This Gentle Oatmeal Soap recipe is perfect for babies, or those with sensitive skin. The majority of the recipe is made with olive oil pomace that has been infused with skin-loving chamomile herb. Chamomile has been used in skin care for centuries, and is well known for its calming properties. The soap also contains shea butter for moisture and castor oil for lather.
This soap does not contain any fragrance, because that can sometimes be irritating to extremely sensitive skin. If you’d like to add some, feel free. In particular, lavender essential oil would be a great choice. You can use the Fragrance Calculator to find out how much to add to the recipe. Once unmolded, the soaps are stamped with the Stork & Baby Acrylic Stamp for a cute finishing touch. They would be a perfect gift for a baby shower! Looking for more baby soap recipes? Check out the Buttermilk Bastille Baby Bar tutorial!
What You’ll Need:
Infusion
14.5 oz. Olive Oil Pomace
2 Tbs. Chamomile Herb & Sealable Tea Bag
Round (Cupcake) Silicone Mold
Stork & Baby Acrylic Stamp
13.8 oz. Olive Oil Pomace (infused)
0.8 oz. Shea Butter
0.5 oz. Castor Oil
1.9 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
4.3 oz. Distilled Water (plus 4 Tbs. to disperse bentonite clay)
1 tsp. Sodium Lactate (optional)
2 tsp. Bentonite Clay
2 Tbs. Colloidal Oatmeal
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Find the supplies you need for this project below
I made this soap and have no complaints, it was a fun project and the soap came out well. I do have one question though, the bentonite clay did not disperse as well as I would have liked, in fact, in the finished product, you can see very small clumps. It kind of detracts from the final product visually. I followed the video tutorial and I thought it went well, so I think maybe my problem came when I added the clay into the soap mixture. It thickened up quickly after adding it and I had to pour it soon or it would have been too think. Anyway…long story short, do I need to add the clay earlier or mix the clay in more water to make a thinner clay solution? Any suggestions would be welcome.
Can the water in this recipe be replaced with goat’s milk?
Yes, as long as you’re following the proper precautions for soaping with milk, outlined here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-lye-to-milk-for-cold-process-soap/
Would you have a recipe for baby soap in Mel & Pour?
We have similar melt and pour recipes, I’ll link them below.
Chamomile Oat Melt and Pour Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/chamomile-oat-melt-pour-bars/
Lavender Goat Milk Melt and Pour Bars: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/melt-and-pour-soap/lavender-goat-milk-melt-and-pour-bars/
Hi Brambleberry,
I made this soap, twice, and both batches are super slimy (actually snotty) in the shower. They make no lather at all. Uh-oh!! They have been curing for for 6-7 weeks.
Is there any fix for the slime? At what point after curing (# of months?) should I just give up and throw them away? I will wait more but I want to know when I should give up :-/
I don’t mean to be so negative, and everyone note, the soap smells amaaaaaazing. I was just really excited for this one.
This recipe is made with mostly olive oil, so it is softer than recipes made with hard oils like coconut and palm and they won’t have as much lather. They do feel really moisturizing and gentle on the skin though.
There are a few tricks to help. The sodium lactate in the recipe will help harden the bars. You may also try curing them a few more weeks. Then, when the bars are in the shower keep them in a dry place on a draining soap dish. This post has more information on that: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/make-soap-last-longer-shower/
If you prefer harder, bubbly bars, our Lots of Lather recipe is a good one to try: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/my-favorite-cold-process-recipes-2/
Hello, I have made this soap recently and it turned out great. It was extra soft initially as noted but hardened up quite nicely within 4 weeks. Anyhow, My question is: why the bentonite clay? I read that it is good for shaving, and oily skin. Just curious what it is used for in this recipe. I would like to learn as much as possible for future use of this. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Bentonite clay has a silky texture that feels really nice on the skin. This post has more about the clays we carry and their benefits: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/which-clay-is-right-for-your-skin/
I made the soap but some things didn’t go well. First, the odor of the chamomile didn’t infuse into the oil. I’m wondering if it has to do with the teabag I used. Second, I used an Argentinian extra virgin olive oil which is stronger than the others and the soap now is with a strong odor of this oil. So, I’m wondering if even though I’m able to infuse the chamomile scent into the oil, will the olive oil smell prevail?
The chamomile scent doesn’t usually make it through to the final bars – it’s very subtle. For a stronger chamomile scent that helps cover up the scent of the oil, you can use a fragrance or essential oil.
Chamomile essential oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-Roman-Essential-Oil-P3819.aspx
Chamomile Cybilla Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-Cybilla-Fragrance-Oil-P3363.aspx
Chamomile Bergamot Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-Bergamot-Fragrance-Oil-P3937.aspx
Find out how much to add with the Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
Hi I made a batch of this soap but even after curing it for 4 weeks when I used it on my face its really burning my eyes. What can be the reason for this?
