Sunrise soap (gradient technique)

Difficulty: Intermediate
Time: 1 hr
Yields: 500 g soap

I often doodle my ideas and designs in my notebook, before I start working on the recipe. Sometimes, the inspirations for my soaps come from the name of a fragrance, like last week’s Love Spell Soap, but I also get my ideas from certain places, moods and emotions, or particular ingredients. This week I was inspired by the colours (yellow and orange), and I wanted to create something to use in the morning shower that would remind me of those sunny mornings, when it’s easy to get up in the morning. The result is a simple layering with gradience colours. Here’s the sketch I drew in my notebook and the notes I wrote alongside. Even if I don’t end up making the soap, these sketches often end up as further inspiration for future soaps.

The scent I used to accompany the design is sweet orange essential oil from Pure Nature, not just because of the colour but because I feel the fruity, fresh fragrance of oranges fits my idea of a wake-up-and-shower soap. The mica is called Orange Saffron, also from Pure Nature.

If you have never made cold-process soap before, I strongly suggest you check out the basic cold process soap tutorial first.

Before starting, please read the safety and precautions post, especially since this tutorial requires the handling of caustic soda!

In addition to your usual equipment, you will also need 3 small containers for colour preparation and 3 extra jugs (250-500 ml).

ONE: First, prepare your lye. Weigh out the caustic soda in a small container. Measure the water in a small pyrex or other heat proof glass jug. Then carefully add the caustic soda to the water and gently stir until all the caustic soda has dissolved. Stir one teaspoon of sodium lactate to make the soap harder. Set aside to cool.

While you are waiting for the lye to cool down, ….

… it’s time to prepare the colours…

TWO: You will need three small containers. To each add 10 ml of light weight oil, such as rice bran oil. In the first container, add 1/4 teaspoon of orange saffron mica. To the second, add 1/8 teaspoon of orange saffron mica. And to the third, add 1/16 teaspoon of orange saffron mica. Mix the mica with the oil, using a little whisk or electric mini-mixer, until you have a smooth mica/oil mixture.

… and to prepare the oils.

THREE: Weigh out the coconut oil in a pyrex jug and heat in microwave on high for one minute or until melted. Weigh out and add the other oils to the now melted coconut oil and give it a good stir to blend all the oils together.

Check if the lye has cooled down to room temperature, and if it has, it is time to add it to the oils.

FOUR: Make sure you are still in protective gear (goggles and gloves), carefully pour the lye to the oils, avoiding any splashes. Gently whisk until you have the lye and oils have emulsified and are at light trace. Don’t let it get thick, because then you won’t be able to work with it.

FIVE: Add 20 ml of sweet orange essential oil and give it another good stir.

SIX: Into each of the three extra jugs you have set aside, pour 125 ml of soap. You should now have four jugs of soap: 3 jugs with 125 ml of soap (these will be coloured), and the large jug with the remainder of the soap (which will be left uncoloured)

SEVEN: Add one of the containers of mica/oil mixture to each of the jugs and stir them well, to disperse the colour evenly throughout the soap. This is an important step, as any uncoloured streaks will show up in your soap.

EIGHT:  Starting with the darkest colour, pour the soap into the mold. It should be still fairly fluid. Tap the mold gently on the bench a free times to get rid of any air bubbles and to create an even surface.

NINE: Next, add the medium colour, and carefully pour it over the dark layer, trying not to disturb it. Ideally, your soap will still be fluid. Because I have to take pictures at the same time, my soap thickened by the time I got to do the layers. I tried smoothing the surface with a spatula as much as possible. If you have to do this, try to avoid touching the sides of the mold, so you can keep the sides clean.

TEN: Add the lightest colour over the other layers carefully, as not to disturb the surface underneath. Smooth with the spatula if necessary.

ELEVEN: Lastly, pour or scoop the white (uncoloured) soap over the layers.

TWELVE: Using your fork, texture the soap top, by carefully scraping upwards and into the centre on both sides. Sprinkle bronze coloured mica, and gently mix it into the centre peak, before pulling the fork down each side again to spread the mica into the grooves. Make sure you place the fork into the same grooves as before.

THIRTEEN: Leave the soap to cure for several days before removing it from the mold and cutting it up into bars. Cure for another 6-8 weeks.