Soap Queen

Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more

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Infinity Swirl Soap on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

The infinity swirl is a beautiful method for adding an interesting design to your soap. And it’s really easy to do! The Multi-Pour Sectioning Tool is a re-usable tool perfect for this technique, but you can make your own out of cardboard. Although I love the wispy look, if you want a bolder design just use a swirling tool with a wider diameter (like a spoon handle) to drag more of the colors together. Scented with a blend of Lime and Crisp Anjou Pear fragrance oils, this soap smells fresh, sweet and crisp. Find out how to create it via the Soap Queen TV video below!

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Neon Embed Cold Process Soap Video #tbt

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

Neon Embed Cold Process Soap

It’s another throw-back Thursday video! This one features Kristy Schemrich, an amazingly talented soapmaker and teacher at our 2011 Soap Weekend Intensive (when we filmed this video). This soap has many steps but once you break it down the technique is surprisingly easy. It’s been wonderful looking back through the archives, we clearly had so much fun filming with Kristy as you can see from this blooper reel.

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Classic CP Swirl Soap on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

It’s another Throw-Back Thursday #tbt on Soap Queen TV. This time Christy from KB Shimmer is joining me to demonstrate a classic swirl. This video is from 2010, so please forgive the retro set design.

Please note that before making the soap in this video you should be comfortable making basic batches of cold process soap. This is definitely an advanced technique, so if you haven’t made CP soap before you must watch and practice the recipes in my basic Cold Process soapmaking video series (it’s free!).

In this video we talk about using room temperature lye water. What this means is that we mixed up the lye solution 3 or 4 hours before we made our soap so that it wouldn’t be hot when we used it. You could even mix up your lye solution the day before – just be really sure it is well labeled and not left in a place where someone might think it was just water. Using room temperature lye helps to slow down the saponification process so that you have plenty of time to work with your soap and make those beautiful swirls!

  Buy all the ingredients and the mold to make this soap here.

 

Ingredients:
29.4 oz Olive Oil
16 oz Palm Oil
12.8 oz Coconut Oil
3.8 oz Cocoa Butter
1.9 oz Castor Oil

20.7 oz Distilled Water
8.9 oz Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)

2.5 oz. Lemon Essential Oil
1.5 oz. Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
1/2 tsp Ultramarine Blue Pigment
1/2 tsp Ultramarine Violet Pigment
1/2 tsp Yellow Oxide

18 Bar Baltic Birch Mold

Tools:
2 Heat safe non-reactive containers
3 small non-reactive containers for colors
Stick Blender
Small Spatulas
Wooden Skewers

Safety Gear:
Gloves
Goggles
Apron
Long sleeve shirt and pants

Emulsified Scrub (from Scratch) on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Soaks & Scrubs

It’s another throw-back Thursday #tbt video from the unpublished archives of Soap Queen TV! This was originally filmed in 2010 – check out my bangs!

Emulsified Scrub video

In this video, learn to make a unique emulsified scrub that is both cleansing and moisturizing. It’s a little more complicated to make than a traditional oil and salt (or sugar) scrub. But the benefits make it well worth the effort. This scrub is easier to use, doesn’t feel greasy or leave a slippery mess in the shower and it won’t leak if you ship it or it falls sideways.

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How to Make Fresh Rain Sugar Scrub

Filed Under: Soaks & Scrubs

DIY Sugar Scrub Tutorial on Soap Queen TV

This Fresh Rain Sugar Scrub is so easy to make and a really nice alternative to traditional oil & sugar scrubs that can be greasy and slippery in the shower. Potassium Cocoate is one of the key ingredients in this scrub. It’s a soap concentrate made from coconut oil that contains glycerin resulting in a lovely, moisture-rich scrub. Plus, jojoba beads add a pretty sprinkle of color, and, as highlighted in this Sunday Night Spotlight, they are an ideal alternative to plastic micro-beads.

 

What You’ll Need:
10.5 oz Sugar
1.5 oz Shea Butter
1 oz Potassium Cocoate
0.6 oz Ocean Blue Jojoba Beads
6 mL Optiphen
6 mL Mallow Extract
6 mL Rain fragrance oil
Three 4 oz. Plastic Bail Jars

 Click here to get everything you need to make this scrub!

