Soap making is a fun and rewarding project that can be done from the comfort of your own home!
Mango butter is a must have when making your own soaps. Not only does it add moisturising properties to the soap, but its creamy texture makes it perfect for nourishing and soothing the skin.
In this mango butter soap recipe, we have used a beautiful blend of essential oils and a mixture of colours to create the perfect mango shade.
So let's get started with this new cold process soap recipe!
Why use mango butter in soap making?
Mango butter is derived from the seeds of the mango fruit and is known for its moisturising and healing properties. It helps to hydrate and rejuvenate the skin, leaving it soft, smooth and glowing.
When mango seed butter is used in cold process soap making it adds to the hardness and creaminess of the bar. It also adds conditioning properties to the bar.
It has a comedogenic rating of 2, which means it is unlikely to clog pores. This makes it suitable for all skin types, including acne-prone and sensitive skin.
Let's have a go at our mango butter soap recipe...
This soap recipe makes 9-10 bars of soap
Ingredients:
- Mango Butter 240g
- Olive Oil 320g
- Coconut Oil 240g
- Water 240g
- Sodium Hydroxide/ Lye 113g
- Lemon Essential Oil 7g
- Rosemary Essential Oil 7g
- Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil 6g
- Petitgrain Essential Oil 5g
- Yellow Iron Oxide 2g
- Orange Burst Mica Powder 1g
Equipment:
To make our mango butter soap recipe, you will need:
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Digital scales
- Digital thermometer
- Stick blender
- Soap mould or DIY alternative (view our range of silicone soap moulds)
- Silicone spatula
- Microwave safe bowl
- Plastic measuring cup, ideally 2x 1L and 1x 2L
Method:
1. Make the sodium hydroxide solution
- Put your gloves and safety glasses on.
- Open the window, the fumes will be unpleasant.
- Weigh the water into a jug or bowl.
- In a separate bowl, weigh the sodium hydroxide.
- Add the sodium hydroxide to the water, not the other way around.
- Mix well until combined.
- Leave to cool down, it will be hot.
2. Weigh and heat the oils
- Weigh the olive oil, coconut oil and mango butter into a large bowl.
- Heat over a pan of boiling water, or using short bursts in the microwave.
- Mix well until combined and leave to cool.
3. Weigh the essential oils and mica powder
- Weigh the lemon, rosemary, grapefruit and petitgrain essential oil.
- Weigh the yellow oxide and orange burst mica powder and mix together.
- Mix the oils and powders until fully combined.
4. Check the temperatures
- Test the temperature of your melted oils, they should be between 35C and 40C.
- Reheat them or leave them to cool more if necessary.
- Test the temperature of the lye solution, it should be between 25C and 40C.
- Leave to cool if necessary, but don't reheat if it's too cool. Just heat the oils a little more to compensate.
- When the temperatures are right, add the lye solution to the liquid oils.
5. Blend until trace
- Mix with the stick blender and blend with short bursts.
- Watch for the mixture starting to thicken.
- Test for trace by dripping soap batter on the surface of the mixture. If the drips sit on the surface then your mixture has reached trace.
- When your soap has reached a light trace, add the mica powder and essential oil blend.
- Mix and blend with a stick blender or spatula until combined.
6. Pour into moulds
- Pour the soap batter into a mould.
- Tap the mould to get rid of air bubbles
- Decorate the top with a spatula or spoon.
- Leave on a flat surface for 48 hours before unmoulding.
7. Unmould and cure
- Unmould the mango butter soap and cut into even sized soap bars.
- Put the bars with gaps in between them, and leave to cure for 4-6 weeks.
Continue reading
Now you've tried our mango butter soap recipe, why not continue learning?
-
Interested in more cold process soap making? Cocoa butter makes a beautiful creamy and firm soap, try our recipe today!
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Want to try a shea butter soap recipe? Take a look at this shea butter soap recipe!
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Learn about the best essential oils for sleep!
How did your mango butter soap come out? Comment below and let us know!
