Today's Mandatory Activity involves creating a rose soap for my shop for part of my Valentine's Day offerings. I decided to set up the camera so I could record the process and show you guys exactly how I made it.Â
In the linked video tutorial below, I go over ingredients, step-by-step process, and the final cut of this cold processed rose soap project. I call this soap Rose to the Occasion. 😉
I hope you enjoy it!
I know I'm not alone when I say that roses are not my favorite fragrance. As a flower, I think they are beautiful, and they smell amazing IRL. But as a scent that gets recreated in a lab, I think most people get it wrong.Â
I struggled a little with exactly how to design a rose soap that was feminine and pretty, but that didn't smell my Grandma's underwear drawer. Â
Anyone else?Â
Potpourri sachets EVERYWHERE... perhaps that's why I now have issues. Grandma is no longer with us to defend herself, so best to just leave it alone. 🙂
The hero that came to solve this problem for me was the Rose Petal Gelato fragrance oil from Candlescience. It smells amazing...sugared rose petals, cream, jasmine. It's such a nice, pleasant, warm, musky and creamy blend. Â
I smell the roses, but in a way that I want to smell the roses. It's delightful.
I can't take credit for the combination of oils used to make this rose soap, but I do feel comfortable sharing it's origin, since it's creator does it on each of her videos. 🙂Â
This base soap recipe is the one used by Katie Carson of Royalty Soaps. She is this adorable creature who makes beautiful, creative and inspiring soaps on YouTube. Despite being in her mid-twenties, she's somehow managed to be an OG soap-maker and YouTuber, so go Katie! 🙂
She generously shares all of her techniques and recipes with the soapmakers and wannabe soapmakers, and I have personally learned a lot about soap making from her.
Here is her recipe:Â
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Olive Oil – 40% Coconut Oil – 30% Palm Oil (Organic, RSPO-Certified, and ) – 20% Sweet Almond Oil – 5% Castor Oil – 5% Superfat – 5% Lye Concentration (ie. Lye Solution Strength) – 35%
This is one of 2 base soap oil recipes I keep on-hand, master-batched in a 35 gallon drum at all times. I often adjust it here and there (add in something like jojoba oil or avocado oil, etc.), but this is a beautiful base oils recipe and it makes solid, bubbly lather.
If you read my post on the DIY Basics of soap making, you'll have a general idea for what cold processed soap making involves, and how creative it allows you to be.
You will also notice that I've added aloe vera juice into my lye water solution. Aloe vera juice in your soap?? Yes!
I learned this trick from Ellen at Ellen Ruth soap, also here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu2X30DaxV69q9wjKTM6Omw
Ever since I tried it, I make the bulk of my cold processed soaps with aloe vera juice, or a mix of aloe vera juice and water. Such a nice additive!
I've made a video for you to show you the process for this Valentine's Day rose soap, which I will paste below.
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijWGkzH6Q5g
Used and referenced in this soap (in order of appearance):Small stainless steel pitchers: https://amzn.to/3ajtq6zReflection mica from TKB Trading: https://tkbtrading.com/products/reflectionGreen chrome oxide from Brambleberry: https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-by-product/ingredients/colorants/pigments/green-chrome-oxide-pigment/V000593.htmlApricot kernel oil: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/apricot-kernel-oil.aspx5 Liter pitcher: https://amzn.to/3rel5IdAloe vera juice: https://amzn.to/3relgTTLye: (make sure you use 100% lye! no additives of any kind). I buy mine in bulk now, but started with this brand from Amazon: https://amzn.to/36s8IQPKaolin clay: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/white-kaolin-clay.aspxCoconut milk powder: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/coconut-milk-powder.aspxRose Petal Gelato fragrance: https://www.candlescience.com/fragrance/rose-petal-gelato-fragrance-oilStick blender: https://amzn.to/3r8zZzzTitanium Dioxide (white) pigment: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/titanium-dioxide-pigment-powder-for-water.aspxPink Watermelon Mica: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/pink-watermelon-infusion-sparkle-mica-powder.aspxTall skinny triple-wide soap mold: https://www.workshopheritage.com/products/tall-skinny-triple-width-10-pound-mold-with-sllicone-linerReusable piping bags: https://amzn.to/3crwpMFOpen star piping tip: https://amzn.to/3cmtp4m24 Karate gold mica: https://tkbtrading.com/products/24-karat-goldFizz Fairy eco-glitter: https://fizzfairy.ca/collections/bio-glitter/products/gold-holographic-earth-friendly-glitterMicro scoop: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/scoop-0.15-ml-micro-size.aspxLeaf piping tip: https://amzn.to/3raO8MODisposable piping bags: https://amzn.to/3pNmp48