Leslie Massey
Whipped soap is a fun, creative project that allows you to make a unique, luxurious product with a light, fluffy texture and beautiful scents. It can be used as a shaving cream, sugar scrub, or bath parfait, and you can even add soap colouring to enhance its appearance. With a few modifications, you can create your own whipped soap at home in Australia using a base recipe and adding your choice of essential oils and fragrances. The process involves preparing a workspace, weighing ingredients, whipping the base, and adding other ingredients to create a creamy, fluffy consistency. The soap will need to cure for several weeks before use, and you can adjust the recipe to create different colours and effects.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Light, fluffy, soft |
| Uses | Shaving, bathing, sugar scrub, bath parfait, shaving butter |
| Ingredients | Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sorbitol, Shea Butter, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Potassium hydroxide, Citric Acid, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Essential oils, Fragrance oils, Soap dyes |
| Equipment | Mixing bowl, beater, moulds (silicone or plastic kitchenware), gloves, goggles, safety gear, electric mixer, digital scale, microwave-safe bowl |
| Process | Chop the soap base into cubes, whip until creamy and fluffy, add other ingredients, whip until light and creamy, add to mould, cure for 4-6 weeks |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a base
The base of your soap is one of the most important parts of the recipe, as it will determine the texture, consistency, and overall appearance of your final product. You can make whipped soap from a pre-made base or create your own from scratch.
Pre-made Bases
If you're looking for convenience, there are several pre-made bases available that will save you time and effort. These bases are designed to be melted and poured into moulds, and they can be found at most craft stores or online. Here are some popular options:
- Foaming Bath Butter: This base is known for its soft and easy-to-work-with consistency. It whips up quickly and creates a light and fluffy soap.
- Stephenson's Foaming Bath Butter: This is another popular option for a pre-made base, offering a similar experience to the generic Foaming Bath Butter.
- Soap Expressions Whipped Soap Base: This base is specifically designed for whipped soap and can create a stable and fluffy product.
Creating Your Own Base
If you want to create your own base from scratch, you'll need to use a combination of solid and liquid oils, along with other ingredients like lye, water, and additives. Here are some tips for creating your own base:
- Choose your oils: Select a combination of solid and liquid oils that will provide the desired properties for your soap. Common choices include coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, and olive oil.
- Ratio and consistency: Aim for a ratio of about 60% solid oils to 40% liquid oils. Cream the solid oils first, and then slowly add the liquid oils to create a light and creamy consistency.
- Additives: You can include additives such as stearic acid, Sodium Hydroxide, and Potassium Hydroxide to enhance the stability and texture of your base.
- Whip it good: The key to a great whipped soap base is in the whipping. Use an electric mixer to whip the base until it achieves a creamy, fluffy consistency similar to whipped cream or frosting.
Remember, creating your own base allows for more customisation but requires intermediate soap-making skills and an understanding of the cold process. Always wear safety gear and take the necessary precautions when handling lye and other chemicals.
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Adding colour
For pastel shades, add just a drop or two of dye to your mixture. You can always add more, but it's harder to adjust the colour if you add too much. If you're making a large batch, divide it into separate bowls and add a different colour to each one. You can then layer the different colours in a log mould or pipe them into silicone moulds to create fun, colourful shapes.
If you're using mica to colour your soap, be aware that it may cause the soap to fall if you're not careful. Add the mica by hand rather than pouring it in, and be prepared to whip the mixture more to maintain the fluffy texture.
Remember to wear gloves and goggles when handling soap colourants, and always follow the safety instructions for the specific products you are using.
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Adding scent
Adding a scent to your whipped soap is a great way to give it a luxurious touch and can be done using essential oils or fragrance oils. Essential oils are packed with vitamins and nutrients that can help to hydrate and nourish your skin. For example, lavender essential oil is incredibly versatile and antibacterial, which is great for soothing the skin. Rose essential oil is another favourite for many soap makers as it is high in vitamins C and E, which are known for their moisturising abilities.
