Grounding Herbal Oatmeal Melt & Pour Soap
submitted by Jean Gray

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This herbal, aromatic and soothing melt & pour soap is a wonderful way to ground and reconnect with nature through skin-loving herbs and oatmeal. It's great for dry skin. I'm really wild about this bar and use it often. It's so earthy and sunny!

Yield: Approx. 17 4-ounce bars Prep Time: 1 to 2 hours (for cooling time) Price Category: 2 Difficulty Level: 2 Shelf Life: 6 months Rating: not yet rated Add your rating! Ingredients: 1 pound melt-and-pour (M&P) soap base 1/4 teaspoon rosemary essential oil 1/4 teaspoon sage essential oil 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil 1 cup oatmeal 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers 1/4 cup calendula petals 1/8 cup marsh mallow root 1/8 cup dried nettle 1/8 cup dried rosemary 1/8 cup dried rose hips 1-1/2 cups distilled water

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Blending Procedure:

1. A few hours before you are ready to make this soap, combine the water, oatmeal and herbs in a sauce pan. Heat to boiling, then cover and let simmer a minimum of 30 minutes. Let cool, preferrably covered. When this fragrant mixture is cool enough to handle, strain it through a double or triple folded cheese cloth saving the slurry and tossing out the leftover oatmeal and herbs. Set aside. The slurry is the thick liquid that will ooze through your cheese cloth. Get as much as you can. Looks gross, but these are the "goodies" you want in your finished soap.
   
   
2. Using a good knife, cut your M&P soap base into 1-inch cubes and place in a microwave safe measuring cup/bowl. Microwave on high setting for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in-between until the base is nearly melted. Remove and stir until all soap base pieces have melted. (If you don't have a microwave oven, melt-and-pour base can also easily be melted using double-boiler.)
   
   
3. Stir the base slowly and minimally or you will have air bubbles. (Air bubbles don't hurt anything, but some people prefer more visually-appealing soap.) If you want added insurance against air bubbles, spray your poured molds with a quick spritz of rubbing alcohol. The bubbles will quickly rise and vanish after you pour the soap.
   
   
4. Your now-liquid base will be very hot. Handle it with care! Let it cool down until you can comfortably touch it, stirring slowly. It must not be too hat when the essential oils are added or the scent will vaporize. Add the herbal slurry and essential oils just as soon as you can comfortably touch the mixture. Stir gently and pour into your molds.
   
   
5. Let the soap stand until it hardens. I find that giving the mold about 10 or 15 minutes in the freezer after it hardens makes it easier to get out of the molds.
   
   
6. I usually leave my bars to sit in open air for about 24 hours and then put them in zip lock bags for storing so they don't dry out too much. The bars can be used as soon as they are completely hardened. Use for face and body in bath or shower.

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