How to Make Melt & Pour Soap Base from Scratch: A Beginner's Guide to Melt & Pour Soap Base Manufacturing

by Kayla Fioravanti

How to Make Melt & Pour Soap Base from Scratch will teach you the long held secret recipes for the popular soap base often called "Melt & Pour Soap," "Glycerin Soap," and "M&P Soap." It also reveals many unknown truths about this popular soap base including that it is not a natural soap. It is the first book published with recipes, methodology and tips on how to make Melt and Pour Soap from Scratch. It is written from the perspective of a Cosmetic Formulator. Whether you are a crafter, hobbyist or business owner this book has everything that you need. This book give you guidance on how, as a small home based business, you can follow the regulations, labeling laws and industry standards for selling soap and cosmetics.My entire journey into the cosmetic industry started with Melt and Pour Soap shortly after I discovered aromatherapy. The roots of our business, Essential Wholesale, all started in December of 1998. Over the years we moved from our home kitchenette to a 600 square foot space, to a 2500 square foot building, to a 10,000 square foot space in a bigger building, and from there we have expanded into 30,000 square feet of that same building. In 2011 our business will be moving to an even larger 58,000 square foot building.As our business expanded we began to focus on natural cosmetics and personal care products. However, I never lost my curiosity and fascination with Melt and Pour Soap. Our relationship with Melt and Pour Soap changed over the years. At first we sold retail customized Melt and Pour Soaps. We then bought and sold the company Critter Soaps. Later we sold thousands of pounds worth of wholesale Melt and Pour Soap base and eventually discontinued selling Melt and Pour Soap because the price kept rising. At the time Melt and Pour Soap was the only cosmetic base we sold that we didn't manufacture ourselves. It simply didn't make sense to wholesale someone else's base when our business model had changed to selling only the bases we manufactured ourselves.It was at this point in our business that I decided it was time to formulate our own Melt and Pour Soap ourselves. It didn't take long to have working formulas, but at that moment we were using up every inch of space in our 30,000 square foot building. We were bursting at the seams and couldn't accommodate the manufacturing and cooling of the Melt and Pour Soap Base in bulk. Our space was so tight we couldn't possibly cool an 8,000 lb batch of Melt and Pour Soap base into multiple 1 lb, 20 lb and 40 lb blocks to sell in bulk. But we got continued requests to manufacture and sell Melt and Pour Soap base.My solution is this book. I decided to share these basic recipes with you to give you the freedom to make your own Melt and Pour base in the quantities that work best for your business. These recipes will teach you the foundational information that you need and give you tips on how to customize your base.

Genres: Crafts

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2011

About the author

Kayla Fioravanti is living proof that the mind of a scientist can live concurrently with the heart of a poet in one body. Kayla’s first three books are filled with scientific information spoken in plain English for the everyday reader.

Kayla Fioravanti is an award-winning author, aromatherapist, formulator, and hemp CBD expert. In 2011 Kayla her company Essential Wholesale after starting it in 1998 by creating products in her kitchen using essential oils.

The initial $50 investment from their home kitchen, combined with blood, sweat and prayers led to a rewarding thirteen year run in the cosmetic, aromatherapy and skin care industry. But nothing is more exciting to Kayla than the final reward that came with the sale of Essential Wholesale, the ability move onto her next phase in life as a full time wife, mother and author.

In 2011 Kayla wrote and published three books: The Art, Science and Business of Aromatherapy, How to Make Melt & Pour Soap Base from Scratch and DIY Kitchen Chemistry. Currently Kayla is focusing on finishing her poetry book When I was Young I Flew the Sun as a Kite before leaping into her next projects including; Kids Smell Like Dirt and Maple Syrup, Puffy and Blue and Parenting on Bended Knee: Raising the Beyond Strong Willed Child.

Kayla’s articles can be found in dozens of publications including: Dermascope Magazine, Les Nouvelles Esthetique, Global Cosmetic Industry (GCI) Magazine, New York Metro Parent, Saponifier, National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists and Essential Wholesale’s educational arm the Essential U blog. Kayla has been featured and has given expert advice for hundreds of magazines including Real Simple, Self Magazine, Prevention Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Home Business Magazine, Women Entrepreneur, Elle, Private Label Buyer, Redbook, InStyle Magazine, Woman’s World and more. She wrote a chapter in the book Millionaire Mom, The Art of Raising a Business and a Family at the Same Time by Joyce Bone. Kayla has been a guest on Millionaire Moms Radio, Organic Beauty Radio, Indie Radio, Good Day Oregon and more.

Reviews

[Linda Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a Handmade soaper as myself love the book and how easy it is to make my own Melt & Pour Soap from scratch over buying from a company already made.

[Callie PICCOLI · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. It explains how to make the melt and pour soap you purchase from soap making stores yourself. It is not about natural soapmaking. The recipies use the ingredients that the big soapmaking companies use and explains their function. Depending on your focus (like if you only want to use natural ingredients), you may or may not use the recipies in the book. There is however a natural 'work in progress' recipie in the back of the book to play with.

[Bulldog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way more than just recipes.

Not only does this book have the recipes for M&P soaps, it has information for Canadians (hard to find) and information regarding the business side if you want to head that way.

[Anne-marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, “How to Make Melt and Pour Soap Base from Scratch” is one the soapmaking industry has long been clamoring for. Noted aromatherapist, Kayla Fioravanti, has done her research, spent countless hours in the lab formulating and is now sharing her information with the soapmaking world. And we are all the better for it. For anyone who has wondered, "Just how is melt and pour made?" to the experienced soapmaker who wants to control their own ingredients and supply chain, this book has something in it for everyone. In addition to Melt and Pour formulas, step by step instructions and a detailed ingredient discussion, this book also addresses important issues such as: “How do I turn this hobby into a business?” and “What sort of manufacturing practices should I be following when I make this soap?” If you're curious about how Melt and Pour soap is made or just want to learn a new craft, this book is for you.

[Lela Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla continually astounds me with her breadth of knowledge and, in particular, her unique gift for distilling what is often very technical scientific information down to its essence, making it accessible for formulator on every level. Her knowledge, passion and commitment to this industry is one of our most valuable assets. This book does not disappoint and is certain to become an invaluable guide the reader will reach for again and again. Succinct, well organized and brimming with valuable information.

[Lisa Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla has used her 13 years in the cosmetic industry to produce a book that is well written, in terms that a layman could begin manufacturing Melt and Pour soap today. Kayla has provided all aspects required to have or create a successful business in the cosmetic industry. More importantly, Kayla has shown the reader what is required of a manufacturer, and the facts surrounding ingredients, regulations, safety and guidelines.

[Shila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great easy reading book on how-to create melt and pour soap from scratch. Quick read and easy to understand. I just wish more time was spent on creating melt and pour soap using natural ingredients instead of synthetic ones.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book, but it left me wanting more. Certainly worth having in your library even if it leaves a certain emptiness.