Slowly and carefully add 4.7 ounces of lye to 10.9 ounces of distilled water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Add 1 ounce of sodium lactate and stir well. It's used in hot process at 3% of the oil weight to help create a smoother bar.

Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix until it’s completely clear and there’s no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 33 oz. into your Crock-Pot and turn it on. Note: The heat setting you use may vary depending on your cooking vessel. We have cooked hot process soap on low and high heat with equally good results. For this recipe, we used the high heat setting for a faster cook time. If you’re making hot process soap in your cooking vessel for the first time, start with the low setting. Next time try the high setting and see which you prefer.

Slowly add the lye water to the oils. Make sure the mixture does not fill up more than half of the pot. Tap the stick blender on the bottom of the pot to release air bubbles and begin to blend.

Mix with a stick blender until thick trace. Put the lid on the Crock-Pot and allow the soap to start cooking.

After about 10-15 minutes, check the soap. Starting from the outside, the texture and color of the soap will start to change into a glossy, slightly Vaseline-like texture. Note: Don’t be surprised if the soap starts to grow in volume. Do not leave it unattended in the first 10 minutes of cook time for this reason. If the soap gets too high in the pot, take it off the heat and stir like crazy.

Stir the batch to ensure even cooking. Place the lid back on the pot and allow it to cook for about another 10-20 minutes. The time may vary depending on the temperature of your Crock-Pot. Keep an eye on it, checking it every 5-10 minutes or so.

The batch is ready when it’s the texture of glossy mashed potatoes. To be sure, use a pH strip. Place a small amount of the soap into a cup of distilled water and stir. Dip the pH strip into the water – it should be below 10. Be sure not to overcook the soap, you don’t want it too dry for the next steps.

Add 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds directly to the soap and stir.

Add all of the fragrance blend and stir thoroughly.

Use a large spatula to transfer half of the soap to the mold. Tap firmly on the counter to even it out and get rid of bubbles. Place about 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal into the powder duster and quickly apply a thin layer onto the soap. Don't add too much, or the top layer may not stick.

Add all of the dispersed Yellow Mica to the remaining soap and stir. Plop the soap into the mold and use your gloved hands to press it in. Tap firmly on the counter to even it out.

Allow the soap to stay in the mold for at least 24 hours. Unmold and cut into bars. This soap is ready to use right away, but will last longer in the shower after at least a 2-week cure time. Enjoy!