Birch trees are known for their beautiful white trunks. The colors and textures of those trees, along with new Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil, inspired this cold process soap. These bars feature two layers separated by a line of activated charcoal. The bottom half is colored with activated charcoal and the top layer is made using the Clyde Slide technique. If you’re an advanced soaper ready for a challenge, this project is for you.

This recipe contains several luxurious oils including jojoba oil, chia seed oil, and lingonberry seed oil. Coconut oil and palm oil add cleansing properties and firmness to the bars. Olive oil is moisturizing and slows down trace, which allows for the complicated swirl on top.

The Clyde Slide technique was made popular by Clyde Yoshida of Vibrant Soap. It involves layering soap into a large bowl and then pouring it in the mold. It can result in very different swirls depending on the number of layers, the thickness of trace, and how the soap is poured into the mold. We recommend always using a well-behaving fragrance oil for this technique, and be ready to work quickly but carefully.

Check out the winners from Amy Warden’s Clyde Slide challenge several years ago to see the wide range of swirls that can be created with the technique. We love how each bar looks so different!

What You Need:
5 Pound Mold with Sliding Bottom
Silicone Liner for 5 lb. Wood Mold
13.8 oz. Coconut Oil (25%)
2.8 oz. Jojoba Oil (5.1%)
5.5 oz. Lingonberry Seed Oil (10%)
2.8 oz. Chia Seed Oil (5%)
16.5 oz. Olive Oil (29.9%)
13.7 oz. Palm Oil (24.9%)
7.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
16.4 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
3.5 oz. Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil
Titanium Dioxide
Activated Charcoal
Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
Evergreen Mica

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

If you’ve never made cold process soap before, stop here. We highly recommend checking out our FREE four part SoapQueen.tv series on cold process soapmaking, especially the episode on lye safety. And if you’d rather do some reading, Bramble Berry carries a wide range of books on the topic, including Pure Soapmaking.

COLORANT PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of titanium dioxide into 1 tablespoon of a lightweight liquid oil such as sunflower or sweet almond. In separate containers, disperse 1/2 teaspoon Green Chrome Oxide Pigment and 1/2 teaspoon Evergreen Mica into 1/2 tablespoon of lightweight liquid oil. Finally, disperse 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal into 1 tablespoon of lightweight oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of clumps.
Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. 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. 

FRAGRANCE PREP: In a glass fragrance oil-safe container, measure out 3.5 ounces of Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil and set aside.

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.

ONE: Slowly and carefully add 7.6 ounces of lye to 16.4 ounces of distilled water. Gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set it 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 3.5 teaspoons sodium lactate.

TWO: Melt and combine 13.8 ounces of coconut oil, 2.8 ounces of jojoba oil, 5.5 ounces of lingonberry seed oil, 2.8 ounces of chia seed oil, 16.5 ounces of olive oil, and 13.7 ounces of palm oil (completely melt the entire container of palm oil before portioning) into a large mixing bowl. 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 the mixture to a very thin trace.

THREE: Pour off 800 mL of soap into a separate container and add 1.5 teaspoons of dispersed activated charcoal.

FOUR: Add a proportional amount of the measured Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil to the gray soap – it’s okay to eyeball it.

FIVE: Stick blend the soap for a few pulses to fully mix in the fragrance and colorant, and to reach a slightly thicker trace. The soap needs to be thin enough to pour and spread out in the mold evenly. You want the soap to be smooth and not hold any texture. That will give you the straightest layer. 

SIX: Pour all of the gray soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter to help get rid of bubbles and to evenly distribute the soap.
NOTE: If this layer of soap gets too thick, you may want to texture the soap with a spoon to create a purposefully uneven layer. It will still look great, just a little bit different. You can see that technique in the Lingonberry Spice Cold Process Soap or the Coastal Rain Cold Process Soap.

SEVEN: Place a spoonful of activated charcoal into a Powder Duster. Use your finger to gently tap the Powder Duster and apply a thin, even layer of charcoal. Work quickly but carefully – activated charcoal can be a pain to clean up. Once the entire layer of soap is covered with a layer of charcoal, set the mold aside.

