Exfoliation is key to maintaining smooth skin. It removes oil and dead skin, which allows moisturizer to absorb more easily.

The exfoliant you choose depends on your recipe. Fine exfoliants work well for the face and large exfoliants work well for the body, especially dry areas like elbows and feet. It’s also based on personal preference – the best way to find out what you like is to experiment.

Start with 1 teaspoon of exfoliant per pound of product. For cold process soap, add medium and large exfoliants at thin trace and whisk to incorporate. Mix 1 teaspoon of fine exfoliants with 1 tablespoon of a lightweight oil or distilled water first to prevent clumps. For melt and pour, add medium and large exfoliants and stir until the soap is around 125-135F. It needs to be thick enough to suspend the particles. For fine exfoliants, mix 1 teaspoon with 1 tablespoon of 99% isopropyl alcohol.

Fine exfoliants – best for the face, need to be dispersed

Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is one of the most gentle exfoliants. It can be used in face masks, soap, and more. We added it to the Oatmeal Bath Bombs and Gentle Oatmeal Baby Soap because of its silky texture and soothing properties.

Bamboo Powder
This natural powder comes from bamboo stems. It starts as a thick liquid, then crystallizes at room temperature. Add it to handmade soap and cosmetics for gentle exfoliation. You’ll love the way it feels in the Black, White, and Gold All Over Soap.

Pumice Powder
Pumice powder is a fantastic gentle exfoliant created from milled volcanic glass. Its fine texture works well in the Pumice and Poppy Seed Melt and Pour Bars.

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
Baking soda is an amazing multi-purpose product. It’s used in bath bombs, bath salts, and natural cleaning products. It’s great for scrubs as well – try it in the Sea Clay Dry Salt Scrub, Walnut Facial Scrub, or Cranberry Seed Foot Scrub.

Medium exfoliants – suitable for both the face and body

Walnut Shells
Along with exfoliation, walnut shells add a natural brown color to handmade soap and cosmetics. We used them for the crust in the Pumpkin Pie Cold Process Soap and the dirt in the Carrot Cold Process Soap.

Salts and Sugar
There are a variety of salts and sugars that can be used for scrubs, bath bombs, and more. Depending on the size, they can offer gentle or more powerful exfoliation. Salt can also be used in cold process soap – it creates really creamy lather. Learn how to use it in the Lavender and Rose Pink Salt Bars tutorial.

Jojoba Beads
This biodegradable exfoliant is made from jojoba oil. The beads come in various sizes and colors, so there’s an option for every recipe. Try them in the Rainbow Jojoba Bead Sugar Scrub or the Cleansing Charcoal Facial Scrub. Learn more about jojoba beads in this blog post. 

Shredded Loofah
This exfoliant comes from whole loofah sponges. They’re ground to a fine texture, making it easy to disperse throughout soap or scrubs. Try it in the Lard and Loofah Cold Process Soap or the Gardener Melt and Pour Soap.

Icelandic Black Sand
This product comes from a volcanic beach on the South Coast of Iceland. It has mild exfoliation and a beautiful natural color, as seen in the Coastal Rain Cold Process Soap.

Large exfoliants – best for the body

Coffee Grounds
Don’t throw used coffee grounds away – they’re perfect for recipes like the Simple Coffee Soap. Used grounds are best for cold process to prevent bleeding, but we recommend dry grounds for scrubs. The DIY Coffee Body Scrub leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean.

Loofah Sponge
Loofah sponge is a unique natural exfoliant. They come in long tubes that can be cut down and added to soap like the Garden Melt and Pour Bars. Their texture is great for rough areas like the feet or elbows.

Pumice Sand
This powerful exfoliant will leave your skin feeling clean. It has larger grains and a more intense exfoliation than pumice powder. Try it in the Pumice Body Scrub.

Strawberry, Cranberry, Blackberry, and Broccoli Seeds
These are great for adding intense exfoliation and a pop of color. See how to use them in the Cranberry Sugar Scrub, Wildflower Honey Sugar Scrub, and Blueberry Thyme Soap.

Poppy Seeds
This product adds such a pretty pop of color to DIY bath and beauty products. We love it as a design element as much as we love the powerful exfoliation. Try it in the Raspberry Jam Scrub, Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Melt and Pour Soap, or Lemon Poppy Seed Cold Process Soap.

This post was updated in July 2018.

The post All About Exfoliants appeared first on Soap Queen.

