I may have a lavender problem. At last count, I had six different types of lavender essential oil in my cupboard (though in my defense, New Directions had a lavender sale last year). Anyhow, that surplus got me thinking about all the different things I could do with lavender, and soap is always high on my lists.
For this bar, I chose bergamot as to keep the lavender company because the pair reminds me of British castles, and I feel like Lady Mary would be quite content with such a bar of soap. The scent combination is just divine—soft, rich, and intriguingly bright. Mmm.
I wanted a sort of dusty, subdued colour scheme. The scents brought to mind a sort of rusty red and a periwinkle purple/blue, with seams of indigo and white. I’ve been really itching to try some thin seams in my soaps, so I was super excited to cut these bars when they were finally done.
The final bar is quite hard, but still gentle. It reaches trace quite quickly, even though I let the oils and lye water come to room temperature before combining them, so be prepared for a speedy trace, especially if you soap at 110°F.
Lavender & Bergamot Soap
25% olive oil (pomace) (USA / Canada)
25% refined coconut oil (USA / Canada)
30% beef tallow
15% unrefined shea butter (USA / Canada)
5% castor oil (USA / Canada)Per 500g (1.1lbs) oils:
- 20g lavender essential oil
- 10g bergamot essential oil
- 1 tbsp white kaolin clay (USA / Canada)
- lavender/pink ultramarine oxide
- blue ultramarine
- yellow iron oxide
- red iron oxide
- black iron oxide
You’ll also need at least one additional bowl or pot to mix up different colours of soap to layer.
Use SoapCalc to calculate your final amounts of oils, lye, and water based on the size of batch you want to make. I do not recommend making less than 750g of this batch since we are working with four different colours, and working with such tiny amounts of soap for different colours can get tricky.
Add up the total weight of your oils, water, and lye so you have an approximate weight of the entire batch. Calculate the following:
- 50% of the total weight
- 10% of the total weight
- 20% of the total weight
Write these final weight numbers down for later. They are for the layers.
Follow my standard soap making instructions to bring your soap to a thick trace (thick enough that it can support its own weight, like pudding). Blend in the essential oils and the white kaolin clay (USA / Canada), using an immersion blender to insure the clay is well blended.
Once you’re at trace, transfer 50% of your final soap (you calculated that earlier & wrote it down—yay math!) to a second bowl. Blend in some ultramarine lavender/pink oxide, and a wee bit of the ultramarine blue. Use the immersion blender to blend them in, and don’t add more until you’ve blended them very thoroughly. The colour gets stronger as the blender busts up the clumps. You’re aiming for a sort of dusty lilac colour, so tweak as required for the amount you’re making. Transfer this layer to the mould, and spread it out evenly.
Now weigh out 10% of the soap, and blend in a small amount of ultramarine blue and black iron oxide to make a dark indigo. You’ll probably only be able to use a flexible silicone spatula to with such a small amount of soap, so be thorough. I find smushing the soap up against the side of the bowl really helps. Spread that layer over top of the lilac layer, taking care not to swirl them together. You’ll have to do some dabbing and gentle spreading.
Up next, weigh out 20% of the soap, and spread that (yup, just leave it white/cream coloured) over the indigo layer, taking care not to blend the two.
Using red and yellow iron oxides, colour the remaining soap a pale orange/red. Spread that layer on top of the cream layer, taking care not to blend them.
Cover the mould, insulate it lightly, and let saponify for 24 hours before slicing.
Let age at least three weeks before using. Enjoy!
Hi Marie,
I also get my lavender from New Directions, and I was wondering if you’ve tried some of the other ones they offer, apart from the 40/42?
If you have, is there much of a difference?
I will have to do a lavender sniff test and get back to you—I have 6 different kinds from NDA! Allow me to sniff, take some notes, and get back to you 🙂
awesome! thanks 🙂
🙂
I finally got around to doing a thorough sniff test (over the course of a day or two to ensure good results)—here they are!
Ukraine (NDA)
A touch spicy, notes of black pepper. Fairly soft. Nice. Floral, fresh.
Moldova (NDA)
Warmer, almost vanilla-y. Soft. Not overly floral. Fresh. Round, full scent. Slightly acidic.
Population (NDA)
Not too floral. Very typical lavender. Tempered sweetness. Green. Good balance of sweet and acidic.
Bulgarian (NDA)
Different. Undertones of vanilla and fruit. Softer, not camphoraceous. Warm, mild. Well rounded.
French (NDA)
Sharper. Most camphoraceous of the lot. Drier scent. Helps clear the nasal passages. Relatively floral.
