Honey is a popular additive in cold process soap. It’s a wonderful humectant and is great from a marketing standpoint. But, adding honey to soap does pose some challenges. The sugar from the honey can cause the soap to overheat. The key is keeping soaping temperatures cool and not using too much honey. I recommend a usage rate of 1 teaspoon honey per pound of soap. I also recommend placing the soap in the fridge or freezer after pouring it into the mold to prevent overheating. If you’d like to learn more about adding honey to your cold process soap, this post has more tips.
This Pure Honey Cold Process Soap contains a full tablespoon of local honey. It’s scented with Pure Honey Fragrance Oil, which gives the bars a wonderfully sweet scent. I kept the design of these bars simple to allow the honeycomb texture on the outside to shine. The secret to the honeycomb look is lining the mold with bubble wrap. Once the bubble wrap is peeled away, it reveals the realistic honeycomb pattern. As a bonus, we designed free downloadable labels for this soap! Find them here.
What You’ll Need:
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
Bubble wrap, cut to line mold
1.8 oz. Argan Oil (5%)
1.8 oz. Castor Oil (5%)
7 oz. Coconut Oil (20%)
10.5 oz. Olive Oil (30%)
7 oz. Palm Oil (20%)
7 oz. Sunflower Oil (20%)
4.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
11 oz. Distilled Water
2.3 oz. Pure Honey Fragrance Oil
1 Tbs. Honey
Optional: Save the Bees Label Template
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Find the supplies you need for this project below
If you’ve never made Cold Process soap before, stop here! I highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on Cold Process Soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including my newest book, Pure Soapmaking. You can also checkout the digital downloads for that instant gratification factor.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices! That means goggles, gloves and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.
MOLD PREP: The honeycomb texture on the soap comes from placing bubble wrap on the bottom of the mold. You don’t need any kind of “special” bubble wrap, I always use leftover bubble wrap from packages I receive! Cut the bubble wrap to lay inside the mold with the bubble texture facing up. Tape the bubble wrap to the sides of the mold so it doesn’t move around.
FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 2.3 ounces of Pure Honey Fragrance Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
HONEY PREP: This recipe uses 1 teaspoon honey per pound of soap, for a total of 1 tablespoon honey. Have the honey nearby and ready to add to the soap at trace.
ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.
TWO: Combine the argan oil, castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil and sunflower oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have both cooled to 130 degrees or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until you reach a light trace. Because the honey in this recipe causes the soap to heat up, I recommend soaping a little cooler, around 100-110 degrees. 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 about 2 teaspoons sodium lactate.
THREE: Once you reach a thin trace, add 1 tablespoon of honey. Use the stick blender to fully combine it into the mixture. Alternate pulsing the stick blender and using it to stir.
FOUR: Add the Pure Honey Fragrance Oil. Use the stick blender to pulse and stir the fragrance oil into the mixture until completely combined.
FIVE: Continue to stick blend the soap until you reach a medium trace.
SIX: Pour the soap mixture into the mold and tap it on the counter several times to disperse any air bubbles. Use a spoon or spatula to even out the top. Immediately place the soap into the freezer or fridge for at least 3 hours, up to 24 hours. Placing the soap in the fridge/freezer keeps the soap cool and prevents the honey from overheating and discoloring the soap. You can skip placing the soap in the fridge or freezer if you want the soap to go through gel phase.
Allow the soap to stay in the mold for about 2 days. Remove from the mold, and peel away the bubble wrap. Cut into bars, and allow them to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!
- 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
- Bubble wrap, cut to line mold
- 1.8 oz. Argan Oil (5%)
- 1.8 oz. Castor Oil (5%)
- 7 oz. Coconut Oil (20%)
- 10.5 oz. Olive Oil (30%)
- 7 oz. Palm Oil (20%)
- 7 oz. Sunflower Oil (20%)
- 4.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 11 oz. Distilled Water
- 2.3 oz. Pure Honey Fragrance Oil
- 1 Tbs. Honey
- Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the argan oil, castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil and sunflower oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Once the lye water and the oils have both cooled to 130 degrees or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until you reach a light trace. Because the honey in this recipe causes the soap to heat up, I recommend soaping a little cooler, around 100-110 degrees. 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 about 2 teaspoons sodium lactate.