If you haven’t tried new sea sponges, you’re in for a treat. They’re used in soap because they create amazing lather – no washcloth necessary.

Where they’re from
There are more than 5,000 species of sea sponges that grow in both polar and tropical areas. The wool sponge we carry comes from the Bahamas, and the silk sponge comes from the Philippines. They’re a part of the new Seascape Collection.

Before the sea sponges make it to homes all over the world, they’re harvested by specially-trained divers. They use hooks to remove the sponges from rock and coral and then bring them back up to the boats. Workers run a string through and hang them to dry. The sponges are covered in a black film, but exposure to the sun causes it to dry and fall off. Then, the sponges are washed a few times and prepared for shipping.

The best part about that process is it’s sustainable. The divers don’t cut all the way down to the rock, which means the sponges will grow again. Once they’re harvested, divers move so it doesn’t overburden one area.

It’s a similar method used by our vendor when they first started. They’ve been diving for sea sponges since the 1940s. Employee Jim said his father, George, would dive for the sponges near a small island called Lemnos in the north Aegean Sea. George and his brothers would gather people from the town and go out on the boats for a week, collecting as many sponges as they could.

“They’d bring them in and sell them throughout Greece,” Jim said.

In the 1950s, George moved to the United States. His brothers shipped the sponges from Lemnos and he would sell them across the country. George is still active in the family business today, and Jim has been working with him since 1975.

How to use them
The sponges can be used to clean windows, apply wallpaper glue, apply paint, and more. Of course, we love them in bath products.

The silk sea sponge is small, slightly firm, and about 1.5-2″ across. The wool sponge is softer, larger, and about 3-3.5″ across. Both have a luxurious, soft feeling on the skin.

They’re super easy to use. First, pour soap into a mold. Melt and pour needs to be around 130-135F and cold process needs to be at a thin/medium trace. Place the sponges in the soap securely and make sure to leave a portion sticking out of the bars so it creates lather. You can cut the sponges to fit if necessary.

Inspiration
We show you how to work with them two ways. The Sea Sponge Melt and Pour Soap is nice and simple. Clear Melt and Pour is colored with jagua blue extract and scented with Midnight Waters Fragrance Oil. That’s poured into the 6 Bar Silicone Oval Mold and topped with a wool sponge.

The Sea Sponge Cold Process Soap is made with the smaller silk sponge. They’re embedded into swirly soap made with jagua blue extract and Sea Salt Fragrance Oil.

The post Sea Sponge Spotlight appeared first on Soap Queen.

Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils, and for good reason. It adds a relaxing floral scent to a variety of products, like this super easy Linen Spray. It has only three ingredients, including Lavender Fine Essential Oil. The Lavender and Honeyquat Lotion is made with Lavender Absolute 50%, which has a sweet smell reminiscent of honey. Sleep Time Bath Truffles, scented with Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil, are the perfect way to relax. Of course, you can’t forget handmade soap – the Lavender Kombucha recipe features a purple and white swirl and a finishing touch of lavender buds.

Clockwise, left: Lavender Kombucha Soap, Lavender Linen Spray, Lavender and Honeyquat Lotion, Lavender Sleep Time Bath Truffles

Lavender isn’t the only option for your handmade soap. The Turmeric Secret Swirl Soap is made with spicy ginger essential oil, which complements the warm color. To complement the black and white color palette in the Charcoal Beer Soap, we added a mix of cedarwood essential oil and fir needle essential oil. The Kokum Butter Cold Process Soap has a simple design, with ground pumpkin seeds for exfoliation and eucalyptus essential oil for a refreshing scent. If you’re a licorice fan, you’ll love the combination of anise essential oil and orange 10X essential oil in the Star Anise Melt and Pour Bars.

Clockwise, top left: Charcoal and Cedar Beer Soap, Kokum Butter Cold Process Soap, Star Anise Melt and Pour Bars, Turmeric Secret Swirl Soap

The Avocado Cold Process Soap is scented with spearmint essential oil, which gives the bars a sweet and minty scent. Its green hue comes from a mixture of fresh avocado puree, French green clay, and spirulina powder. Poppy seeds complete the simple and natural design.

If you want to feel energized, start your morning off with an essential oil scrub. The Cleansing Charcoal Facial Scrub is made with tea tree essential oil. The Turmeric and Ginger Body Scrub has sugar to help cleanse and exfoliate the skin. To put a little pep in your step, try the Invigorating Foot Soak. It’s made with peppermint essential oil.

Clockwise, top left: Invigorating Foot Soak, Turmeric and Ginger Body Scrub, Cleansing Charcoal Facial Scrub

After scrubbing the skin, follow up with Frankincense Body Balm. It’s made with moisturizing avocado oil and kokum butter, and scented with frankincense essential oil. The Ginger and Moringa Oil Conditioner will leave your hair feeling smooth and silky.

Left to right: Frankincense Essential Oil Body Balm, Ginger and Moringa Oil Conditioner

Looking for more essential oil inspiration? The #BrambleOn tag on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter is full of beautiful products made with a variety of scents. See a few of our favorites below.

Top row, left to right: muddymint, baabblysoap, l3osoaps
Middle row, left to right: thesoapmine, elegantsoapco, soapsbyhailey
Bottom row, left to right: owlnaturalsoaps, dalliancesoapcompany, nerdyfarmwife

The post Essential Oil Inspiration appeared first on Soap Queen.

Massage oil is one of the easiest bath and body DIY projects. Simply mix skin-loving oils with fragrance and you have boutique-quality massage oil at home. The Massage Essential Oil Blend gives this oil a rich and spicy scent.

This massage oil is made with some of the most sought-after exotic oils: argan, jojoba, and moringa seed oil. Fractionated coconut oil is added to give the oil a lighter feel. If you don’t have one of these oils on hand, you can use a substitute. Just keep in mind that it will change the texture and moisturizing properties slightly.

The Massage Essential Oil Blend is a complex blend of pure essential oils. It was specifically formulated for massage and body oils. It contains more than 10 essential oils, including peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, lavender, and elemi. Learn more about the blend here. This recipe contains enough essential oil for a light to medium scent. If you’d like a stronger scent, feel free to add more. Use the Bramble Berry Fragrance Calculator to help find the right amount.

Looking for more essential oil blends? Check out the Deodorizing, Spa, and Outdoor Essential Oil Blends. 

What You Need:
3 oz. Argan Oil
3 oz. Jojoba Oil
2 oz. Moringa Seed Oil
2 oz. Fractionated Coconut Oil
30 drops Massage Essential Oil Blend

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

ONE: In a small container, mix together the argan oil, jojoba oil, moringa seed oil, and fractionated coconut oil. Use a spoon to mix the oils together.

TWO: Add the Massage Essential Oil Blend to the oils. Adjust the amount of essential oil depending on your scent preference. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix the essential oil into the oil mixture. Carefully pour the massage oil into your bottle or other container. Store in a cool, dark place.

THREE: Once you’re ready to use, pour a small amount of oil into your hands to warm it up and massage into skin. You can also place a small amount of oil in the microwave to warm it up before use if you like your massage oil hot.

Print

Make Essential Oil Massage Oil

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10 ounces

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Argan Oil
• 3 oz. Jojoba Oil
• 2 oz. Moringa Seed Oil
• 2 oz. Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 30 drops Massage Essential Oil Blend

Instructions

• In a small container, mix together the argan oil, jojoba oil, moringa seed oil and fractionated coconut oil. Use a spoon to mix the oils together.
• Add the Massage Essential Oil blend to the oils. Adjust the amount of essential oil depending on your scent preference. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix in the essential oil to the oil mixture. Carefully pour the massage oil into your bottle or other container. Store in a cool, dark place.
• Once you’re ready to use, pour a small amount of oil into your hands to warm it up. You can also place a small amount of oil in the microwave to warm it up before use if you like your massage oil hot.

The post How to Make Essential Oil Massage Oil appeared first on Soap Queen.

How long have you been soaping for and how did you get started?
I started experimenting with soap making in March 2012. I was inspired to lead a more natural way of life and get rid of the toxic chemical products because of my best friend. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years prior and finding products that were natural was hard and most importantly, expensive. I wanted to do something to honour her fight and surviving breast cancer and wanted to have a line of bath and body products that everyone, including people with cancer, can use safely. I decided then that should I decide to do this as a business, the charity component to my company would be at the core of the company. I donated soaps and raised money for charity every year since I started my business.

