Create elegant floral soap bars featuring delicate rose embeds suspended in crystal-clear soap. This project combines the creamy look of Stephenson Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap with the exceptional clarity of Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base to showcase beautiful delicate roses inside each bar. The featured Covered in Roses - BBW Type Fragrance Oil fills the soap with the timeless aroma of fresh dewy roses, soft peony blossoms, delicate jasmine petals, and a warm finish of musk, white woods, and sheer amber. Because this fragrance contains vanillin, the vanilla stable soap base helps maintain the beautiful appearance of the finished soap while dramatically reducing discoloration. The result is an elegant handmade soap that's perfect for gifting, selling, or simply enjoying yourself.
Makes: 4x ~6.5oz Rectangle Soap Bars
Recommended Equipment:
- 2x large and 3x small Microwave-safe Measuring Cups
- Professional Digital Read Thermometer
- Precision Scale
- 3x Small Mixing Cups for Colour Slurries
- Mini Whisks or Stir Sticks
- Isopropyl Alcohol (99%)
- Microwave or Double Boiler
- 1x Roses Embed Silicone Mold - 7 Cavity
- 1x 4 Cavity Rectangle Silicone Soap Mold
- Soap Knife or Cutter
Formula:
- 490 g Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base
- 190 g Stephenson Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap Base
- 14 g Covered in Roses Fragrance Oil - BBW Type *
- 4 × 0.15 cc scoops Pretty in Pink Mica
- 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Rosy Red Mica
- 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Italiano Rose Mica
*The final clear layer may be left unscented if maximum transparency is desired. If you choose to omit the fragrance from the top layer, you will only need 8 g of Covered in Roses Fragrance Oil.
Featured Ingredients:
Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base
Specially formulated to dramatically reduce the browning associated with vanillin-containing fragrances, Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base offers exceptional transparency, excellent foaming, and a high glycerin content that provides a smooth, moisturizing skin feel. Its neutral odor allows fragrances to shine while maintaining bright colours and crystal-clear clarity, making it an excellent choice for embedded soap designs.
Stephenson Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap Base
A vegetable-derived opaque melt & pour soap base enriched with shea butter for excellent skin conditioning. Its high glycerin content contributes to a smooth, moisturizing lather while the neutral odor provides excellent fragrance lift. Blending this base with the High Clarity Vanilla Stable Base creates soft pastel colours while maintaining good performance.
Covered in Roses - BBW Type fragrance Oil
Capture the timeless beauty of a garden in full bloom with this elegant fragrance. It opens with fresh dewy rose petals, pink berries, and green leaves before revealing a luxurious bouquet of Damask rose, peony blossom, and jasmine petals. Soft musk, white woods, and sheer amber create a refined finish that lingers beautifully in handmade bath and body products. With approximately 1.4% vanillin, this fragrance pairs especially well with vanilla stable melt & pour soap bases.
Pretty in Pink Mica
A shimmering cosmetic-grade pink mica that produces a beautiful pastel pink when added to opaque soap bases and a richer, brighter pink in clear soap. Perfect for creating soft floral shades.
Rosy Red Mica
A shimmering red-orange mica with delicate pink undertones. In opaque soap it creates a soft rosy hue, while clear soap produces a vibrant floral red.
Italiano Rose Mica
A beautiful reddish-pink cosmetic mica inspired by fresh rose petals. This elegant colour creates soft pastel shades in opaque soap bases and richer rose tones in clear soap.
Isopropyl Alcohol (99%)
An essential soap making tool used to eliminate surface bubbles and promote strong adhesion between melt & pour soap layers. It is also ideal for dispersing mica powders before adding them to melted soap.
Instructions:
Step 1: Cut 40 g Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base and 40 g Stephenson Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap Base into small cubes. Place both into a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat gently until completely melted, using short microwave bursts or a double boiler. Avoid overheating.
Step 2: Add 2 g Covered in Roses Fragrance Oil to the melted soap base and stir gently until fully incorporated.
Step 3: Divide the melted soap evenly between three microwave-safe mixing cups.
Step 4: In three separate small mixing cups, disperse each mica using a small amount of Isopropyl Alcohol (99%).
