What You’ll Need (4 Bars of Soap):
Pre-heat 4 quart pan of water on simmer (for rinsing your tools)
1 dropperful of Gardenia Fragrance Oil
1 dropperful of Sensuous Sandalwood
6 dropperful of Sea Moss Fragrance Oil
6 oz Shea Butter Melt and Pour Base
32 oz Shaving Melt and Pour Base
4 microwavable containers one large 20 oz and three smaller 8 oz
Straight Metal Fork with Tines
Plastic wrap
Heat your water to a low simmer. Cut your 6 oz of Shea Butter Melt and Pour Base Base into ice cube size pieces, place in one of the small containers, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Cut 6 oz of Shaving Melt and Pour Base, place in small container, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Cut another 6 oz of Shaving Melt and Pour Base place in small container, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Cut about 16—20 oz of Shaving Melt and Pour Base into small pieces, place into the large container and cover with plastic wrap.
At this point you have:
1 small container of Shea Butter Melt and Pour Base Base
2 small containers of Shaving Melt and Pour Base
1 large container of Shaving Melt and Pour Base
For 30 seconds microwave one of the small containers of Shaving Melt and Pour Base (heat 10 additional seconds at a time if needed) and add a little of brown oxide (not sure how to use oxides in Melt and Pour Soap? Click here to be taken to a tutorial on using Oxides in MP soap) and one dropper of Sea Moss fragrance. The result should be a translucent amber liquid soap that does not burn your pinkie finger. In the photo above, we’re using pre-mixed brown oxide in liquid glycerin. You can make up your own color blend using the instructions referenced above (here).
Pour about a Tablespoon and a half of the light translucent soap into one of the cavities and turn the entire mold until you’ve covered the sides and bottom of the mold. The layer doesn’t need to be even or even look like anything special and don’t worry about spilling soap over the sides as you can always wait a minute or two and use the scraper tool to replace any spilled soap into the container it originated from. Do the same for each of the cavities. We call this the “Swirl ‘n’ Twirl” method. Keep rotating the mold around in a circular fashion until the bulk of the soap has hardened up fully on all sides. It’s okay if it’s a little thicker in places.
Now, for 30 seconds take the 2nd small container of clear soap cover it and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds or so and add 5 parts of brown oxide, one part black oxide and one part of green oxide (heat 10 additional seconds at a time if needed, stirring each time); when melted add one dropper of Sandalwood fragrance. The teacher for this method, PJ, likes to scent each layer separately. This is an optional thing. If you’d like one fragrance for all the layers, it won’t affect the integrity of the soap at all.
One at a time, spray with rubbing alcohol the first translucent layer in one of your shell molds and immediately add about a tablespoon and a half of the dark brown soap into the mold on top of the translucent soap, turning the mold until the sides and bottom are mostly covered (imperfections at this layer add to the look of the soap). Keep rotating the mold around in a circular fashion until the bulk of the soap has hardened up fully on all sides. It’s okay if it’s a little thicker in places. Use the scraper tool to replace any spilled soap into the container it originated from.
Check back for the rest of this week as we finish the Clam Shell Project, creating realistic shells out of just soap and a little skill.
