Make your own solid sugar scrubs jam packed with skin-loving ingredients. No more mixing the liquid oils and the sugar before you shower – which can be a bit of a mess! Just grab one of these adorable solid sugar scrub cubes for an easy, mess free, luxurious shower.
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DIY Salt Scrub Cubes
Winter is known for wreaking havoc on the skin. These Salt Scrub Cubes are made with Epsom salt to scrub away dry skin and cocoa butter and avocado butter to leave it moisturized and comfortable.
The color and fragrance of these cubes are inspired by gemstones. The batch was split into three containers and scented with Amethyst Fragrance Oil, Moonstone Fragrance Oil, and Jade Fragrance Oil. A dash of coordinating mica was added to each container to complete the gemstone appearance. If you want to make one large batch you can – just add 6 mL of one fragrance oil and one mica to the entire batch.
These scrub cubes took plenty of testing to get a solid cube that was also soft enough to spread on the skin. Because they are on the softer side, they need to be stored in a dry and cool place. Once the mixture is poured into the Small Cubes Mold & Package, we recommend popping them in the fridge for several hours to get very cold and firm. We found the cubes stuck to the mold when they weren’t extremely cold.
To use, apply the cubes to wet skin and massage in. Rinse off and pat dry – no need to wash after. You could also break these cubes under the faucet as you fill up the tub. They are essentially buttery bath salts.
The polysorbate 80 in this recipe helps prevent an oily residue on the skin, but the butters do leave behind a moisturizing feeling. If you prefer a scrub that washes away completely clean, you may prefer the DIY Sugar Scrub Cube recipe. It contains melt and pour soap to cleanse the skin.
Floral Sugar Lip Scrub DIY
If winter left your lips dry and chapped, a scrub is a great way to restore them. Just like body scrubs, lip scrubs exfoliate away dry skin. Once the dry skin is removed, lip balm absorbs better. Granulated sugar is the perfect lip exfoliant because it’s gentle but scrubby (and it tastes good if you happen to get some in your mouth).
This Floral Sugar Lip Scrub is a combination of coconut oil, cocoa butter, and rosehip seed oil to create a texture that’s solid at room temperature. It’s quite firm, but softens up when it comes in contact with skin. If you prefer a softer texture, decrease the amount of cocoa butter. A great way to test the formula is with the spoon trick. Rose Gold Mica adds a light pink hue, but does not transfer color to lips. Passionfruit Rose Fragrance and Flavor Oil gives a floral scent.
To use, apply the scrub to dry, clean lips and scrub away! Wipe or wash away any extra lip scrub on the lips. After using the scrub, apply your favorite lip balm to hydrate. This Kukui Nut Oil Lip Balm would be perfect. Depending on how high you fill each container, this recipe makes about 15 lip scrubs.
DIY Violet Sugar Scrub Cubes
Violet is one of my favorite “purple” smelling fragrances. Isn’t that funny how a scent can convey a color? These Violet Sugar Scrub Cubes are made with Violet Fragrance Oil, which is a delicate and feminine floral scent. Sugar scrub cubes are essentially the same thing as a sugar scrub but in solid form! They are made with a combination of oils, melt and pour soap base and sugar. When applied to the skin, they lightly exfoliate and leave skin feeling soft and clean.
To see a similar recipe in action, check out the Solid Sugar Soap Scrub video on Soap Queen TV. It’s an oldie but a goodie. I added a small amount of glycerin to this recipe to help the scrubs break apart in your hands a little easier. The extra glycerin does cause a small amount of glycerin dew to form on top. If you’d like, you can just omit it from the recipe completely.
These scrubs get their color from Liquid Violet, which is a pigment dispersed in glycerin. It takes a bit of mixing to get the colorant to disperse in the soap, oil and glycerin mixture. I found a metal whisk worked great. You can also use LabColors, micas or a Color Block for this recipe. Because this recipe contains melt and pour, glycerin (which is water soluble) and oil, there are a lot of options. =)
Once the scrubs harden in the mold, I removed them from the package and cut them into individual cubes. Then, I stored them in an 8 oz. Plastic Bail Jar. You can also keep them in the Small Cubes Mold & Package, and break off a piece when you’re ready to use. I love using the Small Cubes Mold & Package for this project – the size of the cubes is perfect!
Caramelized Copper Brown Sugar Scrub
With winter approaching, the sun-kissed summer glow will start to fade from the skin. Rather than watching it go, I decided to get the glow a different way – by creating radiantly soft, supple and moisturized skin. This Caramelized Copper Brown Sugar Scrub is the perfect way brighten up your skin for fall and winter months.
The scrub uses Copper Sparkle Mica and King’s Gold Mica to add a subtle shimmer. Brown and white sugar gently exfoliate the skin, and give the scrub a warm brown color. Burnt Sugar Fragrance Oil goes perfectly with the golden copper hues. The scrub is cleansing and non-greasy from the added potassium cocoate, and moisturizing from the avocado butter. Best of all, the scrub is easy to make!
Guest Post: Formulating Scrubs and Body Butters
Who doesn’t love a luxurious, skin-loving body butter? Butters and lotions are great because there a whole range of skin-loving ingredients to use. Want a whipped shea body butter, avocado salve or rose water lotion? You got it! This post is a wrap up from a HSCG 2014 session by Marla Bosworth, of Back Porch Soap Co. and Bath & Body University. It’s all about formulating your own luxurious butters and lotions. Happy lotion making! — A.M.
Have you ever wanted to make a luxurious body butter or sugar scrub, but weren’t sure where to begin? Marla Bosworth, of Back Porch Soap Co. and Bath & Body University, presented us with some stellar advice for making scrumptious scrubs & butters. She had her lovely daughter demonstrate the process while she explained the recipes, too!
We learned some great tips for formulating salt and sugar scrubs. For example, Marla reminded us to consider the rinse-off factor of the oils we choose to include in our recipes. Light oils rinse off much easier than a heavy oil or solid butter, and leave skin feeling soft and hydrated, whereas heavier oils will probably leave a greasy layer behind. If you do use a heavier oil (such as coconut or olive oil), blending with some lighter oils is probably a good idea.
Neopolitan Sugar Scrub Cubes Recipe
In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I show you how to make Erin Pikor’s (of Naiad Soap Arts) wildly popular solid sugar scrub soap. The original post on how to make these solid sugar scrubs is a classic project that our readers keep coming back to.
In the video, I put my own little twist on this project by taking inspiration from Neopolitan ice cream. I made cubes of Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla. Yum!
Make Solid Sugar Soap Scrub from Soap Queen on Vimeo.
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Here’s what you’ll need to make this project!
NOTE: The Soapylove fragrance oils used in this video have been discontinued. The kits now include Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil, Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil and Strawberry Fragrance Oil.
For Strawberry scrubs:
3 oz Shea Melt & Pour Base
2 oz Sweet Almond Oil
6 oz White Granulated Sugar
Strawberry Fragrance Oil
1 drop Tropical Hot Pink LabColor (undiluted)
For the Chocolate Scrub:
3 oz Clear Melt & Pour Base
2 oz Sweet Almond Oil
6 oz White Granulated Sugar
Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil
2 mini scoops Cappuccino Mica
For the Vanilla Scrub:
3 oz Shea Melt & Pour Base
2 oz Sweet Almond Oil
6 oz White Granulated Sugar
Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil
Heavy Duty Slim Rectangle Mold
(Note: This mold has been discontinued. It has been substituted with the 12 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Mold.)
Click hereto get everything you need added to your Bramble Berry shopping cart.
Chocolate, Scrubs & Soap
One of the best parts of my Bramble Berry life is teaching and interacting with customers who want to reach the next level in their business. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of working with Erin of CottonTreeChocolate.com on a special project that is near and dear to her heart. She has a chocolate company that manufactures chocolate in Belize. Her passion is in working with local farmers and providing jobs for women who might otherwise have an opportunity to work. Cotton Tree Chocolate works towards economic, environmental and social sustainability for both their own company and also the local community in Belize. She brought a friend, also named Erin, with her. I had fun calling Erin #2 “Friend Erin” all day.
In the chocolate manufacturing process, there are a variety of chocolate related products – from cocoa, to cocoa butter, to cocoa nibs, to chocolate. Erin has a passion for being environmentally sustainable in her entire supply chain and she came to Otion to design custom formulations to use all of this chocolate (yummy!) product in bath and body products.
We had a jam packed day making all kinds of goodies. We made solid scrubs and stamped them to give them a sophisticated and unique look.
We made emulsified scrubs and oil based scrubs.
We made two different types of soap. First up was Hot Process soap.
Our favorite was definitely the swirled cold process soap. We loved the natural chocolate coloring in the soap and used a heavily colored titanium dioxide white soap to provide contrast to the textured, dark soap.
Erin does chocolate tours to Belize (of amazing scuba diving renown). If you’ve ever wanted to know how chocolate is made (literally picking the beans yourself and making your bars of chocolate from scratch and wrapping it by the end of the week), she does 7 day tours that sound absolutely heavenly. If you’d like to learn more about the tours or her single batch, single origin bars, check out her website here or email her here.
