This melt and pour project is full of contrasting layers, texture and refreshing essential oils. With natural colorants such as activated charcoal, green zeolite clay and spirulina powder, this is a great project for soapers who prefer to use natural ingredients. The combination of peppermint and rosemary essential oils is incredibly refreshing and invigorating.The poppy seeds add a subtle amount of scrub, leaving the skin feeling smooth. Both activated charcoal and green zeolite clay are known for their oil absorption properties, making this bar a skin-loving powerhouse!
The key to this project is 99% isopropyl alcohol; spraying the soap with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol before pouring each layer helps the layers adhere to each other. Without this step, you may find yourself with five separate pieces of soap…no fun! We recommend pouring the alcohol into a spray bottle (such as the 8 oz. bottles with spray top) with a fine mist spray for ease of use. For more information on how to create melt and pour layers, check out this Soap Queen TV video.
Love the adorable packaging in the photo above? The label for this project, along with several upcoming tutorials are available for download here. Simply download the PDF, print on sturdy paper, and seal with shrink wrap.
What You’ll Need:
25 oz. Clear Melt and Pour
25 oz. Shea Melt and Pour
3 mL Peppermint Essential Oil, 1st Distill.
3 mL Rosemary Essential Oil
1.5 tsp. Poppy Seeds
Green Zeolite Clay
Activated Charcoal
Spirulina Powder
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle
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COLOR PREP: Disperse .5 teaspoon activated charcoal in .5 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. In a separate container, disperse 1 teaspoon green zeolite clay in 1 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. In another container, disperse 1 teaspoon spirulina powder in 1 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. Use a mini mixer to get clumps worked out smoothly.
ONE: Cut and melt 20 oz. clear melt and pour base in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Once thoroughly melted, add the dispersed activated charcoal and mix thoroughly with a spoon to combine.
TWO: Add 3 mL Peppermint 1st Distill. into the black soap, and stir to completely incorporate.
THREE: Pour half of the black soap (10 oz.) into the mold. To keep the layers extremely even, place the mold on a scale first and hit the “tare” button. Then pour exactly 10 oz. of black soap into the mold. Spray with 99% isopropyl alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Set remaining soap aside, and allow the soap in the mold to cool and harden.
FOUR: Once the first layer is nearly hardened, cut and melt 20 oz. shea melt and pour base in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Once fully melted, add poppy seeds and stir to incorporate.
FIVE: Add 3 mL Rosemary Essential Oil, and stir to fully combine.
SIX: Once the white soap is no hotter than 125° F, spray the first layer of black soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help the layers adhere. Pour half of the white soap (10 oz.) into the mold and spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. If you’d like to be exact, place the mold on a scale first. Set the remaining white soap aside, and allow white layer to cool and harden.
SEVEN: Cut and melt 5 oz. shea melt and pour and 5 oz. clear melt and pour in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Add the dispersed green zeolite clay and spirulina powder, and stir to completely combine. Allow the soap to cool slightly.
EIGHT: Once the soap is no hotter than 120° F, spray the white layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol and pour the green soap into the mold. Pouring the green soap while at a cooler temperature helps ensure it does not melt the layer below, and helps the clay and spirulina powder to evenly suspend within the layer. Spray the green soap with alcohol to disperse any bubbles.
NINE: Remelt the remaining white soap in the microwave using 15 second bursts, stirring in between each burst. Spray the green layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and pour the remaining white soap into the mold and spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Allow the white layer to cool and harden.
TEN: Remelt the remaining black soap in the microwave using 15 second bursts, stirring in between each burst. Spray the white layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and pour the remaining black soap into the mold. Spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles, and allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Cutting into the bar before it has completely cooled increases the risk of layers separating, so patience is important!
What are your favorite natural colorants? I love the rich black that activated charcoal gives, but be careful to not use to much or it can stain washcloths!
Minty Clay Melt & Pour Bar
Ingredients
- 25 oz. Clear Melt and Pour
- 25 oz. Shea Melt and Pour
- 3 mL Peppermint Essential Oil 1st Distill.
- 3 mL Rosemary Essential Oil
- 1.5 tsp. Poppy Seeds
- Green Zeolite Clay
- Activated Charcoal
- Spirulina Powder
- 10 ″ Silicone Loaf Mold
- Optional: 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
Instructions
- COLOR PREP: Disperse .5 teaspoon activated charcoal in .5 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. In a separate container, disperse 1 teaspoon green zeolite clay in 1 tablsepoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. In another container, disperse 1 teaspoon spirulina powder in 1 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol. Use a mini mixer to get clumps worked out smoothly.
- Cut and melt 20 oz. clear melt and pour base in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Once thoroughly melted, add the dispersed activated charcoal and mix thoroughly with a spoon to combine.
- Add 3 mL Peppermint 1st Distill. into the black soap, and stir to completely incorporate.
- Pour half of the black soap (10 oz.) into the mold. To keep the layers extremely even, place the mold on a scale first and hit the “tare” button. Then pour exactly 10 oz. of black soap into the mold. Spray with 99% isopropyl alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Set remaining soap aside, and allow the soap in the mold to cool and harden.
- Once the first layer is nearly hardened, cut and melt 20 oz. shea melt and pour base in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Once fully melted, add poppy seeds and stir to incorporate.
- Add 3 mL Rosemary Essential Oil, and stir to fully combine.
- Once the white soap is no hotter than 125° F, spray the first layer of black soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help the layers adhere. Pour half of the white soap (10 oz.) into the mold and spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. If you’d like to be exact, place the mold on a scale first. Set the remaining white soap aside, and allow white layer to cool and harden.
- Cut and melt 5 oz. shea melt and pour and 5 oz. clear melt and pour in the microwave using 20 second bursts. Add the dispersed green zeolite clay and spirulina powder, and stir to completely combine. Allow the soap to cool slightly.
- Once the soap is no hotter than 120° F, spray the white layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol and pour the green soap into the mold. Pouring the green soap while at a cooler temperature helps ensure it does not melt the layer below, and helps the clay and spirulina powder to evenly suspend within the layer. Spray the green soap with alcohol to disperse any bubbles.
- Remelt the remaining white soap in the microwave using 15 second bursts, stirring in between each burst. Spray the green layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and pour the remaining white soap into the mold and spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles. Allow the white layer to cool and harden.
- Remelt the remaining black soap in the microwave using 15 second bursts, stirring in between each burst. Spray the white layer with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and pour the remaining black soap into the mold. Spray with alcohol to disperse any bubbles, and allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Cutting into the bar before it has completely cooled increases the risk of layers separating, so patience is important!
