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Once you have decided on the oils you want to use in your base recipe there are numerous delights you can add at the trace stage (when your soap thickens) to enhance the texture and performance of your product. This is the really fun part of soap making.

If you want a bar to have exfoliating qualities experiment by adding dried herbs, poppy seeds, pumice powder, ground orange or lemon peel, dried seaweed, oatmeal, bran (or other pulses), salt or sugar. There are also a vast number of seeds and fruit powders on the market such as raspberry and strawberry seeds and ground fruit kernels (try olive or apricot for a scrubby effect).

Dried flower petals (rose, lavender and calendula) can also be added at trace but bear in mind that only calendula (marigold) will retain its colour – sadly everything else turns brown over time.

The amount of dried additive you use is purely a matter of taste and has no bearing on the saponification process, but if you are using any dried ‘live matter’ it is a good idea to add 1 per cent vitamin E oil to your formula to help preserve it.

Pureed fruit or aloe vera can also be added to your soap. Deduct the weight from the weight of the water in your formula and add the pulp/gel to the lye water before mixing the soap.

Argile clay, added at trace, gives your soap ‘slip’ and helps to draw out any impurities in the skin. It can also be used in creams and is available in green, pink, yellow and red so it adds natural colour (see page 59). Coffee grounds act as deodorizers and are a good option for kitchen soap as they will help to get the smell of garlic and onions off your hands. Simply make a pot of coffee, drain out the coffee grounds and add these at trace. If you want a dark brown soap, use the actual coffee instead of water to make up your lye.

For a harder soap try adding up to 2 per cent beeswax to your formula. Beeswax is also a useful emulsifier and thickener for creams and is particularly good in pure olive oil soaps. Honey is a scrumptious additive and is used for its emollient qualities. It can be added at trace if warmed slightly before use or alternatively add it to your lye solution.