How to Make DIY Melt and Pour Brown Sugar Fig Soap

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I have recently become infatuated with creating my own nontoxic candles and handmade soap. Making your own soap is such a fun, rewarding project to do. Everyone in your family can benefit from this useful hobby! If you’re looking for a pour soap recipe that’s beginner-friendly, smells divine, and leaves your skin feeling soft, this melt and pour brown sugar fig soap is a great idea. Infused with cranberry fig fragrance oil, brown sugar, and nourishing ingredients like shea butter or goat milk, this is the perfect soap for dry skin and makes a luxurious addition to your body care products. This project is so much fun and easy to customize with silicone molds, color blocks, and natural essential oils. Let’s dive into this simple soap recipe and make this tangy yet sweet smelling soap!

Why Choose Melt and Pour Soap?

Unlike cold process soap, which involves creating a chemical reaction with lye, melt and pour soap base is pre-made, safe, and ready to customize. It’s a good choice for beginners who want to create handmade soap without the complexity of cold process soap. If you want to dive headfirst into cold process soaps, I have a few free cold process soap recipes that you can find HERE. With a melt and pour soap base, you can focus on creativity—adding fragrance oils, soap colorant, and exfoliants like brown sugar for a sugar scrub effect.

This recipe uses a white melt and pour soup base made with shea butter, but you can find melt and pour soap bases with different benefits suitable for your particular skin needs. Melt and pour bases are available as a clear base or white base and can be made up of goat milk for a creamy texture, shea butter for moisture, or aloe for soothing properties. The brown sugar fig fragrance oil in this recipe brings top notes of fig leaves, vanilla, and brown sugar that smell absolutely amazing. If you want to add your own flair to the fragrance notes, try adding a touch of cranberry fragrance oil. This soap smells like it could come straight out of Bath and Body Works, but is made with natural, nontoxic ingredients that are wonderful for skin. Ready to make your very own brown sugar fig soap? Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

Here’s what you’ll need to create your brown sugar fig soap (yields about 8 bars, depending on silicone molds):

•  2 lbs white melt and pour soap base (goat milk or shea butter-based, you can find these on Amazon or Bramble Berry)

•  1-2 tsp brown sugar (finely ground for gentle exfoliation)

•  1 oz brown sugar fig fragrance oil (or natural essential oils like vanilla and cedarwood)

•  1 tsp shea butter or cocoa butter (optional for extra moisture)

•  1/4 tsp kaolin clay or colloidal oatmeal (for a very gentle clay effect and great slip)

•  Soap colorant (I’m using purple and red mica)

Tools:

•  Isopropyl alcohol (in a spray bottle to remove bubbles)

•  Silicone molds (loaf mold or individual shapes like hearts or cute toy fish)

•  Measuring cup (heat-safe)

•  Microwave or double boiler

•  Spoon or spatula for stirring

  

Usage amount for fragrance: Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines (typically 0.5 oz per lb of soap base). Calculate your percentage based on manufacturer’s labels. My fragrance oil calls for 2-6% of the recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to create your perfect scent brown sugar fig soap with a simple ombré design:

1. Prepare Your Workspace

•  Set up a clean, flat surface at room temperature.

•  Lay out your silicone molds, measuring cup, and spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol.

•  If using a loaf mold, ensure it’s stable to avoid spills.

2. Melt the Soap Base

•  Cut 2 lbs of white melt and pour soap base into small cubes for even melting.

•  Place in a heat-safe measuring cup and microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between intervals, until fully melted (about 2-3 minutes). Alternatively, use a double boiler.

•  Keep the soap cool (around 120-130°F/49-54°C) to avoid burning the fragrance oils or brown sugar.

3. Add Nourishing Ingredients

•  Stir in 1 tsp shea butter or cocoa butter until fully melted for a creamy texture.

•  Add 1/4 tsp kaolin clay or colloidal oatmeal, whisking gently to avoid clumps. This adds a great slip and soothes dry skin.

4. Incorporate Fragrance and Color

•  Once the soap base is below 140°F, add your brown sugar fig fragrance oil. Stir slowly to blend the top notes of fig leaves and passion.

•  Optional: Use the hanger swirl technique by pouring the rest of the batter into the bottom of the mold, then dragging a hanger swirl tool through for a marbled effect.

5. Add Brown Sugar

•  Sprinkle 1-2 tsp finely ground brown sugar into the melted pour soap base and stir gently. Alternatively, sprinkle a little bit directly into the silicone molds before pouring for a solid sugar scrub texture.

•  Be cautious: Too much sugar can make the soap sticky, reduce shelf life, or attract moisture, so use sparingly.

6. Pour and Set

•  Pour the soap batter into your silicone molds or loaf mold.

•  Lightly spray the surface with isopropyl alcohol to remove bubbles and achieve a smooth finish.

•  Let the soap cool and harden for 4-6 hours at room temperature.

7. Unmold and Store

•  Gently pop the soap out of the silicone molds. If using a loaf mold, slice into bars with a sharp knife or soap cutter.

•  Store in plastic bags or airtight containers to preserve the scent. Avoid humid areas to prevent the brown sugar from softening the soap.

•  Your brown sugar fig soap is ready for use or gifting!

Tips for Success

•  Avoid Overheating: Hot soap can scorch brown sugar or degrade fragrance oils. Keep different temperatures in check (melt at 140°F, add fragrance below 130°F).

•  Customize: Add soap dough for small details like embeds, or use color blocks for to make your favorite colors.

•  Experiment: Try a gold shade mica for a luxurious look or a tan shade for a rustic vibe.

•  Clean Up: Use isopropyl alcohol to clean tools and surfaces. 

Common Questions

1.  Can I use maple sugar instead of brown sugar? Yes! Maple sugar offers similar exfoliation and a sweet scent, perfect for a BBW type vibe. Use the same usage amount (1-2 tsp per lb).

2.  Is this soap safe for dry skin? Absolutely! The goat milk, shea butter, and kaolin clay make it nourishing and gentle, ideal for dry skin or sensitive areas (avoid using on face masks if sugar is too abrasive).

3.  Can I make this into a liquid soap? Liquid soap requires a different base and preservative system. Stick with melt and pour soap base for this recipe, or explore free cold process soap recipes for liquid conversions.

Creating your own melt and pour brown sugar fig soap is a great idea for gifting to anyone who loves handmade soap or body care products. With brown sugar for exfoliation, brown sugar fig fragrance oil for a perfect scent, and shea butter or goat’s milk for moisture, this soap project is both fun and functional. I will be adding my own brown sugar fig soap bars to gift baskets I’m making up for Mother’s Day. I hope you have a blast with this project and that you love your new, handmade nontoxic soap! For more DIY soap projects and other crafts, check out those tutorials HERE. Happy soaping!