I learned how to make soap by purchasing a soaping kit that came with a soap mold, lye and all the ingredients measured out for me so there was zero room for mistakes. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos, like Soaping 101 and Soap Queen as there were no soap making classes where I was. These two wonderful teachers make soaping look so fun and easy and after my first batch, I was hooked. I spent one year experimenting with soap making and other products like scrubs, lip balm and bath fizzies. After 1 year of just making and giving away soaps and other products to friends and family (I call them my human guinea pigs), I decided then my soaps are good enough and that I was then ready to sell my soaps and Scent and Sensibility Inc was born in October 2013.

This custom soap is made with turmeric, paprika, and cocoa powder for the pencil line.

What sort of advice would you give to those soapers just starting their businesses?
I would say enjoy the process, read and research about the ingredients and make more than at least 15 to 20 batches before you even think about selling them. I have seen newbies who made maybe 2 or 3 batches and decided that they are ready to sell. That is not enough testing in my humble opinion. Also, don’t copy. You will find your own style after soaping for awhile. Be patient and you will get there. I see too many copy cats and these are obviously very talented soapers. Also, if you are unhappy with the way a product turned out, even though it may mean you would lose money, don’t sell it. Don’t sell a product that you would not use on yourself.

What is your favorite type of product to make?
I love to make soaps! Every batch is a challenge and I learn something from it every single time. Different ingredients, even different temperature…I also love to make felted soaps as it allows me to be even more creative.

Jolene loves felting soap because she can get creative with the design.

What inspires you to create?
Food…drinks…baked goods…change of season…art…everyday life. Many of my customers say that my soaps look edible! Haha. I also love to use food, like vegetables, spices to make my soaps. Very often, I am inspired by the benefit of a certain ingredient and will create a recipe around that ingredient so that I can use it.

You are constantly trying and perfecting new soaping techniques and designs. What’s a recent favorite of yours and why? 
One of my favorite technique is the Circling Taiwan Swirl. I love the wispy swirls that I get from simply using a chopstick.

This soap was made using the Circling Taiwan Swirl technique.

Your Instagram features gorgeous photos of those new techniques. What tips do you have for taking photos? 
I use my study table, which is made of wood, to take my photos. My table is right by the window where I get a lot of natural light. I think natural light is our best friend for taking photos. I don’t take photos at night or when it is grey and raining. The wood table makes for a nice background and makes the soap or other products look natural and rustic.

How did you come up with the name for your business?
Scent and Sensibility Inc – the Scent part comes obviously from the scents that one picks up from using essential oils and fragrance oils. Sensibility – because I use simple, sensible ingredients. Anything that is unnecessary will be omitted, like SLS, like paraben laden products. I do my best to use eco-friendly and sensible packaging for my products and many of them can be recycled. Hence, the name.

What is your favorite Bramble Berry product and why? 
I LOVE your molds! Why – because they are awesome and so well made!!

Clockwise, top left: Glossy Lips, Flower Power, Body Nectar, and Not Your Usual Cherry Blossom Soap 

Tell us something unusual or unique about yourself!
I love to dress up! If I ever move to Japan, I will so take part in Cosplay! LOL

What are some of your other hobbies and interests?
I love to crochet, travel, dance and I LOVE OWLS and PIGS!!!

We love Jolene’s felted owl soap so much we featured it on the blog.

What is your number one soaping tip? 
Soap at room temperature and write down everything you did during the process. I had soaped at 110 degrees F when I started making soap as that was the preferred temperature of many soapers I watched on YouTube. But room temperature soaping gives you more time to play around with the oils, swirls and if you are using a new fragrance or essential oil, don’t do a water discount. Water is a friend of soap making. Curing the soap might take longer when we use more water, but it will save you a lot of heartache especially if the FO or other additives speed up trace. Writing down how much batter you used per color, etc, allows you to recreate the very same look if you follow your notes.

Have you ever experienced a horrible soapy fail? How did you work through it, and what did you learn? 
Yes, many times! Sometimes, there is enough time to plop the batter into the mold and pray for the best. Other times, you just have to give in and note in your journal that the recipe or EO/FO doesn’t play nice. By making notes of everything I make, I can refer to them when I want to attempt the same recipe and know to add more water, or not to use the stick blender and adjust accordingly so I won’t be surprised again.

What do you love most about creating bath and body products? 
I love that I know exactly what I put in the product I make and that it is safe and not toxic. I can pronounce the ingredients that I put into my products and I know I am safe.

Find Scent and Sensibility Inc
Website
Facebook
Instagram

The post Interview with Jolene of Scent and Sensibility Inc appeared first on Soap Queen.

