New soap - Coconut Lime Verbena

I have mentioned in my previous post how I still cannot get use to the fact that the summer 2014 is gasping for its dying breath. The weather Gods have been particularly merciful this year and rewarded the Netherlands with a ridiculously huge amount of sunny days. First time I saw that happening in five years.

A lot of things happened in my life in the past three months and I have been alas, unable to soap & post regularly. However, now when my soaping mojo is back, I want to extend this summer feel at least until I uncover my winter boots from the closet. Since I could not go on a beach holiday or any other holiday for that matter, I have decided to bring the beach to my shower.
I longed for tropical destinations for as long as I can remember and what else does give  that instant association with tropical islands than a juicy coconut?

Strike a Pose

So here I was, sitting in the office, having a snack of fresh coconut chunks dreaming of coconut inspired soap. Easier said than done. As my fellow soapmaking colleagues around the globe can testify the elusive coconut fragrance is one of the holy grails of soaping community. It is impossible to get the fragrance oil that can convey all the lusciously creamy & milky goodness of the real thing. While at the same time staying white. I mean, no one wants brown coconut soap. Or a white one but with that icky plastic smell that reminds me on shower curtains or China-made dolls.

I guess the only other option available is to go for the next best thing - a great fragrance combo. Here we come to next difficulty - it also has to be a fragrance I personally like. Since I am a small hobbyist and have no wish of expanding my business any time soon, I still hold the preference to soap exclusively what I like. Somehow I know I wouldn't have enough inspiration if I would be imposed with other people desires.

Summer Chillin'

This time I did not want to have the suntan smell and was looking for some more herbaceous notes. So I have chosen the Coconut Lime Verbena fragrance. Obvious main notes are supported here with subtle notes of grapefruit & kumquat and with a undertone of jasmine petals and musk. refreshing nd creamy at the same time and very unisex. The recipe features a lot of coconut oil (my fave) and sticky coconut milk. I believe that the coconut milk will keep on popping out in my creations yet to come as it is an extremely well-behaved and highly nutritive liquid. Besides it went without saying that the all thing coconut should go into this soap.

Tall & Beautiful

In my latest designs I have been playing with MP and my 'ideas' portfolio is rapidly growing. Nevertheless, sometimes the best ideas come when you have to work only with the material you already have on hand. Otherwise, I might end up deep in financial trouble as there is a never-ending world of soaping supplies & materials that I want to own. So I literally took out all my molds and colors and thought of what can I achieve that would be satisfactory to my creative standards.

Creamy Coconut Goodness!

And there it was. All the little pieces came together in my mind's eye like a perfect jigsaw. It may sound crazy, but honestly it is how it happened. The body of the soap was the white canvas and with small accents made of transparent MP soap and mica pencil line. There was nothing else really to do as it would derange the chic simplicity. I topped the whole loaf with little grean leaves and a dash of epsom salt. The photos I took were only days after I made the soap, but the bars are now almost completely white.

As I ramble through my supplies trying to decide what soaps will roll out to the Christmas specials, I have completed the readers choice limited edition fall soap that I will present next Sunday. Until then, I will keep on lingering, imagining some future beach holidays and looking to catch the last rays of sunshine.