Made with 100% coconut water instead of distilled water, and featuring our brand new Coconut Cream Fragrance Oil, it’s a unique soap that smells as good as it looks. The top is finished off with melt & pour soap frosting and cold process “coconut flakes” to make this a truly decadent dessert soap.

Speaking of sunshine, this week we’ve been showing you all kinds of tutorials to give your skin that radiant glow perfect for a summer get away. Check out the Beautiful Bronze Lip Tint, Bronze Goddess Nail Polish and Magical Bronze Shimmer Stick. As a bonus, a few of the ingredients in the tutorials are 20% off as part of this month’s web specials! 

What You’ll Need:

9.9 oz. Coconut Oil

9.9 oz. Olive Oil

9.9 oz. Palm Oil

3.3 oz. Shea Butter

4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide

10.9 oz. 100% pure coconut water (choose a brand with no additional sugars or flavors)

Titanium Dioxide

Brown Oxide

Foaming Bath Whip

4 oz. White Melt and Pour Base

2 oz. Coconut Cream Fragrance Oil

Vanilla Color Stabilizer

2 oz. Chipotle Caramel Fragrance Oil

10″ Silicone Loaf Mold

1M Frosting Tip

Frosting Bag

Droppers

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

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, Soap Crafting. 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.

COLOR PREP: To ensure that the Titanium Dioxide blends smoothly into the soap batter, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. To micronize colorant, simply use a coffee grinder to blend the colorant to break up any clumps of color and prevent streaks of white from showing in the final soap. I like to use a coffee grinder that has a removable, stainless steel mixing area for easy cleaning. Then, disperse 2 teaspoons of micronized Titanium Dioxide into 2 tablespoon of Sunflower or Sweet Almond Oil (or any other liquid oil). Finally, 1 teaspoon of Brown Oxide into 1 tablespoon of Sunflower or Sweet Almond Oil. Use a mini mixer to get the clumps of color worked out smoothly.

TOPPING PREP: To achieve the look of toasted coconut flakes on top, grate two different leftover bars of brown & tan cold process soap with a cheese grater. This step is optional and completely up to you, but the shavings do add a nice pop!

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye to the coconut water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set aside to cool. Be aware: the lye will do some strange things! Check out this awesome progression of color as we added the lye to the liquid. You are watching the lye react with the sugars in the coconut water right before your eyes!

TWO: Fully melt and combine the Olive, Coconut, Palm and Shea Butter. Once the lye water and the oils have 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 thin trace. For a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, add Sodium Lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of Sodium Lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, add about 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate.

THREE: Once the batter has reached a light trace, add all of the Titanium Dioxide mixture. Stir with a whisk.

FOUR: Split off two cups of batter into a separate container. Set aside.

FIVE: To the original batter, add all of the Brown Oxide mixture. Stir with a whisk.

FIVE: The Coconut Cream Fragrance Oil will discolor soap to a light tan, so  only add it to the dark brown soap to retain contrasting colors. Add 2 ounces (by weight) of Coconut Cream Fragrance Oil. Stir with a whisk to incorporate.

SIX: Now for the in-the-pot-swirl! Pour the white soap into the brown soap in four places: 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock. Pour steadily from a high point to get the color all the way to the bottom of the container.

SEVEN: Run a chopstick or dowel just once through the soap, hitting each entry point. Only swirl once because you don’t want to overmix!

EIGHT: Hold and pour the soap steadily into the mold. Do not move the bowl as you pour. Tamp the mold on the table several times to disperse air bubbles. If you’d like, you can do a fun design on top, but be aware it will soon be covered by soapy frosting! 

NINE: Now make the soapy frosting. Cut and melt 4 oz. of White Melt and Pour base in the microwave on 10 second bursts. Once melted, add 3 mL of Chipotle Caramel Fragrance Oil and 3 mL Vanilla Color Stabilizer. Stir to incorporate.

TEN: Add the White Melt and Pour to 16 ounces of Foaming Bath Whip. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer,  whip the mixture until it can form stiff peaks (usually about 3 – 6 minutes of mixing).

This is a good texture for the frosting. Notice that it’s stiff enough to hold its shape.

ELEVEN: Cut about an inch off the Disposable Frosting Bag and insert the 1M Frosting tip. Then, fill the bag with frosting. 

TWELVE: Frost the top of the loaf. Make short fluffy rows down the length of the mold. Garnish with your “coconut flake” soap shreds. Don’t be afraid to push them into the frosting to secure them.

Allow the soap to sit in the mold for 3-4 days before unmolding. Keep in mind, the melt and pour frosting will not get as hard as cold process frosting. It won’t be sticky or tacky, but you will be able to push and dent the frosting so handle with care! After unmolding, cut into bars and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy!

The post Coconut Cream Pie Cold Process appeared first on Soap Queen.

This Argan Oil shampoo is particularly loving to your hair and scalp. Argan Oil has long been used as an additive to hair products because of its high content of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. The addition of Nettle and Carrot Extract provide some extra strand-nourishing power.