- Once you reach a thin trace, add the 1 tablespoon of honey. Use the stick blender to fully combine it into the mixture. Alternate pulsing the stick blender, and using it to stir.
- Add the Pure Honey Fragrance Oil. Use the stick blender to pulse and stir the fragrance oil into the mixture until completely combined.
- Continue to stick blend the soap until you reach a medium trace.
- Pour the soap mixture into the mold and tap it on the counter several times to disperse any air bubbles. Use a spoon or spatula to even out the top. Immediately place the soap into the freezer or fridge for at least 3 hours, up to 24 hours. Placing the soap in the fridge/freezer keeps the soap cool, and prevents the honey from overheating and discoloring the soap. You can skip placing the soap in the fridge or freezer if you want the soap to go through gel phase.Allow the soap to stay in the mold for about 2 days. Remove from the mold, and peel away the bubble wrap. Cut into bars, and allow them to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!
Hello. I’m a student and we have to make soap as our chemostry project. Is there any way we can use avocado and honey in one soap recipe? Please help. Thank you!
You can use honey and avocado puree in one soap. Just keep in mind this will most likely heat up your recipe and possibly accelerate trace.
How to add Purees to Cold Process Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-purees-to-cold-process-soap/
Adding Honey to CP: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/adding-honey-to-cold-process-soap-tips-tricks-recipe/
Hi Kelsey
Did you need to calculate the extra amount of lye for the fragrance oil?
Can one add glycerine to CP soaps, if so will there be need to add extra lye ?
Can one convert soap into liquid soaps?
Thank you!😊
The fragrance is an additive, so you don’t need to calculate any lye for it. Just enter the total weight of the recipe in the Fragrance Calculator to find out how much to add: http://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
We don’t recommend adding glycerin to cold process soap. It’s a natural byproduct of making soap so you don’t need to add extra. If you do you’ll likely get glycerin rivers: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/river-runs-deep-explanation-glycerin-rivers/
You can’t convert solid soap into liquid soap. You need to start with a base made with potassium hydroxide lye instead of sodium hydroxide lye.
Learn how to make liquid soap with this kit: https://www.brambleberry.com/Liquid-Soap-Guru-Kit-P4829.aspx
My daughter and I made this recipe last night.. we had so much fun bonding she’s 17 and this was her soap request so of course she HAD to help! The soap smells AMAZING! My question is when will the bar start getting super hard. I took it out of the refrigerator after 8 hours and when back a few hours later and the bar / loaf was warm again! So, I placed it back in the refrigerator… I hope that was okay! I’m patiently waiting to unmold this lovely smelling soap! Just walking past the soap it smells awesome! Thanks Bramble Berry!-deborah
It takes about 2-4 days for this soap to harden enough to unmold, then you can cut it and let it cure for 4-6 weeks. After that time it’s ready to enjoy.
Thank you!
Would it be ok to use the basic, lots of lather of swirl mix for this recipe? I already own them and would like to use it. Also, would it be ok to replace the honey fragrance with almond or vanilla? Last, if I don’t use the bubble wrap, should I still freeze the soap or can I just let it cure in the mold for 2 days as normal? Thank you,
I would like to add, that i’d like this to be an ideal soap for babies- would one of those mixes be gentle enough?
You can use any of those mixes for this recipe. The Swirl Quick Mix contains a lot of moisturizing and gentle oils, so I would recommend that one. It has usage rates for the 10″ Silicone Mold right on the product page.
