This sophisticated pink and gold soap feels appropriate for the holidays, but also shines for Valentine’s Day and spring.
Ingredients
Tall 12″ Silicone Loaf Mold
Powder Duster
1.8 oz. Cocoa Butter (5%)
11.6 oz. Coconut Oil (33%)
3.2 oz. Meadowfoam Oil (9.1%)
11.6 oz. Palm Oil (33%)
7 oz. Rice Bran Oil (19.9%)
5 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
10 oz. Distilled Water (13% water discount)
1.75 oz. Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil
Titanium Dioxide
Magenta Mica
Gold Sparkle Mica
Pink Sea Salt, Medium
Instructions
FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1.75 ounces of Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil into a small glass container and set aside.
COLORANT PREP: Disperse 4 teaspoons of the titanium dioxide into 4 tablespoons of sunflower or sweet almond oil (or any other liquid oil). Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. In a separate container, mix ½ teaspoon of Magenta Mica into ½ tablespoon lightweight liquid oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. Have the Gold Sparkle Mica and pink sea salt nearby. Optional: To ensure that the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap batter, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. This is an optional tip but it does help with the titanium dioxide clumping in the soap. To micronize the colorant, simply use a coffee grinder to break up any clumps of color and prevent streaks of white from showing in the final soap. We like to use a coffee grinder that has a removable stainless steel mixing area for easy cleaning.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, 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.
Slowly and carefully add 5 ounces of lye to 10 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2 teaspoons sodium lactate.
In a large glass bowl, combine and melt the coconut oil, cocoa butter, rice bran oil, meadowfoam oil, and palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning). Add all of the dispersed titanium dioxide to the oils and use a stick blender to fully mix in. This helps get rid of any chunks without thickening trace.
Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until a very thin trace.
Pour 600 mL of the soap batter into a separate container.
Add 1 teaspoon of the dispersed Magenta Mica into the smaller container of soap and use a whisk to fully incorporate.
Add the Rose Quartz Fragrance Oil proportionally to each container of soap – it’s okay to eyeball it. Whisk in the fragrance oil thoroughly.
If the pink soap is still thin, use the stick blender to thicken trace. Once it’s a medium to thick trace, pour all of the pink soap into the mold and tap it on the counter to remove air bubbles. Use a spoon to create texture.
Place a few teaspoons of the Gold Sparkle Mica into the Powder Duster. Sprinkle a layer of the mica on top of the pink soap, making sure to cover as much of the pink as possible. Be careful to not create too thick of a layer or the soap may separate when cut.
By now, the white soap will be thick. Use a spoon to “plop” small amounts of it onto the pink until it’s completely covered. Then, gently transfer the rest of the white soap into the mold. Firmly tap the mold on the counter to help settle the soap and get rid of bubbles.
Use a small spoon to create texture on top. If you find the soap is not holding its shape, let it sit in the mold for several minutes to allow it to thicken and harden. We created a “wave” look by pushing the white soap toward one side. Feel free to create whatever top you like – there is no right or wrong way to create texture.
Once you’re happy with the top, lightly sprinkle more Gold Sparkle Mica on the top of the soap using the Powder Duster.
Sprinkle the pink sea salt onto the soap. We concentrated the pink sea salt on the peak. Some of the salt will fall off when the soap is cut, so we like to use a little more salt to account for this.
Spritz the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to help prevent soda ash. To very lightly insulate the soap, we placed the loaf into a large drawer uncovered at room temperature. Allow the soap to stay in the mold for about 2-3 days.
Pull the silicone mold away from the soap, and push it out from the bottom to release the airlock. To avoid drag marks from the salt, place the soap on its side and cut. Allow the bars to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy.
Recipe by Soap Queen at https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/pink-salt-gold-cold-process-soap-diy/