The lockdown has finally taken its toll on most of us and that’s the sad truth. Kids are getting so edgy now and throwing tantrums easily and I can’t lie, I’m super-tired!
We’ve run out of ideas on how to make ourselves occupy at home. Online learning is taking too much of my efforts with the kids and they’ve even lost an interest in watching cartoons on YouTube. Help!
I tried to get crafty and creative with them. Started to make some DIY cards, paintings, and playing games online and offline. But the kids seem to get bored easily now and their attention span is shorter than what I’ve expected.
Until a friend of mine suggested having a go with a DIY homemade soap activity. I was skeptical at first as I’m not one of those mummies with hidden creative talents, and I was afraid to try. But, when the lockdown was extended, I had to rethink my stay-at-home strategy and decided to give it a try.
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And here I’m sharing my own fun soapy experience with you. Take up this challenge and try it with the kids, mummies. Trust me, you’ll be amazed by the results!
The Benefits of Homemade Soaps
When I first started Googling about the steps on making homemade soaps, I was just looking for some random activities to fill up my kids’ time while they’re at home.
To my surprise, I gained more than what I’ve asked for. Here’s the benefit of homemade soaps that you might know about, in order to convince you to start on the project.
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It softens your skin
Glycerin, which is the main ingredient of homemade soaps, has been removed from commercial soaps. Glycerin stays on your skin and attracts moisture from the air, which will keep your skin moisturised. However, it’s quite costly.
In order to reduce the cost, it’s replaced with other chemicals, which are cheaper.
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It’s organic and safe
Unlike commercial soaps, homemade soaps are definitely the healthier and safer option. No chemical fragrances and colourants are added, and you can even opt for organic ingredients in your soaps if you wish.
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It’s personalised
A definite plus point for me and the kids! Homemade is so personalised that you can put all your skills and love into crafting one.
You can have a soap with either a zest of cinnamon, lime, rose petals, lemongrass, or even chocolates, to your likings. Trust me, it’s so much fun and addictive!
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It makes a wonderful gift
It was such a great feeling making the soaps with my kids and the best part is that we get to give them to our lovely neighbours. Everyone seems to love them so much!
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It can create income
The pandemic has contributed to many families losing their jobs and small businesses not making sales. Homemade soaps are definitely a business that you might want to consider for your household income as they help to lighten your day-to-day expenses.
With good ingredients, recipes, and a great marketing strategy, perhaps this is the business niche you’ve been looking for!
So, what are you waiting for, mummies?
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can start making your homemade soaps with the kids:
3 Simple Steps to Make A Homemade Soap
Step 1: Get the Soap Base
For beginners like me, the best way to start with is to use the premix soap bases with glycerin. I bought them online and I was so happy to discover that vegetable-based glycerin was available. You might just want to check the ingredients before you make any purchases!
Step 2: Decide On the Soap Recipe
Pick your own soap recipe. Besides the soap base, you might want to list down your preferred fragrances and even colourants. I prefer to have the original transparent-coloured soap – hence, I didn’t use any colourants in mine. But if you wish, you can add a tint of food colourant with your favourite colours.
If you want to have a lasting and subtle smell, the best is to use the essential oils of your choice as the fragrance. On the other hand, herbs like cinnamon, lemongrass, and even lime leaves make a beautiful homemade soap fragrance.
You can get more creative with the recipe like having a mix of coffee beans or even pounded nuts to have a nice soothing, scrubbing effect. Flower petals make a colourful decorative soap, too.
Step 3: Melt-and-Pour
After you’ve gathered all the tools, just melt the soap base by heating it up in the microwave. Depending on the quantity of the base, you can have it heated from 1 to 3 minutes.
Once it’s melted, put in all other ingredients and pour them in the mixture. We used a silicon mould to make the process easier. Put the soaps aside and let them cool off and voilà! You’re now the proud owner of beautifully scented organic soaps.
Mummies, let’s get our hands dirty (I mean, clean!) and spend more quality time with the kids with this fun and beneficial activity!
Year-end holidays are great in so many ways, especially when you have fun family activities to fill up your time. For more fun-filled holiday ideas right within your home, visit our Cuti-Cuti Family articles here!