Natural colorants are a great option for cold process soap. In the Natural Rainbow Cold Process Soap Tutorial, they’re used to create the classic color palette we all know and love. One of the colors used in the tutorial is annatto seed, which creates a bright orange hue. It’s also used in the 100% Coconut Oil Soap along with bergamot and litsea essential oil.

Top, clockwise: Natural Rainbow Cold Process Soap, Lard and Loofah Cold Process Soap, DIY Charcoal Facial Soap, 100% Coconut Oil and Annatto Soap

The Tea Tree Facial Soap is colored with activated charcoal, which creates a rich black shade. You can also use fruit and vegetable purees to color soap. The Lard and Loofah Cold Process Soap is made with carrot puree and poured into recycled yogurt containers to create a cute round shape.

The Natural Soap Kit for Beginners comes with three different color and scent combinations so you can choose your favorite. It also comes with ingredients, tools, and instructions to help you make soap from scratch.  Then, pick up the refill kit to make more of your favorite or try a new option. See how to make the Relaxing Lavender option below.

Natural ingredients work in melt and pour soap as well. The Goat Milk Melt and Pour Bars are made with lemon peel powder and lemon essential oil for a fresh scent. Tea tree essential oil is another fresh scent you can add to your recipe. It’s used in the Pure Charcoal Melt and Pour Soap along with activated charcoal and White Melt and Pour Soap Base for maximum contrast. The Minty Clay Melt and Pour Bars also feature a contrasting color palette and poppy seeds to exfoliate the skin.

Top, clockwise: Minty Clay Melt and Pour Bars, Lemon Goat Milk Melt and Pour Bars, Pure Charcoal Melt and Pour Soap

Biodegradable jojoba beads also exfoliate the skin. They’re used with activated charcoal in the Cleansing Scrub, which leaves your face feeling smooth and clean. Clays also leave the skin feeling fresh because they absorb oil. Various clays are used in the emulsified face masks, which can be tailored to your skin type. Learn which clay is right for your skin here.

Left to right: Emulsified Clay Masks, Cleansing Charcoal Facial Scrub

In bath bombs, clay is added for color and firmness. The Lavender and Clay Mondo Bath Fizzies are made with pink and purple Brazilian clay. They’re scented with lavender 40/42 essential oil and topped with lavender buds.

If you need to hydrate your skin, the Frankincense Essential Oil Body Balm will get the job done. It’s made with moisturizing avocado oil and kokum butter. The Chamomile and Coconut Oil Body Balm is made with olive oil to fight dry winter skin. The Lavender Lotion Bars are made with argan oil, avocado butter, and white beeswax, and scented with lavender 40/42 essential oil.

Clockwise, left: Frankincense Essential Oil Body Balm, Chamomile and Coconut Oil Body Balm, Lavender Lotion Bars 

Looking for more natural project inspiration? The #SoapShare tag on Instagram is full of beautiful products made with natural ingredients. See a few of our favorites below.

Top row, left to right: lalinn_soap, floraandpomona, creakyshed
Middle row, left to right: latherandcompany, pixiessoapshop, mimosacostarica
Bottom row, left to right: avaandsnowgoatsoap, tousheabodyboutique, mee_hue

The post Natural Project Inspiration appeared first on Soap Queen.

Making cold process soap for the first time can be intimidating. To make the process as easy as possible, we designed the Natural Soap Kit for Beginners with the first-time soaper in mind. The kit comes in three color and fragrance options (orange, lavender and lemongrass) and includes 100% pure essential oils, botanicals, lye, soaping oils, a reusable mold and safety gear. All you really need to provide is distilled water, soaping containers and a stick blender. Plus, it ships for free to anywhere in the lower 48 United States! It’s the perfect gift for that crafty person in your life.

This Energizing Orange soap may be my favorite of the three Natural Soap Kit for Beginners color and fragrance options. The soap is scented with 10X Orange Essential Oil, which gives the bars a bright orange color. Orange peel powder adds extra color and a touch of exfoliation. Marigold petals are added to the top for a finishing touch. The bars smell amazing, and look so bright and cheery. I have yet to meet somebody who didn’t enjoy orange soap. =)

Part of what makes this project so easy is that it requires a nice thick trace. The orange peel powder can be added directly to the soaping oils prior to adding the lye, or it can be added at trace and stick blended. To create the texture on top, continue to stick blend until you achieve a texture of thick pudding. You really don’t need to worry about stick blending this project too much!