Prepare:
- 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Pretty in Pink Mica
- 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Rosy Red Mica
- 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Italiano Rose Mica
Mix each colour until smooth and free of lumps.
Step 5: Add one prepared mica slurry to each cup of melted soap and stir thoroughly until the colour is evenly dispersed.
Step 6: Pour each coloured soap into the silicone rose mold. If using only one mold, allow the roses to harden before remelting any remaining soap and repeating the process until all of the soap has been used. Allow the rose embeds to set for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until completely firm.
Step 7: Cut 150 g Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base and 150 g Stephenson Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap Base into cubes. Melt together gently until fully liquid.
Step 8: Add 6 g Covered in Roses Fragrance Oil and stir thoroughly.
Step 9: Divide the scented soap equally into two cups, approximately 150 g each.
Step 10: Prepare a mica slurry using a small amount of Isopropyl Alcohol and 2 × 0.15 cc scoops Pretty in Pink Mica. Add the slurry to one cup of soap and stir until the colour is completely blended. Leave the second cup uncoloured.
Step 11: Allow both soap bases to cool slightly before pouring. Pour the pink soap and the uncoloured soap simultaneously from opposite sides into each cavity of the 4-cavity rectangle mold, aiming to add equal amounts of each colour. If desired, gently swirl the colours using a chopstick or stir stick. Avoid overmixing, as a few graceful swirls create the most elegant effect. Spritz the surface with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove any bubbles.
Step 12: Carefully unmold the rose embeds. Cut several of the larger roses in half as needed. Positioning some half roses along the outer edges of the soap bars creates the appearance of hand-cut artisan soap and gives the finished bars a more natural, elevated design.
Step 13: Spritz the surface of the soap bars with Isopropyl Alcohol to improve layer adhesion. Arrange the rose embeds on top of each soap bar until you're happy with the design.
Step 14: Melt 300 g Stephenson High Clarity Vanilla Stable Melt & Pour Soap Base. If desired, add 6 g Covered in Roses Fragrance Oil. Keep in mind that adding fragrance to the clear layer may slightly reduce its transparency. For the clearest possible finish, leave the top layer unscented. Allow the melted soap to cool slightly before pouring, as excessively hot soap may soften or melt the rose embeds.
Step 15: Spritz the rose embeds once more with Isopropyl Alcohol to promote good adhesion. Slowly pour the cooled clear soap over the roses until each cavity is filled. Spritz the surface with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove any remaining bubbles. Allow the soap to sit undisturbed for several hours until completely hardened.
Step 16: Once fully hardened, unmold the soap bars.
Melt & pour soap does not require curing and is ready to use immediately. To help prevent glycerin dew, wrap the soap shortly after unmolding using shrink wrap or plastic food wrap for best results.
Maker's Tips
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Avoid overheating the soap. Excessive heat can create bubbles, reduce clarity, and may soften previously poured layers or rose embeds.
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Allow the soap to cool slightly before pouring each layer. Pouring soap that is too hot can melt or distort the layers beneath, while soap that is too cool may begin to set before pouring.
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Spritz every layer with Isopropyl Alcohol. This helps remove surface bubbles and promotes strong adhesion between layers and embeds.
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Keep the clear top layer as cool as practical before pouring. A slightly cooler pour helps preserve the crisp detail of the rose embeds while still allowing the soap to flow smoothly around them.
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For maximum clarity, leave the top layer unscented. While adding fragrance is optional, it may slightly reduce the transparency of the clear soap.
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Wrap the finished soap soon after unmolding. Melt & pour soap naturally attracts moisture from the air due to its high glycerin content. Wrapping the bars shortly after unmolding helps prevent glycerin dew and keeps the soap looking its best.
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If the soap begins to thicken while you're working, gently remelt it using short bursts in the microwave. Avoid prolonged heating, as excessive temperatures can affect the appearance of the finished soap.
Note:
These formulations are provided as a guide and may be used for personal or commercial applications. Voyageur Soap & Candle Company Ltd. accepts no liability for the performance, effectiveness, or outcomes of products made using these formulations. Users are responsible for proper testing, safe formulation practices, and compliance with all applicable regulations.
If you have any questions regarding this recipe, please email us at customerservice@voyageursoapandcandle.com or call us at 1-800-758-7773.