Have you been looking at making your melt and pour soap more aesthetic with special details? Using a stamp might actually enough. And if you don’t know how to stamp melt and pour soap, by the end of this article, you’ll have all the knowledge you need.
Melt and pour soap can be stamped in two ways. You can place the stamp side on the face of the soap and use a rubber mallet to tap it or, you can also place rubber stamps inside the soap mold and pour the hot soap liquid into the mold.
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And voila, with these two simple steps, you’ll have stamped soaps ready in no time.
Of course, there is more to it than just using stamps. To give you an example, melt and pour soaps need stamps of a specific material to get a clear and detailed imprint. Or the type of colorant you should use is equally important.
Why Should You Stamp Your Soap?
If you have invested in little aesthetic bars of melt and pour soap, stamping them can add to their look. Stamping can add intricate little details that can make your soap stand out. Further, in case it’s for personal use, or within your household, if you place your family’s bars of soap in the bathroom together, the stamps can help you tell each one apart.
Stamped soaps also make for excellent personal gifts during birthdays and holidays, so as you can see, there are numerous reasons why you should stamp your soaps.
What Can You Use to Stamp Melt and Pour Soap?
To get started, you’ll need some melt and pour soap, a mounted stamp, a rubber mallet, some mica color, and rubbing alcohol. You can also use titanium dioxide as the colorant. Before we continue, your soap must be set before you start with the stamping part.
In case you’re placing the stamps within the soap mold, you’ll need unmounted silicon or rubber stamps. You will also need a soap mold, fragrance or essential oil, clear melt and pour soap, mica coloring, and rubbing alcohol.
How to Stamp Melt and Pour Soap?
You have two options, you can either use a mounted stamp, or you can go for an unmounted one. No worries, we’ll discuss each method below so you can choose which suits you best.
Mounted Stamps on Melt and Pour Soap
Keep your melt and pour soap on a flat and strong surface like a table. You can add some color to your stamp at this point. Use a single-colored mica or a few different colors and mix them with a brush.
Now spray your finger with rubbing alcohol and transfer it onto the surface of the stamp. Make sure not to add any rubbing alcohol into the stamp’s crevices.
After that, slowly place the stamp over the mica colors. You can dust off any excess mica. Now place the colored stamp in the middle of your melt and pour soap.
Firmly tap the middle of the stamp with the mallet. Tap all four sides and once again in the middle. Pull it out gently, and you should have your stamp melt and pour soap ready.
You may notice a little mica dust on the surface of the soap outside the stamp. You can simply use a paper towel and rubbing alcohol to wipe it clean.
Unmounted Stamps on Melt and Pour Soap
Here’s how you can use unmounted rubber or silicone stamps to stamp your melt and pour soap.
Place the unmounted stamp in the silicone soap mold with the textured side of it facing up. You can take about 4 ounces of white melt and pour. Microwave it until it is completely melted. It is best to do this in short bursts of 30 seconds so that you can stir it from time to time.
At this point, you can go ahead and add any fragrance or color you like to the soap. The paler soaps will provide the best contrast with the stamp.
Spray some rubbing alcohol on the stamp in the mold. Pour a thin layer of melted soap into the mold without letting it cover the stamp. Leave this first thin layer for about 3 to five minutes.
After this, you can add a second layer of clear melt and pour mixed with your choice’s mica coloring. However, before you add this, spray some rubbing alcohol on the first soap layer.
Leave the soap to rest for 4 hours before you slowly remove it from the mold. You can go ahead and remove the stamp from the soap for a clear and intricate stamped soap.
What to Use to Take Out Your Stamp from Silicon Mold?
If you are using unmounted stamps, it may be difficult to remove the stamp from the soap using your fingers. Any type of pick tool can make this job easier for you. Gently use the edge of the tool on the side of the silicon stamp on the soap.
Slowly pull the stamp up, and you should be able to remove the stamp easily.
What Type of Stamp is Best and Why?
If you are using unmounted stamps, flexible rubber and silicone are good materials. These stamps leave a much more detailed impression than unmounted stamps do and are the best option.
You will also find mounted stamps made of rubber, acrylic, and metal. While all three do get an imprint on the soap, rubber does the job best.
Rubber stamps tend to hold on to more color on their surface.
Therefore, the mica or titanium oxide you use will sit best on them and transfer to the soap well. This is because rubber has a larger surface area. So it imprints well when a rubber mallet is used to push it into the soap.
The acrylic mounted stamps work much better on cold process soaps. On melt and pour soaps, they do not leave as detailed an imprint as rubber stamps do. And the metal mounted stamps are the most durable option among the three and get the job done.
At What Temperature Should You Pour Your Soap?
It is important to maintain the right temperature for your melt and pour soap as you pour it into your mold. The right temperature will keep the first soap layer from melting as you add the second. This is especially necessary if you are using two different colors.
A temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for the soap when you pour it into the mold.
Endnotes
You have the option between mounted or unmounted stamps. In case you go for unmounted, which I would recommend, you should opt for the rubber one as it will give you the best-detailed stamp out of the three.
Either way, the process is easy and has great benefits, something all soap makers should use.