Swirl Quick Mix: https://www.brambleberry.com/Swirl-Recipe-Quick-Mix-P5526.aspx
Also, you can use a vanilla or almond fragrance. They both contain vanilla, so they will discolor brown.
Learn more about discoloration here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/why-did-my-soap-turn-brown/
And find out how much to use with the Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
You’ll want to put this soap in the freezer even without the bubble wrap. It will keep it cool and prevent the honey from scorching.
I’m new to soaping and find your site full a wealth of great info. I followed this recipe exactly but still got a partial gel. I did use a different brand FO but left in the fridge for 16-20 hours. Can I rebatch and is so, any special instructions? If I make again, any different recommendations? Would you insulate instead?
Thanks,
You can rebatch the soap if you like. It will mix the colors up so you won’t see the darker center as much. Learn how to rebatch soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/soap-queen-tv-presents-how-to-make-rebatch-soap-2/
For the next batch, you’ll want to keep that soap as cold as possible to prevent gel phase. Insulating it makes it hot, so avoid that. Instead, pop it in the freezer for 24 hours.
Mine turned a bit orange:peach as soon as I added the honey. Still okay to use?
Was your soap on the warmer side? It may have caramelized the honey slightly, but it’s still fine to use.
I just made this soap, and it was amazing. I did not add any scent to it, because I make soap for my friends, who suffers from sensitive skin. I absolutely love the way this came out. I read all the comments, and suggestions, and I did freeze it for one night. The color came out a really nice cream color, and it looks amazing. Even cutting the soap was amazing, its so SILKY!!!! I cant wait for 4 weeks to test it out and see if it lathers well, and moisturize….. :)))))
That’s awesome Jessica, glad the soap turned out well. It’s going to feel amazing on the skin.
Will honey start to mold in soap?
It won’t. When you add fresh products to soap, they go through the same saponification process the oils and lye do. At the end of that process, the pH level is 9-10, which doesn’t allow mold to grow.
Learn more about working with fresh products like honey and fruit here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-purees-to-cold-process-soap/
How about in hot process soap? I use a recipe that calls for the cooked oils/lye/water to cool before adding the honey. Since the honey isn’t cooking with the other ingredients, is there a chance of mold? Thanks for your help!
There is a small chance of mold if the honey is added after the cooking process. Honey has a really long shelf life though, so I would recommend making a small test batch and seeing how it reacts.
I just made this soap and used vanilla fragrance oil. I soaped at lower temperature and my batch seized. Can I rescue the batch using hot process recipe?
Thank you.
If you made that soap within 24 hours, you can use the Hot Process Hero method to get everything emulsified. That involves stick blending and heating the soap: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/hot-process-hero-2/
Do you know if that fragrance causes acceleration? What temperatures were your lye and oils? Let me know and I can help you troubleshoot.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello Kelsey,
I’ve just made a few batch of Honey CP soap and it smell really great!. The only thing I’m wondering is how to prevent gel phase at all? I tried putting the mold in the freezer for a whole day but it seems that the batter still went through partial gel phase and there are big circles in the middle of all my soaps 😀
Thanks a lot in advance
Honey can be a little tricky to work with, and will want to gel that soap even in the freezer. The good news is the soap will still feel amazing. It can help to drop your soaping temperatures to around 100F, then leave it in the freezer for the 24 hours. If that’s still gelling, it may help to reduce the amount of honey to help prevent the ring in the middle.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I would love to try this recipe but am also thinking of adding oatmeal and using goats milk. I am thinking it may heat up too much and be difficult. What do you think? Any tips on using all of these ingredients together?
Temperature will be key with a milk and honey bar. You may find that even with cool milk and putting the soap in the freezer, the soap may still gel. Just try to keep it as cool as possible, including leaving it in the freezer for a full 24 hours. 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/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
Can you suggest any fragrances that can be blend with pure honey? Personally I think the smell is abit too strong so want to blend it up alittle bit ^_^ but the soap is great!
