I am obsessed with licorice. I’ve heard rumors that chocolate is also delicious but when forced to choose, give me the acquired taste of licorice. For the record, my favorite kind is Panda (though RJ‘s or Darrell Lea’s are never turned down) or the ultra-acquired taste of Salted Licorice (available at fine mail order stores or specialty candy stores). Even though I love straight-up licorice most of all, I’ll still eat delicious Licorice Allsorts. And, I think that this project would make such a fun gift or a since it ’tis the season, a stocking stuffer. This project is easy and suitable for a beginner (just watch those temperatures!).
Recipe:
33.6 oz. White Melt and Pour Soap
22.4 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Soap
1.2 oz. Star Anise Essential Oil
Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!
ONE: Cut White Melt and Pour Soap Base into 1 inch cubes. Melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts until melted, stirring between bursts. Add 0.7 oz of Anise Essential Oil and mix well.
TWO: Split the White Soap Base into three parts. One should measure 11.2 oz, one should measure 12.4 oz, and one should measure 10 oz. Color the 12.4 oz portion with 6 drops of Non-Bleeding Cherry Colorant, the 10 oz portion with 6 drops of Non-Bleeding Teal Colorant, and leave the 11.2 oz portion white.
THREE: Cut Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base into 1 inch cubes. Melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts until melted, stirring between bursts.
FOUR: Shave off a bit of the Black Oxide Color Block and stir into the Clear Soap Base. The amount of color block to add is up to you. Remember WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) when working with the color block, and stop when you like the hue of Black you’ve achieved. Add 0.5 oz of Anise Essential Oil and mix well. Split the black colored soap in half, each portion weighing 11.2 oz.
FIVE: Whew! Now that all of the weighing and portioning is out of the way, set your 9 Cube Silicone Mold on the scale. The first layer will be the pastel color layers. Pour five cavities of the Cherry colored soap at 1.2 oz per cavitiy, taring the scale between each pour. Do the same for the final four cavities using the Teal colored soap. Spray the soap with Rubbing Alcohol to pop any bubbles.
SIX: Once the pastel layers have hardened, spray the soap again with Rubbing Alcohol. Check your temperatures and ensure they’re at 130 or below. Pour the next layer using the black colored soap, each cavity weighing 1.2 oz. Spray again with Rubbing Alcohol.
SEVEN: After the black layer has hardened, spray again with Rubbing Alcohol and pour the next layer using the white soap, as long as the white soap is at 130 or below in temperature. Each cavity will weigh – you guessed it! – 1.2 oz. Spray again with Rubbing Alcohol.
EIGHT: Once the white layer has hardened, repeat the layering process following the white with more black soap, and make the final layer with the pastel colors (remember: 5 Cherry and 4 Teal!). Keep those temperatures in mind.
NINE: Allow the soaps to fully harden (maybe even overnight) and remove from the mold. These are some great last minute holiday gifts!
TIP: Loving this tutorial but not a fan of the intensity of Anise? Try blending it with something sweet, fruity or herbal! Here are some of our favorite blends:
2 Parts Orange 10X, 1 Part Star Anise
1 Part Vanilla Select, 1 Part Star Anise
1 Part Clove, 1 Part Star Anise, 2 Parts Litsea
1 Part Lavender 40/42, 1 Part Star Anise
1 Part Spearmint, 1 Part Star Anise
1 Part Patchouli, 1 Part Star Anise
1 Part Dark Rich Chocolate, 1 Part Star Anise
Need a night time blend? Try 4 Part Orange 10X, 3 Parts Star Anise, 3 Parts Cedarwood, 3 Parts Neroli and 2 Parts Chamomile.
Click here for a printable PDF of this tutorial.
I actually love licorice more than chocolate.
Hi Eleanor!
Licorice is such a fun candy and we were so glad we cold take inspiration from it for our soaps. If you get a chance to make this soapy tutorial we’d love to hear how it turned out for you! =)
-Becky with Bramble Berry
These were such fun to make but getting them out of their moulds a little tricky (popped in freezer for a short while) and the layers have become unstuck! Any suggestions how I can get my layers to hold together? Thanks! 🙂
Good morning, Julie!
Getting them out of the mold can be a bit tricky, and sometimes you will need to leave them in there at least a day. If your layers have become unstuck, use a bit of clear melt and pour soap base as “glue” and glue your layers back together.
Clear Melt & Pour Base: https://www.brambleberry.com/Clear-Melt-And-Pour-Soap-Base-P3189.aspx
Be sure to liberally spray rubbing alcohol to make sure that they adhere to each other.
Rubbing Alcohol: https://www.brambleberry.com/Isopropyl-Alcohol-99-16-oz-P5682.aspx
I hope that this helps! 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Sorry..I meant how much fragrance oil should i use instead of essential oil?
Hi Philly!
It depends on the type of fragrance oil that you have chosen for your batch of soap. You can use Bramble Berry’s Fragrance Calculator to determine the safe usage rates of each of our fragrance and essential oils in any product.
Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
I hope that this helps! 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
I found away to actually make the Licorice scent. For my small batch that I made. Orange Valencia 1 cc then Anise Star 0.5 cc. My mom loves this scent.
That sounds like such a lovely blend, thanks for sharing! 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
What a fun project! I love licorice too but most people are put off by the scent in soap it seems. I love it!
You would love the Anise Essential Oil then, it smells just like licorice! If you make this soap, we’d love to see how it turns out for you. You can share any pictures with us on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Hi- can a similar effect be achieved using cp soap?
Thanks
Good morning, Michelle! You could definitely achieve a similar look using cold process soap. You would want to let your soap get to thick trace so that it turns up as layers, not swirls. Let us know if you try it out and how it runs out for you. =)
-Becky with Bramble Berry
I love that measuring cup with the narrow pour spot! Does Brambleberry offer it?!
Pour *spout
We sure do – and it is my go-to container for pouring lotions too: https://www.brambleberry.com/Easy-Pour-Mixing-and-Measuring-Container-P5428.aspx
Love the liquorice soap! If you’re ever in the Netherlands, try some “Venco’s dubbelzoute drop” (double salted liquorice from Venco), it’s the best there is. My mouth starts watering just thinking about it. Marieke
I LOVE allsorts. Out of the blends, I have tried both the lavender and the orange (not together of course), and love them both. I have found, though, that anise is not a great seller for me no matter how much I love it.
Some people just aren’t a fan of the Star Anise, even if we want them to be! I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did, I’m not usually a fan of black licorice-type scents. 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Peppermint Anise is my best selling soap!!
I too love licorice and licorice flavored things! Most people leave the black jelly beans at the bottom of the jar. Yay! More for me! As for salty licorice…I think you must have some Swedish roots in you somewhere. 🙂 When I lived in Sweden and first saw the black candies and was told it was licorice I was ecstatic…until I put it in my mouth. Holy cow! Even now it’s not my favorite, but if I am desperate enough for licorice I will eat it.
The soaps are adorable!
Anise and Star anise is two different oils.
Thanks for the heads up, Cecilia! We changed the links to make sure they said Star Anise. 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry
Very, very cute. I really like the idea of weighing each separate layer. Great idea!
I love it,this is very similar !!
Very cute!!
I would sure love to see a cp tutorial like this!
What a great idea! I know you could totally adapt this to CP if you wanted to. Let us know if you try it out. 🙂
-Becky with Bramble Berry