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August 6, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Good Afternoon Soap Queen Readers. I just wanted to remind you that today is the last day to enter the Contest for a Cause! I’ll be picking the winners tonight so hop to it. Send me your letters, post to your Facebook and tweet like you’ve never tweeted before. Am I getting carried away? Perhaps, but it’s for a good cause. Oppose the Safe Cosmetic Act! Read the Contest Rules HERE for a chance to win the prize below.

I was in Washington DC earlier this week opposing the act with with Donna Maria (Indie Beauty Network), Lela Barker (Bella Lucce), Leigh O’Donnell (The Handcrafted Soap Guild) and Kayla Fioravanti (Essential Wholesale). See some of the blog posts here, here, and here.

Dying Wool is a Sheep Thrill

August 5, 2010 Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

It seems that detailed and adorable felted soap is all over the place these days so I’ve been inspired to give it a try. While I have felted and dyed wool before and felted soap a lot (I used to teach the every-week-lunchtime-class series at Otion on felting soap back in the day), I can’t promise that it will look anything like Persnickety Pelican (check out the blog post HERE) but I’m excited nonetheless.This week’s Soap Queen Tutorial is how to use Bramble Berry LabColors to dye your wool any shade under the sun. After your wool is dyed and dried (ha- I’m a poet and didn’t know it), I’ll show you how to felt the soap (but you’ll have to wait until next Thursday).

When I’ve dyed wool in the past, I’ve always used a crock pot. If you don’t have a crock pot, not a problem, here’s a new technique using the microwave. You should be able to find wool roving at your local yarn store. I was able to get 4 ounces (which looks like a massive bundle – definitely enough for 20+ soaps) for just $2.00 per ounce (pretty standard pricing).

Ingredients

Large Ball of Wool Roving

Brilliant Blue LabColor (Any undiluted Labcolor will work)

Glossy Silicone Tray mold

Vinegar

Water

ONE: Tear off enough wool to fit into your silicone tray mold (or microwave safe pan). Mix 1 cup of water with ½ cup of vinegar and pour the mixture over the wool. Use a spatula to press the wool down into the vinegar mixture to make sure all the wool is saturated. Let soak for 30 minutes.

TWO: Then add one more cup of room temperature water to the wool and add 30 drops of undiluted Brilliant Blue LabColor, evenly dispersed. Then use your spatula or your hands (with gloves) to poke the wool, spreading the dye around. TIP: Try to handle the wool as little as possible, we don’t want it to start the felting process just yet.

Variation: Use less dye for a lighter blue and more dye for a super dark blue. Or check out the LabColor selection for a different color entirely.

THREE: After the dye is dispersed and the wool seems to be evenly colored, cover the wool with plastic wrap and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. WARNING: The water will almost be boiling when the 5 minutes is up. DO NOT TOUCH. Just let the wool cool until it hits room temperature. Then remove the plastic wrap.

FOUR: Lift the wool out of the tray mold and into a large mixing bowl. Rinse the wool several times with room temperature water until you can lift the wool out of the water and the water dripping from the wool is clear. This means that the wool has taken in all of the color and is ready to dry. TIP: Room temperature water is really important. Hot or cold water will shock the wool and start the felting process.

FIVE: Layer up several paper towels and spread out the wool and let dry. I let my dry overnight. TIP: Rinse the wool the best that you can but if there are a couple blue spots left on the paper towels after drying, don’t worry about it too much. The wool will be rinsed again when we actually felt the soap.

I’m going to dye one more color for my felted soap.

What LabColor do you think I should use to go with my Brilliant Blue?

