The Handmade Bar of Soap

Methods of Soapmaking 

• The melt and pour method is the easiest, since you are just melting a soap base (usually sold as blocks). This method is a good one to use when you are new to soapmaking, since it doesn't involve the use of lye or carrier oils (olive oil, cococut oil, ect).
• Rebatching (also know as hand-milling) involves shredding cold or hot process soap, melting it, and then adding whatever ingredients you wish to add. This method can help preserve expensive ingredients, such as some essential oils.
• Hot process soapmaking involves introducing heat to accelerate saponification. A double-broiler, crockpot or microwave can be used for this purpose.
• The cold process method involves mixing fatty acids with a lye mixture (lye and water, lye and milk, ect.) to generate a reaction called saponifaction. This method takes the longest, since you have to let the soap dry for up to six weeks before use.

Making Unique Soaps 

It's almost like baking!

• Tea - to color the soap and/or to use bits of tea leaves
• Coffee - same use as tea, but you can make the soap a whole lot darker with coffee.
• Eggnog - use instead of/in addition to water
• Cream - use instead of/in addition to water
• Cocoa - use to slightly color soap
• Other Ideas
  I have yet to try these, but they might help color soap.
  Tomato juice, cranberry juice