Soap Queen

Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more

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Tub Time: Goatsmilk Bath Tea

Filed Under: Soaks & Scrubs

This bath tea is made with luxurious goat milk, salts and cocoa butter.

This simple, four ingredient recipe only has 4 steps, making it easy to whip together a luxurious bath after a hard day on your feet.  What’s so great about goatsmilk?

Goatmilk is particularly moisturizing and nourishing to the skin because of capric-caprylic triglyceride. Capric-caprylic triglyceride is an effective skin moisturizer that helps to contribute to skin softness by forming a barrier on the skin to help inhibit the loss of moisture. It is the only milk that contains naturally occurring capric-caprylic triglycerides. The protein strands of goat milk are shorter than other types of milk and are more readily absorbed by skin.

Goatmilk also has naturally occurring lactic acid that helps keep skin smooth by encouraging skin turnover (it acts similar to a gentle peel). It also contains many vitamins, specifically A, D and B6, as well as the anti-oxidant Selenium.

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Baked Dendritic Bath Salts. So Relaxing!

Filed Under: Soaks & Scrubs

Mmmmmm…… A hot  bath with soothing salt and delicate fragrance sounds really good right now. So here’s an easy and fool-proof method for making bath salts.

Dendritic Salt has a greater surface area than other salts which means the fragrance (or essential) oils and color stick better and with more OOMPH! Many crafters add Dendritic Salt to their Sea Salt formulations for the non-clumping capabilities. But this isn’t just any bath salt recipe…this is a baked bath salt recipe. We’re baking in the colorant and fragrance oil  leaving a smooth, dry and clump free texture. People are going to ask you how you got such a nice consistency with such a fine salt. Shhhh…it’s our little secret!

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Lotion Bar Love

Filed Under: Lotion

There have been so many requests for a lotion bar tutorial so I hopped into the soap lab and busted out a twist on the traditional Lotion Bar Kit found at Bramble Berry. It’s made with fun colors, a fruity fragrance and skin loving ingredients. Time to soften up those hands as the nice weather starts to roll in.

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Loofah Cold Process Soap Tutorial

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

Loofah soap can be super scrubby on the skin. I designed this recipe with a mild scrub in mind. This recipe is great because it has a nice gentle scrub on one side of the soap and it’s silky smooth on the other. Plus the fragrance combination of Pomegranate and Mint is positively swoon-worthy.
What  You’ll Need:
1.0 oz Jojoba Oil
11.20 oz Olive Oil
8 oz Palm Oil
1.6 oz Palm Kernel Flakes
1.0 oz Shea Butter
1.3 oz Sweet Almond Oil
4.5 oz Sodium Hydroxide
10.5 oz Distilled Water
1.5 oz Moonlight Pomegranate
1.5 oz Moroccan Mint
1 Tablespoon Shredded Loofah
1 Teaspoon Super Pearly White
9 Bar Baltic Birch Mold
Buy everything you need below (less the olive oil and distilled water).
Also remember that you can delete anything from your shopping cart.
Preparation: Safety First: familiarize yourself with the safety precautions of Cold Process Soap Making. Please watch these videos on Lye Safety, Basic Terms, Using Fragrance and Essential Oils, Using Colorants. Review the lye safety blog post here. Also, be sure to line your mold ahead of time with freezer paper.
ONE: In your soaping gear (gloves, goggles and long sleeves) prepare your Lye Water.

 

TWO: Heat/melt and combine the Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Palm Oil and Sweet Almond Oil. Then mix in the Shea Butter until fully melted and incorporated.
TIP: When adding the shea butter to your melted oil, put the stick blender right on top of the shea and blend it in. Trap it down on the bottom. This will speed up the process of the normal hand stirring.
THREE: Carefully add your Lye water to the oils and mix with your stick blender.
TIP: Remember to “burp” your stick blender by tapping the air out of your stick blender before you start mixing.
FOUR: Once all of the ingredients are combine split the batch in two containers (make sure they’re big enough to mix in). Does not have to be perfect but try to eyeball it the best that you can.
FIVE: In one half of the batter, add 1 tablespoon of shredded loofah and 1.5 ounce of Moonlight Pomegranate fragrance oil. Mix well. Moonlight Pomegranate is an Advanced Soaper Fragrance; it will want to separate on you but if you keep mixing and mixing and mixing with the stick blender you’ll get it to incorporate. The fragrance combo is worth the effort! But, if you want something easier because you’re not quite sure you want to deal with a fragrance that likes to separate? Mangosteen or Berry “I smell horrible out of the bottle but soap up way nicer” Wine would be great with Mint!
SIX: Pour this layer into your lined, 9 Bar Baltic Birch Mold.
SEVEN: In the second half of your batter, add about ½ teaspoon of Super Pearly White mica and 1.5 ounce of Moroccan Mint fragrance Oil. Give it a mix with the stick blender and pour the second layer.