Soap will irritate the eyes. You’ll want to avoid that area when you wash your face.
Hello!
I really need your help! I’ve been in soapmaking for the last 4 years but last week was the 1st time I did through away 2 kg of soap! I’ve made for the 10th time the buttermilk bastille baby bar following exactly the recipe.
Never before had I a problem. I was soaping at around 40-45 C (104-113 F).
But last week I just couldn’t reach a trace. It was impossible. I couldn’t find a better solution to my problem so I tried heating the mixture and then sometime it seemed it reached trace so I put it in the mold. But it never hardened. It has the mixture of a gel. A watery gel. Yesterday I tried making the recipe again and the same thing happened.
So now I am going to through away another kg of failed soap and I really need to find out why.
I am not able to figure what is the problem there. I have only made 2 assumptions: 1. NaOH is not good (but I’ve made another batch with that and didn’t have a problem)
2. For these failed batched I have used extra virgin olive oil of this year and not from previous years.
So I thought the problem was the extra fresh olive oil. I’ve read that soap gets better when using old olive oil.
Other than that, I could not understand why. Please give me your opinion!
Thank you for everything 🙂
It sounds like it may be the lye. Do you know how old it is? Also, you use NaOH and not KOH (potassium hydroxide) correct?
Yes, I used NaOH which I had bought on February from the same store I buy my supplies. The repacking date on the box is 07/2017.
So today I am going to measure a certain quantity of my NaOH and then put it in the stove to estimate its humidity and decide if it needed/needs adjustments on the dosage. I hope this caused the problem because otherwise I raise my hands up 😮
I used oils of good quality, made the carrot pure myself using distilled water, froze the milk before using, checked the temperature, checked the quantities…
what else am I missing?
From what you’re describing it sounds like it may be the lye and not the oils. When you added the lye to the water, did you notice it getting as hot as it usually does? Or were the temperatures lower? Do you notice any clumps in the lye or does it have an off color? Lye can expire in about a year and not be as effective.
Yep! It was the lye after all! So sad that threw away 3 kg of oils but at least I know the problem and I can continue 🙂
Thanks for everything!
Hi I made this soap and the only change that I made was that I substituted the olive oil pomace for extra virgin olive oil and later when I found a soap calculator I put the recipe in the soap calculator and it said that I needed an extra 2 grams of lye then I put and it said I needed less water then I added. It also said that this recipe scored 0 for cleansing is that normal ?
Was that our Lye Calculator? If not, I’m not sure why those lye and water amounts are different. We ran this recipe through the Bramble Berry Lye Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
This recipe is designed to be more gentle, so it won’t be as cleansing as other bars. If you like your bars harder and more cleansing, you can add up to 33% coconut oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Coconut-Oil-P3196.aspx
Learn more about formulating recipes here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/formulating-cold-process-recipes/
I actually have to questions. Can I add little oatmeal powder to my melt and pour soap base? If so how much do you suggest in a very small batch since I’m new with making soap lol I only make in small soap molds (2oz). So how much would I use I’m 4oz of MP and my second question is about baby powder. I seen your recipe for fairy dust. Using tapioca powder and art wood powder 1:1 ratio. Can I also add ill powder oatmeal to powde recipe? If so how much you suggest to use in 16oz? Thanks for taken time to answer my questions. And have wonderful day 😊
You can add oatmeal powder if you like. I would recommend just a small pinch in the 4 ounces of melted soap. Too much can make the soap clumpy. Mix well to fully incorporate. You can also mix it with a bit of distilled water before adding it to the soap to help it mix in easily.
Colloidal oatmeal: https://www.brambleberry.com/Colloidal-Oatmeal-P5565.aspx
For the powder recipe, you can use oatmeal powder. How much you add is personal preference, I would recommend starting with about 1 ounce and then testing it on the skin to see what you think.
Thank you very much. I was making few items for a baby shower that a customer ordered she wanted a spa basket for the mother and basket for baby. So my idea was doing more safe nd natural products and add some other items that new mothers don’t usually get at showers like medicine kit/first aid kit, bath towels, (i will make the rest) baby safe laundry detergent, air freshener spray, stuffed dipped teddy bear (air freshener), and the “monster be gone” spray i seen on here, in a nice wicker laundry basket. Of course baby wont need the monster spray but I thought it would be cute addition. I’m putting the recipe for the spray along with soap queen & bramble berry web site with it. I appreciate all the help.
That sounds like an awesome gift, I’m sure she’ll love it.
Hello!!!
I want to add kombucha to these bars as I have had great results with kombucha soap before!
