Regardless of how a soap is wrapped, it must be allowed to cure and dry completely before wrapping. If soap is wrapped too early it may develop mold or a rancid odor.
After hand milling gift soap, allow soaps to dry for 2 weeks minimum, and ideally at least 1 more week. Experience teaches the soap maker when the soaps are ready. If unsure, wrap a bar or two and wait a week. Unwrap the soap; if the bars feel at all damp then they are not ready.
Scented Soaps
When dry, soaps with essential oils in them should be wrapped in plastic wrap. This prevents the oils from dissipating. Using plastic wrap, however, need not stifle the gift wrapper’s creativity.
- Place the gift soap on a small decorative plate or saucer. The saucer becomes part of the gift. Wrap the entire package in plastic wrap. Consider topping it with a stick on bow.
- Individually wrapped soaps can be placed in a small box on top of tissue paper. Gift wrap the box as usual.
- Place individually wrapped soaps in baskets on top of raffia, wood shavings or other nesting material (from a craft store).
- Individually wrapped in plastic soaps can also be added to other items in a home made gift basket.
There are more options for wrapping soap when not concerned about preserving the strength of essential oils.
Things to Wrap Soap
- Soft fabric remnants make lovely wrap for soap. Cover completely or leave the edges open so the sides of the soap can be seen. Tie with yarn of a complementary color. For a different effect, trim the edges of the fabric with pinking shears.
- Tissue paper is also a nice way to package soap. If using colored tissue paper, use a layer of white first to protect the soap from being discolored from the dye. Then, wrap the soap with two or three layers of tissue paper. Tie with raffia or ribbon and a bow.
- Hand made craft papers look wonderful as gift wrap on soap. Protect the soap from dyes with a piece of wax paper.
- Fancy gift soap presented in a large seashell of a complementary shade is a unique gift.
Containers for Gift Soap
When using baskets, boxes, or other containers as a decorative way to package soap, line the bottom of the container with craft paper or wood ribbons which are available in craft supply stores. Arrange the bars of soap on top.
- Choose a small holiday tin, such as the ones cookies sometimes come in. After arranging the soap, replace the cover and finish with a bow and gift tag.
- New flower pots also make nice gift soap containers. Plain clay gardening pots have a rustic look and feel, and can be wrapped with a thick piece of burlap.
- Colorful glazed flower pots with a bright ribbon make a fancy presentation. The pot may be as nice a gift as the soaps.
- Cloth or burlap bags tied with raffia or twine can be presented with a gift tag attached to the twine.
Hand made gifts deserve creative gift wrapping as personal as the gift itself.