Soap Recipe:
Most of the items below (everything but the water!) are supplied in the Natural Beginner Soap Kit. See all contents of the kit here.
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
10 oz. Distilled Water
4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
1.7 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
3 tsp. Orange Peel Powder
Marigold Petals
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart and get *free shipping* on this kit!

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.

ESSENTIAL  OIL PREP: In a glass fragrance oil safe container, measure 1.7 ounces of 10X Orange Essential Oil. Set aside.

LYE PREP: In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to th?”e lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.

OIL PREP: While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.

The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!

ONE: Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture.
NOTE: In the instructions for the Natural Beginner Soap Kit, the orange peel powder is added directly to the soaping oils prior to adding lye. Adding the orange peel powder to the oils “disperses” it, which avoids clumps. I forgot to do that in this batch (whoops!) and added the orange peel powder later at trace. Either way works just fine! 

Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!

TWO: Add the 10X Orange Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.

THREE: Add the orange peel powder and stick blend to fully incorporate until there are no clumps. 

FOUR: At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.

FIVE: Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!

SIX: Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle marigold petals on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.

SEVEN: The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.

Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the marigold petals from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

Print

Natural Orange Cold Process Soap Tutorial

Learn how to make this simple orange soap, made with natural ingredients.

Course Cold process soap

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 10 ″ Silicone Loaf Mold
• 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 10 oz. Distilled Water
• 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
• 1.7 oz. 10X Orange Essential Oil
• 3 tsp. Orange Peel Powder
• Marigold Petals
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

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.

• In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to the lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.
• While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.
• Measure 1.7 ounces of the 10X Orange Essential Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
• The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!
• Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture. Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!
• Add the 10X Orange Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.
• Add the orange peel powder and stick blend to fully incorporate until there are no clumps.
• At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.
• Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!
• Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle marigold petals on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
• The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.
• Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the marigold petals from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

The post Energizing Orange Cold Process Soap Tutorial appeared first on Soap Queen.

The Natural Soap Kit for Beginners includes everything you need to create this soap. All you need to provide is distilled water, a mixing bowl, stick blender and thermometer. In addition to the ingredients, the kit  includes cute labels and a printed booklet with instructions and cold process soap information. Another bonus? The kit ships free to the lower 48 United States!

In the video above, you can see just how easy it is to make this project. If working with lye makes you a little nervous, knowledge is power! This Lye Safety Guide will teach you everything you need to know about handling lye safely. If you’re a visual learner, watch this video to learn how to handle it safely.

Soap Recipe:
Most of the items below are supplied in the Natural Beginner Soap Kit. See all contents of the kit here.
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
10 oz. Distilled Water
4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
2 oz. Lemongrass Essential Oil
1/2 tsp. Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
Poppy Seeds
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart and get *free shipping* on this kit!

What is your favorite essential oil to use in cold process soap?

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How to Make Refreshing Lemongrass Soap

This simple cold process recipe is great for beginners, and creates beautiful lemongrass soap!

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 10 ” Silicone Loaf Mold
• 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 10 oz. Distilled Water
• 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
• 2 oz. Lemongrass Essential Oil
• 1/2 tsp. Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
• Poppy Seeds
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

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.

• In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to the lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.
• While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.
• Measure 2 ounces of Lemongrass Essential Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
• The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!
• Add 1/2 teaspoon Green Chrome Oxide Pigment directly into the measured bowl of oils. Place the stick blender into the oils, and “burp” it by tapping the head of the blender on the bottom of the bowl. This will release bubbles trapped inside the blender. Pulse the stick blender for about 30 seconds to disperse the colorant and get rid of large chunks.
• Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture.
• Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!
• Add the Lemongrass Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.
• At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.
• Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!
• Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle poppy seeds on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
• The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.
• Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the poppy seeds from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

The post How to Make Refreshing Lemongrass Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.

With temperatures rising, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sun. To stay safe while enjoying the rays, I always lather on layers and layers of sunscreen. But, even with proper precautions, sun exposure can cause dry and irritated skin. Years ago, I developed a recipe for “skinsicles,” a frozen combination of skin soothing ingredients. Click here to see the recipe and tutorial. Next week is going to be hot and sunny, so I thought it would be the perfect time to revisit and simplify the “skinsicle” recipe.

These Aloe Vera and Lavender Skin Soothing Cubes contain a combination of aloe vera liquid and fresh aloe vera juice from inside the plant. Glycerin is added for its humectant properties, and lavender 40/42 essential oil gives a light scent. Blend the ingredients together, then pour into an ice cube tray. In this case, I used the Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold.