 

TIP: Pour the second layer over a spoon or spatula so the top layer does not break through the bottom layer.
EIGHT: Carefully smooth the top layer out with your spatula. Leave as is or texture the top of your soap using a spoon or whisker. Have your dividers assembled already and carefully place them in the mold.

NINE: Let the soap harden up for 24 hours and it’s ready to unmold and cure for 4-6 weeks.
PS – We’re testing the awesome soap beveler that I used to bevel this soap above. I can’t wait to approve that nifty piece of equipment for sale!
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.

 

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Soapylove Technique Post – 3 Color Fade

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Rainbows and hearts… I can’t seem to get enough!  One of my favorite looks lately is graduated color.  Several years ago I taught at Otion’s Soap Weekend Intensive and was thrilled to attend a class by Paula of PJ Soaps (she’ll be teaching again this summer!).  She showed how to make her beautiful moon soap (click here for tutorial), where she tilts the mold to get a lovely fade between the moon and midnight sky.

I have used this several times with a single tilted color, but realized if you use one on each side and then fill the center, that you can get a 3 color fade!

Here’s what you’ll need:
Coral Mica
Yellow Mica
Liquid Blue
Striped Heart Mold
NOTE: The mold in this tutorial has been discontinued. The kit now contains the Swirled Heart Mold.
Clear M&P soap base
White M&P soap base

Or click here and get everything you need all at once.

 

Here’s how to do it:

Prop your mold up on one side or corner.  I used the Soapylove Striped Heart Mold.  Next, melt and color a small amount of clear soap using non-bleeding red or coral mica.  Spray your mold with alcohol, then pour a small amount of soap into one side, allowing it to only cover 1/3 of your mold surface.

It’s okay if your color doesn’t line up perfectly with the stripes.  Allow to harden.  Now turn around your mold so the opposite side is propped up.  Melt and pour some blue soap into the opposite side, again only covering 1/3 of the mold face.  Allow to harden.

Move your mold to be flat on the table.  Color your third batch of soap yellow, spray mold with alcohol, and pour in soap so it fills the center area and covers a bit of each side color.  Allow to harden.  Spray with alcohol and top off with fragranced white soap.  Voila!

 

Here’s a tip: color your soap with a light hand – if your colors are too dark then the background color won’t show through.  When I do this project again, I’ll use a little less blue so the green tone will be more noticeable.

Enjoy!
-Debbie
Soapylove

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.

 

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Testing 1, 2, 3!

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

Yes, I know I’m always declaring that this or that is my favorite. But I really mean it this time. . . for now, anyway.  I love our new 12 bar square silicone mold. It is so perfect for testing soaps but also makes 12 perfect bars of soap in a flash! We do a lot of soap testing to ensure that each fragrance we carry is safe for use in cold process soap. For every fragrance you see at Brambleberry.com, we’ve tested at least 100 more (really, I swear, that is not an exaggeration) that didn’t make the cut.

Rather than go over the basics of how to make cold process soap again, I’m just going to share my basic technique for testing fragrances.  If you’ve never made cold process soap before please learn about the safety precautions and basic steps first. My series of 4 videos about how to make cold process soap would be a great place to start. Episode 1: Lye Safety, Episode 2: Basic Terms, Episode 3: Using Fragrances, and Episode 4: Using Colorants. And if I catch you making soap without goggles, may the Soap Fairies forever take away your soaping luck.

 
This is a really great basic recipe that I frequently use for testing. It makes a nice, hard bar of soap and with the high percentage of Olive Oil it traces slowly, which gives me plenty of working time. Get everything you need to make this recipe (except the fragrances and olive oil) with the click of a button.
Whenever you make CP soap, prep is very important. When you’re trying to test 12 fragrances, it’s ultra important. I gather all of my safety equipment, ingredients, tools, containers and molds. Next, I mix my Lye solution. While that’s cooling, I measure out my fats and oils.

Next, I weigh out all of my fragrances. It is really important when testing fragrance oils, like I am here, that everything is accurately weighed so that you can duplicate your successes .And, when all the fragrances are weighed out, you can just do a quick ‘dump ‘n’ stir’ – you need 12 little dishes if you’re working on 12 individual fragrances.

