Lavender Love melt and pour soap is a soft purple mini loaf with a raised lace pattern on the sides, made with a fondant mat glued inside the mold. It combines a light purple opaque base with a deeper clear purple, poured as cool as possible so the two stay mostly separate with just a little swirl. I made this one as a gift for a nurse friend who loves lavender.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links in this post are affiliate links. They cost you nothing extra and help support Koala Soap.
Materials & Tools
Soap Bases
- Shea butter melt and pour soap base or another opaque white base, for the light purple
- Premium clear melt and pour soap base, for the deeper purple
- Both should be detergent-free if you can find it
Color & Scent
- A purple mica made for melt and pour (I used one from Bramble Berry)
- Fragrance oil, like lavender (optional)
Tools
- Mini silicone soap loaf mold
- Fondant mats (mine were under $10 and come sized to fit a loaf mold)
- Skewers
- Pipettes and small cups for the mica
- Spray bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol
- Thermometer
- Soap cutter or a sharp knife and a ruler
Fragrance Amount
If you scent this soap, use up to 5 ml of fragrance oil per 16 oz (1 lb) of soap base. You can always use less if you like a lighter scent, but don’t go over 5 ml per 16 oz.
How to Make Lavender Love Melt and Pour Soap
1. Cut the Fondant Mat to Fit
Fondant mats work like impression mats, but they’re cut to a size that fits a long loaf mold. You’ll have enough to cut down for both sides of a smaller mold too.
2. Glue the Mat Into the Mold
Melt both bases. Mine were in the 160s°F. Dab a little hot melted soap on the back of the fondant mat with a skewer, press it against the inside wall of the mold and hold it for a moment. Repeat on the other side. It’s fine if a little soap seeps through. Let it set.
3. Color the Bases
Mix the purple mica with alcohol and stir it into both bases. Make the opaque base a light purple and the clear base a deeper purple. Some purple micas turn gray in cold process soap, but this one works well in melt and pour.
4. Cool and Pour
Let both colors cool as much as possible, aiming for the 110s°F. The clear base starts to skin around 120°F. Pour the opaque purple first, since clear base is heavier and tends to sink. Then spray with alcohol and pour the clear purple on top from a little higher, so it breaks through and swirls a bit. If the clear base gets too thick, rewarm it and let it cool to about 126°F before pouring.
5. Support the Mold
This mini mold likes to bow out in the middle, so prop books against the sides while the soap sets. That keeps the bars straight.
6. Unmold Carefully
Don’t pull the soap straight out, or you’ll ruin the design. Push it out from the bottom instead. The fondant mat holds the soap tightly, so it may take some effort. Once it’s out, slowly peel the mats off the sides. Clean up any soap that seeped behind the mat.
7. Score and Cut
Score the loaf with a ruler, trim the ends and cut your bars. A mini loaf gives you about five bars and a tester.
Tips & What I Learned
- Pour cold. Getting both colors into the 110s°F keeps them separate with just a soft swirl.
- Pour the opaque base first. Clear base is heavier and sinks through.
- Glue the mat with soap. A little melted soap holds the fondant mat in place.
- Prop up flexible molds. Books keep the sides from bowing.
- Push, don’t pull. Pushing the loaf out from the bottom protects the design.
Troubleshooting
The colors blended completely.
They were poured too hot. Let them cool to the 110s°F first.
Soap leaked behind the fondant mat.
That’s okay. Trim it off after unmolding.
My bars are wider in the middle.
The mold bowed out. Prop books against the sides while it sets.
The loaf won’t come out.
Keep working it out from the bottom. The mat grips the soap tightly.
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’s the difference between a fondant mat and an impression mat?
They work the same way. Fondant mats are often cut to fit a loaf mold, so they’re easy to use for soap.
How many bars does a mini loaf make?
About five bars plus a tester.
More Lavender Soap Ideas
- Lavender Royale Melt and Pour Soap
- Blue Ice Melt and Pour Soap with an Impression Mat
- Piped Floral Melt and Pour Soap
- How to Swirl Melt and Pour Soap
- 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.