Thanks,
Absolutely, Pure Honey blends really nicely with a variety of scents. Mixing it with Mahogany Fragrance Oil will give you a sweet and earthy combo: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mahogany-Fragrance-Oil-P5939.aspx
I love it with Green Tea Fragrance Oil, it smells just like a cup of tea sweetened with a little honey: https://www.brambleberry.com/Green-Tea-Fragrance-Oil-P3892.aspx
Cinnamon Sticks and Pure Honey will give you a sweet and foodie blend: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cinnamon-Sticks-Fragrance-Oil-P6306.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I checked the formula at saop.calc.net and it looked a little less bubbly and cleansing than average and I was wondering if I increased the castor oil a bit or even added some babassu for more bubbling and cleansing or increase the coconut if that’s going to work with the honey.
I made a formula for castor oil 7%, babassu 8% Olive 25% Sunflower 15% and the rest staying the same percentages.
Does it sound like a good formula?
That does sound like a good formula. We have found 2-5% is best for castor oil. Higher amounts can make the soap soft or sticky. Also, the honey in this recipe does boost lather, so it feels nice and bubbly. I would recommend a small test batch to see what you think.
Learn more here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can Palm oil be replaced with something else and if so will any of the measurements for the other ingredients change?
Palm oil adds some great firmness to your soap, and there is no direct replacement for it. You can add certain oils and butters to help firm your soap up though. For instance, adding a hard butter, like cocoa butter up to 15%, can harden the bars. You can also add coconut oil or tallow up to 33%.
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/
This post on substituting oils has some great information too: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-substitute-oil-in-cold-process-recipes/
Sodium lactate is helpful as well. It helps the bars unmold more quickly. You can add 1 tsp. of sodium lactate per pound of oils to your cooled lye water. Read more in the Sunday Night Spotlight: Sodium Lactate: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Love this soap! I’ve made 3 batches and have found the soap to be a little on the soft side due to the amounts of liquid oils in the recipe. It needs a good 2-3 days before it’s ready to come out of the mold. I think either doing a water discount or adding sodium lactate would help for a harder bar, but i will try that next time and see what happens. Either that or adjust the recipe to account for more % of hard oils.
The FO is nice to work with and doesn’t accelerate. I like anchoring it with a little Cybilla Almond FO; very yummy!
Almond and honey are an amazing combination – that’s a great idea. Also, a water discount, sodium lactate, or more hard oils will definitely help this soap harden and unmold more quickly.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sunday Night Spotlight: Sodium Lactate: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
Water Discounting: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/water-discounting-cold-process-soap-how-why/
Almond Cybilla Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Almond-Cybilla-Fragrance-Oil-P3355.aspx
Hi! I can’t find any honey fragrance oil in my country, is it okay if I add more pure honey? Or do I just leave the fragrance oil out completely? Thank you!
You can definitely add honey if you like! It helps boost lather. Learn more about how to use it here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
However, honey doesn’t add any scent to your soap. So, you can leave the soap unscented, or add a different skin-safe fragrance. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Ah okay thankyou very much! And another question, is it okay to use the same freezer as the one I personally use for food?
It is! Just make sure the soap has room in your freezer so it stays nice and cool. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I love the bubble wrap idea! Do I need to put mineral oil or something like that on the bubble wrap to keep the soap from sticking to it?
Thanks!
The soap peels off the bubble wrap just fine! If you like, you can use a thin layer of mineral oil to be extra careful. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you! Is there a problem using too much minerall oil?
Also, what can I substitute for the Argan Oil in the recipe?
Too much mineral oil can make the soap feel fairly slippery/greasy. A very thin layer works just fine! As for the argan oil, you can use another lightweight oil like sweet almond, avocado or meadowfoam oil. Just make sure to run the recipe through the Lye Calculator after any substitutions. 🙂
Lye Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
Learn more about substituting oil in cold process soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-substitute-oil-in-cold-process-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
Meadowfoam oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Meadowfoam-Oil-P4978.aspx
Thank you Kelsey!