EIGHT: Section off the remaining soap into separate containers. Add the following amounts of dispersed colorants to each container, and mix them in with a whisk.

• Container A (700 mL): All dispersed titanium dioxide
• Container B (400 mL): Remaining dispersed activated charcoal
• Container C (400 mL): 1/4 teaspoon dispersed Green Chrome Oxide + 1/2 teaspoon dispersed Evergreen Mica

NINE: Pour the remaining Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil into the three containers proportionally – it’s okay to eyeball it. Use a whisk to fully mix in the fragrance.

TEN: Begin pouring white soap into the large bowl, allowing it to run down the side.  As you pour, count 1, 2, 3, 4 to keep each pour consistent. The exact amount of soap you pour at a time is up to you. The more soap you pour into the bowl at a time, the fewer total layers there will be.
NOTE: We tilted the bowl while pouring to help the soap run down the side of the bowl more. This could make pouring trickier. If it feels too unstable, leave the bowl level on the table. Just be very careful when pouring that the soap doesn’t drop into the soap and break through to the layers in the bowl. 

ELEVEN: Continue pouring the soap into the bowl in the pattern of white, black, white, green. Counting while pouring helps keep the pours consistent.

TWELVE: Once all of the soap is in the large bowl, begin to pour the soap into a corner of the mold. Be very careful – you don’t want the soap to break through the layer below.

THIRTEEN: As the mold begins to fill up, slowly move the bowl down the length of the mold while pouring.

FOURTEEN: Once there is about 1/4 of the soap left to pour, begin moving the bowl down the length of the mold more and more to create long stripes. Try to pour as straight as you can.

FIFTEEN: Once all the soap has been poured, tap the mold on the counter to get rid of bubbles. Spritz the top with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. To help the colors pop, we forced the soap through gel phase by placing it on a heating pad set to medium-high for about 1-2 hours. We covered the mold using cardboard and a towel to insulate for 24 hours.

SIXTEEN: Remove the soap from the mold after 1-3 days (depending if you used sodium lactate or not). Cut the soap into bars. After the bars were cut, we used the Soap Shaver to smooth the tops. Adjust the shaver to only slice off a small amount and quickly slide the soap over the blade. Continue to do this until you’re happy with the look of the top. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy!

The two bars in the top left haven’t been shaved while the three bars on the right have. You’ll notice the Soap Shaver took off a bit of soda ash, which made the colors look more vibrant. The smooth and even texture also looks more polished.

Print

Birchwood Oud Cold Process Soap

If you’re an advanced soapmaker ready for a challenge, this project is for you.

Course Cold process soap

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 5 pounds of soap

Author Bramble Berry

Ingredients

• 5 Pound Mold with Sliding Bottom
• Silicone Liner for 5 lb. Wood Mold
• 13.8 oz. Coconut Oil 25%
• 2.8 oz. Jojoba Oil 5.1%
• 5.5 oz. Lingonberry Seed Oil 10%
• 2.8 oz. Chia Seed Oil 5%
• 16.5 oz. Olive Oil 29.9%
• 13.7 oz. Palm Oil 24.9%
• 7.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 16.4 oz. Distilled Water 10% water discount
• 3.5 oz. Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil
• Titanium Dioxide
• Activated Charcoal
• Green Chrome Oxide Pigment
• Evergreen Mica

Instructions

COLORANT PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of titanium dioxide into 1 tablespoon of a lightweight liquid oil such as sunflower or sweet almond. In separate containers, disperse 1/2 teaspoon Green Chrome Oxide Pigment and 1/2 teaspoon Evergreen Mica into 1/2 tablespoon of lightweight liquid oil. Finally, disperse 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal into 1 tablespoon of lightweight oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of clumps. Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. 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.

FRAGRANCE PREP: In a glass fragrance oil-safe container, measure out 3.5 ounces of Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil and set aside.