I am relatively new to soap making and don’t know how to use a soap calculator!
can i just sub some of the water for kombucha?
or will that not work?
thanks
Yes, you can substitute all or some of the water for kombucha. We recommend boiling and chilling it beforehand for best results. Learn how to work with it in this tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/lavender-kombucha-soap-recipe/
Hi, is it possible to send me a recipe for liquid baby soap
We like using our premade liquid soap bases. We have a Natural Castile Liquid Soap Base that’s made with 100% olive oil, which is gentle and ideal for sensitive skin. Find that here: https://www.brambleberry.com/natural-castile-liquid-soap-base-p4609.aspx
Learn how to work with those bases here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-use-and-thicken-liquid-soap-base/
If I buy this kit for making the baby soap how many bars will it yeild total for this batch. Would like to calculate cost per bar thanks
This batch makes 6 bars of soap. You can find that information at the top of the post in the “yields” section.
If my soap’s pH is around 8-9 in the second week, is my soap ready to use? I am really sorry but the original post did not allow me to add a comment so I had to post it here.
Technically yes, you can use the soap after two weeks. We do recommend letting them cure the full 4-6 weeks for best results though. That allows any excess water to evaporate, which creates harder bars that last longer in the shower.
I am trying to print this recipe. Is there a print option for this particular soap recipe?
This recipe doesn’t have a printable version, but you can find one in the Pure Soapmaking book: https://www.brambleberry.com/pure-soapmaking-how-to-create-nourishing-natural-skin-care-soaps-p6298.aspx
I made these bars on 8/30/17. After the 4-6 cure time they had some soda ash on top of the bars so I beside to rinse the bar with hot water to remove the ash. The bar got very slimy and very slippery. Is that normal for this type of bar?
This bar contains a lot of soft oil, so it will be softer than bars with hard oils like coconut and palm oil. It can help to cure it an extra few weeks so it hardens more. Once you’re ready to use it, keep the bar on a draining soap dish so it stays as dry as possible between uses.
Get more tips here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/make-soap-last-longer-shower/
Hello, I want to make these soap bars using ’12 Bar Round Silicone Mold’. Since there are12 molds but size is different than the molds you have used in this recipe, how do I calculate the difference?
The 6 bar mold holds 21 ounces, while the 12 Bar Round Silicone Mold holds 48 ounces. You can resize that recipe using our Lye Calculator. Find out how in this blog post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-resize-cold-process-soap-recipes/
That recipe was created when we had our old Lye Calculator so it does look slightly different. However, the instructions still work the same.
Thank you!! I will resize the recipe.
I resized as you told and soap bars turned out great!! Also, I loved 12 bar round silicon mold, it was very easy to remove soap from mold and soap looks beautiful. Cant wait to use it!!
Oh that’s great to hear. Enjoy Tej.
Well, I was rolling along and all was going great until I poured the soap into the molds. Then it went from the beautiful creamy color in the batter to a light olive green in the molds. (Mixing bowl was glass Pyrex cup as in the tutorial). The molds are silicone, pink. So…wondering if this has anything to do with using olive oil instead of pomace…(not extra-virgin…regular olive oil) or something to do with the temp when I mixed the lye…oils were 107 and lye was 115. thanks!
I don’t think it would be temperature related. Did you use any fragrance or colorants in this batch? Did your olive oil have a green tint to it?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks, Kelsey. No, i didn’t add anything to it…made these as gifts for newborns so didn’t want to risk any reactions to fragrance or colors. I’ll check the olive oil. That’s probably it. But…two days in the mold and the color seems to have lightened a bit, and it smells really clean. I’ll just tell everyone it’s supposed to be that color. ;0. Thanks for answering!
Oh good! I think it’s just the natural color of the olive oil showing through. That happens with olive oil, sometimes one batch will be more green than the others. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello
I was wondering what the bentonite clay in the recipe helps with. Is it supposed to be soothing to a baby’s skin?
Bentonite clay has a smooth and silky texture that feels really nice on the skin. Learn more about it here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/which-clay-is-right-for-your-skin/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi there id like to make this soap but was wondering if I could sub shea oil for the shea butter and if so what would be the amount? If not would cocoa or mango butter be ok. Also can I use regular olive oil and kaolin clay?
Thankyou 🙂
Mango butter would be a good substitute. It has a similar feeling to the shea butter, it’s just a bit more firm. Also, you can use regular olive oil and kaolin clay. Remember to run your recipe through the Lye Calculator after any changes: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
Those substitutions will change the feel of the bars, so I would recommend a small test batch to see what you think.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Mango butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
Kaolin clay: https://www.brambleberry.com/Kaolin-Clay-P3235.aspx
Thanks for the great info as usual Kelsey !!! One more question what is the superfat percentage for this recipe?
This recipe is superfatted at 5%. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I notice that the cleansing score is 0 for these bars. Can I figure maybe 2 – 5 % coconut oil into this recipe? My granddaughter is 15 months old and has a little baby eczema and I’d really like to try this. Would that small amount of coconut oil make it to harsh? Looks like a lovely bar.
