How To Make Soap Frosting
If we’re making anything with frosting… count us in. Soap frosting is a fun and creative way to enhance your soap creations. Let's dive in to what soap frosting is and our go-to recipe for making it!
what is soap frosting?
Soap frosting is a technique used to add fun shapes and textures to the top of your soap. You can make endless combinations with scents and colors using natural powders, fragrance oils, essential oils, eco glitters, and the best part is you don’t have to be a cold process soap master in order to add this technique to your creations!
We’re going to show you how to make soap frosting using our exclusive coco mango butter melt & pour soap base that’s filled with deeply hydrating, skin brightening properties made from all-natural, sustainably sourced ingredients.
In the sample shown in the photo, we're using our eco-friendly, biodegradable glitter that's made from eucalyptus trees.
supplies for making soap frosting
- White stick blender
- Bamboo mixing spoon
- Pouring pitcher
- thermometer
- Plastic/piping bag
- Organic flax glycerin or hemp seed body wash base
- Spray bottle
- Sugarcane alcohol
- Optional enhancers of your choice (natural colorants, eco glitter, fragrance)
our go-to soap frosting recipe
1. In your glass pitcher, add 8 oz or approx half of a 1 lb block of Coco Mango Butter Melt + Pour Base, chopping it into smaller pieces. Microwave on high using 30 second intervals until your base is fully melted.
Maker tip: You’ll want to do this in small batches because as you whip your frosting it will expand in your pitcher.
2. Once your soap base has fully melted, add 6 tablespoons of Organic Flax Glycerin or Hemp Seed Body Wash Base (glycerin will give your soap a firmer effect while body wash base will give it a runnier, foamy effect). Then, take the temperature of your soap using your thermometer - you’ll want to let your soap mixture cool to 150°F before whipping. You can also add in natural colorants, eco glitter, or fragrance at this time if you’d like!
3. Once you’ve added all your ingredients, use your hand mixer to whip your soap for 3 minutes or until your desired firmness is achieved. The frosting should be thick, but malleable, meaning you should be able to mold it but not break it into pieces.
Maker tip: If it becomes too stiff, you can re-melt and re-whip your soap.
4. Pour your now-fluffy mixture into your piping bag. Then, use a small spray bottle filled with sugarcane alcohol to spray the tops of your soap that you’re going to decorate so you get the best adhesion possible.
5. Now it’s time to frost your soaps! With one hand, hold your piping bag near the tip so that you have full control over your frosting technique and use your other hand to gently press the sides of the bag to push the frosting through the tip.
6. You can create a variety of different swirl or frosting effects. One example is creating a scalloped edge on your finished soap loaf. To do this, push your frosting out until a small dollop appears on your soap, then drag the tip down about a half an inch and repeat until you’ve finished decorating your loaf.
7. Let your soap frosting cool for 24-48 hours before handling or cutting your soaps. Soap frosting will be stiff, but it remains slightly thick so if you’re planning to ship your soaps, make sure they are protected in transit from any bumps or materials that can alter the shape.
Maker Tip: Don’t spritz the tops of your soap frosting with alcohol as it may cause the soap to deflate.
There are so many ways to frost your soap so don’t be afraid to try different things! Mastering a unique soap frosting appearance can really add to the reason why customers choose your soaps.
We can’t wait to see how you add soap frosting to your own creations. Tag us @makesy on Instagram and show us how you frost your soaps… we’d love to share and inspire other soap makers!
Happy frosting & making!