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 7.6 ounces of lye to 16.4 ounces of distilled water. Gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set it 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 3.5 teaspoons sodium lactate.
• Melt and combine 13.8 ounces of coconut oil, 2.8 ounces of jojoba oil, 5.5 ounces of lingonberry seed oil, 2.8 ounces of chia seed oil, 16.5 ounces of olive oil, and 13.7 ounces of palm oil (completely melt the entire container of palm oil before portioning) into a large mixing bowl. 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 the mixture to a very thin trace.
• Pour off 800 mL of soap into a separate container and add 1.5 teaspoons of dispersed activated charcoal.
• Add a proportional amount of the measured Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil to the gray soap – it’s okay to eyeball it.
• Stick blend the soap for a few pulses to fully mix in the fragrance and colorant, and to reach a slightly thicker trace. The soap needs to be thin enough to pour and spread out in the mold evenly. You want the soap to be smooth and not hold any texture. That will give you the straightest layer.
• Pour all of the gray soap into the mold. Tap the mold on the counter to help get rid of bubbles and to evenly distribute the soap. NOTE: If this layer of soap gets too thick, you may want to texture the soap with a spoon to create a purposefully uneven layer. It will still look great, just a little bit different.
• Place a spoonful of activated charcoal into a Powder Duster. Use your finger to gently tap the Powder Duster and apply a thin, even layer of charcoal. Work quickly but carefully – activated charcoal can be a pain to clean up. Once the entire layer of soap is covered with a layer of charcoal, set the mold aside.
• Section off the remaining soap into separate containers. Add the following amounts of dispersed colorants to each container, and mix them in with a whisk.<br>Container A (700 mL): All dispersed titanium dioxide<br>Container B (400 mL): Remaining dispersed activated charcoal<br>Container C (400 mL): 1/4 teaspoon dispersed Green Chrome Oxide + 1/2 teaspoon dispersed Evergreen Mica
• Pour the remaining Birchwood Oud Fragrance Oil into the three containers proportionally – it’s okay to eyeball it. Use a whisk to fully mix in the fragrance.
• Begin pouring white soap into the large bowl, allowing it to run down the side. As you pour, count 1, 2, 3, 4 to keep each pour consistent. The exact amount of soap you pour at a time is up to you. The more soap you pour into the bowl at a time, the fewer total layers there will be. NOTE: We tilted the bowl while pouring to help the soap run down the side of the bowl more. This could make pouring trickier. If it feels too unstable, leave the bowl level on the table. Just be very careful when pouring that the soap doesn’t drop into the soap and break through to the layers in the bowl.
• Continue pouring the soap into the bowl in the pattern of white, black, white, green. Counting while pouring helps keep the pours consistent.
• Once all of the soap is in the large bowl, begin to pour the soap into a corner of the mold. Be very careful – you don’t want the soap to break through the layer below.
• As the mold begins to fill up, slowly move the bowl down the length of the mold while pouring.
• Once there is about 1/4 of the soap left to pour, begin moving the bowl down the length of the mold more and more to create long stripes. Try to pour as straight as you can.
• Once all the soap has been poured, tap the mold on the counter to get rid of bubbles. Spritz the top with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. To help the colors pop, we forced the soap through gel phase by placing it on a heating pad set to medium-high for about 1-2 hours. We covered the mold using cardboard and a towel to insulate for 24 hours.
• Remove the soap from the mold after 1-3 days (depending if you used sodium lactate or not). Cut the soap into bars. After the bars were cut, we used the Soap Shaver to smooth the tops. Adjust the shaver to only slice off a small amount and quickly slide the soap over the blade. Continue to do this until you’re happy with the look of the top. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy!
• The two bars in the top left haven’t been shaved while the three bars on the right have. You’ll notice the Soap Shaver took off a bit of soda ash, which made the colors look more vibrant. The smooth and even texture also looks more polished.

The post Birchwood Oud Cold Process Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.

This Lingonberry Spice Soap has a rustic-chic look that’s perfect for the holidays and beyond. The bars have a white base and activated charcoal pencil lines. To make the top look festive, there are rose hips and dried leaves.

It’s scented with Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil, which is a comforting mix of apple, cedarwood, lemon, balsam fir, cinnamon, and mountain air. It’s a part of the new Hygge Collection. Click here to explore all the new products, which include oils, packaging, and fragrances.

Of course, how the soap feels is just as important. The recipe is made with new lingonberry seed oil, which has a silky and lightweight texture on the skin. The soap also features skin-loving shea butter and cocoa butter.