Check out the other tutorials in this series: Argan Oil Conditioner and Pink Sea Salt Beach Spray

What You’ll Need:

4.8 oz. distilled water
2.1 oz. Potassium Cocoate
.6 oz. Liquid Crothix
.2 oz. Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil
.1 oz. (3 mL) Carrot Extract
.1 oz. (3 mL) Nettle Extract
.2 oz. (6 mL) Argan Oil
.1 oz. (3 mL) Optiphen ND
2 Brushed Aluminum Bottles with Pump Top

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

Note: The crothix pastilles originally used in this recipe were discontinued. Now the recipe calls for all liquid crothix.

EQUIPMENT PREP: Disinfect your utensils by dipping them in a 5% bleach water solution and allowing to dry. This includes mixing containers, your stick blender, and any spoons or spatulas that may come in contact with your lotion. Your products must be absolutely 100% free of germs, bacteria, microbes or anything so be safe and bleach water all your utensils.

ONE: Measure the distilled water into a disinfected heatsafe container. Heat the water in the microwave on 1 minute bursts until it reaches 150 degrees F.

TWO: In a second disinfected container, combine and heat the Potassium Cocoate, Argan Oil and Liquid Crothix. Heat until the mixture reaches 150 degrees F.

Note: This photo shows Crothix pastilles, which have been discontinued. The recipe has been reformulated to accommodate this change. 

THREE: Add the water to the oils. Stir or stick blend for 15 – 20 seconds to combine.

FOUR: Once the temperature drops below 140 degrees F, add the Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil, Optiphen ND and Carrot and Nettle Extracts. You can use a scale and measure in ounces, or use droppers to measure in milliliters (we found using droppers and measuring in milliliters was easier since the amounts are so small).  Stir to combine.

FIVE: Pour into bottles and leave uncovered overnight.

Your shampoo is ready to use!

Print

Argan Oil Shampoo Recipe

This Argan Oil Shampoo is perfect for dry or damaged hair.

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 bottles

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 4.8 oz. distilled water
• 2.1 oz. Potassium Cocoate
• .6 oz. Liquid Crothix
• .2 oz. Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil
• .1 oz. 3 mL Carrot Extract
• .1 oz. 3 mL Nettle Extract
• .2 oz. 6 mL Argan Oil
• .1 oz. 3 mL Optiphen ND
• 2 Brushed Aluminum Bottles with Pump Top

Instructions

Note: The crothix pastilles originally used in this recipe were discontinued. Now the recipe calls for all liquid crothix.

• EQUIPMENT PREP: Disinfect your utensils by dipping them in a 5% bleach water solution and allowing to dry. This includes mixing containers, your stick blender, and any spoons or spatulas that may come in contact with your lotion. Your products must be absolutely 100% free of germs, bacteria, microbes or anything so be safe and bleach water all your utensils.
• Measure the distilled water into a disinfected heatsafe container. Heat the water in the microwave on 1 minute bursts until it reaches 150 degrees F.
• In a second disinfected container, combine and heat the Potassium Cocoate, Argan Oil, and Liquid Crothix. Heat until the mixture reaches 150 degrees F.
• Add the water to the oils. Stir or stick blend for 15 – 20 seconds to combine.
• Once the temperature drops below 140 degrees F, add the Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil, Optiphen ND and Carrot and Nettle Extracts. You can use a scale and measure in ounces, or use droppers to measure in milliliters (we found using droppers and measuring in milliliters was easier since the amounts are so small). Stir to combine.
• Pour into bottles and leave uncovered overnight. Your shampoo is ready to use!

The post Argan Oil Shampoo Recipe appeared first on Soap Queen.

“While I relish our warm months, winter forms our character and brings out our best.” – Tom Allen

We had a lovely time on the coast last weekend, all 4 seconds (okay, twenty minutes) that we managed to stay outside with teensy yet adorable children. We also took Jamisen and Lily to visit Santa. Obviously, that went exceedingly well.

Lily tried valiantly to save her big brother from the stranger in the red suit by punching Santa’s Elf in the face. Thankfully she’s cute or else she may have been put on Santa’s Naughty List for the rest of her life. As is, she got off with just a simple warning.

To keep the warm fuzzy Christmas feelings alive, we went Christmas Tree Hunting. We managed to get the occasion documented and all look remarkably sane, happy and like the cohesive, joyful family unit I picture in my head when I dream.

Of course, it took 471 of these photos below to get the one Dreamy Happy Family Photo above.

We’ll be putting up our festive tree tomorrow. Here’s to pine needles all over the living room, no breakable ornaments on the bottom 3 branches and “helpful” toddlers. Wish us luck! =)

The post Bundle Up appeared first on Soap Queen.

We’ve had a chaotic weekend thus far. The whole family went to a Scandinavian festival this morning and loaded up on the baked goods. I had gone over a month without any sugar prior to the day after Halloween (darn those mini Butterfingers that pulled me back in) and the festival was enough to do me in for good. There were so many delicious Scandinavian baked goods and I helped myself to plenty of them. We’re hoping for a good old fashioned game night tonight (Rook or Scrabble) but we’ll see how long we all last. Lily is going through a new sleep cycle and it involves being up for a fair stretch of the night. She is going to try solids for the first time tonight (steamed broccoli with butter) so I’m hoping that will help her sleep longer. Fingers crossed. I hope you’re having a great weekend AND haven’t made my same mistake with the after-Halloween candy leftovers. =)

The post Life’s a Beach appeared first on Soap Queen.