Solid Bath Sugar Cubes Tutorial
Domaly Spiced Cranberry Sugar Scrub
Yum! Domaly Spiced Cranberry Sugar Scrub is made with Cranberry Seeds, shea butter and cane sugar. Adding to the delight, the scrubs are self-emulsifying when used with water.
Now that winter is coming, it’s important to exfoliate your rough parts at least once a week and moisturize heavily to guard your skin against the dry winter weather.
Click here to go to Domaly‘s web site.
Sunday Night Spotlight: Jojoba Beads
Looking to add gentle exfoliation and a pop of color to your next project? Small, spherical jojoba beads are a great option. Created from jojoba oil, jojoba beads (sometimes referred to as jojoba esters) are odorless, firm and come in a various colors and sizes. Jojoba beads can be used in various projects including melt and pour, scrubs and cold process.
Love the cheery orange color of jojoba bead shown above? This new color will be available soon!
Jojoba oil is a luxurious liquid wax derived from the seed of the Jojoba shrub. Jojoba oil is made of up various long chain molecules. These molecules are transformed from a liquid to a solid wax by processes called hydrogenation or transesterification. This firm wax is referred to a jojoba ester, also known as a jojoba bead!
Guest Post: Perfectly Preserved + a body butter recipe
Lotions and butters are some of the most popular bath and body products, but they’re also products that can raise the most questions. Questions such as “Do I need a preservative for my product?” “Which preservative do I use?” and “Are preservatives safe?” are some of the most common ones we see, and we hope this thorough guest post by formulation guru and fellow crafter Susan Barclay-Nichols will help clear up some confusion.
Susan is an expert in cosmetic chemistry, and in this post she gets down to the nitty-gritty of which preservatives work best in which products, their usage rates and their ingredients. It’s a one-stop-shop for everything preservative related! Read on to learn about the wide world of preservatives and how you can safely use them in your products.
A-M Note: If you’re concerned about parabens and the safety of preservatives in bath and body products, we’ve found these following resources to be helpful explanations: Parabens Puzzlement, More to the Parabens Puzzlement and Debate Over Parabens – Truth and Research. Borrowing from the blogs: “The FDA supports the use of Parabens as does the European Union….and under regimented testing by the cosmetics directive of the European Union they too, found no direct correlation of Parabens and cancer.”
Keep in mind, the type of preservative you choose is up to you, and I’m glad that there are effective options for everyone out there who wants to responsibly use a full spectrum preservative. All Bramble Berry preservatives have been approved for use in body products. Now onto the guide! – A.M.
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You’ll notice there are actually two areas of contamination in the product. The first is the great big green spot on the left side, but did you notice the brown-y orange streak to the right hand side of that on the side of the jug? Yep, there’s a little more contamination for you!
I made this lotion without preservatives to show you how quickly things can go off. I made this sixteen days ago. (It might have gone off earlier. This was the first chance I had to check it, to be honest!) I did all the things I generally do – I heated and held both phases, I made sure all my equipment and workshop was clean – but I left out the preservatives. I covered it tightly with Press & Seal in this jug after it had cooled to room temperature. It’s been cold in the workshop – below 10˚C – which is quite chilly considering a fridge should be kept at 0˚C to 4˚C, and room temperature is 18˚C to 22˚C. It is also quite damp back there as we’ve had a bunch of rain since Halloween – just about every day – which is normal for this time of year.
Free Beginner’s Guide to Soapmaking: Common Soapmaking Oils
One of the best parts of soapmaking is being able to customize your recipe down to the very last ingredient. There are an infinite number of oil, fragrance, color, and technique combinations.
One of the most important aspects of any recipe is the oils and butters you choose. They affect moisturizing properties, how well the bars lather, and the designs you’re able to create. To help, we’ve assembled our most comprehensive resource on fixed oils to date. It includes information on usage rates and shelf lives. It also has an FAQ section and a quick guide at the bottom.
This post was updated in September 2018. Some of the shelf lives/usage rates changed based on more up-to-date information from our vendors.
Apricot Kernel Oil – 1 year
Apricot kernel oil is lightweight and high in linoleic and oleic acids. It’s conditioning and easily absorbed into the skin. It produces small bubbles. We recommend using at 15% or less in your recipe. That way the bars aren’t too soft and they last longer in the shower.
Recipes: Agate Spin Swirl Soap, Creamy Goat Milk Soap, Berry Rhubarb Crumble Soap
Argan Oil – 2 years
You’ll love argan oil in DIY skin and hair care products. It feels silky and moisturizing, and it’s packed with vitamins E and A. It can be used in cold process up to 10%.
Avocado Oil – 1 year
Avocado oil makes a soft bar of soap and is generally used at 20% or less in cold process recipes. It’s rich in vitamins A, B, D, and E. The high levels of fatty acids make it great for lotion, body butter, and conditioner as well.
Recipes: Avocado Soap, Avocado + Spearmint Soap, Cucumber and Aloe Circling Taiwan Swirl Soap
Avocado Butter – 3 years
Avocado butter is solid at room temperature. It’s derived from the fruit of the avocado tree and hydrogenated. It has a creamy consistency that makes skin feel smooth and moisturized. You can use this butter up to 12% in your cold process recipes. It also works well in lotion and body butter.
Recipes: Avocado Soap, Avocado + Spearmint Soap
Babassu Oil – 2 years
Babassu, which comes from a native Brazilian palm tree, can be used in place of coconut or palm in cold process soap. It adds the same firming and cleansing properties, and it can be added up to 33%. However, babassu does have a lighter feeling on the skin and it absorbs quickly. We recommend giving all three oils a try in small test batches to see what you think.
Recipes: Safflower and Ginger Soap, Beet Soap
Beeswax (White & Yellow) – 3 years
Yellow beeswax is refined and not bleached, while white beeswax is refined and bleached naturally by exposing it in thin layers to air, sunlight, and moisture. It can be used up to 8% in cold process recipes to harden the bars. Your lye and oils need to be at 150°F or higher so the beeswax stays melted. It will speed up trace.
Recipes: Busy Beeswax Soap, Valentine Soap
Borage Oil – 3 years
This oil is one of the richest sources of essential fatty acids. One of those fatty acids is gamma-linolenic acid, which helps nourish and hydrate the skin. It works well especially for those with sensitive or mature skin. Try it in cold process up to 33%.
Recipes: French Green Clay and Milk Soap, Jade Soap
Canola Oil – 1 year
Canola oil is an affordable option for soap. It produces a balanced bar with creamy lather. It’s also a great substitute for olive oil. You can use canola at 15-40% in cold process.
Recipes: Baby’s Breath Soap, Blue Rimmed Soap, Clover and Aloe Spin Swirl Soap
Carrot Seed Oil – 2 years
This oil has a silky texture that’s hard to beat. It’s lightweight and absorbs quickly, and it’s especially suited for those with sensitive skin. It can be used in cold process soap at 5-15%.
Recipes: Carrot Soap, Tomato Garden Soap
Castor Oil – 2 years
This thick liquid is extracted from the castor bean plant. It draws moisture to the skin and creates amazing lather in soap. We recommend using it at 2-5%. You can use it up to 25%, although more than 10% can make the bars soft and sticky.
Recipes: Siren Soap, Carrot Soap, Blueberry Thyme Soap
Chia Seed Oil – 1 year
Chia seed oil is the perfect addition to handmade soap, body butter, conditioner, and cuticle oil. You’ll love how lightweight and moisturizing it feels. The oil is also packed with fatty acids, protein, and vitamins. It can be used in cold process around 10%.
Recipes: Annatto-Yarrow Soap, Dragon’s Breath Soap, Infinity Swirl Soap
Cocoa Butter Pastilles, Organic Cocoa Butter Wafers, Deodorized Cocoa Butter – 2 years
This butter is solid and hard at room temperature. It adds a luxurious and moisturizing feeling to cold process soap. We recommend tempering it for the best results, learn how here. Use cocoa butter at 15% or less in cold process soaps – any higher can cause cracking in your final bars.
Recipes: Tomato Garden Soap, Pink Salt and Gold Soap, Lavender and Charcoal Soap
Coconut Oil – 18 months
This is one of the most common raw materials used in the soap and cosmetic industry. It comes in several versions, including 76 and 92°F melting point oils – ours is 76°F. Both have the same SAP value. Coconut oil is super cleansing and produces large bubbles in cold process. It’s so cleansing that it can be drying. It can be used up to 33%, but we recommend using it around 15% if you have sensitive or dry skin.
Recipes: Jade Soap, Safflower and Ginger Soap, Wild Rose Soap
Coffee Butter – 2 years
This luscious and rich butter is perfect for lotion, body butter, and soap. It’s a blend of hydrogenated vegetable oil and coffee seed oil, and it contains around 1% natural caffeine. It has a natural coffee scent and a creamy feeling. The butter can be used up to 6% in cold process.
Recipes: Simple Coffee Soap, Espresso Shot Soap
Coffee Seed Oil – 2 years
This thick and luxurious oil is extracted from freshly-roasted coffee beans. Try it in handmade soap, lotion, balm, and bath bombs. It can be used in cold process up to 10%.
Recipes: Simple Coffee Soap
Cucumber Seed Oil – 2 years
Those with dry or mature skin will love this oil. It has excellent moisturizing properties, and when it’s applied it feels lightweight and absorbs quickly. Try it in cold process up to 15%.
Recipes: Circling Taiwan Swirl Soap, Sea Sponge Soap
Emu Oil – 1 year
This is a medium-weight oil that helps keep the skin hydrated. Use it in cold process soap up to 13%.
Evening Primrose Oil – 1 year
This oil has a lightweight and moisturizing consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. It can be used up to 15% in cold process.
Flaxseed Oil – 6 months
Flaxseed oil is lightweight and a rich source of fatty acids. We love it in balm, body butter, and lotion. You can also use it in cold process up to 5%.
Fractionated Coconut Oil – 3 years
Fractionated coconut oil contains only the medium triglycerides, which means it stays liquid. Compared to coconut oil, it has a more lightweight feeling and it makes softer bars. It doesn’t have the same cleansing or lathering properties. We love it in scrub, lotion, and body butter. You can use it up to 30% in cold process.
Grapeseed Oil – 1 year
This oil leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. It has a lightweight and thin texture, and it’s high in lineoleic acid and antioxidants. Try it in DIY lotion, massage oil, and body butter. It can be used up to 15% in cold process.
Green Tea Seed Oil – 2 years
Pick up green tea seed oil today and try it in DIY soap, lotion, and conditioner. You’ll love the lightweight and moisturizing consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. It’s also rich in nutrients like vitamins A and B. Add it to cold process up to 6%.
Recipes: Exfoliating Green Tea Bars, Rose Quartz Soap, Emerald Soap
Hazelnut Fixed Oil – 3 months
This oil is low in fatty acids, so it slows down trace. That makes it great for intricate cold process designs. It has a lightweight texture and it creates conditioning and small lather. Hazelnut oil is used at 20% or less.
Recipes: Busy Beeswax Soap, Leopard Print Soap
Hemp Seed Oil – 1 year
Hemp seed oil is an amazing source of fatty acids. They help keep the skin hydrated all day long. It also creates excellent lather. Use up to 15% in cold process.
Recipes: Hawaiian Shirt Soap
Jojoba Oil – 2 years
This product is actually a liquid wax that will contribute to a very stable and long-lasting bar of soap. We recommend it at 10% or less in cold process. More than that can weigh down the lather.
Recipes: Loofah Soap, Moisturizing Soap
Kokum Butter – 2 years
Pick up kokum butter today and add it to handmade soap and body butter. It has a lightweight and moisturizing consistency that absorbs quickly. We recommend tempering it using the same method as cocoa butter, learn how here. It can be used in cold process at 10% or less.
Recipes: Kokum Butter Soap
Kukui Nut Oil – 2 years
This luxurious oil is a must-have for your collection. Kukui (koo-koo-ee) comes from Hawaii. It has a lightweight and silky consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. Try it in cold process up to 20%.
Lingonberry Seed Oil – 2 years
You’ll love the way this oil feels on the skin – it has a silky and lightweight texture. It’s also packed with essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Try lingonberry seed oil in cold process at 5-15%.
Mango Butter – 2 years
This butter is extracted from the fruit kernels of the mango tree. It’s solid at room temperature but melts on contact with the skin. We recommend tempering it for best results, learn how here. It can be used up to 15% in cold process.
Recipes: Watermelon Soap, Sea Sponge Soap, Crescent Moon Soap
Meadowfoam Oil – 1 year
This oil has a moisturizing and conditioning feel that’s similar to jojoba oil. It contributes to a creamy and silky lather in soap. Originally developed as an alternative to sperm whale oil, this earth-friendly product is generally used at 20% or less in cold process. We like using it around 10%.
Recipes: Siren Soap, Pink Salt and Gold Soap, Cedar and Amber Soap
Moringa Seed Oil – 2 years
Pick up moringa seed oil today and add it to cold process up to 15%. You’ll love how moisturizing it feels on the skin. It has a lightweight and non-greasy consistency.
Recipes: Lemongrass Mojito Soap
Neem Oil – 2 years
If you’ve ever worked with neem oil, there’s a good chance you remember the scent. Its distinct odor is often described as musky or garlicky. Don’t let that scare you away though – there’s a reason neem has been used on the skin for centuries. People love it because it’s incredibly moisturizing and full of antioxidants. It can be used at 3-6% in cold process.
Oat Oil – 1 year
This oil absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling hydrated all day long. It’s rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E. You’ll love oat oil’s lightweight and non-greasy texture in cold process soap. It can be used at 5-15%.
Olive Oil (Pomace & Pure) – 2 years
This is a staple in cold process recipes. It’s a thick oil that moisturizes the skin and creates creamy lather. Compared to pomace, pure olive oil creates softer bars and takes longer to trace. It can be used up to 100% in cold process.
Recipes: Simple Castile Soap, French Green Clay and Milk Soap, Eggnog Soap
Palm Oil – 1 year
Palm oil adds a unique feeling to cold process soap. It helps harden the bars and it creates lather when paired with coconut oil. In cold process soap, the oil can be used up to 33%. Don’t forget to fully melt and mix the palm oil before use, that way the fatty acids will distribute evenly. Our supplier is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil – learn more about the organization here.
Recipes: Daisy Soap, Creamy Goat Milk Soap, Rose Quartz Soap
Palm Kernel Flakes – 1 year
This is a mixture of partially-hydrogenated palm kernel oil and soy lecithin, and it comes in flake form. We only recommend it up to 15% in cold process soap – a higher percentage can make the bars too hard. It will speed up trace, so be prepared to work fast. These flakes are also from an RSPO supplier.
Recipes: Christmas Tree Swirl Soap, Smoky Bay Soap
Peach Kernel Oil – 1 year
This skin-loving pale yellow oil adds moisturizing properties and creates a stable lather in cold process soap. We recommend it up to 25%. It’s a great substitute for sweet almond or grapeseed oil.
Peanut Oil – 1 year
This pale yellow oil is typically used as a substitute for olive or canola oil in cold process recipes. It can be used up to 25%.
Raspberry Seed Oil – 2 years
Keep your skin feeling smooth with this oil. It’s packed with essential fatty acids. When applied, it feels lightweight and absorbs quickly. Use it in cold process soap at 5-15%.
Recipes: Blueberry Thyme Soap
Red Palm Oil – 2 years
Add this oil to your cold process soap to create firm bars. It also adds a beautiful orange color. This palm oil comes from a supplier that’s part of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. It can be used up to 33%, but we recommend it around 15% because it can stain molds and the skin.
Recipes: Tomato Garden Soap
Rice Bran Oil – 2 years
You’ll love the way this oil feels in handmade soap. It’s rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, and it has a thick and moisturizing consistency that’s similar to olive oil. It can be used up to 100% in cold process soap, but the bar will be soft and have small lather. We recommend using rice bran oil around 20%.
Recipes: Sushi Soap, Pink Salt and Gold Soap, Pumpkin Pie Soap
Rosehip Seed Oil – 2 years
Those with dry or mature skin will love rosehip seed oil. It’s rich in vitamins A and C, and it feels hydrating on the skin. It has a lightweight and non-greasy consistency. Try it in cold process around 10%.
Safflower Oil – 1 year
This mild and skin-loving oil is similar to canola or sunflower oil. It can be used up to 20% in cold process soap.
Sesame Oil – 1 year
This light golden oil is high in antioxidants and fatty acids, which add moisturizing properties to soap. It’s not the same as toasted sesame oil that’s typically used in Asian cuisine. It can be used up to 10% in cold process recipes.
Shea Butter – 2 years
Shea butter feels luxurious and moisturizing on the skin. It helps harden cold process soap and it can be used up to 15%. We recommend tempering it for the best results, learn how here.
Recipes: Oatmeal Baby Soap, Honeycrisp Apple Soap, Safflower and Ginger Soap
Soybean Oil – 3 months if refrigerated
Soybean oil has a creamy, stable, and conditioning lather. It produces a hard bar of soap when paired with palm or coconut oil. It’s typically used at 50% or less in cold process recipes. We recommend a usage rate of up to 15%.
Sunflower Oil – 6 months
Sunflower oil is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, making it it one of the more cost-effective oils. It produces a lather that is incredibly conditioning on the skin. It does have a slower absorption rate, so it can feel slightly oily on the skin in leave-on recipes like balms and lotions. To help increase the shelf life of this oil, be sure to keep it refrigerated. It can be used in cold process recipes up to 100%, but we recommend 20% or less.
Recipes: Wild Rose Soap
Sweet Almond Oil – 1 year
You need sweet almond oil in your collection. It’s full of fatty acids and it has a lightweight and moisturizing consistency. You’ll love the way it feels in DIY soap, lotion, and scrub. It can be used up to 20% in cold process.
Recipes: Wild Rose Soap, Siren Soap, Baby’s Breath Soap
Tamanu Oil – 2 years
Tamanu oil has a lightweight and moisturizing consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. It’s also packed with essential fatty acids. It can be used up to 5% in cold process.
Recipes: Charcoal Facial Soap
Walnut Oil – 3 months
This antioxidant-rich oil conditions and moisturizes the skin. It can be used up to 15% in cold process soap.
Wheat Germ Oil – 1 year
When it comes to skincare, wheat germ oil has a lot to offer. It’s jam-packed with nutrients like vitamins A, B, D, and E. Even though the oil is fairly heavy, it has a light and almost powdery feeling on the skin. It can be used in cold process up to 10%.
Recipes: Nourishing Soap
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to heat up my entire container of palm oil before I use it in my cold process recipe?
A: Yes, otherwise the fatty acids won’t distribute properly. That creates white bits or inconsistent results in soap. Fully melt and mix well before each use.
Q: Do I need to heat up my entire container of coconut oil before I use it in my cold process recipe?
A: No, you can scoop it right into a container at room temperature.
Q: I’m out of palm oil – can I use palm kernel flakes instead?
A: No, palm oil and palm kernel flakes have different SAP values and they feel different in soap. Palm oil hardens soap and creates lather with coconut oil. It can be used up to 33%. Palm kernel oil creates a hard bar and is recommend up to 15%.
Q: How can I tell if my oil or butter is rancid?
A: There is a noticeable change in either the color, consistency, or odor of the oils and your butters may start to develop mold or dark spots. We recommend writing down the date you receive the oil, that way you know when it’s expired.
Q: What happens if I used rancid oil or butter in soap?
A: It can develop dreaded orange spots. They cause discoloration and the bars may develop an unpleasant scent.
Q: What happens if I used a large amount of olive oil in my recipe?
A: A 100% olive oil soap, also known as Castile soap, creates gentle and luxurious bars, but it requires some patience. It will take longer to harden than other recipes – up to 6 months. Some makers developed a taste for “Bastile bars,” which are made with a high percentage of olive oil and harder oils to help speed up the hardening process. You can also add sodium lactate or use a water discount.
Q: Help! I’m out of sweet almond oil, can I just put in avocado oil?
A: Yes, but you’ll need to run your recipe through the Lye Calculator again. Learn more in the How to Substitute Oils in Cold Process Soap post.
Q: What is a SAP Value?
A: A saponfication (SAP) value is the amount of lye needed to completely saponify 1 gram of an oil or butter (see the Beginner’s Guide to Cold Process Soapmaking for an explanation of saponification). For example, the SAP value of canola oil is .132, which means it takes .132 grams of lye to turn 1 gram of canola oil into soap. The Lye Calculator automatically calculates the SAP value for you.
Oil | Shelf Life | SAP Value | Usage Rate in Cold Process |
Apricot Kernel Oil | 1 year | .135 | up to 15% |
Argan Oil | 2 years | .136 | up to 10% |
Avocado Oil | 1 year | .133 | up to 20% |
Avocado Butter | 3 years | .133 | up to 12% |
Babassu Oil | 2 years | .175 | up to 33% |
Beeswax (White & Yellow) | 3 years | .069 | up to 8% |
Borage Oil | 3 years | .135 | up to 33% |
Canola Oil | 1 year | .132 | up to 40% |
Carrot Seed Oil | 2 years | .137 | up to 15% |
Castor Oil | 2 years | .135 | up to 25%, recommend 2-5% |
Chia Seed Oil | 1 year | .158 | up to 10% |
Cocoa Butter | 2 years | .137 | up to 15% |
Coconut Oil | 18 months | .178 | up to 33% |
Coffee Butter | 2 years | .133 | up to 6% |
Coffee Seed Oil | 2 years | .139 | up to 10% |
Emu Oil | 1 year | .192 | up to 13% |
Evening Primrose Oil | 1 year | .133 | up to 15% |
Flaxseed Oil | 6 months | .19 | up to 5% |
Fractionated Coconut Oil | 3 years | .232 | up to 30% |
Grapeseed Oil | 1 year | .133 | up to 15% |
Green Tea Seed Oil | 2 years | .136 | up to 6% |
Hazelnut Oil | 3 months | .136 | up to 20% |
Hemp Seed Oil | 1 year | .135 | up to 15% |
Jojoba Oil | 2 years | .069 | up to 10% |
Kokum Butter | 2 years | .135 | up to 10% |
Kukui Nut Oil | 2 years | .135 | up to 20% |
Lingonberry Seed Oil | 2 years | .135 | up to 15% |
Mango Butter | 2 years | .137 | up to 15% |
Meadowfoam Oil | 1 year | .12 | up to 20% |
Moringa Seed Oil | 2 years | .139 | up to 15% |
Neem Oil | 2 years | .136 | up to 6% |
Oat Oil | 1 year | .138 | up to 15% |
Olive Oil | 2 years | .134 | up to 100% |
Palm Oil | 1 year | .144 | up to 33% |
Palm Kernel Flakes | 1 year | .178 | up to 15% |
Peach Kernel Oil | 1 year | .178 | up to 25% |
Peanut Oil | 1 year | .19 | up to 25% |
Raspberry Seed Oil | 2 years | .135 | up to 15% |
Red Palm Oil | 2 years | .144 | up to 33%, recommend around 15% |
Rice Bran Oil | 2 years | .129 | up to 100%, recommend around 20% |
Rosehip Seed Oil | 2 years | .135 | up to 10% |
Safflower Oil | 1 year | .19 | up to 20% |
Sesame Oil | 1 year | .19 | up to 10% |
Shea Butter | 2 years | .133 | up to 15% |
Soybean oil | 3 months | .135 | up to 50%, recommend around 15% |
Sunflower Oil | 6 months | .134 | up to 100%, recommend around 20% |
Sweet Almond Oil | 1 year | .136 | up to 20% |
Tamanu Oil | 2 years | .148 | up to 5% |
Walnut Oil | 3 months | .192 | up to 15% |
Wheat Germ Oil | 1 year | .131 | up to 10% |
Introducing the Hygge Collection
We have new items just in time for your fall and winter projects. The Hygge Collection includes comforting scents, moisturizing oils, and packaging that’s perfect for holiday gifts.
The collection is inspired by the Danish concept of hygge (hoo-gah), which is the everyday pursuit of happiness, comfort, and connection. For us, hygge is making products to treat ourselves and those around us. That’s why we chose these new items.
Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil
This fragrance is the perfect mix of fruit and spice. You’ll love the comforting notes of apple, cinnamon, and mountain air.
Cinnamon Cocoa Fragrance Oil
One sniff of this fragrance and you’ll be hooked. It’s a warm mix of coffee beans, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Cashmere Fragrance Oil
You need this fragrance in your collection. The notes of blueberry, magnolia, and violet are hard to beat.
Alpine Frost Fragrance Oil
Try this refreshing fragrance in DIY holiday gifts like soap, scrub, foot soak, and bath bombs.
Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil
Pick up this scent today and enjoy the complex mix of kaffir lime, sea salt, and amber.
Hygge Fragrance Collection
Try all five new scents and find your favorite. Don’t wait, it’s only available while supplies last.
Lingonberry Seed Oil
You’ll love the way this oil feels on the skin – it has a silky and lightweight texture.
Oat Oil
This oil absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling hydrated all day long. It’s rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E.
Turmeric Shea Butter
You need this natural product in your collection. It’s a mix of moisturizing butters and turmeric root extract, which will leave your skin feeling smooth.
Pumpkin Extract
You only need a few drops of pumpkin extract to add something special to handmade soap, lotion, and bath bombs. It helps moisturize the skin.
Liquid Cashmere
This is a must-have product for DIY skin and hair care. It adds a silky feeling to DIY soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
Menthol Crystals
You only need a few crystals to add a minty scent and a cooling sensation to handmade soap, scrub, and lip balm.
Pumpkin Powder
Pick up this powder today. It adds a subtle yellow color and mild exfoliation to DIY soap and scrub.
White and Black Twist Tubes
These tubes are perfect for handmade lotion bars, deodorant, and solid perfume.
Narrow and Wide Wooden Wicks
These are a must-have for handmade candles. You’ll love the even burn and comforting crackling sound.
4 oz. and 8 oz. Lidded Glass Jars
You’ll love this sophisticated jar for handmade candles. Just pop the lid on and it’s ready to store, gift, or sell.
Cooling Foot Care Kit
This kit comes with the supplies you need to pamper yourself and your loved ones. That includes printed instructions and labels.
Cashmere Soap Kit
This kit comes with the supplies you need to make 12 luxurious bars of soap, including pumpkin powder, a reusable mold, and printed instructions.
Lingonberry Spice Candle Kit
Candles are the perfect holiday gift. This kit comes with the supplies you need to make them, including printed instructions.
Full Hygge Collection
Add all of the new items into your Bramble Berry cart. They can be used in handmade products like soap, lotion, and bath bombs.
We can’t wait to see all the designs you create with the new products. Share using #BrambleOn.