Due to the large amount of titanium dioxide, the recipe has a 15% water discount to prevent glycerin rivers. The slow-moving oils keep the soap workable, but be ready to work quickly.

[bb_recipeKit link=”https://www.brambleberry.com/BRAMcustom/kitrecipehandler.ashx?recipe=lingonberryspicecp”]

5 Pound Mold with Sliding Bottom
Silicone Liner for 5 Pound Wood Mold
2.8 oz. Shea Butter (5%)
7 oz. Canola Oil (12.6%)
1.1 oz. Castor Oil (2%)
2.8 oz. Deodorized Cocoa Butter (5%)
14 oz. Coconut Oil (25.1%)
2.8 oz. Lingonberry Seed Oil (5%)
14 oz. Palm Oil (25.1%)
11.2 oz. Sunflower Oil (20.1%)
7.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
15.6 oz. Distilled Water (15% water discount)
3 oz. Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil
Titanium Dioxide
Activated Charcoal
Rose Hips
Dried Leaves

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

[/bb_recipeKit]

[sq_products]

Print

Lingonberry Spice Cold Process Soap

This recipe is perfect for the holidays and beyond.

Course Cold process

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour

Author Bramble Berry

Ingredients

• 5 Pound Mold with Sliding Bottom
• Silicone Liner for 5 Pound Wood Mold
• 2.8 oz. Shea Butter 5%
• 7 oz. Canola Oil 12.6%
• 1.1 oz. Castor Oil 2%
• 2.8 oz. Deodorized Cocoa Butter 5%
• 14 oz. Coconut Oil 25.1%
• 2.8 oz. Lingonberry Seed Oil 5%
• 14 oz. Palm Oil 25.1%
• 11.2 oz. Sunflower Oil 20.1%
• 7.8 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
• 15.6 oz. Distilled Water 15% water discount
• 3 oz. Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil
• Titanium Dioxide
• Activated Charcoal
• Rose Hips
• Dried Leaves

Instructions

FRAGRANCE PREP: In a glass container, measure out 3 ounces of Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil and set aside.

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 7.8 ounces of lye to 15.6 ounces of distilled water. Gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set it 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 3.5 teaspoons sodium lactate.
• Melt and combine 2.8 ounces of shea butter, 7 ounces of canola oil, 1.1 ounces of castor oil, 2.8 ounces deodorized cocoa butter, 14 ounces of coconut oil, 2.8 ounces of lingonberry seed oil, 14 ounces of palm oil (remember to fully melt then mix your entire container of palm oil before portioning), and 11.2 ounces of sunflower oil into a large mixing bowl. Add 4 teaspoons of titanium dioxide into the oils and use the stick blender to mix in the colorant thoroughly. Make sure there are no clumps.
• 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 the mixture to a thin trace.
• Add 3 ounces of Lingonberry Spice Fragrance Oil. Use the stick blender to stir in the fragrance and pulse sparingly.
• Once the soap is thick enough to support layers on top, spoon ¼ of it (about 20 ounces) into the mold. Tap down, and use a small spoon to create peaks and divots down the length of the mold.
• Very carefully, spoon a small amount of activated charcoal into the powder duster. Then, use your finger to gently “tap” the duster, allowing a small amount of powder to fall onto the soap. Working quickly but carefully, cover the soap with a thin layer of charcoal.
• Use a spoon or spatula to plop another 20 ounces of soap into the mold, covering the charcoal layer below completely. Use a spoon to smooth out the layer and create peaks and divots. Lightly cover this layer of soap with activated charcoal.
• Repeat this process with another 20 ounces of soap, and one more layer of activated charcoal.
• Plop the remaining soap into the mold. Use a large spoon to evenly distribute the soap and create a smooth top.
• Use a fork to create texture from one side of the mold to the other width-wise until you have covered the complete length of the mold.
• Place dried rose hips in the center of the mold. Place them where you want the center of your bars to be. Where you place the rose hips will decide how big you’d like the bars. Then, place 1-2 myrtle leaves next to the rose hip.
• Spritz the top with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. If you live in a very hot climate, place the soap in the fridge or freezer for several hours to prevent gel phase. If not, the soap can stay on the counter uncovered.
• Allow the soap to stay in the mold for 2-3 days. Unmold, and cut into bars. Clean up the activated charcoal lines if necessary. Allow them to cure for 4-6 weeks and enjoy.