Hello everyone, I need your help. I want to make this soap but it would be even better if you could tell me the amounts in gramms..
You can convert the ounces to grams using a search engine like Google! Type 1.8 oz. in grams and it will give you 51 grams. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you! And another question.. After we put the soap into the mold we have to put it in the fridge or freezer for at least 3 hours.. Let’s say that we keep it overnight 8 hours is it ok? Then we can leave it outside in room temperature?
Absolutely! You can leave it in the fridge or freezer for up to 24 hours. If your house is pretty hot, leaving it in there for longer will help prevent any scorching. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey,
I made this soap tonight and I’m pretty sure it turned out great 🙂
The question I have for you is I just found out that I have to leave town for four days… Is it ok to leave the soap In the mold for 2 extra days than recommended?
Absolutely! The soap will have more time to harden up, which means less chance of getting dents or drag marks. Then you can cut, cure and enjoy. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello so I will make oatmilk, honey, soap and I will use two and a half tablespoons of honey for 32 ounces of soap Is this true or should I add more or less of honey
Thanks!
I have a question: Can I use oatmilk instead water ??
and i will make coffe soap how i prep the coffe should i put it in the fire first ??
We recommend 1 teaspoon of honey per pound of soap, so 2 teaspoons would be a good amount for your 32 ounce batch! Too much honey can cause the soap to overheat, so less is better. Read more about working with honey here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/adding-honey-to-cold-process-soap-tips-tricks-recipe/
Also, you can use oat milk instead of water! With all milk, we recommend freezing it before adding your lye. Like honey, milk can overheat and scorch. That causes discoloration and an unpleasant smell. Keeping it cool will prevent that. Read 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/
We have a post on how to add coffee to your soap! It involves cool temperatures as well. I’ll link it below. 🙂
How to Use Tea and Coffee in Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-tea-coffee-soap/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This recipe worked soap honey and five weeks after they made and found no such middle circle or spot color darker Are the soap is good and it did not work in his favor is for sale, please answer my question and I want to know why that spot appeared
Hmm, I’m not sure why that spot popped up after 5 weeks. Did you use a fragrance with vanilla, or any additives like fruit? Let me know!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you maybe mean a DOS spot? I know in my climate this amount of sunflower feels great but goes rancid quickly 🙁
It may be DOS. Is the spot orange or yellow in color? Does the soap smell “off” at all?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I was wondering if I subbed out the water content for coconut milk or goats milk would it melt the bubble wrap? I know milk soap like to heat up, plus the addition of honey. Please advise. Thank you, love your blog💕🌺💕
As long as you pop that soap in the freezer for 5-24 hours the bubble wrap should be just fine! I would recommend closer to 24 hours so the soap doesn’t scorch. It also helps to freeze your milk before adding the lye so it’s nice and cool. 🙂
Read 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/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you Kelsey, I have another question. What is the % of water to lye portion or how do I figure that out along with the super fat level. I’m going to try this recipe this time using HP method. I want to add my super fat oils at the end already by with half the milk, honey, and FO. The first time I tried this it turned out wonderful, the only changes I made were subbing goat and coconut milk for the water and using the wild flower honey FO, turned out beautifully thank you
To figure out the superfat value manually, the equation is (1 – % superfat you want). So, if you wanted to superfat your olive oil soap by 4%, you would do the following (.134 oz. lye) x (1 – .04) = .1286 oz. lye. Or you can do it the easy way: for a one pound batch of soap, a 5% superfat works out roughly to .8 oz. of extra oils per pound of soap. You can save those oils for the end and mix them in as a superfat. 🙂
Read more about superfatting here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/superfatting-soap-an-explanation-2/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
My batch of this recipe came out really soft. Is it okay to use sodium lactate next time I make this recipe? I put the soap in the freezer for nine hours so it wouldn’t gel. I also kept it in the mold for two days before cutting. I had to clean off my cutter before each cut because it was so soft.