Once frozen, rub the cube on the skin. The cubes are oh-so-refreshing, especially when applied on a hot day! I recommend applying the cube outside to avoid a mess. =) You can allow the liquid to stay on the skin or wash it off if you prefer. I recommend allowing the liquid to stay on the skin for at least 10-15 minutes before washing off. The glycerin does cause the mixture to feel slightly sticky on the skin, but I found this stickiness faded with time.

In my tests the cubes did not freeze completely, most likely due the fresh aloe vera matter and essential oil. If you’d like to help the lavender 40/42 blend in better, mix Polysorbate 20 with the essential oil at a 1:1 ratio, then add the mixture at step three. Because this product is frozen and was for personal use only, I did not use a preservative. If you’d like to add a preservative, I would recommend Germaben. In addition, while some research does support that aloe vera reduces skin inflammation, this product does not claim to heal, treat, prevent or cure burned or irritated skin.

What You’ll Need:
Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold (or ice cube tray of your choice)
4.5 oz. Aloe Vera Liquid
.5 oz. Glycerin
.5 oz. Aloe Vera Juice (from inside the leaf)
1 mL Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
Dropper

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

ONE: In a small container, add the aloe vera liquid and glycerin. Stir together.

TWO: Squeeze the gel from a fresh aloe vera plant until you add about 1/2 ounce. Adding a little less or extra won’t hurt. =)

THREE: Add the lavender 40/42 essential oil to the mixture.

FOUR: Quickly stick blend the mixture (or mix in a blender) to get rid of any large chunks of the aloe vera plant.

FIVE: Pour the mixture into the mold cavity and place into the freezer. Allow the cubes to freeze overnight. In my tests, I found that the cubes did not freeze all the way, most likely due to the essential oil and possibly the aloe vera juice from inside the plant. They were firm enough to hold their shape. Once you’re ready to use, remove one cube from the mold and rub it on the skin to soothe. Allow to dry and wash off if desired. I recommend applying the cube to skin while outside. =)

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Aloe + Lavender Skin Soothing Cubes DIY

These skin soothing cubes are great for soothing irritated skin.

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• Medium 9 Ball Silicone Mold or ice cube tray of your choice
• 4.5 oz. Aloe Vera Liquid
• .5 oz. Glycerin
• .5 oz. Aloe Vera Juice from inside the leaf
• 1 mL Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
• Dropper

Instructions

• In a small container, add the aloe vera liquid and glycerin. Stir together.
• Squeeze the gel from a fresh aloe vera plant until you add about 1/2 ounce. Adding a little less or extra won't hurt. =)
• Add the lavender 40/42 essential oil to the mixture.
• Quickly stick blend the mixture (or mix in a blender) to get rid of any large chunks of the aloe vera plant.
• Pour the mixture into the mold cavity and place into the freezer. Allow the cubes to freeze overnight. In my tests, I found that the cubes did not freeze all the way, most likely due to the essential oil and possibly the aloe vera juice from inside the plant. They were firm enough to hold their shape. Once you're ready to use, remove one cube from the mold and rub it on the skin to soothe. Allow to dry and wash off if desired. I recommend applying the cube to skin while outside. =)

The post Aloe Vera + Lavender Skin Soothing Cubes DIY appeared first on Soap Queen.

In the video, you can see just how easy it is. First, mix the lye solution and allow to cool. If you’re unfamiliar with working with lye, watch this video to learn how to handle it safely. The soap is colored with Ultramarine Violet Oxide Pigment for a light purple hue. For this project, the colorant is added directly to soaping oils. Typically, I would disperse the pigment in oil, but since this soap is one solid color you can save a step by mixing it into your base oils. The colorant can also be added to trace with or without dispersing. Because you use the stick blender so much, the chunks get stick blended out. =)

Next, slowly add the lye solution to the soaping oils and begin stick blending to emulsify. Once the lye and oils have emulsified, add Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil to give a calming lavender scent. The essential oil is a blend of many different lavender essential oils to produce a consistent scent year after year (sort of like the concept of a ‘Red Table Wine’ that is the same from year to year in taste). Blend until it’s at thick trace – about the texture of thick pudding. Once in the mold, use a spoon or spatula to create a peak in the center and top the soap with lavender buds. Lavender buds tend to go brown if used inside soap, but remain a lovely purple if placed on top.