40/42 (NDA)
Sharper, acidic top notes. Very lavender. Dry. Relatively floral. Fresh, slightly camphoraceous.
South African (NDA)
I don’t have the bottle anymore to pick out notes, but I remember being generally unimpressed and feeling that it was quite lacklustre. I wouldn’t buy it again.
Do you sell your soaps? This looks beautiful, and sounds like it smells wonderful.
I don’t, sorry—I don’t sell anything I make.
Hi Marie
I came across your site a couple of weeks ago and am hooked! Thanks so much for posting these inspiring and creative recipes.
I commented on an older post about a week or so ago with a couple of questions, but have not received a reply. I’m not sure that it uploaded properly and can’t remember where I posted it to check:(
If you have not received it, please let me know and I’ll ask those questions again.
Also regarding your fabulous soup mould: I notice that the mould you’ve used for this soap has other dimensions than your original plan – it seems narrower. Is there an advantage in this, or just for something different?
I love reading your recipes, and since my son made me a mould according to your instructions, I am very excited to try it out!
Greetings from Sydney!
Hi Birgit! I did a search and I can see that I replied to your first comment the same day you left it, here. You may not have checked the email notification box, so you wouldn’t have received an email of my reply if that was the case.
These soaps were made in the same mould I always use, but as per usual, I cut them in half—hence the narrower look 🙂 I find they are a more useable, hand-friendly size at half as wide.
Thanks for reading!
Hi Marie!
I have the same question as Julie…I’ve hemmed & hawwed over NDA’s Lavender EO’s & have wanted to try them all, but cannot yet. Which of the Lavandula Augustifolia’s do you prefer? I did notice you used the French Officianalis for this blend, but of the LA’s, which do you find the least camphoraceous? I love a true floral/herbal lavender with little to no ‘camphor’ scent to it.
I had a horrible experience with ED’s Lavandin Grosso (and I use that name very loosely, as it smelled of straight Camphor), so I’ve decided to only buy EO’s from NDA. I’ve found their EO’s true to their names thus far. I’m just trying to choose 2 LA’s to purchase from them. Which do you suggest?
Thank you SO much & looking forward to your upcoming recipes!!! 🙂 <3
Ok! Here are my “results” 😉
Ukraine (NDA)
A touch spicy, notes of black pepper. Fairly soft. Nice. Floral, fresh.
Moldova (NDA)
Warmer, almost vanilla-y. Soft. Not overly floral. Fresh. Round, full scent. Slightly acidic.
Population (NDA)
Not too floral. Very typical lavender. Tempered sweetness. Green. Good balance of sweet and acidic.
Bulgarian (NDA)
Different. Undertones of vanilla and fruit. Softer, not camphoraceous. Warm, mild. Well rounded.
French (NDA)
Sharper. Most camphoraceous of the lot. Drier scent. Helps clear the nasal passages. Relatively floral.
40/42 (NDA)
Sharper, acidic top notes. Very lavender. Dry. Relatively floral. Fresh, slightly camphoraceous.
South African (NDA)
I don’t have the bottle anymore to pick out notes, but I remember being generally unimpressed and feeling that it was quite lacklustre. I wouldn’t buy it again.
hi!
I noticed that your soaps don’t really get soda ash on them. This is a major problem for me. As a matter of fact, one batch looked as if I sprinkled powder sugar on it! Can you give any tips on avoiding this problem? Any techniques you can share on making sure this doesn’t happen to soaps once they are cut to cure?
I got a tip from the YouTube channel Soaping 101 that in order to remove soda ash from soap, you just spray them with rubbing alcohol, wipe the excess and allow the bars to air dry. This works, but I was looking for something more preventative.
Thanks Marie!
Protip: if you want a winning scent combination, mix ylang ylang EO with labdanum EO…magic, pure magic 🙂
So, this is going to be a less than inspiring answer, but…. I don’t really pay attention to soda ash. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t. It’s usually just on the top of the bars if I do (the “top” being the end that faces up during aging). I just don’t care, lol. I kind of like the powdery look in any event 😛 About.com has some good tips on avoiding it that you might find useful, though 🙂
Do you have to like the scent of ylang ylang to like your blend? It sounds oh so lovely… if only I didn’t find ylang ylang to be overwhelming and cloying 😛
Oh you don’t like ylang ylang? Well we changed your mind on Dead Sea Mud, let’s see if we can go 2 for 2 re ylang-y ylang 🙂 I’ve found, though, that it smells much better with another scent. My oil mix also contained labdanum EO, but I’ve always loved the B&BW ylang ylang myrrh lotion, is where I fell in love with the scent.
