How To Make Pretty Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap

What kind of soap should we make?  We have a few bottles of essential oils on hand and one of those is lemongrass.  Lemongrass is an anti-microbial and anti-bacterial herb.  It also acts as an astringent.  Click here to find out other benefits of lemongrass.◄  Another oil we have is orange.  It just so happens we have some fresh oranges, too.  So, the idea for lemongrass and orange zest soap is born.

Today, I’m making a ‘semi-homemade’ soap with a melt and pour soap base.  The soap base has already been through the saponification process.  Unlike the cold process soap making, which requires curing for a time, the ‘melt and pour’ soap base is ready to use as soon as it hardens.  You skip right to the fun part of soap making and anyone can make their own soaps using this method!

[ctt template=”8″ link=”UeQn9″ via=”no” ]Make this Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap Using A Soap Base. It’s so easy and so pretty![/ctt]

 

Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap Using A Soap Base

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Supplies You’ll Need:

• 1 pound Shea Butter Melt and Pour Soap Base
• 1 pound Clear Glycerin Soap
• 1/2 teaspoon Lemongrass Essential Oil  
• 1/2 teaspoon Orange Essential Oil
• Soap Mold
• 1/2 teaspoon Tangerine Mica Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Daffodil Mica Powder
• Orange zest from 1 orange
• *2 Stainless Steel Spoons For Mixing
• 99% Rubbing Alcohol in a Spray Bottle
• rubber or latex gloves

*You can use a silicone spatula, which I used at first.  The soap base started setting up on it and it dawned on me that the metal spoon would retain the heat better so I ditched the silicone and used a large stainless steel spoon.
*I also use a handheld citrus zester like this one rather than a planer.  The zest created is in longer pieces and looks so much prettier.
 

This 24 box of mica powder from Dibble Dabble can be bought on Amazon.  (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through the links on this post at no cost to you.  Thanks for supporting this website.)

There is enough colorant here to make many batches of soap, bath bombs, lip glosses, and other crafts.  There is a perfect rose color and that is the one I used.

 

Before Starting The Soap

Before I started making the lavender soap in a previous post, I filled a measuring cup with 1 cup of water.  Then, I poured water into the mold to see how much it would take to fill the individual molds.  1/2 cup of water filled the mold up to about 1/4-inch from the top.

 

The soap bases are 32-ounces.  I cut both the shea butter base and the clear glycerin base in half.  We’ll be using half of each to make layered bars and that will be a total of 32-ounces.  It would take 48-ounces of soap base to fill all of the molds.  That means that I can fill 2/3 of the rectangular molds or make 8 bars of soaps.  The wells in this mold measure 2″ x 3″ x 1-1/2″ deep.  

You can use this same method to figure out roughly how much soap base you need if you are using a different mold.

 

Directions For Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap

 

Melting The Soap Bases

The Shea Butter Base:

Begin by opening the shea butter base, cut the block in half through the middle and then, set one half back in the plastic container.  Cut the remaining half of the block along the indentations with a sharp kitchen knife.  You should have 16 cubes.  (You can heat the base in a microwave but I chose to melt the blocks over simmering water using the double boiler method.  I enjoy the slower process, especially when I’m taking pictures!)

Place the cubes in a glass or stainless steel heat-safe bowl.

The Clear Glycerin Base:

 

Begin by opening the clear glycerin base, cut the block in half through the middle and then, set one half back in the plastic container.  Cut the remaining half of the block along the indentations with a sharp kitchen knife.  You should once again have 16 cubes.

Place the cubes in a glass or stainless steel heat-safe bowl.

How To Melt The Soap Base

Fill the bottom of two saucepans with 2-inches of water.  You don’t want the bowl resting on the water.  It should be above the water.

Place the bowls with the soap cubes on the saucepans over the water and bring the water to a low simmer.

Allow the cubes to melt, stirring occasionally after mostly melted.

 

 

 

When the soap base is completely melted, remove the saucepan and the bowl from the pan, set on a silicone potholder or a heat-safe surface.  I read that the soap base should be at a temperature of 120°F before adding the mica colorant.  It took about 15 minutes for the cubes to melt after the water came to a simmer.

 

 

I checked the temperature of the soap base after the last few pieces of base melted.  It read at 120°.  Perfect.

