This coconut mango jojoba bead soap is a soft pink shea butter bar speckled with little red jojoba beads for gentle exfoliation. Jojoba beads are made from jojoba oil and castor oil and are biodegradable. The trick is getting the soap cool enough that the beads stay suspended through the bar instead of sinking to the bottom.
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Materials & Tools
Soap Base & Exfoliant
- About 12 oz shea butter melt and pour soap base (enough for two bars in my mold)
- Red jojoba beads
Color & Scent
- A touch of Red Strawberry from this Stardust mica set or individual Stardust micas
- Coconut Mango fragrance oil from Bramble Berry, or your favorite fragrance oil
Tools
- Multi shape silicone soap mold
- Spray bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Thermometer
- A spoon or spatula for stirring
Fragrance Amount
I used about 3 ml for 12 oz of soap. The most you should use is 5 ml of fragrance oil per 16 oz (1 lb) of soap base, which is about 3.75 ml for 12 oz. You can always use less, but don’t go over 5 ml per 16 oz.
How to Make Coconut Mango Jojoba Bead Soap
1. Melt the Base
Melt the shea butter base. Keep it under 180°F, because jojoba beads can melt away in soap that’s too hot. Mine was about 134°F after melting.
2. Add a Hint of Color
Mix just a touch of Red Strawberry mica with a little alcohol and stir it in for a light pink tint. A soft color makes the red beads stand out instead of disappearing into a dark base.
3. Add Fragrance
Stir in the fragrance. Coconut Mango is a mild, pleasant scent that isn’t too strong.
4. Cool, Then Add the Beads
Let the soap cool until it starts to skin over. Mine was about 118°F. At 132°F the beads would have been fine, but they would have sunk. Pour in the jojoba beads and stir them well, scraping them away from the sides and bottom.
5. Pour
Pour into the mold, giving the soap one more stir before a skin develops. Spray with alcohol and let it set. Shea butter and other opaque bases take a little longer to set than clear soap.
6. Unmold
Unmold the bars once they’re set. The beads stay mixed throughout the bar instead of sinking. They feel gentle, not rough like salt, and they don’t leave a red residue when you rub them.
Tips & What I Learned
- Keep the soap under 180°F. Hotter soap can melt the beads.
- Add beads to cool, thick soap. Around 118–120°F keeps them suspended.
- Go light on color. A pale base shows off the red beads.
- Try layers. Jojoba beads would look great in a layered soap.
Troubleshooting
All the beads sank.
The soap was too warm. Let it cool until it starts to skin before adding them.
The beads disappeared.
The soap was too hot. Keep it under 180°F.
The soap is too thick to pour.
Warm it for a few seconds, then stir the beads back in.
FAQ
How much fragrance oil should I use?
Up to 5 ml per 16 oz of soap base. You can always use less, but don’t use more than 5 ml per 16 oz.
What are jojoba beads?
Small exfoliating beads made from jojoba oil and castor oil. They’re biodegradable.
Are jojoba beads rough?
No. They’re gentle, much softer than salt.
More Exfoliating Soap Ideas
- Himalayan Salt Melt and Pour Soap
- Oatmeal and Kaolin Clay Melt and Pour Soap
- Epsom Salt Melt and Pour Soap
- Sugar Scrub DIY Easy Recipe
- All my melt and pour soap tutorials on YouTube
If you make this, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram or Pinterest, and subscribe on YouTube for new soap tutorials.
