Lovely Lavender Soap

(Submitted to Soap Wizards by Ela Heyn)

MATERIALS:

• Lavender essential oil (or Fragrance oil)
• Kaolin Clay
• Clear soap base or opaque soap base (molding soap base is better than crafting soap base for this application)
• Soap Molds
• Color (I use FD&C purple for this)

Optional: Lavender Buds (make sure they have not been treated with pesticides; I get organic lavender buds from the health food store - sold as loose tea - or gourmet shop for this reason). If you do use lavender buds, you will probably want to color your soap purple, to hide the brown discoloration that your lavender buds will incur after they have been in the soap for approximately a week.

TECHNIQUE:

1. Melt soap base, and color it with FD&C purple, if you desire.

2. Add approximately one teaspoon kaolin (or less) per lb (2 cups) of melted soap base, and stir. The kaolin serves to anchor the scent of the lavender essential oil in the soap (making the scent last longer), and is also good for oily skin.

3. Allow soap base to cool slightly before stirring again. Now add lavender essential oil. (Essential oils are very sensitive to heat, so you want to add them at the last possible moment to preserve as much of the lavender's healing properties as possible). Add approximately 40 drops of essential oil per lb. (two cups) of melted soap base, or less.

4. Add lavender buds, if desired, and stir them in.

5. Pour soap into molds, let harden, and unmold.

NOTES: To give added "staying power" to the lavender scent, you can try adding one or two drops of oakmoss absolute per lb. of melted soap base as well.


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Source: http://www.soapwizards.com/