Rose Soap

Rose Soap, as in Carolyn Cappel - Rose, rose soap!  This soap is made for my cousin, Carolyn, whose last name is Rose.  Isn't it neat to embed a rose bud in a bar of clear glycerin soap?  I'm giving this to her as a surprise. Since she never looks at my web page, the surprise won't be ruined!!

Here is how the soap was made.

Step 1: 

Gather all the materials together. You can see the molds for the bar of soap, the clear glycerin soap, the fragrance, some alcohol in a spray bottle, and some soap rose buds. 

The soap rose buds were made several weeks ahead of time so they would cure and be hard.  If the rose buds are new and soft, they will melt and run into the warm glycerin soap. Then you end up with a blob embedded in the center of the bar of glycerin soap. Don't ask how I know this.

Step 2: 

Melt some glycerin soap and pour it into the bottom (actually the top) of the mold.  This will act as a stand to set the rose bud on in the next step.

Immediately after pouring the base glycerin soap, spray it with alcohol.  This will dissolve any air bubbles and break down the surface tension of the glycerin.  Later we'll spray it one more time, just prior to the final pour of glycerin.  The alcohol makes the two layers of glycerin bond to each other yielding a joint that can not be seen in the final product. If you screw this step up, then you'll end up with a line of demarcation between the two layers. In my final bars, you'll see some of my screw ups!

After these have set for about 10 minutes place the molds into the freezer, along with the soap rose buds.

Step 3:

While the molds and the rose buds are in the freezer, go ahead and prepare the final batch of glycerin soap.  Melt enough to fill the molds to the top, add some fragrance, and gently stir it all together.

After about 15 minutes take the rose buds out of the freezer.  In order for the glycerin soap to bond with the rose buds, you'll want to spray them totally with alcohol.

Take the molds out of the freezer and spray them once again with alcohol, then place the soap rose buds in the center of the mold. They will rest on, and be supported by, the hardened base of glycerin soap.

If you have to put the melted glycerin soap back on the heat (I use the microwave oven to melt my glycerin.) then do it now.  Stir it gently one last time and pour into the molds.  You'll want to fill the molds all the way to the very top.  Once again, spray the entire mess with alcohol to get rid of any bubbles and to break the surface tension of the glycerin.  Let it set for about 10 minutes and then put into the freezer.

Step 4:

Step out onto the back porch and enjoy the sun setting on the mountains for the next hour.  What?  You live in Cleveland? You have no mountains to watch the evening sun light up?  Sucks to be you!  Smiles....

Step 5:

After about an hour, take the molds out of the freezer and carefully turn the bars of soap out of the molds.  Carefully, place them on a drying rack and let them cure for about a week. 

After the week goes by, then wash each bar with water. This will take off any sharp edges and surface blemishes.  Let them dry, package them, and give them to your most beautiful cousin!