The post Lingonberry Spice Cold Process Soap appeared first on Soap Queen.

As temperatures start to drop, your skin will need some extra TLC. We have new oils and extracts that will keep it hydrated all fall and winter long.

They’re part of the Hygge Collection, which includes comforting scents and giftable packaging. It’s inspired by the Danish concept of hygge (hoo-gah), which is the everyday pursuit of happiness, comfort, and connection. Learn more about the oils below.

Lingonberry Seed Oil
Lingonberries are native to forests in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. They’re a staple in Scandinavian cuisine. They’re quite tart, so they’re often mixed into oatmeal or made into jam.

The oil extracted from the seeds feels amazing. It has a silky and lightweight texture that leaves the skin moisturized but not greasy. It’s also packed with essential fatty acids and antioxidants. We love it in handmade soap, lotion, and balm.

Lingonberry seed oil has a light yellow color and an earthy scent. In the finished product, that scent won’t be as noticeable.

It has a shelf life of 2 years. The usage rates are:

• Cold process soap: 5-15%
• Lotions and creams: 1-15%
• Balms: 1-10%

Oat Oil
Oats are amazing for skincare. Hydrolyzed oats are a moisturizing addition to lotion, and colloidal oatmeal has a silky texture that feels amazing in face masks.

Oat oil is no exception. Once you try it in handmade soap, lotion, or scrub, you won’t be able to get enough of it. It has a lightweight and non-greasy consistency. It has more than 35% omega fatty acids, as well as high levels of antioxidants, ceramides, and vitamin E. Those nutrients keep the skin hydrated and smooth all day long.

This oil has an orange-yellow color and nutty scent. When used at 15% or less and with a strong fragrance, the scent won’t be as noticeable.

The shelf life is 1 year. The usage rates are:

• Cold process soap: 5-15%
• Lotions and creams: 1-15%
• Balms: 1-10%

Turmeric Shea Butter
In India, turmeric has been used in food and medicine for thousands of years. In the U.S., it has become increasingly popular in the past few years. It contains curcumin, which is a strong antioxidant. You can add turmeric powder to DIY bath products for a natural color and mild exfoliation.

This product is a skin-loving blend of turmeric root extract, shea butter, and jojoba oil. It has a slightly softer consistency than regular shea butter, but it has similar moisturizing properties. We love the non-greasy feeling in DIY lotion and body butter.

Turmeric shea butter has a light yellow color and an earthy, slightly spicy scent. In finished products, the scent won’t be as noticeable.

It has a shelf life of 1 year. The usage rates are:

• Cold process soap: 1-10%
• Lotions and creams: 1-10%
• Balms: up to 100%

Liquid Cashmere
We can’t wait for you to try this new product. It comes from the keratin fibers of cashmere wool through a process called hydrolysis, where water is used to break down the bonds of a substance. The result is a water-soluble liquid that’s perfect for DIY lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. Liquid cashmere adds a moisturizing and silky feeling, and it also helps prevent hair breakage and split ends.

The additive has a tan color and a distinct nutty odor that’s slightly sweet. When used at 5% or less and with a strong fragrance, the scent won’t be as noticeable.

The shelf life is 1 year. Use at 0.5-5% of the total weight in water-based products like lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.

Pumpkin Extract
You need this for all your fall projects. It’s made of pumpkin extract and fractionated coconut oil. That combination creates a lightweight and moisturizing feeling on the skin, and it also helps it easily mix into DIY soap, lotion, scrub, and bath bombs. You only need a little bit of pumpkin extract to add something special to your projects.

It’s clear and odorless and the shelf life is 1 year. Use up to 7% of the total weight in soap, lotion, conditioner, scrub, and bath bombs.

We’ll share tutorials that demonstrate all the ways you can get creative with the new products. Which one is inspiring you the most? Let us know using the tag #BrambleOn.

The post New Hygge Collection Oils and Extracts appeared first on Soap Queen.