Bergamot Black Tea Cold Process Soap Recipe

This Bergamot Black Tea cold process soap is perfect for Summer and Fall. Since it is March at the time I am making this soap, there is more than enough time to make this cold process soap and take it with you during summer camping adventures, to the beach, and all the adventures you wish to have this summer. This Bergamot Black Tea Cold Process Soap has a lovely, earthy scent. I decided to replace all the water in the formulation with aloe vera from my garden. I grow so much of it at home, and it makes for really great soaps with lots of lather. The scent is a lovely earthy mix of bergamot and tea leaves, great for the theme.

For this Bergamot Black Tea cold process soap DIY, I am using aloe vera that I have at home. I love using it in soaps because it enhances the lather and offers great benefits for the skin. While it can take a few extra minutes mixing the lye to avoid burning the aloe vera, it is absolutely worth it.

For this soap, I froze the aloe vera, then slowly added the lye and mixed well. This is the fastest way I found to make the lye solution. In the past, I had placed the aloe vera in a bath of ice and water, but it took a bit longer to mix. I just wanted to be careful and not burn the lovely aloe vera as I added the lye.

The soaps are really great! I hope you try using aloe vera if you are trying this soap at home. The Bergamot Black Team fragrance oil adds a lovely scent that is perfect for summer and fall soaps if you want to keep them seasonal.

As I always do, I try to match the scent with some themed colors and decided to use light green, gold, and cappuccino brown in this zebra stripes design for this soap.

My favorite cold process soap additives

Two of my favorite cold process soap making additives are kaolin clay and colloidal oatmeal. I add them to almost all of my soaps because of the fantastic properties they add to the soaps.

Kaolin clay

Kaolin clay is a very gentle clay used in many cosmetics and face masks. It is not only gentle on the skin, but it is also great for anchoring the scents in the soaps. I also think it gives a great slip to the soaps that make the soap super luxurious.

Colloidal oatmeal

Colloidal oatmeal is also used in several skin care products and is considered a skin protectant. It helps retain moisture on the skin. It is very soothing and is usually recommended for people with dry skin. You can skip it, but I like it in my soaps because of its excellent skin properties.

Another additive that I tend to add to the soaps is tussah silk. I love how it makes the soap so much smoother and with a lovely silky glide.

For this Bergamot Black Tea and Aloe Vera cold process soap, I decided to make a scallop design, but it did not work. I am so glad I had a plan B in mind, and based on the consistency of the soap, I decided to use a zebra stripes design instead. I am happy that I was able to get all the soap into the mold, and was very happy to see the soap designs.

How to make Bergamot Black Tea and Aloe Vera cold process soap

Additional equipment needed for cold process soap making at home

• Mixing pitchers
• Immersion blender
• Silicone spatulas
• Funnel pitchers
• Infrared thermometer
• Digital scale

Recipes and techniques for making cold process soap at home

Check out the posts linked below for several free cold process soap recipes and techniques. I hope you find one that is perfect for you.

Hanger Swirl Almond Marzipan Cold Process Soap DIY

Clamshell Technique Cold Process Soap DIY

Handmade Cold Process Soap Making

All Natural Aloe Vera Cold Process Soap

In this Kiss Pour and Handmade Mold DIY I not only give you a recipe and another fun technique to use, but I also share how to make a mold using a cardboard milk box.

Summer Vibes Double In the Pot Swirl Cold Process Soap DIY

Coconut Milk & Coconut Water Cold Process Soap

Mahogany & Amber Cold Process Soap

Hibiscus Guava Fresca Cold Process Soap Layers – Tiger Stripe Technique

Step-by-Step Bergamot Black Tea and Aloe Vera Cold Process Soap DIY

You can use the formulation above or double the formulation and split as described below.

1. Weigh out the butters and coconut oil and melt them in the microwave
2. Add the liquid oils to the melted butters
3. Weigh out the aloe vera in a separate container – if using the recipe above, replace all the water with aloe vera
4. Weigh out the sodium hydroxide (lye) needed for the soap in a separate container
5. Sprinkle the sodium hydroxide (lye) into the aloe vera slowly and mix well, then allow to cool to 85-90 degrees F
6. Add the lye and aloe vera solution to the melted oils and butters and mix for a few seconds
7. Split the batter into three separate containers.
8. Add the gold color mica to one of the containers and mix well
9. Add the light green color mica to a second container and mix well
10. Add the cappuccino brown color mica to a third container and mix well
11. Add the Bergamot Black Tea fragrance oil to the separated soap batter
12. Mix using the immersion blender for only a few seconds until you achieve a light trace
13. Pour the soap batter side by side into a larger container
14. Pour the soap batter into the mold using a side to side motion
15. Decorate the top of the soap with any leftover soap batter
16. Allow the soap to go through the saponification process for at least 24 hours
17. Cut the soap and allow it to cure for four to six weeks

I hope you enjoy making this Bergamot Black Tea and aloe vera cold process soap.

You can learn more about cold process soap making in Cold process soap making most common questions answered in one place. This post summarizes all the questions I get about cold process soap making.

Cold process soap DIYs and Design Ideas:

Lavender EO Cold Process Soap

Mardi Gras Inspired Cold Process Soap

Saffron and Oud Hanger Swirl Cold Process Soap DIY

Cashmere Fig Cold Process soap with In The Pot Swirl

Marbled Technique Cold Process Soap DIY

All Natural Facial Cold Process Soap with Activated Charcoal and Rose Clay

How to make soap dough embeds for cold process soap

Refreshing Avobath Perfect for Spring and Summer Cold Process Soap DIY