Thanks for the About.com link!
Kristen
Yes, well, I don’t want to buy another bottle after the last one was a rather pricey bust, so we’ll see how that goes 😛 LOL. Maybe if it goes on sale…
Hi Marie
I notice you are using the bergaptene free bergamot EO. I have been meaning to get some bergamot for ages now but the bergaptene free version in Australia is soooo expensive. I just checked out the NDA price on the USA site and for 100ml it’s half the price (give or take for exchange rate)! I might see if it’s worth ordering from there instead of the Aus site.
Was wondering though, on your opinion on how necessary the bergaptene free version is for soap. I wonder if the amount used in your recipe would have a photo sensitizing effect or not. Living in Australia I’m naturally cautious and, as I’m planning to start selling my soaps very soon, need to be additionally so.
Hi Alex! When it comes to soap you’re more than welcome to use the regular stuff (and other citrus essential oils). Soap is entirely washed off (assuming you’re rinsing properly…), and that includes the essential oils added 🙂 I have never experienced any photo-sensitizing effects from citrus soaps, while I definitely have from lotions and containing a drop or two of a citrus EO.
Thank you Marie, that’s very reassuring to hear you say that. Maybe I won’t bother with the bergaptene free after all, will definitely save money 🙂
Enjoy! You can also look at litsea cubeba as an inexpensive and cirtrussy alternative with no photosensitizing effects 🙂
Thank you, Julie, for asking this & Marie for doing this!!
I hope my “results” are useful 🙂
Can I follow your recipes with out the clays you use to color them? I would love to make my own soaps but I am feeling very intimidated and well, cheap.
Hi Jessica! You can, but you’ll find the soap doesn’t work for shaving without it 🙂 It adds slip, which is downright lovely, and boosts cleansing. If you just want to get one clay, I’d recommend kaolin as it’s inexpensive and white.
Awesome!!! Appreciate the timely response and great information. You are doing great work here!
Thanks, Jessica!
Hi,
Could I use lard in place of tallow for this recipe. I know I’ll have to run it through the lye calculator, but do you think it would turn out as well.
Thank you,
Heather
Hi Heather! You definitely can—I often swap the two when I’ve only got one on hand. Lard is a bit softer than tallow, but will still work wonderfully 🙂
Hi Marie, ever since visiting the Bridestowe lavender farm in Tasmania I have fallen in love with lavender grey tea (earl grey with lavender in it) and have been thinking it would make a lovely soap fragrance. I haven’t got around to it yet and was umming and ahing over EO ratios when I suddenly remembered you’d already made it here 🙂
I was going to ask if you ever worry about how long the fragrance lasts as I have had trouble with lavender fading over time when used on its own and as bergamot is citrus I’m guessing it doesn’t stick around long either. I was thinking to add a little benzoin to the mix as I’ve read this helps fix citrus EOs. Though I just found an article that said the same of litsea cubeba? Anyway, having looked more closely at your EO to oil ratio I realise that you use way more EO than me so this is probably why my higher note scents have been fading. When I made a pure lavender batch I only used 30ml (approx 26g) EO to 1020g oil. That’s less than half of yours!
I guess I’ve answered my own question but thought I’d put it out there anyway. And I would be interested in any thoughts on EO fixatives as there seems to be such varied recommendations.
Hi Alex! I generally don’t have much trouble with lavender or citrus sticking around for at least a year after making the soap as long as I follow the 30g EO to 500g oils rule. I always soap with the cheapest lavender EO I have since so much is needed.
I have noticed that benzoin and litsea cubeba both have wonderful shelf lives in bar soaps as well, but I haven’t done any side-by-side tests to see if they truly help fix a scent 🙂
HI Marie. I’m just doing some cost comparing of EO’s between New Directions, Candora and Saffire Blue (Canada) and the prices seem to really vary for some of the oils. I notice in your posts you seem to use ND for a lot of your soaps. Any preference for who you feel has the best oils, best price and work best for soap?
Hi Tracey! For soap I usually buy whatever is cheapest, though if I’m placing an order with a company already and therefore already paying shipping with them, I’ll often grab that EO from them if the price is close, rather than paying for shipping twice. It’s often NDA, especially when it comes to the 100mL size—sometimes Saffire Blue has better prices for smaller sizes 🙂
Hi Marie how many pounds are in your soap mollds and what are the dimensions? Thanks Leonor
I’ve got a post on it here 🙂