Next I mix my lye and oil and bring it to a very light light trace, after everything is prepped. Then I weigh out 4 ounces of soap batter into each container. I fill all 12 containers before moving on to the next step. You may have noticed that this recipe makes a little more than 48 oz. This is because you can never get every last drop of soap out of the pot, and with this recipe you are sure to have 4 full ounces for each bar.

Finally, I thoroughly mix in the fragrance into one of the cups (by hand with a spoon) and pour it into the mold. Then move on and do the next one. I have 12 individual spoons waiting to go. It’s the only way to ensure no scent contamination.

For clean-up there are a couple of ways you can tackle the job. You can wipe out the wet soap with a paper towel and then immediately run very hot water into the cups to wash the oily mess down the drain. Or you can wait a couple of days and wash the fresh soap out the cups. The waiting method is easier – but it only works if you have the space and enough containers that you don’t need them for a few days!

Do you have other testing tips and techniques? I’d love to hear them!

The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.

 

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Neopolitan Sugar Scrub Cubes Recipe

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

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.)



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Mojito Melt and Pour Soap Tutorial

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

I love reading each and every blog comment posted by Soap Queen Readers. Thank you for all of your input and inspiration- It really makes it fun for me! Mid July, I posted a tutorial on Watermelon Soaps and received a comment from SweetMadeSoap that she had made a delicious Mojito Soap with shades of green and white scented with Lime and Peppermint Essential oils. I just had to give the Mojito soap a try (as my mouth started watering just reading the comment). And the results are in…


Ingredients
Scalloped Round Mold (discontinued)
NOTE: The Scalloped Round Mold shown in this tutorial has been discontinued. This kit now contains the Round Mold. 
Glossy Silicone Tray Mold

Get everything you need for this project by clicking the ‘Buy It Now’ icon below.
You’ll also need cookie cutters and a sharp knife to cut out ice cubes and mint leaves.

Mint Leaves: For my dark colored mint leaves, I used clear melt and pour mixed with Liquid Green Colorant and a sprinkle of Yellow Mica. Then I poured a thin layer into a brownie pan tray mold. Once it cooled, I used my mini leaf cookie cutter to cut out the leaves. Try adding a little bit of white soap base to the mix if you want a lighter mint color. As you can see, I did both!

Ice Cubes: For my ice cube color, I used clear melt and pour soap base with 1/2 drop of Brilliant Blue Labcolor, and a sprinkle of Aqua Pearl Mica. You can either pour a layer (1/2 inch thick) into a tray mold and cut your cubes by hand our use a flexible ice cube mold. Either way will work.

Essential Oils: Since Peppermint Essential Oil is pretty strong, I used 1 part Peppermint Essential Oil to 3 parts Lime Essential Oil. It really does smell delicious and refreshing. Trust me, you’re going to love this blend!

Assembly: Pour a thin layer of clear melt and pour (that has cooled to 130 degrees) into your scalloped round soap mold. Spritz four mint leaves and add them to the soap base. Then add another thin layer of clear melt and pour. Spritz three or four ice cubes with rubbing alcohol and add them to the soap, on top of the mint leaves. Then start the random assembly. Add more mint leaves and ice cubes until the mold is full and you have mint and ice sticking out everywhere. Repeat with the other cavities and remember that they’re not all going to be the same. There are no two Mojito Soaps alike (in my experience).

Has anyone else made Mojito Soap? I would love to hear about them!
Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!

Cherry Cupcake Melt and Pour Soap Tutorial

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Bramble Berry’s new cupcake mold makes it easier than ever to whip out a batch of soapy cupcakes from scratch! You’ll be sweetly showering with cupcake goodness in no time.
 Learn how to make these adorable melt and pour soap cupcakes! Great project for beginners.
Ingredients
(Note: This mold has been discontinued.
It has been substituted with the Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold.)
OR Get everything you need by clicking on the “Buy It Now” button below.
ONE: Melt 16 ounces of white soap base in the microwave and mix in ½ ounce of Cherry Pop Fragrance Oil.

Note: The ELF Cupcake Mold has been discontinued. It has been substituted with the Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold. To create a two tone cupcake, make soap in the Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold, then top it with this Foaming Bath Whip Frosting.

TWO: Separate the scented soap evenly into two containers or mugs. Add the canary colorant to one container of soap and the cherry colorant to the other. Just a couple of drops of undiluted color will do the trick. Mix both well.


