Make a Candy Cane Soap
Make a candy-cane-shaped melt-and-pour soap with adult help, using red and white soap base, fragrance, safe molds, and simple decorating steps.
Step-by-step guide to make a candy cane soap
Step 1
Ask an adult to help and stay with you for the whole project.
Step 2
Cover your workspace with a towel or newspaper and put on your disposable gloves.
Step 3
Use a small knife to cut about 1 cup of the white soap base into even small cubes.
Step 4
Use a small knife to cut about 1 cup of the red soap base into even small cubes.
Step 5
With the adult’s help melt the red soap cubes in a microwave-safe cup in 15 to 20 second bursts and stir in 3 drops of fragrance until smooth.
Step 6
Pour the melted red soap into a piping bag or small squeeze bottle and close the tip.
Step 7
With the adult’s help melt the white soap cubes in a microwave-safe cup in 15 to 20 second bursts and stir in 3 drops of fragrance until smooth.
Step 8
Pour the melted white soap into a second piping bag or small squeeze bottle and close the tip.
Step 9
Hold the candy cane mold at a slight tilt and squeeze a thin line of red melted soap down the length of the mold.
Step 10
Squeeze a thin line of white melted soap next to the red stripe and continue alternating red and white lines down each mold cavity to make stripes.
Step 11
Lightly spray the top of the filled mold with rubbing alcohol to pop any surface bubbles.
Step 12
Let the filled mold cool and harden for at least 30 minutes until the soap is firm.
Step 13
Gently press the back of the silicone mold to release each candy cane soap.
Step 14
Trim any small rough edges with the small knife if needed and add a ribbon or sticker to decorate.
Step 15
Share your finished candy cane soap creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I can’t find red soap base, piping bags, or rubbing alcohol?
Use a clear melt-and-pour base mixed with a few drops of red soap colorant or red mica instead of red soap base, a resealable sandwich bag with a tiny corner snipped as a piping bag, and pop surface bubbles with a clean toothpick if you don’t have rubbing alcohol.
The red and white stripes are bleeding together; how can I get cleaner stripes?
Let each color cool slightly in its microwave-safe cup until just pourable before filling the mold, squeeze thinner lines from the piping bags, and pause or chill the mold briefly between alternating red and white lines to prevent colors from running.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger children have the adult do the cutting and microwave steps while the child squeezes pre-filled sandwich bags and decorates with ribbon, and for older kids let them cut cubes, measure the three fragrance drops, control the piping bags, and trim edges with the small knife.
What are some ways to personalize or enhance our candy cane soaps?
Stir cosmetic mica or soap-safe glitter into the melted red or white soap before pouring, press a small soap-safe charm into each cavity before it fully hardens, scent different stripes with extra fragrance drops, and finish each piece by trimming edges and tying on the ribbon or sticker from the last step.
Watch videos on how to make a candy cane soap
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Holiday Soap Tutorial: Candy Cane Striped Cold Process
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Facts about soapmaking for kids
🍬 Candy canes began as straight sugar sticks in 17th-century Europe; the hooked shape was added later to look like a shepherd's staff.
🧪 Glycerol (glycerin) is a natural humectant often found in clear soap bases; it helps attract moisture to the skin.
🧼 Melt-and-pour soap bases are pre-made so you only melt, scent, and pour — perfect for kid-friendly projects with adult help.
🌿 Peppermint is a popular soap scent — but essential oils are concentrated, so always use small, safe amounts and have an adult measure them.
🔥 To melt soap safely, warm in short bursts and stir between intervals — have an adult handle the hot base to avoid burns.
How do I make a candy cane soap using melt-and-pour base?
What materials do I need to make candy cane melt-and-pour soap?
What ages is making candy cane soap suitable for?
Is making candy cane soap safe for kids?
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