The soap base is also suitable for the microwave, but you want to heat your soap in 15 second increments, because it can get too hot and become dangerous.
Using essential oils in soap making
Candle fragrances can sometimes be used for soap making, but, not all candle fragrances are suitable for soap making. If you want to try to get closer to a natural smell, there are a whole host of essential oils that can be used. Grape fruit, lavender, lemon, orange - just to name a few. There are quite a few essential oils that exist in the market and they are very suitable for soaps.
A melt pour soap base can only hold so much fragrance. Your essential oil would make up less than half a percent of the total body of the soap.
What's great about essential oils is that you get closer to the natural product, which is a very desirable marketing trend right now.
Essential oils are very expensive because they are truly the oil base, literally you are extracting the grape fruit from the grape fruit. Essential oils can run anywhere from a $15 a pound, to $40-50 a pound for the more exotic ones
Should someone take a soap making class?
Most of the classes that are taught are very beginner basic classes. It's really more about getting your first exposure to it. It's kind of like cooking; most people don't go to cooking classes, but they can bake cakes and so forth. Soap making is much the same. If you are just doing it for a craft or hobby with your kids, a class is probably not necessary.
However, if you think you want to learn to bit more, classes are always a good resource. What's happening as the industry of the both candle making and soap making become more popular, people are developing what they call gatherings. Basically a lot of soap makers and crafters get together, share stories, and share ideas. Lots of states have regional gatherings.