You can also use fragrance oils to scent your soap. Fragrance oils are available in a wide range of scents, such as vanilla or blueberry. When choosing a fragrance oil, it is important to consider the strength of the scent. Some fragrance oils, like blueberry, can be very strong, so you may want to use less than you normally would.
It is recommended to use around 3 grams of essential or fragrance oil for your whipped soap. However, you may want to use less if you are using a strong fragrance oil or more if you prefer a stronger scent. You can also use soap-safe essential oils, but be sure to check the recommended usage percentage and IFRA Certificate when using these.
Once you have chosen your scent, simply add it to your whipped soap base and mix until it is fully incorporated. You can then continue with the next steps of your whipped soap-making process.
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Mixing and moulding
Mixing
Start by weighing out your ingredients. For the base, you can use a pre-made foaming bath butter base or a melt-and-pour soap base. Chop the base into small cubes or pieces and place them in your mixing bowl. You can also weigh out your solid oils and add them to the mixing bowl. If your oils are very hard, you may need to soften them slightly in the microwave before mixing. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the base or oils until they are light and creamy, forming peaks like whipped frosting or egg whites. This may take up to 10 minutes.
Next, slowly add your liquid oils to the mixture. This will reduce the whipped peaks, which is normal. Continue whipping the solid and liquid oils together for a few more minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy again. You can then add in your desired essential oils, fragrances, colours, and any other additives. Mix well to combine.
Moulding
Once your mixture is ready, it's time to mould your soap. Choose a mould that is made of silicone or plastic kitchenware, as the soap works best in these types of moulds. You can also use a log-type soap mould or pastry-making equipment to pipe the soap. If using a silicone mould, be sure to place it on a flat surface before pouring in the mixture.
Pour the mixture into your mould and work it slowly, layer by layer, to create your desired whip effect. You can also add embeds or decorations on top of the soap before it sets. Once your soap is in the mould, leave it to set for at least 24 to 36 hours. After this time, the soap should be firm enough to remove from the mould without losing its shape.
Your soap may still be caustic at this point, so be sure to wear safety gear when handling it. Allow the soap to cure for approximately four to six weeks before using it. During this time, chemical reactions will continue to take place, and the soap will become milder and safer for the skin.
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Curing
Once your soap has been mixed and whipped, it's time to mould it. The light and sticky texture of whipped soap works best in either log-type soap moulds that can be sliced or silicone moulds. If you have pastry-making equipment, you can also mould or pipe this soap like frosting or dough.
When the soap has been moulded, leave it to set. This will take at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours. After this time, the soap will be firm enough to remove from the mould without losing its shape. It's important to remember that the soap might still be caustic at this point, as chemical reactions are still taking place, so be sure to wear your safety gear.
Now, let the soap cure for roughly four to six weeks before use. During this time, the chemical reactions will continue to take place, and the soap will become safe to use.
Once the soap has cured, it's ready to use! Whipped soap is light and fluffy and can be used on its own as a fun soap for kids or adults, or as a shaving soap. It can also be used to make sugar scrubs, bath parfaits, shaving butter, and more.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a soap base, such as Stephenson's Foaming Bath Butter, and a mixture of solid and liquid oils. You can also add soap-safe essential oils and soap dye to customise your soap.
You will need a mixing bowl, a beater or hand mixer, a mould, and safety gear including gloves and goggles.
First, cut the soap base into cubes and place them in the mixing bowl. Beat the base on a medium to medium-high speed for up to 10 minutes, or until it reaches the desired consistency. Then, add your chosen oils, dyes and other ingredients, and mix until combined. Finally, pour the mixture into your mould and leave it to set for at least 24 hours.
Whipped soap typically needs to cure for several weeks before it can be used.
You can buy a whipped soap kit from Australian websites such as Solarity Co. You can also purchase individual ingredients and equipment from craft stores or online retailers.