Olive oil is less cleansing than coconut oil, but it creates a gentle bar that’s ideal for sensitive skin. The castor oil in the recipe helps create bubbles and adds cleansing properties. If you like, you can add coconut oil at 2-5%. That shouldn’t be too cleansing, but everyone’s skin is different. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think. Also, remember to run your recipe through the Lye Calculator again after any substitutions: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Coconut oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Coconut-Oil-P3196.aspx
Hi, could I ask for help? I ve just had done this soap, but with a tweak, and it separated😭 I have doubled the amount if oils water and lye, used pink and caolin clay dispersed in water, 2 tsp silk peptide dispersed in water together with clay, coloidal oatmeal, but only 1 tbs, and that goes in one pot with 2/3 batter, in another pot with 1/3 batter I have added 1 tsp titanium dioxide dispersed with almind oil. I have blended it and looked fine then I have added rose fo in amount 1.6oz devided to both containers, but when I come back to titanium dioxide pot it seized, so i put it all in one biger pot and blended it, and it separated, so I could see oil and particles of rest soap batter…so I have tried to re batch it, and did not work out so batch end up in sink pipe…😭 help please, that is second batch that I tried to do in rose color and fragrance which did not turn out at all😭
You may try using the Hot Process Hero method. Heat and more stick blending can help emulsify your batch: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/hot-process-hero-2/
As for the soap, did it seize as soon as that fragrance went in? I’m thinking that may be what caused the seizing and separation.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
When I have added titanium dioxide it was ok, after rose fo added I ve used spatula to incorporate it was ok, but after a minute I have noticed it sized, but not as stiff as my first batch( I have used stick blender and it sized stright away)
I think it’s the rose – floral fragrances usually accelerate and can seize. This post has tips on how to work with those fragrances: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soap-behaving-badly/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I want to make this for a relative who has eczema on his skin and he is allergic to wheat. So can I just add the clay powder instead of the oatmeal? Thanks
You can leave out the oatmeal in this recipe. The bars will feel different without it, so you may want to make a small test batch to see what you think of the bars.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Does industrial methylated alcohol can be used as isopropyl alcohol for spritzing on top of the soap?
Methylated alcohol can sometimes have additives like dyes. We recommend isopropyl alcohol for best results. You can find that here: https://www.brambleberry.com/99-Isopropyl-Alcohol-16-oz-P5682.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
My one is clear in color, so is it ok? I already own that one.
We haven’t tried methylated alcohol so I’m not sure if it works. We recommend isopropyl alcohol for this recipe.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi there!
I am wanting to double this recipe can you tell me if my lye and water are at the correct amounts? I did run it thru the lye calculator but I do want to double check!
Lye & Water
1.9 oz Lye – 3.84
4.3 oz distilled water. – 9.97
Oil Amounts
13.8 oz chamomile infused pomace oil – 27.6
0.8 oz Shea butter – 1.6
0.5 oz castor oil. – 1.0
Additive Amounts
2 tsps bentonite clay – 4 tsps
Dispersed into 4 tbsp distilled water
2 tbsp colloidal oatmeal – 4 tbsp
Dispersed into 8 tbsp distilled water
Thank you for your help!!
Teri-lee
Yep, those amounts are correct! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much Kelsey!
Teri-lee 😊
Hi there!
I’m wondering if I can make tis recipe with the lots of lather quick mix and just infuse that with the chamomile?
Thank you!!
Yep, that should be just fine. You can infuse the mix just like the olive oil, then strain it out and get started soaping.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would it be possible to substitue the Castor Oil with Safflower Oil or Rose Hip Oil?
You can, but it will change the consistency of the soap. Castor oil is added to give the recipe lather. Safflower or rosehip oil will add moisturizing properties, but won’t lather as much as the castor oil. You may try a small test batch to see what you think of the recipe with the substitution. Remember to run the recipe through the Lye Calculator after any changes: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
Learn more about substituting oils here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-substitute-oil-in-cold-process-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Rosehip seed oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Rosehip-Seed-Oil-P6706.aspx
Hi, I’m placing my first soap on a shower chromed grid, but it is reacting with the metal and color changes into a green-blue. Do you know why. Thanks!
Soap can react with a variety of metals. I would recommend using stainless steel, silicone, or plastic soap dishes instead. That will prevent that color change.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Soap dish: https://www.brambleberry.com/Soap-Dish-P6505.aspx
Hi! I have cured my soap on a chrome wire shelving unit…to avoid cross reactivity, I put the soap on plastic mesh like for needle point. Cheap, easy to clean and easy pick up to move the bars!
Hi there!
I was just wondering if instead of a sealable teabag could you use cheesecloth?
And can I make this in a loaf mold?
Thank you!
Teri-lee 🙂
Yes and yes. Cheesecloth will help strain out any bits of chamomile, and a loaf mold will work nicely. Because the soap is in a loaf size rather than individual bars, it will take a bit longer to harden up. If it’s soft to the touch, wait a few days and check again. You can unmold when it feels firm to the touch.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much Kelsey!