After about 2-3 days the soap can be unmolded and cut into bars. Then, the soap cures for 4-6 weeks to allow water to evaporate. This produces a harder, longer lasting bar of soap. It’s now ready to use or give to friends and family! In addition to free shipping, the Natural Soap Kit for Beginners also includes cute labels that you can cut and wrap around each bar for a professional look.

Soap Recipe:
Most of the items below are supplied in the Natural Beginner Soap Kit. See all contents of the kit here.
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
10 oz. Distilled Water
4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
2 oz. Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
1 tsp. Ultramarine Violet Oxide Pigment
Lavender Buds
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart and get *free shipping* on this kit!

Print

How to Make Relaxing Lavender Soap

Learn how to make this simple and elegant lavender soap, made with natural ingredients.

Author Soap Queen

Ingredients

• 10 " Silicone Loaf Mold
• 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
• 10 oz. Distilled Water
• 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
• 2 oz. Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
• 1 tsp. Ultramarine Violet Oxide Pigment
• Lavender Buds
• 99 % Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

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.

• In a durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 4.7 ounces of sodium hydroxide lye flakes. In a separate durable, heat-safe, non-metal container, measure out 10 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Slowly and carefully add the lye to the water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Do not add the water to the lye. As you stir, the mixture will emit fumes; do not breathe them in. The lye mixture will heat to about 180-190 ° F. Label the container “DANGER: LYE” and place in a safe space to cool until about 120-130 ° F. This takes about an hour.
• While the lye solution cools, prep the oils. Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix in the microwave or in a double boiler until there are no chunks or cloudiness. If melting the oils in a double boiler, do not let the bag touch the sides or bottom of the pot, or the plastic bag can melt. Once the oils are completely melted, give the bag a good shake. Measure 33 oz. of oils into a large, non-aluminum bowl capable of holding at least 50 ounces. Set aside.
• Measure 2 ounces of the Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil into a glass, fragrance oil safe container. Set aside.
• The ingredients are now prepped! Check the temperature of your lye solution and oils. To soap, the oils and lye should be 110-130 ° F. If you took off your safety goggles and gloves, place them back on. Once your oils and lye are in that temperature range, carefully add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to the lye solution and use a spoon to gently stir in. Wash off spoon immediately. Now, let’s soap!
• Add 1 teaspoon Ultramarine Violet Oxide Pigment directly into the measured bowl of oils. Place the stick blender into the oils, and “burp” it by tapping the head of the blender on the bottom of the bowl. This will release bubbles trapped inside the blender. Pulse the stick blender for about 30 seconds to disperse the colorant and get rid of large chunks.
• Slowly and carefully add the lye solution to the oils. Pulse the stick blender on and off to begin emulsifying the oils and lye together. Continue to pulse the stick blender for 15-20 seconds and then use it to stir the mixture.
• Once you start blending, the mixture will begin to look creamy. After about 1 minute of blending and stirring, the oils and lye will be combined and the soap will be the texture of thin pudding. This is thin trace!
• Add the Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil into the soap. Use the stick blender to completely blend in the essential oil.
• At this point, the soap batter will have thickened slightly. As you continue to stick blend, it will become thicker. Continue to stick blend the soap batter until it is the texture of thick pudding and is able to form peaks.
• Once the soap has thickened, pour the batter into the 10” Silicone Loaf Mold. Tap the mold firmly on the counter to release bubbles. Use a spoon to mound the soap in the center of the mold, forming a peak in the center. If the soap is not holding its shape, allow the soap to sit in the mold for 2-3 minutes, then continue mounding in the center. There is no right or wrong way to create texture on the top of soap, have fun with it!
• Once you’re happy with the top of the soap, sprinkle lavender buds on the top of the soap. Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol.
• The soap needs to sit and harden in the mold for 2-3 days. It can be hard to wait, but it’s worth it! After two days, pull the sides of the mold away from the soap. If it releases easily, pull the other two sides away from the soap and gently press from the bottom to release the airlock. Gently and carefully, remove the soap and place on a cutting board. If the sides of the mold do not easily release, give the soap another day to harden in the mold.
• Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the soap into bars. To prevent the lavender buds from creating drag marks, lay the soap on its side and cut the bars. Once the loaf is cut into bars, they need to cure for 4-6 weeks. During this time water evaporates from the bar, which creates a firmer and longer lasting bar of soap. Enjoy!

The post How to Make Natural & Relaxing Lavender Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.