*Caution:  Be careful.  Melted soap is hot!  It might be a good idea to wear protective gloves. 

While the soap base is melting, zest the orange.

 

Turn off the burner.  Leave the soap base over the simmering water while you prepare the mica powder and measure the lemongrass and orange essential oils.

 

 (I read that if you add the color and fragrance to soap that is too hot, it can affect them negatively.  After the soap base is melted, you have a short amount of time to add the coloring and the essential oil before the soap starts to set or forms a skin on top.  If a little skim forms, stir the base to melt it.  Don't walk away; you need to be prepared.)

The Lemongrass and Orange Essential Oil

Quickly, measure the 1/2 teaspoon of lemongrass and 1/2 teaspoon of orange essential oil in separate little bowls and set to the side.  Have the oil ready to add to the melted soap base.  One-half teaspoon creates a soft scent.  I personally don’t like heavy scents.  This gives a subtle scent but if you want a bolder scent, add more.

Add The Mica Colorant and Essential Oil

 

Moving quickly, once the soap base is completely melted, mix 1 tablespoon of 99% isopropyl alcohol with the 1 teaspoon of Tangerine and the 1 teaspoon of Daffodil mica powder colors and stir gently until the color is completely dispersed. 

Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of the alcohol mica powder mixture at a time to the soap base until you achieve the depth of color desired.  (I used the whole mixture in the shea butter base!  I love the color and the shimmer!) 

The recommendation from Dibble Dabble is to add 1/2 teaspoon of the mica – alcohol mixture per pound of soap base.  I started with half of the mixture, stirred, then,  poured the rest of the mixture into the base.  You can’t really go wrong. 

In retrospect, the soap would be more transparent and the zest more visible if I had used less of the tangerine colorant.  But, the color is so pretty!  On the contrary, the daffodil is a softer color, and next time, I’ll add more of it.

 

 

After adding and mixing in the mica colorant, add the orange essential oil and the zest.  Stir quickly to completely mix the colorant, the zest, and the oil into the base.

 

Filling the Molds With the Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap Mixture

Quickly, pour or spoon some of the tangerine tinted clear glycerin soap base into the molds.  Divide the liquid base between eight of the molds. 

Before spooning the daffodil colored shea butter base over the clear base, spritz the clear base with the 99% isopropyl alcohol over the top surface.  Somehow, this helps the two bases to meld together.   

I used a large spoon to fill the cavities with the soap base.  It would probably be easier and faster if you had a spout on the bowl but the large spoon worked pretty well.

Gently tap the sides of the mold to release air bubbles.

If bubbles form on the top of the soap, spray some of the rubbing alcohol over the surface.  Repeat if necessary.  This works like a charm!

Wait for 30 minutes, then, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent glycerin dew.

 

How Long The Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap Needs To Set

When I researched how to make the lavender soap earlier, I read on one blog that you should allow the soap to harden for 24 hours.  Then, on the goat milk soap base instructions, it said to allow it to sit for at least 40 minutes.

Obviously, the time it takes to completely cool depends on the molds you use.  One large block would take much longer.  

These bars took about an hour to set up and easily popped out of the molds.

Be patient!  Don’t try to expedite the hardening process by placing it in the fridge or the freezer!  Just step away.

 

Unmolding and Storing The Lemongrass and Orange Zest Soap

Gently push the sides of the mold away from the soap bars and turn upside down.  Push the silicone bottom to release the bars from the molds.  If the edges are damp, place the bars on a wire rack and allow them to dry for an hour.  Drying time will definitely be affected by humidity.

To give the top of the soap a nice edge, I used a vegetable peeler to gently trim off the rough edge.

A great thing about using a soap base is that the soap can be used as soon as it is unmolded.  There is no need for curing like in the cold process method.  You do need to store the soap bars in plastic.

Do I need to store the soap in plastic?  Yes, storing the soap in plastic will keep it from sweating and forming glycerin dew.  You don't have to go out and buy special shrinkwrap for this!  Just use regular plastic wrap.  Click here for a video on how to ►Shrinkwrap with plastic wrap.

For a few questions you might have and the answers, Click here ► for the answers to questions you might have about melt and pour soap making.

 

If you try this DIY Craft, please post a picture of it on social media and tag us @myhumblehomeandgarden.

 

 

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This post is featured at My Hubbard Home! ◄

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