Going to make it up this weekend!!
Teri-lee 🙂
Use disposable coffee filters and rubber bands!
Great tips, thank you Betsy!
Hi! I made this recipe and the bars get a slimy film after contact with water.
Can I do something to reduce this?
How long did you cure the bars, and how are you storing them? Handmade soap does best with a 4-6 week cure and stored in a draining soap dish. That helps them last longer and prevent a bit of that residue. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I really want to try this recipe and the INS is so low (104) that makes me worry the bar is not gonna be solid at all. Shall I be worried ?
Many thanks !
We don’t use INS numbers for our recipes. We find they don’t accurately predict how the soap will feel. I can tell you these bars will solidify. They are on the softer side, which means they will feel really moisturizing and gentle on the skin.
Learn more about INS numbers here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/ins-numbers-for-soapmaking/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
May I make this recipe and use buttermilk instead of water?
Absolutely! You can swap milk for water in cold process recipes. It gives the bars a nice creamy feeling. Because milk can scorch if it gets too hot, it helps to watch your temperatures. Learn how here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-lye-to-milk-for-cold-process-soap/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This soap sounds great–I just made a batch. I’ve made clay soaps for many years, and never dispersed the bentonite clay in water before. Maybe because I hand stir with a whisk–but the clay was a mess when incorporated into the soap. It was impossible to fully incorporate it as it clumped from the extra water. I will make this again in a few days. My suggestion: use the water called for plus 70 grams (what 1/4 cup was on my scale). Measure the clay in a separate mixing bowl. At light trace, pour about 1/2 cup of soap into that bowl and mix well, then pour back into soap pot to finish making soap. My bentonite clay has always fully mixed into soap using this method, but not today when I added water to it first. Just a suggestion for anyone having this issue.
It helps to stick blend the clay in! That breaks up any clumps and helps them mix into the soap. If you’re whisking, you can pour a bit of soap in to mix with the clay, or mix it with a few tablespoons of distilled water. That will make the clay a bit easier to incorporate with a whisk. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi there. I can’t find anywhere here in New Zealand that sells sodium lactate 🙁 The only other thing I can think of to harden the bar is salt, but would that be OK for baby’s skin? I’m just afraid that if the soap turns into a soft gloopy mess in the bathroom, I’ll never want to use it! Which would be a shame. Thanks for all your help and wonderful recipes!
You can use a salt water solution to harden the soap! It is skin safe like the sodium lactate. To make the solution, mix 1 teaspoon of regular table salt into 1 ounce (by weight) of warm distilled water. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. We recommend 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 ounce of water per pound of soap. Make sure to discount the salt water solution from your liquid amount. Then, add the solution at trace. 🙂
We used the solution in this tutorial with great results: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can the clay be left out and can an infusion of herbs be used in replace of water? Thanks
You can leave out the clay and use an herb infusion if you like! It will change the consistency of the recipe, so I would recommend a small test batch to see what you think. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, how much does the recipe make? (gentle oatmeal and chamomile soap), thanks. ps, love this site. So much info and advice etc. :-))
This recipe makes 6 bars and weighs a total of 21.3 ounces! You can find that information at the top of our posts in the “Yield” section. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks
Can this recipe be used in the COP method?
It can! The heat will help the soap unmold more quickly. Silicone can cause bubbles and an uneven texture in the oven, so I would recommend a wood mold with bolts. 🙂
This 2 lb. Wood Mold works well for CPOP: https://www.brambleberry.com/2-lb-Wood-Loaf-Mold-P5239.aspx
Learn more about it here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/hot-process-series-cpop-swirls/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
My soaps have been in the molds now for at least 2 and a half weeks. I have unmolded two of them and they are soft on the bottom and they are not coming out of the mold cleanly. Do they need to sit longer? Did I make a mistake? Ugh
This recipe is really soft, so it will need longer than normal in the mold. However, the sodium lactate should help it unmold. I would recommend putting the soap in the freezer for a few hours. Then, let it sit for about 30 minutes and unmold. That helps harden the soap and creates a bit of condensation so it unmolds easily. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you. I did that and the soaps finally unmolded easily!
Yay, glad to hear that!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
If I use chamomile extract at trace, instead of infusing the oil with chamomile, do I subtract the amount of water I use, based on the amount of chamomile extract I use??? Or just leave the recipe the same and just add in the chamomile extract?
You can leave the recipe as is! Chamomile extract is considered an additive and not factored into your oil or water amounts. Just add it at trace and enjoy. 🙂
Chamomile extract: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-Extract-P3839.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you Kelsey!
Dear Brambleberry,
Thank you so much your website. It has been very helpful. I have a few questions of which I cannot find answers to anywhere. I’m a little unclear about formulating personal CP/HP soaps.
