Today I’m showcasing the embossed melt and pour soap technique which I believe could transform glycerine soap making from fantastic to legendary.

This new melt and pour soap technique is so much more than just ‘stamping’ the soap.  The ability to use personalised stamps opens the door to a range of applications from weddings and baby showers to business promotions and licensed goods.

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Table of Contents
My Inspiration for Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars
What You Need to Make Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars
Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars Video Tutorial
Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars Instructions and Printable Tutorial

My Inspiration for Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars

There are some popular resin artwork techniques that have recently crossed over into the realm of melt and pour soap making.

These techniques, such as the ‘crushed velvet’ effect and the ‘raindrop’ effect, follow the basic process of creating a textured surface, painting it with mica and then covering it with a layer of black. 

Once turned over, the underside displays a beautiful, shimmery finish, with the combination of the shiny mica set against the dark black perfectly accentuating the textured design.

I spotted these plastic embossing stamps online and fell in love with them.

I wanted to use them to make soap but how?

I decided to use the stamps to create the textured surface, then I applied the mica and the layer of black.

The results?  Well, just see for yourself…

What You Need to Make Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars

Melt and Pour Soap Base

Melt and pour soap is sold as large blocks that you can cut up and then weigh out the amount of soap you need.

I used ultra clear melt and pour soap base to make my embossed melt and pour soap bars.

Each of my bars weighs 80g (~3oz), and all up I needed 320g (~12oz) of clear soap base. 

Don’t forget to add extra for wastage.

Soap Mould

I used a four-cavity circular silicone soap mould for my project. 

You can used any shape soap mould you like to make embossed melt and pour soap bars as long as the base is flat and your stamp fits inside the soap cavity.

Good Quality, Soap Making Mica Powders

Invest in some quality micas from a reputable soap making or mica supply company. Such micas will be ethically sourced and will not fade or bleed over time.

Using a range of different shades of a base colour is recommended when colouring your embossed melt and pour soap bars as this creates more depth around your embossed design.

You can mix your own mica colours using our mica mixing guide.

Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils

Scenting your soap is optional, but most of us prefer a pretty smelling soap bar.

For this project, I only scented the black layer of my soap bars, as I didn’t want the clear soap to become discoloured or cloudy.

I used a combination of cypress, geranium and grapefruit essential oils.

If you are looking for soap scent ideas, check out my list of perfect essential oil soap scents.

Embossing Stamps

You can use a range of different stamps to emboss your melt and pour soap bars but they all need to have one thing in common – they need to be hard.

Sorry, rubber stamps are just not going to cut it (pardon the pun) when it comes to embossing melt and pour soap.

Try stamps made from hard plastic, acrylic or metal.  Plastic polymer clay stamps, cookie stamps, fondant stamps, and ceramic stamps will suffice.

I used mandala stamps for my embossed mandala soap bars.  I also recommend this collection of stamps from AliExpress.

A Hammer

A hammer or mallet is required to emboss your melt and pour soap bars.

I used a cross pein hammer, but you can use any hammer with a small head.

A Paint Brush

Use a paint brush with soft, straight bristles to cover the surface of your soap with mica and push the mica down into the embossed ridges of the design.

Black Soap Colouring

A black soap colouring (or as close to black as you can get) is required for this soap project.  You can use liquid soap colouring, mica or activated charcoal.

A very dark blue or purple would also suffice if you can’t obtain black colouring.

Rubbing Alcohol or Vodka

Spraying the soap with alcohol (rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol or vodka) once it’s poured will remove any bubbles sitting on the soap’s surface.

Additional Materials Required

Kitchen Scales – I’ve used grams in this recipe because the amounts are easier to manage compared with ounces.  Most kitchen scales these days are interchangeable between grams and ounces.  Check your scale’s instruction booklet for how to change you scale to measure in grams and then change it back when finished.

A Tray Lined with Greaseproof Baking Paper – Position the ornament moulds on a piece of greaseproof baking paper on a tray before pouring to allow for easy cleaning up (there may be drips) and transport.

Glass Measuring Jug – You will need a larger (250ml/8oz) measuring jug to melt the white and clear melt and pour soap base.  I have a separate glass measuring jug dedicated to creative projects (soap making, lotion bars, lip balm etc) to avoid any cross-contamination of non-ingestible ingredients with food.  I recommend you do the same.

A Stirrer or spoon – a wooden popsicle stick or a disposable spoon is ideal for stirring the colour and fragrance into your melt and pour soap.  You will also require a spoon when pouring the black layer of soap.

Paper Towel – Make sure you have some paper towel on hand for cleaning up.  Lay down sheets of paper towel to protect your surface from the coloured mica.

Microwave or Double Boiler – Melt your soap base in either a microwave or a double boiler.

Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars Video Tutorial

To make it easier for you to grasp the process, I created a video tutorial about how to make Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars.

How to Make Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars

Want your Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars to look like mine?

First, I poured four half soap bars (40g / 1.5oz each) using ultra clear melt and pour soap base.

As soon as the soap was set, I used a plastic stamp and a small hammer to emboss the surface of each soap bar with a different mandala design.

Then I used a number of shades of yellow, pink, blue and green mica to dry brush the surface of the embossed soap.

Finally, I poured the remaining half of the soap bars with clear soap base that I had scented and tinted black.

Embossed Melt and Pour Soap Bars Printable Tutorial