Write an article based on this "Cut the melt-and-pour soap base into 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) chunks. Melt the soap base in the microwave. Stir in the ground turmeric. Add in some essential oil or soap making fragrance oil. Add in an exfoliant, if desired. Stir everything together with a rubber spatula. Pour the soap into a plastic or silicone soap making mold. Tap the mold gently. Allow the soap to cool for 12 to 24 hours. De-mold the soap. Use the soap."
This will make the soap easier to melt in the next step. Some melt-and-pour soap bases have a grid molded into them; you can use this as a cutting guide. You can use any type of base you want. White glycerin is popular, but goat milk or shea butter would be more luxurious! Place the cubes into a glass, microwave-safe bowl. Heat them in the microwave at 15 to 30-second intervals until the soap base melts. Stir the base between each interval. Plan on using about 1 teaspoon. This will give your soap a bright, golden-yellow color. If you want something deeper, you can add in a little bit more. You will need 2 teaspoons total of either oil. You can use just one type of oil or a combination of 2 to 3 oils for a unique fragrance. Great choices include lemon and lavender. Thyme essential oil pairs especially well with turmeric. For a more subtle fragrance, use less essential oil. If you are using essential oils instead of soap making fragrance oils, make sure that they are skin safe. Do not use candle-making fragrance oils. They are not the same thing, nor are they skin-safe. A great choice would be ground oatmeal because of how beneficial it is for skin, especially acne-prone skin. You can also use other exfoliants as well, such as ground apricot seeds, which you can get in the soap making section of an arts and crafts store. Plan on using about 1 tablespoon of your desired exfoliant. Keep stirring until the color and texture are consistent. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl often. If you added in an exfoliant, be aware that it may settle. This is normal. Use the rubber spatula to help scrape the bowl clean so that you don't waste any of your soap base. You can find soap making molds in the soap making aisle of an arts and crafts shop. You can also find them in online stores that specialize in soap making supplies. Make sure that the soap is less than 145F (63C) before pouring it into plastic molds, or the molds may warp. This will bring any air bubbles to the surface. If you see any, lightly mist them with rubbing alcohol. Do not put them into the fridge or freezer. Even though this seems like a good idea, it will affect the interior temperature of your fridge or freezer. Your food may also get a soapy taste. For a smoother finish, cover the top of the soap with plastic wrap before setting it aside to cool. Be sure to press the wrap into the soap. If the soap is hard to remove, you can put it into the freezer for up to 1 hour. This will help loosen the soap from the mold. Since the soap is already cooled off, it won't affect the interior temperature of your freezer. It also won't be long enough for it to impart a soapy flavor. If you used a lager mold, cut the soap into smaller bars using a sharp knife. You should be able to get about 6 to 8 bars. Unlike cold process soap, melt-and-pour soap does not require a curing time. Once you de-mold the soap, it is ready to use!