We went all in on this Avocado Soap. It’s made with avocado oil, avocado butter, and of course, Avocado Fragrance Oil. It’s a fresh scent with notes of blackberry, grassy mint, and cucumber. The fragrance is part of the new Farmers Market Collection – click here to see all the new products including fragrances, powders, oils, and more.
To make the soap look just like an avocado, we used the 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold. The base is colored with a combination of spinach powder, Kermit Green Mica, and Fizzy Lemonade Colorant. The seed is made with LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap and Brown Oxide Color Block, and the bars are finished with dark soap painted on the outside. We found that the outer layer of soap does lather brown. You can use less colorant to avoid this if you like.
The process is straightforward but does require a few steps, so give yourself time when making this project. We recommend higher temperatures of around 130-140° F. Individual cavity molds like the 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold don’t insulate soap like loaf molds do. Creating the base with higher temperatures and keeping the soap lightly insulated after pouring helps it saponify faster and unmold easier. Sodium lactate is highly recommended as well.
How to Make Avocado Cold Process Soap
What You Need:
Embeds:
Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold
5 oz. LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap
0.5 oz. LCP White Melt and Pour Soap
Brown Oxide Color Block
Soap Base:
6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold
1.8 oz. Avocado Oil (10%)
0.9 oz. Avocado Butter (5%)
5.4 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
4.5 oz. Olive Oil (25%)
5.4 oz. Palm Oil (30%)
2.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
5.3 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
1 tsp. Sodium Lactate
1.5 oz. Avocado Fragrance Oil
Spinach Powder
Fizzy Lemonade Colorant
Kermit Green Mica
Outer Soap Layer:
0.6 oz. Avocado Oil (10%)
0.3 oz. Avocado Butter (5%)
1.8 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
1.5 oz. Olive Oil (25%)
1.8 oz. Palm Oil (30%)
0.9 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
1.8 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
1/2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
Brown Oxide Pigment
Black Oxide Pigment
Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
Optional: Shaving Brush
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Find the supplies you need for this project below
Avocado Fragrance Oil
6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold
Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold
LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base
LCP White Melt and Pour Soap Base
Brown Oxide Color Block
Avocado Butter
Avocado Oil
Coconut Oil
Palm Oil
Olive Oil
Sodium Hydroxide Lye
Spinach Powder
Kermit Green Mica
Fizzy Lemonade Colorant
Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
Brown Oxide Pigment
Black Oxide Pigment
- Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold
- 5 oz. LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap
- 0.5 oz. LCP White Melt and Pour Soap
- Brown Oxide Color Block
- 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold
- 1.8 oz. Avocado Oil (10%)
- 0.9 oz. Avocado Butter (5%)
- 5.4 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
- 4.5 oz. Olive Oil (25%)
- 5.4 oz. Palm Oil (30%)
- 2.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 5.3 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
- 1.5 oz. Avocado Fragrance Oil
- Spinach Powder
- Fizzy Lemonade Colorant
- Kermit Green Mica
- 0.6 oz. Avocado Oil (10%)
- 0.3 oz. Avocado Butter (5%)
- 1.8 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
- 1.5 oz. Olive Oil (25%)
- 1.8 oz. Palm Oil (30%)
- 0.9 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 1.8 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
- Brown Oxide Pigment
- Black Oxide Pigment
- Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
- Optional: Shaving Brush
- Chop 5 ounces of LCP Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base into small uniform pieces. Then, chop 0.5 ounces of LCP White Melt and Pour Soap Base into small uniform pieces. Place the soap into a heat-safe container and add a chunk of the Brown Oxide Pigment. Melt the soap in the microwave using 10-15 second bursts.
- Pour the soap into each cavity of the Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold. Spritz with alcohol to get rid of bubbles and allow the soap to fully cool and harden for 2-3 hours. Remove each embed from the mold and set aside.
- Slowly and carefully add 2.6 ounces of lye to 5.3 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, add 1 teaspoon sodium lactate.
