Pumpkin and Buttermilk Soap Project
These Pumpkin and Buttermilk Soaps may have a simple design, but they're chock-full of skin-loving ingredients! Buttermilk powder, cocoa butter, and fresh pumpkin puree gives them a creamy lather. They're scented with Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil, which has notes of cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.
Due to the vanilla content in the fragrance, it does discolor. Plenty of titanium dioxide is added directly to the soaping oils to combat this. Then, a combination of yellow oxide and dark red Brazilian clay create a soft pumpkin-orange color. Over time, the bars do darken and brown slightly, but still retain this color.
Due to the water discounting, cocoa butter, clay, and titanium dioxide, this recipe thickens quickly. Have all additives, colors, and fragrance prepped and ready. If the soap gets too thick to pour, use a whisk to loosen it or plop the batter into the mold with a spoon.
What You Need:
Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil - 2 oz
Sodium Lactate - 4 oz
Sodium Hydroxide Lye
12 Bar Round Silicone Mold - 1 Mold
Titanium Dioxide Pigment - 1 oz
Yellow Oxide Pigment - 1 oz
Dark Red Brazilian Clay - 1 oz
Buttermilk Powder - 4 oz
Olive Oil - Pure - 1 lb
Coconut Oil - 1 lb
Cocoa Butter Pastilles - 1 lb
Castor Oil - 1 lb
Palm Oil - 1 lb
Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil - 2 oz
- Sodium Lactate - 4 oz
- Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- Titanium Dioxide Pigment - 1 oz
- Yellow Oxide Pigment - 1 oz
- Dark Red Brazilian Clay - 1 oz
- Buttermilk Powder - 4 oz
- Olive Oil - Pure - 1 lb
- Coconut Oil - 1 lb
- Cocoa Butter Pastilles - 1 lb
- Castor Oil - 1 lb
- Palm Oil - 1 lb
EQUIPMENT:
- 12 Bar Round Silicone Mold - 1 Mold
Instructions
You will need:
- 12 Bar Round Silicone Mold
- 2.3 oz. Cocoa Butter (7%)
- 13.2 oz. Olive Oil (40%)
- 6.6 oz. Palm Oil (20%)
- 9.9 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
- 1 oz. Castor Oil (3%)
- 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 9.5 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
- 1.4 oz. Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil
- 0.5 oz. Buttermilk Powder
- 1 oz. Pumpkin Puree (no added sugar)
- 1 tsp. Yellow Oxide Pigment
- 1 Tbsp. Dark Red Brazilian Clay
- 1 Tbsp. Titanium Dioxide Pigment
ADDITIVE PREP: Measure 1 ounce of pumpkin puree into a small container and set aside. Into one small container, add 1 tablespoon of titanium dioxide, 1 tablespoon of dark red Brazilian Clay, 1 teaspoon of yellow oxide pigment, and 0.5 ounces of buttermilk powder. Set aside.
FRAGRANCE OIL PREP: Measure 1.4 ounces of Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil into a glass container. Set aside.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your space. Always make soap in a well-ventilated area.
Follow these steps:
1
Slowly and carefully add 4.7 ounces of lye to 9.5 ounces of distilled water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Optional: Stir in 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to help the soap harden and unmold more quickly.
2
Melt and measure 2.3 ounces of cocoa butter, 13.2 ounces of olive oil, 6.6 ounces of palm oil, 9.9 ounces of coconut oil, and 1 ounce of castor oil in a large heat-safe container (remember to fully melt the palm oil before measuring). Add the container of color and buttermilk powder into the oil mixture. Use the stick blender to thoroughly blend until there are no chunks.
3
Once the lye water and oils have cooled to 90-110° F, add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until thin trace. Add all of the 1.4 ounces of Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil and 1 ounce of pumpkin puree to the soap. Pulse a few times with the stick blender, then whisk thoroughly.
4
This soap thickens quickly. If necessary, continue to pulse with the stick blender until it reaches a light-medium trace.
5
Pour the soap into each cavity of the mold. Work quickly, and whisk periodically to keep it pourable.
6
Use a spoon to create texture on top.
7
Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. Leave the mold at room temperature for 2-3 days.
8
Unmold - if the soap does not release easily, give it another day or two. Once unmolded, allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman
Pumpkin and Buttermilk Soap Project
- LEVEL Intermediate
- TIME 2 hours
- YIELD 12 soaps
Project Description
These Pumpkin and Buttermilk Soaps may have a simple design, but they're chock-full of skin-loving ingredients! Buttermilk powder, cocoa butter, and fresh pumpkin puree gives them a creamy lather. They're scented with Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil, which has notes of cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.
Due to the vanilla content in the fragrance, it does discolor. Plenty of titanium dioxide is added directly to the soaping oils to combat this. Then, a combination of yellow oxide and dark red Brazilian clay create a soft pumpkin-orange color. Over time, the bars do darken and brown slightly, but still retain this color.
Due to the water discounting, cocoa butter, clay, and titanium dioxide, this recipe thickens quickly. Have all additives, colors, and fragrance prepped and ready. If the soap gets too thick to pour, use a whisk to loosen it or plop the batter into the mold with a spoon.
You will need:
- 12 Bar Round Silicone Mold
- 2.3 oz. Cocoa Butter (7%)
- 13.2 oz. Olive Oil (40%)
- 6.6 oz. Palm Oil (20%)
- 9.9 oz. Coconut Oil (30%)
- 1 oz. Castor Oil (3%)
- 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 9.5 oz. Distilled Water (10% water discount)
- 1.4 oz. Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil
- 0.5 oz. Buttermilk Powder
- 1 oz. Pumpkin Puree (no added sugar)
- 1 tsp. Yellow Oxide Pigment
- 1 Tbsp. Dark Red Brazilian Clay
- 1 Tbsp. Titanium Dioxide Pigment
ADDITIVE PREP: Measure 1 ounce of pumpkin puree into a small container and set aside. Into one small container, add 1 tablespoon of titanium dioxide, 1 tablespoon of dark red Brazilian Clay, 1 teaspoon of yellow oxide pigment, and 0.5 ounces of buttermilk powder. Set aside.
FRAGRANCE OIL PREP: Measure 1.4 ounces of Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil into a glass container. Set aside.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your space. Always make soap in a well-ventilated area.
Follow these steps:
1
Slowly and carefully add 4.7 ounces of lye to 9.5 ounces of distilled water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Optional: Stir in 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate to help the soap harden and unmold more quickly.
2
Melt and measure 2.3 ounces of cocoa butter, 13.2 ounces of olive oil, 6.6 ounces of palm oil, 9.9 ounces of coconut oil, and 1 ounce of castor oil in a large heat-safe container (remember to fully melt the palm oil before measuring). Add the container of color and buttermilk powder into the oil mixture. Use the stick blender to thoroughly blend until there are no chunks.
3
Once the lye water and oils have cooled to 90-110° F, add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until thin trace. Add all of the 1.4 ounces of Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil and 1 ounce of pumpkin puree to the soap. Pulse a few times with the stick blender, then whisk thoroughly.
4
This soap thickens quickly. If necessary, continue to pulse with the stick blender until it reaches a light-medium trace.
5
Pour the soap into each cavity of the mold. Work quickly, and whisk periodically to keep it pourable.
6
Use a spoon to create texture on top.
7
Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. Leave the mold at room temperature for 2-3 days.
8
Unmold - if the soap does not release easily, give it another day or two. Once unmolded, allow to cure for 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman