Difficulty: Advanced
Time: 3 hours
Yields: 11 - 12 bars
What You’ll Need:
25.5 oz White Melt and Pour Soap Base
19.5 oz Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base
10 ml Emerald Green LabColor (diluted in 8 oz water)
Get everything you need here in the click of a button!
This 15 layer soap was inspired by a Bramble Berry newsletter project using the cold process soapmaking method — here’s the link if you want to check it out. For our melt and pour fans, we wanted to give them the same option of making graduated layers. In order to make the 15 layers manageable, I separated the recipe into 4 parts, pouring 3 ounces per layer and adding drops of Emerald Green LabColor for the fading effect. But, I did do the project all at once, in one sitting so plan to set aside at least 30 minutes to do the project all straight through. If you have never made a layered soap before, please watch the Basic Layers Episode on Soap Queen TV to brush up on the basics before tackling this project. So dilute that LabColor (see directions here) and let’s get started.
Part One
ONE: Melt 15 ounces of white melt and pour base, mix in 1/3 ounce of Sweet Pea Fragrance Oil and 4 drops of diluted Emerald Green Labcolor. Mix well and pour 3 ounces into your loaf mold. I poured 3 ounces into a separate container so I could accurately measure before pouring. Or you can pour the soap with your mold on a scale. Weighing out 3 ounces for each layer is important for a consistent and professional look.
TWO: Add 8 drops of Emerald Green LabColor to the remaining soap and mix well. When layer one has cooled and the soap is around 130 degrees. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 2 (3 oz.).
THREE: Add 10 drops of Emerald Green LabColor to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 3 (3 oz.).
FOUR: Add 10 drops of Emerald Green LabColor to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 4 (3 oz.).
FIVE: Add 6 drops of Emerad Green LabColor to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 5 (3 oz.). You may need to reheat the soap after you pour some of your layers. Just make sure you’re paying attention to your temperatures and pour at around 130 degrees so you don’t melt any of the layers.
Part Two
ONE: Melt 7.5 ounces of white base and 7.5 ounce of clear base in one microwave safe container. Blending the two soap bases will allow the base to take on a brighter color. Once the soap is melted, add 1/3 ounce of Sweet Pea Fragrance Oil and 65 drops of Emerald LabColor (just over 3 ml). Mix well, spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 6.
TWO: Add 15 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 7 (3 oz.).
THREE: Add 25 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 8 (3 oz.).
FOUR: Add 25 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 9.
FIVE: Add 30 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 10 (3 oz.).
We’re a two thirds of the way there! Yes!
Part Three
ONE: Melt 3 ounces of white base and 9 ounce of clear base in one microwave safe container. This combination will allow the base to take on an even brighter green color. Once the soap is melted, add 1/3 ounce of Sweet Pea Fragrance Oil and 150 drops of Emerald LabColor (about 7.5 ml). Mix well and pour layer 11.
TWO: Add 60 drops of Emerald LC (about 3 ml) to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 12 (3 oz.)
THREE: Add 50 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 13 (3 oz.)
FOUR: Add 35 drops of Emerald LC to the remaining soap and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 14 (3 oz.)
Part Four (the last layer)
For the final layer, melt 3 ounces of clear soap base, mix in 15 drops of Emerald LC and mix well. Spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour layer 15. Let the soap cool for at least 6-8 hours and cut as soon as you can with a sharp knife. The longer you let the soap dry out, the more of a chance your layers could separate when you cut. But hopefully you’ll remember to spritz with rubbing alcohol in between layers. With the combination of spritzing with rubbing alcohol and pouring fresh soap layers you shouldn’t have a problem (but humor me and play it safe).
Great tutorial! Any tips for cutting soap from this mold? It doesn’t seem to fit in any of your wooden mold cutters, and I’m worried about getting the multi-bar cutter since melt and pour soap is much harder than CP soap. Thanks.
Good morning, Art!
The multi-bar cutter doesn’t actually work with melt and pour soap at this time, so I definitely would suggest not using it for this soap. I would try using either our straight soap cutter or crinkle cutter to cut these soaps.
Crinkle Cutter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Crinkle-Cutter-P3792.aspx
Soap Cutter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Scrapercutter-Soap-Cutter-P3793.aspx
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Thanks for getting back to me. I have the straight soap cutter but can never cut it straight. Was wondering if you have any tips or tricks for cutting straight with the cutters you mentioned. Thanks.