Mojito Melt and Pour Soap Tutorial

August 4, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

I love reading each and every blog comment posted by Soap Queen Readers. Thank you for all of your input and inspiration- It really makes it fun for me! Mid July, I posted a tutorial on Watermelon Soaps and received a comment from SweetMadeSoap that she had made a delicious Mojito Soap with shades of green and white scented with Lime and Peppermint Essential oils. I just had to give the Mojito soap a try (as my mouth started watering just reading the comment). And the results are in…

Ingredients

Clear Melt and Pour

White Melt and Pour (optional)

Liquid Green Colorant

Yellow Mica

Brilliant Blue LabColor

Aqua Pearl Mica

Peppermint Essential Oil (2nd distillation)

Lime Essential Oil

Scalloped Round Mold (discontinued)
NOTE: The Scalloped Round Mold shown in this tutorial has been discontinued. This kit now contains the Round Mold.
Glossy Silicone Tray Mold

Get everything you need for this project by clicking the ‘Buy It Now’ icon below.

You’ll also need cookie cutters and a sharp knife to cut out ice cubes and mint leaves.

Mint Leaves: For my dark colored mint leaves, I used clear melt and pour mixed with Liquid Green Colorant and a sprinkle of Yellow Mica. Then I poured a thin layer into a brownie pan tray mold. Once it cooled, I used my mini leaf cookie cutter to cut out the leaves. Try adding a little bit of white soap base to the mix if you want a lighter mint color. As you can see, I did both!

Ice Cubes: For my ice cube color, I used clear melt and pour soap base with 1/2 drop of Brilliant Blue Labcolor, and a sprinkle of Aqua Pearl Mica. You can either pour a layer (1/2 inch thick) into a tray mold and cut your cubes by hand our use a flexible ice cube mold. Either way will work.

Essential Oils: Since Peppermint Essential Oil is pretty strong, I used 1 part Peppermint Essential Oil to 3 parts Lime Essential Oil. It really does smell delicious and refreshing. Trust me, you’re going to love this blend!

Assembly: Pour a thin layer of clear melt and pour (that has cooled to 130 degrees) into your scalloped round soap mold. Spritz four mint leaves and add them to the soap base. Then add another thin layer of clear melt and pour. Spritz three or four ice cubes with rubbing alcohol and add them to the soap, on top of the mint leaves. Then start the random assembly. Add more mint leaves and ice cubes until the mold is full and you have mint and ice sticking out everywhere. Repeat with the other cavities and remember that they’re not all going to be the same. There are no two Mojito Soaps alike (in my experience).

Has anyone else made Mojito Soap? I would love to hear about them!

Summer’s Not Over Yet!

August 3, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

I just got back from Washington DC and after a full 8 hours of traveling already, my brain is ready to zone out with some beautiful soapy inspiration. I’m also wishing for a vacation so perhaps that’s why I gravitated towards these inspired soapy beach finds on Etsy.

Row one

Beach Bum Soap from Bean Street Market,

Soap Sea Shells from Satin&Birch

Green Sand Beach from Beacon Creations

Row two

Life Is Beachy from Anhoki

Crusty The Crab Soap from The Soap Seduction

Beach Soap with Shell from Joan’s Gardens

Row three

Seahorse Felted Soap from SoFino

Sea Glass Soap from Enchanted Path

Sailor Soap from Soapopotamus

Report from DC – Education Matters

August 2, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Hi from DC! It’s been a jam packed day. I can’t even convey how much work, how much energy and how much commitment everyone that is here with me has to this issue of ‘Safe Cosmetics.’ If you are unfamilar with bill H.R. 5786, the ‘Safe Cosmetics Act’, you can familiarize yourself with it here (Soap Guild Site). Here’s what we told the offices we met with:

1. Small Business will be negatively impacted – Regulatory issues around cosmetics cannot be more stringent than than are with food (as they will be with this bill). Small business especially will bear the brunt of this regulatory climate.