1. When plugging in the oils i want to use into the online soap calculator, how much am I supposed enter? For example, I want to make a mostly coconut oil/a little olive oil/a little canola oil soap. I don’t understand how much % I’m supposed to enter b/c I don’t know what’s a good recipe? All i know is I want a cleansing, hard yet moisturizing soap. Does the calc automatically equal my total up to 100% after I enter in the oils I want to use? Is my total always supposed to equal 100%?
2. When adding something like clays or tumeric powder, how much am I supposed to add? Is there a general rule? or do I just add however much I want based on trial and error? or does the soap calc help me figure this out? (I don’t remember seeing anything on the calc about dry powders or flowers etc.)
3. Can I use any kind of wood for making a mold frame? I live in Indonesia and they don’t sell wooden molds here:)
Sorry for all the questions. I’ve watched so many soap calc you tube videos and read so many blogs, but I still don’t understand how much oil percentages I’m supposed to input, b/c I have no idea.
Please help! Thank you so much!
The percentages of oils you used are based on personal preference! So, if you want a harder bar, you can use more hard oils like coconut and palm. This post goes over how to formulate cold process recipes and plug them into the Lye Calculator: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/formulating-cold-process-recipes/
And this post talks about common oils and how much to use: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
You want the percentages in your recipe to add up to 100%. The Lye Calculator will let you know if you need to add more!
A general rule for clays and other powders is 1 teaspoon per pound of soap. However, you can add more or less based on personal preference. We like to mix clay with distilled water to help it mix into the soap easily. Learn how to use clays here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-brazilian-clay/
You can use any wood you like! Some woods made be softer or harder, so you may want to take with someone about what’s best for a mold. Our molds are made with birchwood. We find that works really well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this recipe about 2 weeks ago. This was my very first cold process soap. I used the goat milk in it. It turned out beautiful. My great niece is having a baby in May. Her baby shower is in March so these should be ready by then. Guess I should not have been so scared to use lye, it was not as bad as I imagined. I will add this soap to my little store online.
Oh that’s awesome Annette, glad to hear these bars turned out well! Lye can definitely be intimidating the first time you make soap, but the more you work with it the easier it gets. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have these soaps curing next to a dehumidifier. How long do you think it will take for them to be ready?
These bars take about 4-6 weeks to cure. Because the dehumidifier keeps your space nice and dry, they may cure closer to 4 weeks instead of 6. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you very much for you reply. You guys are awesome.
Hi, I was wondering if I can leave out the bentonite clay all together? or could I replace it by any other clays?
thank you 🙂
You can leave it out if you like, or replace it with another clay! Learn which clay to choose here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/which-clay-is-right-for-your-skin/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
If I use this recipe as a hot process recipe do I still have to wait though four to six weeks to cure and have a new great-nephews wedding put some lovely soap
While hot process soap is technically ready right away, it does benefit from a 4-6 week cure time. That allows excess water to evaporate, which means your bars last longer in the shower. If you’re in a time crunch you can use them right away. Try to give them at least a week so some water can evaporate before packaging. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this soap and it has cured into a lovely bar.
I infused organic chamomile tea into some white olive oil, and also substituted chamomile tea for the lye water. I didn’t have any clay, so I omitted that. I used 2 10″ silicone moulds and 4 tablespoons of colloidal oatmeal, but I think that was too much. The bars had a rough, bubbly finish on their sides. Some of the bars developed a little orange hue on their bottom, kind of like orange spots, but they’re still lovely to use.
But I have to say the bars are amazing to wash with. They bubble and I get quite a lot of foam with them. I used sodium lactate (4 tsp) and kept water at 30% to allow for a clean release. The superfat was set at 6%. I am going to give my bars to a friend who is having a baby.
I don’t think this soap needs scent at all. It has a lovely neutral scent that just smells clean to me. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Oh that’s awesome Naomi, glad you’re enjoying these bars! Your friend will definitely love them. The bars may have a bit of texture to them because of the additives, but should overall feel smooth. If you like, you can send me a picture of the bubbly look on our Facebook page! I can help you troubleshoot. 🙂
Bramble Berry Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks, Kelsey!
I made this recipe again, because I have very sensitive skin and I think after more than a year of making soap I’ve found my holy grail. All the high-end sensitive skin washes at the chemist make me break out in a rash in about 2 weeks. This soap has been a godsend. My newer batch had less bubbles on the edges. I can’t believe how creamy this soap is even though it has no cream.
I’m going to make enough to last me a year 🙂
Yay, so glad to hear that Naomi! Nothing better than finding a recipe that works for your skin. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi I am looking where I can purchase this bar soap, it is a must! I have very sensitive skin
We don’t sell the bars you see here, but we do sell the supplies to make it on BrambleBerry.com. Click here to get the ingredients you need: https://www.brambleberry.com/BRAMcustom/kitrecipehandler.ashx?recipe=oatmealbabysoapsqtv
You can also find handmade soap on Etsy, or at local markets and stores.