THREE: Fill up two cupcake cavities with the yellow soap and the other 2 cupcake cavities with the pink soap. Spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate air bubbles and let the soaps cool for about 2-4 hours.

FOUR: Once the soaps have cooled, remove them from the mold and carefully cut off the frosting parts of each cupcake. Then cut the yellow frosting tops into small chunks and melt the soap back down in the microwave. Repeat with the pink soap.
SIX: While the pink and yellow soaps are in the microwave, place all of the cupcake bottoms back into the mold and firmly press them down.


SEVEN: Once the pink and yellow soap is melted and isn’t so hot that it’s steaming (don’t want it to melt the cuppy base), spray the cupcake bottoms with rubbing alcohol (to ensure that the layers stick together) and fill up the frosting part of each cavity mixing and matching colors. Pink cupcake bottoms get yellow frosting and yellow cupcake bottoms get pink frosting. Give the soaps a final spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate air bubbles and let cool. Pop out after a thorough cool down (usually 6 to 8 hours).

Check out other popular cupcake projects like Whipped Soap Cupcakes, Cold Process Cupcakes and Bath Bomb Cupcakes

 

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Cherry Cupcake Melt and Pour Soap Tutorial
 
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These cherry cupcake soaps are made with a cupcake shaped mold, making the project perfect for beginners.
Author:

Ingredients
  • 16 oz White Soap Base
  • Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold
  • Black Cherry Fragrance Oil
  • Bright Cherry LabColor
  • Canary Labcolor

Instructions
  1. Melt 16 ounces of white soap base in the microwave and mix in ½ ounce of Cherry Pop Fragrance Oil.
  2. Separate the scented soap evenly into two containers or mugs. Add the canary colorant to one container of soap and the cherry colorant to the other. Just a couple of drops of undiluted color will do the trick. Mix both well. (Note: The ELF Cupcake Mold has been discontinued. It has been substituted with the Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold. To create a two tone cupcake, make soap in the Round (cupcake) Silicone Mold then top it with the Foaming Bath Whip Frosting.)
  3. Fill up two cupcake cavities with the yellow soap and the other 2 cupcake cavities with the pink soap. Spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate air bubbles and let the soaps cool for about 2-4 hours.
  4. Once the soaps have cooled, remove them from the mold and carefully cut off the frosting parts of each cupcake. Then cut the yellow frosting tops into small chunks and melt the soap back down in the microwave. Repeat with the pink soap.
  5. While the pink and yellow soaps are in the microwave, place all of the cupcake bottoms back into the mold and firmly press them down.
  6. Once the pink and yellow soap is melted and isn’t so hot that it’s steaming (don’t want it to melt the cuppy base), spray the cupcake bottoms with rubbing alcohol (to ensure that the layers stick together) and fill up the frosting part of each cavity mixing and matching colors. Pink cupcake bottoms get yellow frosting and yellow cupcake bottoms get pink frosting. Give the soaps a final spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate air bubbles and let cool. Pop out after a thorough cool down (usually 6 to 8 hours).

Red White and Blue Massage Bars

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

My brother, Erik (from ELF Industrial, Otion and The Soap King blog), designed 2 massage soap molds: The Round Massage Mold and the Oval Massage Mold. They have been a huge hit so far so I thought I would do a last minute 4th of July project with them. This project literally took me 10 minutes, it couldn’t have been easier. Give it a try!

Ingredients for the soaps pictured above
Grab everything you need for this project by clicking HERE!

ONE: Melt 1 ounce of white melt and pour in the microwave and use a dropper to fill in the dots. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

TWO: Melt 11 ounces of clear soap base in the microwave and add .25 ounces of your favorite summertime fragrance oil (I used Coconut Citrus Sorbet). Mix well and separate the soap into two separate containers. Color one container of melted soap with Liquid Blue and the other with Perfect Red Color Block. Mix both colors well.

THREE: Once the melted blue soap has cooled to 125 degrees, spray the first layer of white soap with rubbing alcohol and fill up two cavities with the blue soap. Spritz with the rubbing alcohol to get rid of any air bubbles and repeat with the melted red soap. Let cool for 4-6 hours.

Try different variations using the Round Massage Mold with different layers and fragrances. And be sure to check out other Red, White and Blue Projects: Embedded Stars, Solid Bath Sugar Cubes, Pinwheels, American Flag Soap, President’s Day Soap.
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