Lunar Rock Soap

Do you love the soaps that look like rocks?  Then create this soap by Wholesale Supplies Plus.  It can be slicked or cut into large chunks to look like rocks!

Project Level: Advanced.

Estimated Time: 1 Hour
Yields: (12) 4 oz Rocks

INCI Ingredient Label: Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Triethanolamine, Water, Fragrance, Mica (and) Titanium Dioxide (and) Iron Oxides, Mica (and) Iron Oxides (and) Carmine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, EDTA, Benzophenone 4

Ingredients

• 3 Pound(s) Crafter's Choice Extra Clear Soap Base
• 1 Ounce(s) Crafter's Choice Sweet Rain Fragrance Oil
• 1/2 Cup(s) Crafter's Choice Mica Powder - White
• 6 ml(s) Crafter's Choice Liquid Pigment - Ultramarine Blue
• 1 Tablespoon(s) Crafter's Choice Liquid Sparkle - Flamingo Pink
• 1 Tablespoon(s) Crafter's Choice Liquid Sparkle - Silver
• 1 Tablespoon(s) Crafter's Choice Liquid Sparkle - Emerald Green

Equipment

• Mold: Rectangle Silicone Loaf
• Bowls - 4 Wide Mouth
• Double Boiler
• Droppers - Plastic
• Gloves
• Ladle (if you choose loaf variation)
• Measuring Cup - Small Plastic, 1 oz
• Plate - Disposable Paper
• Rubbing Alcohol with Fine Mist Sprayer
• Scale - Digital
• Soap Slicer/Cutter
• Spoon
• Stove Top
• Thermometer - Digital

Directions

This recipe calls for the soap to be shaped into soap balls. A fun variation is to press the soap into the Crafter's Choice Basic Rectangle Silicone Loaf Mold. Instead of dipping soap balls to create colored layers, drizzle different colors of soap to create layers. Allow 4-6 hrs before slicing.

Using a soap slicer, cut clear soap into 1-2" pieces. The soap slicer is dull and perfect for this project. Do not use a knife as it is very sharp and the soap is slippery. The knife could slip causing injury.

Place white powdered mica in a shallow, wide mouth bowl.

Cut 1 pound of clear soap into smaller 1/4" pieces. Spritz this soap with rubbing alcohol and roll in generous amounts of white mica. Set aside on paper plate.

On the stove top and in a double boiler, melt 2 pounds of clear soap (the double-boiler prevents burning). Note that if this is more soap than your double boiler can hold, you can melt 2 pounds at a time.

Once fully melted, pour 1/2 pound of soap into one mixing bowl. Color with Emerald Green color. Mix well. Add 8 ml of fragrance. Mix well. Set aside. For future reference we will call this bowl 1.

Pour 1/2 pound of soap into second mixing bowl. Color with Ultramarine Blue. Mix well. Add 8 ml of fragrance. Mix well. Set aside. For future reference we will call this bowl 2.

Pour 1/2 pound of soap into third mixing bowl. Color with Pink Liquid Sparkle. Mix well. Add 8 ml of fragrance. Mix well. Set aside. For future reference we will call this bowl 3.

Pour 1/2 pound of soap into fourth mixing bowl. Color with Liquid Silver. Mix well. Add 8 ml of fragrance. Mix well. Set aside. For future reference we will call this bowl 4.

Once bowls 1-4 are at 130º F, pick up the clear chunked soap that has been rolled in mica. Spritz again with rubbing alcohol.

Begin to squeeze and mash these chunks together. Dip the mashed soap into the melted bowl 1. Take out and continue to mash. The gloves you are wearing will prevent any burn to your skin.

Continue to squeeze and mash into a ball. Dip into soap, mash, add additional mica rolled chunks, dip into bowl 2 and mash.

When you are squeezing and mashing the soap, push your thumb into the soap ball so that colors can move further into the ball. Continue to mash and dip until the color begins to have dark layers. Slowly start to form a ball.

Quickly roll the entire ball into mica. Occassionally doing this full "mica roll" will give your soap the deep veins which look really cool when the soap is sliced.

Dip the ball into bowl 3, add more small chunks of mica soap, then squeeze together. Continue to dip and squeeze until the ball is the size you desire and are ready for another layer of color.

Set aside on cooling rack or paper plate until fully cooled. Approximately 2 hours.

Using a soap slicer, cut into cool geometric shapes.

The soap is ready to use after unmolding. If you plan to sell your soap, wrap it immediately. Options are plastic wrap, shrink wrap or cello bags. Proper packaging keeps the fragrance strong. Don't forget to label the soap to complete the package. Label according to FDA cosmetic label guidelines.

Source: http://wholesalesuppliesplus.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?RecipeID=39