Hello. Is it the same colloidal oatmeal and oatmeal flour?
I believe so! The INCI name for colloidal oatmeal is Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, so oatmeal flour should be the same. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi I made this yesterday and today there are grey spots all over the soap. Could this be because the clay was lumpy when I mixed it it?
The clay can definitely get clumpy and create spots in the soap! If you have a picture of it, you can message it to us on the Bramble Berry Facebook page. That way I could check to be sure. 🙂
Bramble Berry Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I don’t have Facebook. Is there anyway to email pictures to you?
You can email those to our customer service team! They can be reached at info(at)brambleberry(dot)com. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I wonder about putting the olive oil pumice and loose chamomile in an air tight jar and letting it sit for a couple of weeks. When ready to use, strain it. What do you think? Will this work as the infusion?
Absolutely! That is called a cold infusion. It works exactly like you have planned – combine the olive oil and chamomile in an airtight jar, let it sit at room temperature for a few weeks and then strain it. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
HI , I have made this recipe twice now and the bars are not hard after 3 days. 🙁
I see now that I forgot to mix the Bentonite clay with the 4 tablespoons of water, I just added it in with the oatmeal…would this cause the soap to not harden?
Thank you!
Because this recipe is mostly olive oil, it will be fairly soft even with the clay. It may take up to 5 days or more to harden. Once it’s firm to the touch, it should be ready to unmold and cure! Adding the sodium lactate really helps as well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi! I can’t wait to try out this recipe but I just have one question first. I am rather confused with regards to the olive oil. The infusion calls for 14.5 Oz but then the recipe calls for 13.8 Oz of the infusion. So, do I infuse the 14.5 Oz in the chamomile but only use 13.8 oz of it when making the soap? Or am I adding 28.3 oz total to the recipe? Also, I’d like to add soap powdered goats milk. Is this OK to do and if so how much would you recommend I use?
Thank you!
To infuse the oil, we recommend using more than the recipe calls for. That’s because some of the oil will get stuck in the tea bag, leaving you with less than you need. After infusing the 14.5 oz., you should have around 13.8 oz. olive oil. If you have more you can save it for later. If you have less, you can add a bit of uninfused olive oil. 🙂
You can use powdered goat milk! We like to use it in place of the water. So, you can mix it at a rate of 1 oz. goat milk powder into 8 oz. distilled water. Then, freeze that into cubes. Once it’s frozen, add your lye slowly until fully combined and add to your oils. Learn more about working with milk here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-lye-to-milk-for-cold-process-soap/
You can also add a couple ounces of the rehydrated milk at trace. Just make sure to discount that from your main water amount so the soap doesn’t get too wet. Then, put your soap in the fridge or freezer for 5-24 hours so the milk doesn’t get hot and scorch!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi what type of Tbag is being used. There are a lot online but I need to make sure I get the right type as I worry about burning? thank you
We used this large sealable tea bag: https://www.brambleberry.com/Tea-Bag-Sealable-Large-P4180.aspx
Most tea bags should be fairly heat resistant, so the ones you find at the grocery store should work as well! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This sounds great, I’ll be giving it a go. I’m also a bit confused though about the weights..are you saying you use a scales to weigh the liquids? That would be handy☺
That is correct! We weight out the amounts in this recipe using a scale. We find weight measurements are more accurate for soapmaking. 🙂
Read more about weight vs. volume here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/a-guide-to-weight-vs-volume/
Find scales here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Scales-Thermometers-C207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made this recipe using goat’s milk to see how it would turn and the bars are obviously very soft. Some of them even broke a little bit after unmolding, even though I waited 3 days (2 days inside the freezer to avoid gelling), but they look great and I hope they will turn great and not become a big melting disaster when used. What is your opinion? Should I have tried goat’s milk or should I have kept the recipe as is? What would be the curing period in case of goat’s milk? It looks like I might need to wait longer than 4-6 weeks…
Thank you so much! I love your videos 🙂
Goat milk has extra fat in it. That makes the bars feel nice and moisturizing on the skin, but the soap will also be softer. As it cures for 4-6 weeks, it will harden up nicely! It may need closer to 6 weeks but should be cured within the normal time. 🙂
To help the soap harden faster, sodium lactate really helps! Add 1 teaspoon per pound of oils to your cooled lye water. Read more about it here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
i noticed olive oil 2 times in the ingredients list 14.5 ounces and again at 13.8 ounces use both measures or which one is correct thanks
To infuse the oil, we recommend using more than the recipe calls for. That’s because some of the oil will get stuck in the tea bag, leaving you with less than you need. After infusing the 14.5 oz., you should have around 13.8 oz. olive oil. If you have more you can save it for later. If you have less, you can add a bit of uninfused olive oil. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am still waiting for a reply to my question of can this soap be made using the hot process method?????
