold Process Soap DIY Workshop FREE to use our available equipment and facility in studio! Prior CP knowledge is required.

Learn how you can turn a Plain Jane looking soap into something beautiful. Most soap design techniques are a combination of basic techniques including blending of colours, layering and embedding. Here are some of the different techniques and variations you can try: Soap Design Technique: LAYERING Bored of single coloured soap? Play with colours and simply add layers! Match the right colour tone and play around with the different thickness and patterns of layering. This is one of the easiest way to move away from that boring-looking soap. If you are more adventurous, add gradients or ombre version of layering using shades or hues to create a pattern of colour change throughout a bar of soap. By taking advantage of the different colourants, the gradient can appear seamless and beautiful. Soap Design Technique: EMBEDDING Want to add depth to your soap? Add in some embeds. Sometimes, adding uneven shapes and colours to the soap can be surprisingly beautiful, adding a touch of uniqueness in every bar. This technique is also a good way to make full use of your extra soaps. Just cut them into pieces and add them into your new batch of soap and viola! Soap Design Technique: POURING There are many pouring techniques that you can try when you play with colours. Seen here is the watermark design created with dancing funnel pouring technique. In this design, to get the watermark effect, we pour different colours alternately. As we have to pour the colours into different columns layer by layer, timing is the key to avoid the soap batter becomes thicker while you pour in the design. Soap Design Technique: SWIRLING Soap making is a process of creating art. Visualize the pattern, add colours and swirl according to the pattern that you desire, and you will be surprised by an art piece created by yourself. Each bar and pattern is unique and you can see the beauty within only after cutting your loaf of soap. Seen here is the beautiful Butterfly Swirl. Want to master this and other swirling techniques? Learn more than 10 swirling techniques to design your soap! Soap Design Technique: 3D SOAP ART Upgrade your handcrafted soap from conventional 2D design to a stunning 3D soap art! Soap clays are fun and you can easily knead it into the shapes that you want. Learn the most delicate soap art techniques from Japan! In this workshop, you will learn how to make soap clay, flower confetti & 3D art soap. Alternatively, download these tutorials to make some intricate flower confetti from home. Expect some head turns when you add this technique to your soap.

What is flower confetti in soap making? A flower confetti in soap making means an intricate confetti-size (less than 1.5cm in diameter) flower-shape decoration used in the making of handmade soap. It is usually handcrafted from soap clay. The term “flower confetti” was first used by Japanese soap artists who design their handmade soaps with these decorations to give the soap a 3D visual of delicate design. It is different from the “confetti soap” which refers to a bar soap that contains colourful soap shreds that look like pieces of confetti or sprinkles in the bar soap. A confetti soap Handmade soap designed with flower confetti is very popular in Japan thanks to its fine and detailed appearance that always makes people mistake a bar of soap as a small piece of beautiful cake. The unique techniques of making flower confetti have been available to Japanese only for many years because they demands for enormous patience, which is not lacking in most Japanese. It is irresistible to any hardcore soap maker who has ever seen these lovely soaps. We are soap makers too. We fell in love with them at the first sight and instantly spent months of effort to master the techniques. Now we are going to share what we have learned to the world. This might be the first time someone is sharing these techniques to the world outside of Japan! It will be totally worth it as we are able to see more soap makers around the world creating more pretty soaps with flower confetti :) Basic techniques to make flower confetti In general, making a flower confetti is very similar to making a cake decoration with fondant icing and clay modelling. Almost all fondant cake decorating and clay modelling techniques can be used to make flower confetti. The only huge difference is probably the size. The size of flower confetti is smaller than most conventional soap moulds and yet intricate enough to make the smallest icing pipe looks too big for the job. The essential tools to perform the job are your fingers and eyes. However, modelling and sculpting tools used in miniature clay modelling can be pretty helpful in making flower confetti. In fact, making a flower confetti is just like making a clay miniature. That’s why the material used is called soap clay as well. Soap clay is a soap that has a clay-like texture. There are many ways of making soap clay, but making a “pure” soap clay without adding other materials such as clay or cornstarch is another story because the texture of soap by nature is not as pliable and stable as clay. Certain techniques are required to get the ideal texture and we will come back to this later. We will now show you the steps to make a basic design of flower confetti - mini rose. It’s similar to making a rose flower with fondant, just that the size is much smaller. Basic design of flower confetti - Mini rose 1. Roll 4 pieces of soap clay into 5mm-diameter balls. 2. Flatten the balls to become ovals. 3. Roll an oval from its longest side. 4. Roll it all the way to become a tube-shape petal. 5. Curve another oval to become a saddle-shape flower petal and stick it around the tube-shape petal. 6. Continue with the 3rd petal and stick it around the tube-shape petal by overlapping it with some part of the 2nd petal. 7. Finish with the 4th petal and you have a mini rose less than 1cm in diameter ready for use. It may look simple and easy from the pictures, but the key to make a perfect flower confetti is to get the right texture of soap clay (not too hard, not too soft, not too wet and not too dry). Using soap clay with the right texture can save you a lot of time in making flower confetti. With the wrong texture, you may end up wasting valuable time for a failed attempt. For soap makers who are interested in making flower confetti with their own “pure” soap clay, we have a comprehensive tutorial available for you to download here. This tutorial includes the following must-know contents about making your own flower confetti with soap clay: A palm-free base recipe and steps to make “pure” soap clay. Essential tips on getting the perfect texture of soap clay for flower confetti making. Basic techniques of making flower confetti. Important tips on making flower confetti successfully in the shortest time. Alternatively, you can join our step-by-step soap art class to have a hands-on learning experience and make your own flower confetti and art soaps in our cozy workshop with exclusive guidance from our friendly instructors. Once you have mastered the basic techniques to make soap clay and flower confetti, you are able to create other miniatures with soap clay and upgrade your soap design from a conventional 2D design to a stunning 3D soap art! To learn how to make more intricate and complex flower confetti, download our advanced tutorial here. To learn how to design and make art soap with flower confetti, check out our soap art class here. Happy soaping... #soapmaking #soapclay #flowerconfetti #soapart #soapdesign #Japan #technique