2. Trace elements are not feasible to include on labels – This is what a label will look like for a lotion bar with Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil and Lavender Oil

Ingredients: Olive Oil (Tri-Glycerides of Palmitic, Di-Glycerides of Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Stearic, Oleic, Linoleic, Arachidic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Squalene, Beta Carotene, Campesterol, Methylenecholesterol, Stigmasterol, Sitosterol, Fucosterol, 28-Isofucosterol, Stigmadienol, Brassicasterol, 7-Cholestenol,Ergostadienol, Avenasterol, Triterpene Alcohols, Tirucallol, Taraxerol, Dammaradienol Beta-Amyrin Germanicol, Butyrospermol, Parkeol, Cycloartenol, Tirucalladienol, 24-Methlene 24-Dihydroparkeol, 24-Methlenecycloartanol, Cyclobranol, 4-Methyl Sterols, Esters of Tyrosol, Esters of Hydroxytyrosol, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Carotenoids, Oleuropein) Cocoa Butter (Tri and Diglycerides of Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Lead, Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Isoleic Acid, Beta Carotene, p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid, Vanillic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Syringic Acid, Phenylehtylamine, Theophylline, Aliphatic Esters, Aromatic Carbonyls, Caffeine, Theobromine, Diketopiperazines and Alkylpryazines), Lavender Essential Oil ( Cineole Octanol, Octanone, Alpha Bisabolol, Alpha Cadinol, Alpha Humelene, Alpha Phellandrene, Apha Pinene, Alpha Terpinene, Alpha Terpineol, Alpha Terpinyl Acetate, Alpha Thujene, Alpha Thujone, Beta Bisabolol, Beta Pinene, Beta Thujone, Borneol, Bornyl Acetate, Camphene Camphor, Cineolealpha Terpineol, Carvone, Caryophyllene, Carophyllene Oxide, CIS Alpha Terpineol, CIS Alpha Bisabolene, CIS Carveol, CIA Linalol Epoxide, CIS Ocimene, Citronellal, Citronellol, Coumarine, Cuminaldehyde, Eugenol, Furfural, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Geranyl Butyrate, Hexanol, Hexyl Tiglate, Isoborneol, Lavandulol, Lavandulyl Acetate, Limonene, Linanlol, Linalyl Acetate, Methyl Heptenone, Myrcene, Nerol, Neryl Acetate, Oleanolic Acid, P Cymene, Rosemarinic Acid, Sabinen, Terpinenol, Terpinolene, Trans Carveol, Trans Epoxy Linalyl Acetate, Trans Linanol Epoxide, Trans Ocimene, Ursolic Acid)

3. Reporting requirements are draconian. This bill requires you report when you hire someone (to the FDA), when you change suppliers (like when you switch to Bramble Berry from another vendor), who your distributors are (hello? competitive advantage out the window) and all of your ingredient formulations (without guaranteeing your confidentiality).

4. This bill is based on bad science – Cosmetics are not killing you. Diet, lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and excessive drinking are positively linked to cancer. Cosmetics have no conclusive link. Yes, 1,4 Dioxin is terrible (in high doses, ingested by rats). Yes, Formaldehyde is bad if you are massively exposed to it (in 100% concentration high doses, bathing in it) but small businesses are trying to formulate with natural ingredients and yet they are the ones that will be most affected by this.

The meetings were our opportunity to express how small business would be affected. We were thankful to have the time and understand that there is more time for us to comment, educate and share how small business will be affected before a bill is passed.

There is still time, Soap Queen Readers and Bramble Berry Customers – keep up on OpposeSCA.com, write your Representatives, sign the petition and vote your opposition to the bill here.

The most important thing? Your Representatives are on BREAK right now. They are likely visiting/staying in your district (where they live). CALL THEM! Visit them while they are home. You have thirty days starting now. You can do it! Call me if you want talking points – 360-734-8278 or email me. I will help you talk to your Representatives and tell your story in a way that makes an impact. We can do it – we can educate and inform lawmakers on how this bill (as currently written) affects us.

Greetings from DC – Oppose SCA

August 1, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Hi Happy Soapers, I’m in Washington DC (after two long flights) with Donna Maria (Indie Beauty Network), Lela Barker (Bella Lucce), Leigh O’Donnell (The Handcrafted Soap Guild) and Kayla Fioravanti (Essential Wholesale). We’re here to advocate on behalf of indies everywhere. Our goal is to educate the staffers and representatives behind HR 5786 (The full version of the draft bill for you to read is here.) Our meetings start tomorrow and we’re hopeful, positive and forward moving.

When I got off the plane, I was so happy to have a quick ride to the hotel because it meant that I had time to do a run around the monuments. There’s something surreal about jogging around so much history. Also, muggy. Surreal and muggy. Needless to say, I was thankful to get back to air conditioning in my room.

Tonight, we all met to discuss strategy. And who did we come across? Comedian Tom Green. It was surreal. I hadn’t seen his online show before but he did quite a funny stand up act for us in the bar (just our coalition and him) on the link between cancer and drinking/smoking. I can see why he’s selling out shows all over America. He was quite charismatic.

We’re putting the final touches on our informational packets tonight to leave with staffers and congresspeople tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted on how the day goes – you can follow me on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute updates. Wondering how you can help? Keep informed at OpposeSCA.com, sign the petition here, write your rep urging them NOT to co-sponsor the bill, or vote your oppose the bill here. And, most importantly, don’t give up hope. There is a lot of mileage to cover before this even gets close to being a bill. I am hopeful that with education we can make a difference.

Headed to DC – Meet me Tomorrow!

August 1, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I’m headed to Washington DC today. The first of my flights is over (yay!) and I’m getting ready to board the second one (with my sweet pink new carry on!). Thanks to Kathy Casey’s Dish D’lish at the Seattle Airport, I have a healthy meal in my belly already.

If you’re around the DC area, come meet me, Donna Maria (Indie Beauty Network), Lela Barker (Bella Lucce), Leigh O’Donnell (The Handcrafted Soap Guild) and Kayla Fioravanti (Essential Wholesale) tomorrow (Monday) at 6 p.m., Monday, the 2nd. We’re meeting at The Famous Luigisin DC. I hope to see you there!

Contest for a Cause!

July 31, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Prize: One ounce of the following liquid colors; Violet, Brown, Toxic Waste, Pink, White, Blue, Non-Bleeding Red, Yellow Jelly, Black, Green, Orange, Red Oxide, Red Jelly and Liquid Yellow. PLUS two plastic (slightly less than perfect) loaf molds and three surprise (also slightly less than perfect) ELF molds!

$75 value prize!

Cause: Oppose the “Safe Cosmetics Act”

Contest: There are three ways you can enter the contest. Do all three and get three entries into the drawing!

ONE: Tweet a link to my blog post on the Safe Cosmetics Act: “Safe Cosmetic Act” Not So Safe For Small Biz.Make sure to @brambleberry me at the end of the tweet so I see it. =)

TWO: Post a lnk to the Safe Cosmetic Act blog post on your Facebook page. Be sure to tag the post with @brambleberry so we can count your entry.

THREE: CC or send me a copy of the letter you write (or have already written) to your representative stating your opposition to the act. Email letters to info(at)brambleberry(dot)com. Or just post the letter to your blog like Marmalade Hills did and comment to let me know the link.

Deadline: You have until Friday, August 6th to spread the word and write your representative. I’ll draw a name out of the proverbial hat Friday morning. Good luck!

PS – If you’ve been following Elin Criswell’s Kickstarter project – Soapmaking and Beyond – she has 6 hours left to raise $335 and meet her goal to publish a soapmaking book. You can click here to learn more.

Bronze Takes First Place

July 29, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Want that sun soaked radiance – without the dangerous effects of UV? Make your own mineral makeup powder bronzer with this easy recipe. You’ll have that sun-tanned, lustrous look in no time!

Ingredients

6 tsp. Sericite

2 tsp. Titanium Dioxide

1 tsp. Tapioca Starch Powder

2 tsp. Honeyed Beige Mica

¾ tsp. Soft Beige Mica

1 ½ tsp. Cappuccino Mica

½ tsp. Brown Oxide

Tools and Packaging

4 oz Jar

Foundation Brush

Mini Whisk

Small Mixing Bowl

Blend: Add all of the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and blend well. Once the ingredients are fully mixed (no clumps), scoop the bronzer into a 4 oz jar. Tip: Mix in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder for an ultra fine blend.

Apply: Dip the brush into the powder and tap off any loose powder. Then lightly and evenly, brush the foundation on your face in a circular motion. Make sure you get all areas; forehead, cheeks, under eyes, and jaw bone.

Thanks to Celeste in customer service for being my

guinea pig and letting me test my bronzer on her.

She was a good sport and it looked great on her!

Or check out other blog posts on mineral makeup like Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Shimmer Eyeshadow, Foiling Tutorial, Smokey Eye with Deep Moss, Mineral Makeup on Better TV,

Bramble Berry’s New Loot!

July 28, 2010 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Clean Up Tool

Mini Whisk

Princess Shaped Rubber Bands

Cat & Dog Rubber Bands

Sea Creatures Rubber Bands

Castile Rebatch Soap Base

Cupcake Mold

Limited Edition Wake Up Rosemary Blend

Your $138,000 Smile

July 27, 2010 Filed Under: Business Musings

(Note: I wrote this last week! I’m happily in Bellingham right now enjoying our two months of good weather)

I’m on a business trip right now. I travel a lot – enough so that it’s not glamorous anymore. One of my favorite parts about traveling is that you just never know who you’ll meet. I’m a big fan of the ‘Never Eat Lunch Alone‘ concept. In a nutshell, it says that connections are your most important asset and you should go out of your way to make connections wherever you are. So, while I’m not obnoxious about it, I’m happy to chat anyone up when there’s an opportunity.

Yesterday, I chose the wrong security line. Like the really really wrong security line. It was interminable and moved so so slowly. So naturally I started chatting with the guy next to me. He was on his way to Brazil (cool!). He was a forest specialist (cooler). He was designing a forest in Brazil to help offset carbon emissions (ding ding ding!). My husband works in fiberglass. He designed the world’s largest scrubber to clean air from coal fired emission plants. Might there be a useful business connect there for him? Though it may not come to anything, by being friendly and open in an airport security line, I was able to get the two men connected.

When I went out to dinner last night, I was telling my friend the story of the neat coincidence in the airport security line and she turned to me and with all seriousness said “Oh, I totally believe that smiling is your best sales asset.” And then, she proceeded to tell me a story that blew me away. She’s a commission salesperson and she sells useful marketing concepts to businesses. When she was on a business trip last month, she took some downtime to hang out by the pool (no, Brambleberrians, there will be no pool time for me today). She smiled at someone, they started up a conversation and it turned out that he was from her home town (cool) and he had been thinking about utilizing the marketing services she sold (cooler). When she got home, she called him and sold him a six-figure contract (ding ding ding!), all because she was friendly and approachable.

When you’re in business, it’s about putting yourself out there; not in an obnoxious way – in a friendly, helpful, approachable way. After all, you’ve got something that you know will help people – whether its awesome handmade soap or a killer marketing plan or a way to clean air – you’ve got something that solves someone’s problem. So, smile at the next person you see in the grocery store line, compliment them on their outfit, chat them up about what’s in their cart and start looking for opportunities to make new connections, wherever you are.

Tickled Pink and Other Bright Colors

July 26, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

I had a big day of soaping last week using bright bright LabColors and fruity fragrances. When I was done with my project I had 5 different containers of colored soap left over. Then the light bulb went off- Swirl it! I used the swirling technique from this Soap Queen TV episode and had no idea how my impromptu soap was going to turn out (I was just trying to use up my left over, colored soap in a timely fashion).

I unmolded my “masterpiece” and was tickled pink (and purple and blue and green) after cutting my first slice. It’s bright, colorful, happy and smells of fresh and fruity goodness!

Here are the LabColors I used if you want to make your own Rainbow Loaf: Brilliant Blue, Fuchsia, Canary, Tropical Purple, Green Apple. I poured a thin layer of white between colors and used Bramble Berry’s plastic Loaf Mold.The colors will most likely bleed over time and create more of a tie-dye effect but they’ll still be fun and it’s a great way to use up scraps.

Check out some other swirly melt and pour soaps for inspiration!

‘Safe Cosmetics Act’ NOT So Safe For Small Biz

July 24, 2010 Filed Under: Business Musings

The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010′ (H.R. 5786) was introduced this week by Democrat Representatives Scharkowsky (Illinois), Markey (Massachusetts) and Baldwin (Wisconsin). The full version of the draft bill for you to read is here. This draft has not yet been voted on. There is still time to have changes made.Now is the time to educate yourselves and write your lawmakers.

Bramble Berry opposes this draft legislation as written recommends that you write your Representative with a customized message opposing this legislation as it is currently written (not sure who your Rep is? Click here to find out!). Add your details; make it personal and let them know that if this bill passes as it is currently written, that your business will be affected. Here’s one example of a letter that you could write:

Dear Representative,

I am writing to express my concerns about H.R. 5786, the ‘Safe Cosmetics Act’. I make lip balms, soaps and lotions and sell them at the local Farmer’s Market. My business makes less than $5000 per year. I sell to pay for my daughter’s piano lessons and my son’s soccer camps every year. What I make augments my family’s income and helps our quality of life. I make my soaps and lotions with common ingredients that you can find in your kitchen. For example, I have a great bar of soap that I make out of four ingredients: Olive Oil, Water, Lye and skin safe fragrance. H.R. 5786 has a bunch of extra reporting requirements that would be virtually impossible for me to comply with. I’m just one woman in a kitchen. I don’t have a huge staff to help me. Plus, I often change my formulations based on the season and what my customers are asking for. Being nimble is a huge advantage for me and if I have to submit a new safety and ingredient affidavit for every product, that will take away one of my key advantages. Please don’t support this legislation. It is well-meaning but is written in such a way that I won’t be able to stay in business because I won’t be able to keep up. Estee Lauder started at her kitchen table. Please don’t take that opportunity away from me.

Sincerely,

Suzy Soaper

Suzy’s Soaps

Bramble Berry is opposed to the bill for the following reasons:

1. It is unnecessary. The cosmetic industry is a safe industry with a wide variety of choice on the marketplace for consumers.It is already illegal to manufacture unsafe cosmetics and is already illegal to not fully label ingredients or contact information on products.

2. This bill would, handicap small manufacturing business. In a time of economic uncertainty and distress for millions of Americans, this is untenable. For some families, the income from the Farmer’s Market may be what they are living on now.

3. The reporting requirements are ‘big brother.’ They ask for your annual sales, number of employees and even the names and addresses of your vendors. They even require you to log your proprietary formulas. It’s not clear what information might be kept confidential or not.

4. ‘Detectable’ trace elements must be included on labels. Since almost everything is detectable, labeling will be confusing to end consumers (even more than it is already). So, “Water” on a label would look like “Aqua, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Nickel, Silver, Zinc” (and if you live in my town, you’d also have to include caffeine, oral contraceptives and antibiotics in your water labeling requirement).

5. Trace Ingredients that are considered carcinogenic when ingested (eaten) will be unable to be used in skin care products. Ingredients that are ‘found to induce birth defect’s when ingested or inhaled will be banned as well. You will be able to eat apples but not put them in skin care products. That’s because apples contain small amounts of cyanide. Lucky for us our body can detoxify cyanide in small trace amounts. But under this law and the ‘trace elements’ portion of the proposed bill, you still wouldn’t be able to put apples into your products even though you can safely eat apples.

6. Safety Statements, ingredient listing and registration information must be listed for each and every cosmetic, soap, lotion and potion must be made up. With a small scale manufacturer who is making a few of this and a few of that, this is a paperwork nightmare. It does not allow for easy changing of recipes when formulating and trying new recipes.

7. There is no full exemption for small businesses. Small businesses often launched because of the notion that cosmetics could be made with a larger proportion of more desirable ingredients than have typically been used by traditional cosmetics manufacturersI fully believe that the backers of the bill are well-meaning and trust that this bill will have more changes before it is voted on. But it’s up to us to explain what changes need to be made to protect small business. Don’t just take my word and interpretation of the bill as gospel, read the bill for yourself here and start the education and change process today.