Hi Christina! I’ll paste my response below. 🙂
Absolutely, that would help speed up the unmolding process! It may be a bit tricky to stamp the soap because it hardens more quickly. You may want to stamp the soap while it’s still slightly soft (be sure to wear gloves!) You can also skip the stamp if it’s not wanting to work well.
Learn more about hot processing soap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTXwxbpzLM&t=3s
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Great, thank you…
You’re welcome!
Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely give it a try. May I ask what is the purpose of adding the Bentonite Clay?
You’re welcome Tracy! Bentonite clay adds “slip” to the soap. It gives the bars a silky feeling and helps it glide across the skin easily. It’s often used in shaving soap as well. 🙂
Bentonite clay: https://www.brambleberry.com/Bentonite-Clay-P4059.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made a batch a few days ago with the addition of a little Zinc Oxide to the recipe. The bars have unmoulded beautifully cleanly after 48hrs in shallow silicon bar moulds. They look lovely. Great recipe. THANKS! I’ll pop a photo up on your FB page.
That’s awesome, can’t wait to see the picture Jen! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is it possible to make this soap using the hot process?
Absolutely, that would help speed up the unmolding process! It may be a bit tricky to stamp the soap because it hardens more quickly. You may want to stamp the soap while it’s still slightly soft (be sure to wear gloves!) You can also skip the stamp if it’s not wanting to work well. 🙂
Learn more about hot processing soap here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTXwxbpzLM&t=3s
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I’m trying this new soap !.. So, if I check this recipes on soap calc calculator, they give me a INS: 104 I’m afraid a little bit. It’s not too low INS. One time I made an 100% olive bar, and the result was so sticky, it was not interesting texture, without lather….:(
so you used clay , does it have a impact of the INS ?
so you used oatmeal, does it have a impact of the INS?
and watt about you sodium lactate? the will improve my INS?
thank’ s a lot, you are very important for us. thank for everything you done. 🙂
Hi Gisele!
We don’t use INS numbers for our recipes. We don’t find that they relate well to a finished batch of soap and how it will be perceived by people in the shower. For instance, a 100% cocoa butter bar is technically perfect on the INS scale, but it feels slimy and has no lather. You can read more about that here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/ins-numbers-for-soapmaking/
Castile (100% olive oil) soap can have a lower lather. That’s why we added castor oil to this recipe! It adds some great bubbles. The shea butter adds firmness and moisturizing properties. The end result is a soft, gentle bar with great lather. 🙂
Read more about common oils and what properties they add to soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you, do you have more informations with clay and oatmeal?
Hi , May I substitute the chamomile tea with adding chamomile extract at trace instead? Would it be the same? Thank you
You can definitely use the chamomile extract if you like! That should give you the properties of the chamomile. You can use it at .5-3%. 🙂
Chamomile extract: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-Extract-P3839.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have a case of Chamomile Tea, would it be possible to use this in the recipe? If so would I use one or ? bags of tea and steep in the oil for the same amount of time?
Thank you.
Debra
I think that would be OK! I would recommend using about 4-5 bags of tea. It may also help to make a small test batch to be sure the tea works well in your soap. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you think we could replace olive oil pomace with regular olive oil? I don’t think they sell some in Canada 🙁
(Second question!)
I am not very used to using ounces, because we weigh our ingredients in grams where I am from. I just want to make sure, when you put a quantity in ounces, it is a “weight” quantity and not a “volume” quantity, is that correct? I am trying to convert into the French Canadian system, that’s why I’m asking!
Once again, thank you!
You can use regular olive oil! The bars will be a bit softer, but will still feel really nice on the skin.
Olive oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Olive-Oil-Pure-P5246.aspx
Also, the ounces are in weight! So, you can convert them to grams to make it easier. I like to use Google for conversions. If you type in 13.8 oz in grams, it will give you 381 grams. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Please put percentages in recipes again. That way it’s easy to resize recipes or convert to grams. Thanks. 🙂
We’ll get those added! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I just made these bars using regular olive oil so they would be a lighter color. Do you think a longer cure will get them to harden up more? My friend’s baby is due in the middle of June….Also, have you ever tried dipping the stamp in mica for a touch of color?
Soap with a lot of olive oil definitely benefits from a longer cure. It will harden up more as the excess water evaporates. The shea butter in this recipe helps too! Also, we have tried stamping with mica – it looks really lovely. 🙂
Learn how here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YBdHHQURKk
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Curious here about the necessary curing process. How long do you recommend this soap cure before use please?
Because these bars have a lot of soft oils, they will benefit from a longer cure time. I would recommend letting them cure about 6-8 weeks. If they’re still a bit soft after then, let them cure another week or two. That will help the soap last longer in the shower. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Wont this soap be very very soft?
These bars will be softer because they are mostly olive oil! However, olive oil pomace does make a harder bar, and the shea butter firms the bars up as well. Also, letting them cure for 6-8 weeks or a bit longer will make them last longer in the shower. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry