Ingredients
Tools
Microwave safe container
Spoon or stirring stick
Paint brush
Spray bottle of rubbing alcohol
I’m excited about this tutorial because it uses a concept that we’ve discussed before but don’t use often – brushing mica on to make detail work pop. It’s easy and adds a sophisticated flair to your soap.
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One: Melt about 1-2 ounces of Honey melt and pour. You can use ‘plain’ melt and pour but in keeping with the theme of the project, I used Honey. Use a dropper to pour/drop the soap into the bee part of the design. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
Two: Melt about 12 ounces of Goat Milk melt and pour. Again, you can use regular white melt and pour but Honey & Goat Milk has such a great feel when working together. Add .25 – .50 ounces of fragrance and stir in the raspberry leaves. Continue to stir long enough for the raspberry leaves to stay mostly suspended in the soap (they will all float to the top if you don’t).
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Four: Once the bee layer has cooled and hardened, spritz with rubbing alcohol and pour your goat milk soap into the hive part of the design. Tip: Make sure this soap has cooled to 120 degrees. Any hotter will melt the tiny bee part of the soap.
Five: Give the soap a final spritz of alcohol and allow to cool for 24 hours before removing soap from the mold.
Six: Brush the finished soap with a little Heavy Gold Mica. Be sparing – a little goes a long way!
Don’t you love how the brushing of mica really makes the bee detailing really pop?
Thanks, Anne-Marie!
Love this tutorial and have made many of these soaps and given them to friends and family as gifts. THERE is ONE PROBLEM THOUGH. I did use Bramble Berry’s Heavy Metal Gold Mica just as directed. However, if friends and family did not use the soap right away and just kept it in the bathroom to look at for awhile, the Heavy Metal Gold Mica TARNISHED and turned the top of the soap a greenish brown. (I do not use the raspberry leaves so that is not causing the problem.) DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? I have taken to just brushing the Heavy Metal Gold Mica on the bee only but it eventually will turn the bee a greenish brown. (The tarnish does wash off after one use, but it spoils the look of the Bee & Honeycomb soap. I would appreciate any help/ideas you can give me. Thanks so much.
There are actual metals in that particular color so it will tarnish, just like silver. Switch to the Gold Sparkle Mica if you won’t be using it for a while:
https://www.brambleberry.com/Gold-Sparkle-Mica-P3063.aspx
=)
You can get Raspberry leaves here:
https://www.brambleberry.com/Raspberry-Leaf-Herb-16-oz-P4015.aspx for $5.25 for a full 16 oz. or you can buy it at the health food store (most likely).
Where do I get Raspberry leaves?
This is such a gorgeous little soap! A lovely tribute to bees too. 🙂
I love these soaps !!I just ordered all of the "fixings" to make them . Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thanks Anne-Marie. I love how we just read your blog on Unique Uses for Mica with Steve Satushek and then you show us a new technique on soap!
So many things to try, not enough time. Very pretty!
If you don't have any honey melt & pour can you just add honey to a plain base? If so, do you know at what ratio?
I love using Mica like this! It works a lot better than the soap paints, for me anyway. They never seemed to dry, making wrapping them impossible. Dry brushing the Mica, however, has been a great option for me. Yours look AMAZING!
The OMH might turn the soap a light tan but the BB Goatsmilk Melt and Pour soap is a lovely color of creamy white and stays that way. =)
Will the Goats milk turn the soap brown?
These are gorgeous! I love that it looks complex but it really isn't!
Hi all – So glad that you are liking it! Yay. It takes a fairly simple recipe and makes it a wee bit more complex (which I like!)
Diane, Raspberry Leaves – you could use any herb. I liked how they look like brown leaves and not mouse poop (ehem, lavender buds) but you could use any herb that was skin safe.
Yes, the mica totally adheres. We brushed it on right after popping out of the mold when the soap is still moist and fresh. I'm sure that helps. =)
Wow, Anne-Marie this is a great tutorial. I love the way you explore different ingredients and uses for them. This opens up an entirely new "creative avenue".
so cute! i think this is a really good time of the year for this project! I so will try it!
Thank you!
The honey bee detail is just adorable!
I do have two questions on this for you:
1. Is there any special reason you used the raspberry leaves in particular?
2. does the mica brushed on top of the cooled soap totally adhere?
Yes, I do love how that really brings out the texture on this design. Gorgeous!