Thanks, Jo
Hi Jo!
You can definitely use sodium lactate to help the soap unmold more quickly! We recommend adding 1 teaspoon per pound of oils to your cooled lye water. 🙂
Read more about sodium lactate here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I only have 1.2 argan oil. What can I use as a substitute? Thanks, Jo
You can add .6 ounces of meadowfoam oil! It has a similar lightweight feeling to argan oil. You can also just add .6 more ounces of olive oil to make it a bit easier. Just remember to run your recipe through the Lye Calculator again after any substitutions. 🙂
Lye Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
Read 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
I am new to soaping and thought this was going to be easy for me. My soap looks like yours out of the mold, but it is soft. I followed the directions I thought very carefully. I added lye to oils at 109 and the oils were 101. I put in refrigerator for 20 hours and cut at 42 hours. It is sticking to slicer and is soft. I used my own honey from my hives. The only difference is I used spring water instead of distilled. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
It can take a bit longer to cut this soap, especially because it’s in the freezer for 24 hours. I would recommend waiting another 2-3 days before continuing to cut. By that time it should harden up and cut more easily. Also, for your next batch, I would recommend distilled water. Spring water can have microbes or bits of metal inside that do odd things to the soap. Distilled water works best. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This recipe is a work of art. You included everything I could ask for as far as instructions and helps. And the pictures are so very helpful even for small steps. It really does help to see what the steps look like. Those percentages beside the ingredients are the crowning glory. That is truly the extra mile. What a class act you’ve got going with all these wonderful projects! Thank you so much!
Oh you’re very welcome Trish! Thanks for your sweet message. We try and make it as easy as possible for people to recreate these recipes, so it means a lot that you say that. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I like it when my soaps gel (they looks much prettier). Must I put this soap into the freezer ?
If the honey in this recipe gets too hot, it can caramelize. That causes discoloration and sometimes bubbles in the soap. It can also make the soap brittle. If you do gel the soap, you may want to add less honey or skip it for this recipe. 🙂
Learn more about working with honey here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/adding-honey-to-cold-process-soap-tips-tricks-recipe/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am bignner but I find that your guidance has made this experience easy and so much fun, I am so excited to try this recipe but I had a question can I add oatmeal to help with exfoliating? Thank you so much.
You can add oatmeal if you like! We recommend the old-fashioned oats, not the instant kind. You can add that at trace. We usually start with 1 teaspoon per pound of soap, but you can add more if you like. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I can’t wait to try this…I have everything handy but the Argan Oil. Do you have a recommendation for a replacement oil?
If you don’t have argan oil on hand you can use meadowfoam oil! It has a similar lightweight texture. You can also leave the argan oil out and increase the olive oil. The olive oil is a bit heavier so the bars will feel slightly different. However, they will still feel really nice on the skin. 🙂
Meadowfoam oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Meadowfoam-Oil-P4978.aspx
Remember to run the recipe through the Lye Calculator after any substitutions: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey,
I have neither argan or meadowfarm oil on hand could I use sweet almond oil? Or something else rather than increasing the olive oil?
You can use sweet almond oil if you like! It does feel different than the argan oil, so the bars themselves will feel different. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think. 🙂
Remember to run the recipe through the Lye Calculator as well: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
Absolutely genius creating a stunning bar of soap! My only question is were there any issues with the bubble wrap melting? Great job Soap Queen and staff!
Thank you Pam, glad you like it! There were no issues with the bubble wrap! We recommend keeping the temperatures around 100F and popping the soap in the freezer for 24 hours afterward. That will keep everything nice and cool. When it’s time to unmold the bubble wrap peels off easily. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Honey is the ingredient I’ve tried for yeast infection on skin. This has anti-fungal properties and other skin benefits. I’m surely going to try this soap. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You’re welcome! Have fun giving this recipe a try. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry