Crystal Bar Soap: Elevate Your At-Home Spa Day With Our DIY Guide

Last Updated on July 19, 2024 by Paola Castillo

Self-care tip of the century alert: Stimulating your mind and learning new skills are just as important as the products and accessories you use on your skin. Make sure you satisfy all of your self-care needs by: 

• Keeping your brain busy with a simple and fun activity 
• Sharing in that activity with friends and family to feel more connected
• Experiencing new things 
• Creating a clean product by hand that you will love and use for years to come

Whether you consider yourself a craft connoisseur or are only just beginning to dabble in DIY projects, this realistic crystal bar soap activity will have your bathroom routine feeling like a trip to the spa! 

Manifesting your Ingredients 

Here’s a complete list of everything you’ll need to begin making your crystal bar soap: 

• Clear Glycerin Soap Base
• Silicone Gemstone/Jewel Mold OR Silicone Bar Mold 
• Essential Oils for Custom Scent 
• Your favorite crystals
• Cutting Board and Knife
• Silicone Spatula 
• Microwaveable Bowl 
• Microwave 

(Optional)

• White Glycerin Soap Base
• Mica Dyes for achieving realistic color 
• Mica glitter powder 
• Gentle exfoliants 
• Thermometer 
• Baking Sheet

The few optional ingredients above are great add-ons to upgrade your finished product. Use a White Glycerin Soap Base to create an opaque result, customizable with mica dyes and glitter that mimic the natural beauty of colorful gemstones like jade and amethyst. 

Gentle exfoliants that are safe for everyday use will elevate your gemstone soaps to make even better gifts for friends, family members, teachers, etc. Add different exfoliants, dyes, and glitter to your batches to build a variety that you can mix and match. 

A Quick Guide to Making Crystal Bar Soap

Soap-making is far more scientific than you’d think. Luckily for us, melt and pour bases make soap making accessible to anyone interested. 

A melt and pour base is made from natural materials and has already undergone saponification. After the manufacturer cures the mixture for about four weeks, it is ready to be transformed into high-quality soap products. 

We’ll leave the saponification process to the professionals and instead recommend all the top-rated glycerin soap bases we could find on Amazon: 

1. Dr. Adorable’s Clear Organic Glycerin Melt & Pour Soap Base (2 LB)
2. Our Earth’s Secrets – 2 Lbs Melt and Pour Soap Base – Crystal Clear Glycerin
3. Velona Ultra Clear Glycerin Melt and Pour Soap Base (2 LB)
4. Dr. Adorable’s Organic Goat’s Milk Glycerin Melt & Pour Soap Base – White (5 LB)
5. Pifito White Melt and Pour Natural Glycerin Soap Base (2 LB)

Now, let’s get started! 

Step 1:

Disinfect your workspace and prep your ingredients. This DIY calls for 2 pounds of soap base. 

Step 2:

Remove your Glycerin base from its plastic packaging. Line your cutting board with parchment paper for easy clean-up, and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut your soap base into cubes. (The more exposed surface area, the faster the cubes will melt). 

Step 3:

Transfer soap cubes into a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 20-30 second intervals until all of the soap is melted. Use caution throughout every step of the process, but especially when dealing with this heated liquid. If you already have a thermometer on hand, a rule of thumb is to stay under 160º Fahrenheit. If your soap base is frothed like a cappuccino, it’s definitely too hot. 

What’s your Flavor? 

Step 4:

Add 3 to 4 drops of skin-safe dye or a few pinches of any Mica Powder color to the melted-down clear or white soap base and mix until fully incorporated. Experts suggest using Mica Powder to recreate gemstones’ natural finishes. You could skip this step completely to achieve clear or white faux-crystals. 

Step 5:

Fragrances! Stir in about half an ounce of essential oils to create your desired scent. Add your optional mica glitter in next and stir until consistent throughout. 

Are you someone who tries a different scent every time you hit up Bath & Body Works, or are you more of a creature of habit who prefers the same Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day soap from Target time and time again? Bramble Berry offers over 40 essential oil options to peruse on their website. From lavender to cedarwood, you could create as many custom scent combinations as your heart desires. With this DIY, the possibilities are endless!  Please consider that vanilla fragrances tend to discolor clear or white glycerin. Color stabilizers are available to counteract this reaction. 

Adding Crystals: Dig a Little Deeper

Step 6:

Pour half of your concoction into the silicone mold of your choice and reserve the second half for Step 8. Use either a silicone bar mold or invest in silicone molds with the actual shapes and sizes of assorted crystals. Here are some of our favorites: 

1. Ozera 2 Pack Silicone Soap Mold, 6 Bar Shapes
2. Core Kitchen Silicone Gemstones Ice Tray
3. ESA Supplies Silicone Gem Stone Molds

Step 7:

Wash and dry your gemstones, and place them in the silicone mold. You can decide what size, quantity, and color stones are best for your desired outcome. 

Another way to personalize your candle is to select crystals that genuinely resonate with you. Some mental and physical benefits associated with specific crystals are spelled out for you below.

Mica is associated with focusing on what’s truly important in life and is thought to block out unnecessary negativity. As far as aesthetics go, you can find it in over ten different hues. Some Mica in your life might reduce negative energy, nervousness, or hostility, or self-doubt. 

Amethyst is not only February’s birthstone but a major source of healing properties. This purple gemstone reduces anxiety and addiction by promoting serenity, calmness, and mental health. 

Moonstone is connected to the Moon and has been used as a source of protection for centuries.

Aquamarine is thought to help with visual, dental, and digestive complications. Physical benefits aside, this bright blue gem harnesses good luck and protection. 

Rose Quartz has a wide range of favorable properties. To maintain heart health, support healthy pregnancies, heal from long-standing emotional wounds, or tap into your divine feminine energy, consider using rose quartz in your DIY project.  

Step 8:

Pour the remaining soap-base mixture on top of the gemstones to fill the mold. 

The Finished Product 

Step 9:

Place the molds on a baking sheet and leave them undisturbed for thirty to forty-five minutes until completely hardened. Loosen the edges and put slight pressure on the center of the mold to release your gemstone soaps from the silicone molding. If you’re experiencing difficulty, place the baking sheet with the molds in your refrigerator for a few minutes and try again. 

Step 10:

If you used the bar-shaped silicone mold, either leave them as is or use your hands to break them into large chunks that resemble natural gemstone formations. The gemstone-shaped molds will yield perfectly shaped soaps that are ready to be put to the test. Now, use as desired! 

Have fun creating these custom crystal bar soaps that would look great on a soap dish in your most-used bathroom sink or in a gift bag as a thoughtful present to anyone with an upcoming milestone.