- In a large glass bowl, combine and melt 1.8 ounces of avocado oil, 0.9 ounces of avocado butter, 5.4 ounces of coconut oil, 4.5 ounces of olive oil, and 5.4 ounces of palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130-140 degrees F (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
- Add all of the dispersed spinach powder, 1 teaspoon of dispersed Kermit Green Mica, and 1 teaspoon dispersed Fizzy Lemonade Colorant. Pulse the stick blender to mix in the colorants.
- Add all of the measured Avocado Fragrance Oil. Use the stick blender to mix in the fragrance using short pulses, and using it to stir.
- Continue to mix the soap batter until it is a medium trace. Pour the soap into each cavity of the 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold. After each pour, tap the mold on the counter to help level the soap. Use the back of the spoon to smooth the soap.
- Place a brown embed into each bar in the lower center of the mold cavity. Gently press it into the soap about ⅓ of the way.
- Spritz the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. This soap benefits from being lightly insulated. A good way to do this is to place the soap into a drawer or other small space.
- Allow the soap to harden in the mold for 2-3 days. To unmold, pull the mold away from the soap to break the airlock. Gently and slowly push the soap out from the back of the mold. Set soaps aside to prep the ingredients for the outer layer.
- Slowly and carefully add 0.9 ounces of lye to 1.8 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add ½ teaspoon sodium lactate.
- In a small container, combine and melt 0.6 ounces of avocado oil, 0.3 ounces of avocado butter, 1.8 ounces of coconut oil, 1.5 ounces of olive oil, and 1.8 ounces of palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 120-130 degrees F (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of dispersed brown oxide, ¼ teaspoon of Green Chrome Oxide Pigment, and about ¾ teaspoon of black oxide. Use the stick blender to fully mix in the colorants.
- Continue to stick blend the soap until it reaches a thick-medium trace - the texture of very thick pudding.
- Use a shaving brush or large paint brush to "paint" the dark brown soap onto the outside of each avocado. Use a combination of dabbing motions and brush strokes to create a textured appearance.
- Place each avocado soap face down onto a cutting board to allow the outer layer to harden for 2-3 days.
- Wipe off any brown soap from the top of the bars using a bit of alcohol and a paper towel. Allow the soap to fully cure and harden for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy.
Hello,
I exedently purchased blended avocado oil and soy oil,
Could you tell me,please,how I have to calculate?
Thank you 😊
That would depend on the ratio of each oil in the blend. You can find each of those oils on our Lye Calculator so you can calculate the water and Lye amounts for your recipe.
Lye Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
What is a good substitute for spinach powder? I have matcha powder, moringa powder, spirulina, and french green clay. Or would just the kermit green and fizzy lemonade be close enough?
Spinach Powder turns a light tan in Cold Process so I would recommend just sticking with the Kermit Green and Fizzy Lemonade instead.
What to do with the extra brown?
I almost didn’t get them all painted before it set up!
We put the extra brown in a small mold and let it set up. The bars weren’t pretty, but they were still usable.
Hi Kelsey,
I have a question about sodium lactate if I may. I bought some which is at 60% solution, I assume the sodium lactate you sell is 100% solution therefore should i use more in the range of 3-4% total oil weight, rather than .5-4% you recommend?
thank you, your videos have given me so much confidence!
fred
Our sodium lactate is also a 60% solution, so stick with the smaller usage rate. We like to use 1 tsp. per pound of oils in the recipe.
I do wish I could purchase your stuff here in the UK, but the shipping costs are SOOO high it’s impossible 😥 I do love looking at your recipes.
You Wish Soap Supplies is located in the Netherlands, and it’s a great option for European soapers. You Wish carries Bramble Berry colorants, fragrances, exfoliants, soap bases and more. It may be a good option for you.
You Wish Soap Supplies: https://www.youwish.nl/
These are so cute!
Thank you Monica, we appreciate it.
Those are great! I’ll have to try it.
Thanks, glad you like them!