Cold Process Raspberry Geranium Soap Bars

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of plucking a sun ripened raspberry from its stem, than you know exactly how magical those tart little berries can be. But you might be surprised to learn that tucked within those juicy berries are seeds packed with antioxidants!

Raspberry Seed Oil is extremely nourishing to the skin. Rich in fatty acids, phenols, and anti-inflammatory benefits, Raspberry Seed Oils (both Black and Red) make great super fatting agents in handmade soaps.

Our resident soaping expert, Kelly Owens, formulated the following recipe with the benefits of our incredible Black Raspberry Seed Oil in mind. This base recipe can be colored and scented any way you like, but we love how Kelly blended Geranium Essential Oil with Raspberry Fragrance Oil to give these soaps a cheerful scent that is both floral and fruity.

Kelly topped the bars with dried Raspberry Seeds and life-size raspberries made from Melt & Pour Soap. These garnishes are totally optional, but we find that they add an extra layer of whimsy and visual interest to an otherwise simple soap. You can find a mold to make your own here.

Raspberry Geranium CP Soap
makes approximately five 5 oz bars

Ingredients

• 11 oz Organic Olive Oil
• 6 oz Coconut Oil, RBD
• 3 oz Cocoa Butter
• 3 oz RSPO Organic Palm Oil
• 2 oz Black Raspberry Seed Oil
• 2 oz Castor Oil
• 1 tbsp of Rose Clay
• .75 oz Raspberry Fragrance Oil
• .25 Geranium Essential Oil
• 1 tsp of Black Raspberry Fruit Seeds
• 4 oz of Sodium Hydroxide
• 7 oz of Distilled Water

Melt & Pour Raspberries (optional)
makes about 15 raspberry soaps

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Transparent Melt & Pour Soap Base
• 1/8 teaspoon Bordeaux Lustre Mica
• 10 drops Raspberry Fragrance Oil

Directions

1. Prepare optional MP Raspberry Soap topping. Melt soap base and combine with mica and fragrance oil. Pour melted soap into raspberry soap mold and allow to cool and harden before removing.
2. Prepare 2-pound loaf soap mold by assembling, setting them on tray, lining with wax paper, etc. as needed.
3. Measure distilled water and place in stainless steel pot or large plastic pitcher with very thick walls.
4. Measure and add lye to water and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until completely dissolved. Let mixture cool down to about 100 F.
5. Measure coconut oil, cocoa butter, and palm oil and melt in double-boiler.
6. Add olive, black raspberry seed oil, and castor oil.
7. Combine lye water and fats, then stir or stick blend until mixture reaches thin trace.
8. Add essential oil and fragrance oil, followed by rose clay. Blend until ingredients are fully mixed, then transfer soap to mold.
9. Smooth or texture top using popsicle stick, then sprinkle with raspberry fruit seeds and optional melt and pour soap raspberries.
10. Cover and let sit for 24 hours before removing from the mold. Slice soap into five bars, then allow bars to cure on wooden drying rack for six weeks before use.

To Use

• Lather, rinse, repeat!

First time making cold process soap? Check out our CP Soap Making Guide to get started!