Whipped Cold Process Soap Frosting on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

One of  the amazing things about soap making is the wide variety of different techniques and possibilities. In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I show you how to create one of my favorite soapy techniques…cold process soap frosting! Simply whip together cool oils and lye to create a light and fluffy texture that is great for piping. Soap frosting is incredibly versatile, and works great for soap cupcakes, or soapy flowers.

 

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Facebook Photo of the Week (Aug. 9th ~ Aug. 15th)

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

With the end of summer in sight (why yes, it has been raining here all week; thanks for asking), we are making the most out of the sun with recipes to keep skin hydrated. Summer means clothing like tank tops and shorts, which means more shaving.  Not to worry, we’ve got you covered with the Sunday Night Spotlight: Foaming Bath Whip + Green Tea Shaving Cream Tutorial.

With moisturizing ingredients like Vitamin E Oil, Green Tea Seed Oil and Green Tea Extract, it leaves your skin feeling soothed and fresh. Foaming Bath Whip can also be used for other recipes, as seen in this Rose Clay Sugar Scrub.

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Make Lotion from Scratch on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Lotion

Learn how to make handmade lotion in this throwback episode of Soap Queen TV filmed in 2010. After watching this video, you will have all the tools you need to make luxurious, moisturizing, and perfect lotion every time! Interested in creating your own lotion recipe from scratch? Check out this blog post to learn more about emulsifiers, lotion oils, preservatives, and how to use them.

First, lotion ingredient uses and benefits are reviewed. Then, learn to make lotion from start to finish. Labeling requirements are also covered if you plan on selling your product. A note on semantics: Anne-Marie uses the term sterilize which is technically incorrect. The term disinfect should be used when talking about cleaning tools for lotion making.

Want to make your very own lotion from scratch? Our Lotion Kit includes everything you need to handmade lotion.

Kit Includes:
Twelve 8 oz. Bottles
4 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
4 oz. Avocado Oil
4 oz. Shea Butter
4 oz. Stearic Acid
4 oz. Polawax Emulsifying Wax
0.5 oz. Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
0.5 oz. Apple Sage Fragrance Oil
Printed Instructions
Printed Labels

LotionKit_700px

How to Make Soap on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I get back to the basics of soap making. Melt & pour soap is the perfect place to start if you are just learning to make your own bath and beauty products. It’s safe, easy and very forgiving; if you make a mistake, just melt the soap and try again. Using the Three Gems Mold to create three different soap, this episode covers embedding, layers and swirling in melt and pour. Want to dive even further into melt and pour techniques? The Basics of Melt and Pour Series has you covered!

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Cotton Candy Cold Process Soap

Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

This is a fun technique that gives you a surprise whichever way you cut your soap. Using squirt bottles I create a cross-hatch pattern in tones of pink and teal. Although this technique is easy it does take some time and careful attention to your trace. To make a successful Cotton Candy soap be patient and keep your trace very, very light.

To make this soap you will need:

Click here to get everything you need 

Summertime Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Summertime brings all kinds of exciting things: warmer weather, lots of trips to the beach and in our case, new episodes of Soap Queen TV! We spent last Friday afternoon filming a whopping four episodes. That includes two new tutorials, a SQTV short on a fun scrub and a quick primer on the best way to get the most out of your Birchwood Mold dividers.

Lily and Jamisen stopped by for a quick visit. Lily loves glitter — just like her momma!

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Learn How to Make Radiant Red Lipstick

Filed Under: Lip Products

For commanding attention in a room, nothing beats a bright red lip. Classy and sophisticated, this look is as stylish now as it was in the 1950s. In this episode of Soap Queen TV, you can learn how to make your own hyper-pigmented lipstick in three different shades. Whatever your skin tone, one of these shades is sure to complement!

The base is a combination of nourishing oils and waxes, and the different shades are tinted with a variety of lip-safe micas, oxides and pigments. When you’re done with this project, easily clean the oily containers with the cool trick we show you in this Soap Queen TV episode. Happy lipstick making!

What you’ll need:
2 oz. Castor Oil
2 oz. Jojoba Oil
0.2 oz Ecosoya Advanced Wax
0.5 oz Candelilla Wax
0.9 oz Chia Seed Oil
Brick Red Oxide
Electric Bubblegum Pigment
Coral Mica
Cellini Red Mica*
* NOTE: Cellini Red Mica has been discontinued. The kit now includes Raspberry Mica
Pouring Tray
Clear Lip Balm Tubes


Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!