Updated 8/1: There is a petition against the ‘Safe Cosmetics Act’ here. Read the petition and sign it if you agree with the statements. The official Oppose SCA site is here. Curious about how a bill becomes law? There’s a fantastic post about it here as it pertains to the ‘Safe Cosmetics Act’ in particular.

Admit It: These Soaps Rock!

July 22, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Ingredients

9 Bar Baltic Birch Mold, lined with plastic

Flexy Fast Molding Putty

Liquid Green Colorant

Liquid Blue Colorant

Liquid Black Colorant

40 oz Aloe Melt and Pour

4 oz Shea Melt and Pour

1 oz Kentish Rain Fragrance Oil

Droppers

River Rocks

Vinyl Gloves

Mixing bowls and spoons

Rubbing alcohol

Get everything you need with one click!

Select the “Buy It Now” icon below.

PREP: Line your 9 bar Baltic Birch Mold with plastic. Your soap won’t actually be touching the plastic so it doesn’t have to be perfect but we want it covered just in case. Place the border pieces in the mold to secure the plastic.

PLAN: I like to plan ahead when possible. Place the dividers into the mold and start adding your rocks into the separate cavities. Figure out what will fit and look best. Carefully take out the rocks and try to keep them in the same order so you can work quickly when it’s time to mold the rocks.

ONE: Put on your vinyl gloves and mix up enough Flexy Fast to cover the entire bottom of the 9 bar soap mold with at least an inch of thickness. I mixed a large grapefruit size of the white and a kumquat size of the pink. Mix well with your hands just like taffy until you have a bubble gum pink color.

TIP: If you have never used Flexy Fast, watch this episode of Soap Queen TV. It will break down the basics for you in a step by step video tutorial. And yes, you’ll be able to use the Flexy Fast mold over and over again.

TWO: It’s time to work fast. Spread out the Flexy Fast on the bottom of your mold making sure to get it the corners. Place the dividers right into the putty. Then quickly press your river rocks into the putty in each individual cavity. Let the putty sit for 30 minutes to set up.

THREE: Once the putty has hardened, release the river rocks from the putty. I found it easier to take out the dividers too, just put them back in when you’re done.

FOUR: To make the rocks, melt down three different containers of melt and pour soap base so you have three different colors for your soap. I didn’t fragrance the rocks, but you can if you want to.

Container one: 2 oz of Aloe Melt and Pour with Liquid Green and Liquid Black

Container two: 2 oz of Aloe Melt and Pour mixed with Liquid Blue and Liquid Black

Container three: 2 oz of Shea Melt and Pour mixed with Liquid Black

Then use droppers to fill up the rocky imprints in the Flexy Fast. Notice I did several colors per rock. If you’re doing layers, remember to spritz with rubbing alcohol so the layers adhere. Have fun with it and remember they don’t have to be perfect. They’re supposed to be rocks!

FIVE: While your rocks are cooling it’s time to get started on the base. I love how my color turned out. I melted 36 oz of Aloe Melt and Pour with 2 oz of Shea Melt and Pour. This gives a unique cloudy effect without being totally opaque. Then I added a couple of drops of diluted Brilliant Blue LabColor. Finally, add 1 ounce of Kentish Rain Fragrance Oil and mix well. Once the soap has cooled to 125 degrees, spritz the rocks with rubbing alcohol and pour the final layer.

SIX: To unmold the soap, gently turn the mold upside down. Lift the mold off of the soap and remove the plastic. Then carefully lift the Flexy Fast from the soap and pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. Then admit it…these soaps ROCK!

Do you like this project? Check out another melt and pour project using the Baltic Birch Mold HERE. If you have never made melt and pour soap before, check out some Soap Queen TV videos to get you started. I recommend the episodes on Fragrances and Colorants. Check out other Flexy Fast projects like Golf Balls, Pumpkins, Sushi and Tips for Success.