It can be a little tricky, but sometimes I like to mark each sides with a little marker of some type so that I am able to cut a little straighter and make sure you are pushing down from the top and not rocking the cutter back and forth. It can take a little practice, but I know you can do it! Have you tried using our silicone loaf mold yet?
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold: https://www.brambleberry.com/10-Silicone-Loaf-Mold–P5199.aspx
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Thanks, Becky. I just ordered the 9″ Silicone Loaf Mold and it’s being shipped as we speak. Does the 10″ mold help with the cutting? Would the 9″ mold do?
The silicone loaf molds are just general easier to use with soaping and unmolding. Another suggestion I have to do is while the soap is in the mold, measure and mark the soap so that when you unmold it, you can easily cut along those measurements. You can also use a kitchen knife if you are finding the cutters are too hard to use. =)
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Becky, thanks for all of your suggestions. I receive my order on Monday. I’ll let you know how it all turns out. Thanks!
love the shades its like a gradient
Isn’t it gorgeous? I’m a huge fan of the green too! 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
What size mold did you use?
We used the 9-inch loaf mold for this project, which has a capacity of 52 oz. =)
https://www.brambleberry.com/9-Inch-Loaf-Mold-P5050.aspx
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Wow!!!! I would never have believed it!
QUEEN
HAVE YOU GOT MY PICTURE FROM INFO?
THANK FOR THE REPLY
Customer service is not in the office today. We’ll be sure to reply to your email on Monday. Thanks for your patience!
Courtney from Bramble Berry
TODAY IS MONDAY.
QUEEEN, HAVE YOU SEEN THE PICTURE THAR I SENT TO YUU? DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT MP SOAP?
THANK FOR THE REPLY. I AM WAITING FOR YOU LONG TIME.
It looks like you emailed on Friday when we closed. Sorry about the timing. But we have your email and are responding to you right now =)
Courtney from Bramble Berry
DEAR QUENN
I WANT TO MAKE THIS COLOR MP SOAP. I TRIED MANYG TIME ALL FAILED.PLEASE HELPS.
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I WANT TO SEND YOU A PICTURE. CAN YOU SEE?
THANKS.
Please email us a picture to info(at)brambleberry(dot)com. We would love to help you =)
Courtney from Bramble Berry
HOW TO SEND A PICTURE? DO YOU HAVE A EMAIL ADD?
If you’re a Bramble Berry customer, you can just reply to one of our emails that we’ve sent you with your orders and we’ll get that response and be able to give free technical support =) Anne-Marie
i am sending now! thanks !
Aw thanks; you’re sweet =)
Fantastic! That Royal Purple can be a little spotty so make sure to dilute with super hot water and stir well. =) Your soap is going to look so great when it’s done.
Great! Thanks so much Anne-Marie! Can’t wait to get started!! 🙂 I’ll be using Berrywine FO & Royal Purple Labcolor!
Fantastic tutorial and marvellous your soaps, as usually.
Kisses
Black into grey would be super cool ….
Thank you. We had a really fun time designing and executing on the design! =)
Definitely not; maybe 1/2 ounce of diluted product, max. Most of the layers take small amounts so we barely used any of our freshly diluted bottle =)
High pH labcolors can definitely go in melt and pour =)
Isn’t that fun? We had such a good time making the soap. And it was way faster than you’d think too!
These are great questions. Yes, you can use GM MP in place of the white and Aloe Vera MP in place of the clear.
When you dilute your Labcolors, you’ll want to do a water-soluble preservative at 1% (so .08 oz.) in addition to using distilled water. This helps germs and bacterial not grow in your water-based product.
Could I use Goat’s Milk M&P in place of the white & Aloe Vera M&P in place of the clear? Also, I don’t need to add the preservative when I dilute the Labcolor, right? Sorry, I’m a newbie! And, thanks! 🙂
How incredibly cool is this! I wouldn’t have guessed that what looks like many gradated layers are actually just different intensities of the hue.
So would this take a full 8 oz. of diluted LC? I have several colors, but I’ve used some out of all of them! Also, I’m pretty sure all my LC are for high pH, can I still use them in m & p?
Wow! That is the most awesome soap I have seen LOVE IT!
Oh this is so neat, I have purple, red and black labcolors so can’t wait to try it with either the red or purple. Thanks for the step by step guide.
The end result is stunning! So cool.
It’s not as much work as it looks, I promise!
Thanks =)
One word: AWESOME!!!!
Claudia
Monterrey, Mexico
love!
Beautiful!!