Bask in the tropical aromas of delicious Soursop Tea as you soak away into a blissful bubble bath. Let's get started on making our very own Soursop Tea Soap!
What is Soursop?
Soursop is the fruit from the Annona muricata tree which is in the same family of trees as custard apples! The fruit has a glorious creamy consistency and tastes of mango or pineapple.
What is Soursop Tea?
Soursop Tea is a blend of tea leaves produced from the leaves of the Annona muricata tree. If you're interested in tasting it then try our selection of different Soursop Teas! It is a wonderfully healthy tea packed with antioxidants and flavour!
How to Make Soursop Tea Soap
Let's start with a basic soap recipe! There are many different ways that you can make soap but this recipe is a cold process soap recipe.
Ingredients:
- Water 240g
- Soursop tea bags x2 or about 5g loose-leaf tea
- Sodium hydroxide 112g
- Camellia oil 400g
- Cocoa butter 144g
- Coconut oil 200g
- Castor oil 40g
- Beeswax 16g
Equipment:
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Silicone spatula
- Heatproof bowl
- Digital scales
- Digital thermometer
- Stick blender
- Soap mould or DIY alternative
- Plastic measuring jugs, ideally 2x 1L and 1x 2L
Method:
- Let's begin by boiling your water on the stove or in a kettle. We will basically be starting this recipe by making some Soursop Tea! Pro tip: Make enough so you get a cheeky cup to sip on while you make your soap!
- Once you've added your tea, leave it to steep overnight. If you want the fragrance and benefits to really come through in your soap then overnight is the optimal time scale.
- Safety first, put on your gloves and goggles then crack open a window or do this step outside. Ventilation is a must here! Add 240g of water to a sturdy bowl. Next, add your sodium hydroxide. It is much safer to add the sodium hydroxide to the water - trust me!
- Mix carefully but thoroughly. The mixture will get pretty warm and is not safe to get in your eyes so keep those gloves and goggles on and the windows open! Once thoroughly combined, set aside for later.
- In a heatproof bowl combine the camellia oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, beeswax and coconut oil. You can then choose to heat over a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave. Honestly, if you're careful, the microwave is the easiest route here!
- If you choose to add any essential oils or decorative colours/shimmers, now is the time to prepare them and set them aside!
- Now we will grab our sodium hydroxide mixture and check the temperature. It should sit between 25C and 40C.
- Next, check the oil mixture temperature which should sit between 35C and 40C.
- If both temperatures are in the correct ranges then combine the two mixtures together!
- Mix in short bursts using your stick blender. When you feel that the mixture has begun to thicken it's time to test for trace.
- Trace testing is where you drip some soap batter onto the surface of the soap mixture. If it sits on the top then your soap has reached trace. This is the time to add any optional extras like essential oils.
- Now for the exciting bit, pouring into moulds! Carefully pour your batter into the moulds and firmly tap the filled moulds onto a surface to release any air bubbles. Leave for 48 hours then unmold them.
- Finally, once unmolded, leave your soap with gaps between them for 4-6 weeks to cure.
What Essential Oils Go Well with Soursop Tea?
This question can vary depending on the aims of your soap. Would you like a calming vibe? Then go for something like lavender but, if you prefer to feel fresh and invigorated, opt for peppermint!
My personal favourite match for the scent of Soursop is actually coconut! The tropical aroma makes your soap feel like a delightful island getaway instead of 7 pm on a Friday night!
Where Can I Purchase Soursop Tea?
For high-quality Soursop tea leaves, check out our Soursop Leaf Tea! It is the absolutely perfect base for this soap which you can leave on its own or add other scents and oils to! It's definitely a great tea too!
If you want to save some pennies then sign up to the TeaLife Loyalty Points System and enjoy $5 credit by registering for the newsletter too! Happy soap-making!
References
Green Tea Cold Process Soap Recipe UK. (n.d.). TheSoapery. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.thesoapery.co.uk/blogs/news/green-tea-cold-process-soap-recipe#:~:text=Ingredients%3A%201%20Water%20240g%202%20Green%20tea%20bags
Sachdev, P. (2022, September 19). Health Benefits of Soursop. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-soursop
