Mermaids Cold Process Soap Recipe

Begin by preparing your workspace and gathering all of your ingredients and equipment. Put on safety goggles, gloves, and long sleeves before working with lye, and be sure your work area is clean, well ventilated, and free from children and pets.

In a heat-safe container, carefully add 170.4 grams of sodium hydroxide to 340.8 grams of distilled water, stirring until the lye has completely dissolved. Set the lye solution aside to cool while you prepare the oils. Always add the lye to your water; never add your water to your lye.

Combine 312.5 grams of shea butter, 312.5 grams of mango seed butter, and 250 grams of coconut oil in a large mixing container. Gently heat the mixture until the oils are completely melted, then stir in 187.5 grams of apricot kernel oil, 125 grams of argan oil, and 62.5 grams of castor oil.

In four small bowls, disperse one gram each of Pepper Pink Mica, Enchanted Mermaid Mica, Summer Sunshine Shimmer, and Iridescent Radiance Gold in a small amount of liquid oil taken from your recipe. Stir each color until smooth and set them aside.

Once the oils and lye solution have cooled to approximately the same temperature, slowly pour the lye solution into the oils. Use a stick blender, alternating with hand stirring, until the soap reaches a light trace. Keeping the batter thin will help create a beautiful swirl.

Add 62.5 grams of Coral Crush Fragrance Oil and stir thoroughly until the fragrance is evenly incorporated into the soap batter.

Divide the soap batter evenly into four containers and add one prepared color to each portion. Stir gently until each color is fully blended, being careful not to overmix.

Choose one color to be your base and pour the remaining three colors into it in several different spots around the bowl. Using a spatula, make one gentle pass through the batter to create an in-the-pot swirl. Resist the urge to overmix, as too much stirring will blend the colors together instead of creating distinct swirls.

Pour the soap batter into the Silicone Loaf Mold, allowing the swirl pattern to naturally develop as the batter fills the mold. Gently tap the mold on your work surface to release any trapped air bubbles.

Allow the soap to remain in the mold for about 48 hours, or until it is firm enough to unmold without denting. Carefully remove the loaf from the mold and cut it into bars using a soap cutter or a sharp knife. Place the bars on a curing rack with space between each bar to allow for airflow. Allow the soap to cure for 4 to 6 weeks before use so the bars become harder, milder, and longer lasting.