Relaxing bath truffles: Lavender

You may think the season for bath truffles is over, but as we prepared these beautiful truffles for a cosmetic symposium in Poland I couldn't resist the desire to share the recipe here. This might be a last minute mother's day or birthday present, something for a bridal show, a confirmation or guest treats. The recipe is super easy and the whole procedure doesn't take long so that it would be a perfect idea for mass production if you need a gift in 100 pieces. Depending on the mold you use, you can prepare unimaginably elegant pieces which everybody would love.

Before we start I recommend you to read our older posts and general information regarding hygienic manufacturing practice in cosmetic lab and the introduction to Basic equipment and utensil for a cosmetic lab . 

These bath truffles are prepared with the relaxing and soothing Lavender essential oil. For an optical, olfactory and sensory enrichment we have added lavender blooms to the base. It is totally up to you if you add the blooms and how much you add. You can fill the mold cavity with the blooms and the pour the melted base. I recommend adding 5-10% of the mold capacity. It means if your mold has a capacity of 100 gr you may add 5-10 gr lavender blooms. This is only a rough suggestion. At the end, it is your project and you should decide about it.

For this Project (500 gr base) you'll need: 

69,0% Cacao butter (345,0 gr)

13,5% Shea butter (67,5 gr)

11,0% lysolecithin (55,0 gr)

1,0% partially hydrogenated soybean oil (5,0 gr)

0,5% Tocopherol (2,5 gr)

1,0% calendula lipophilic extract or infusion(5,0 gr)

4,0% Lavender essential oil (20,0 gr) 

Lavender blooms (25-50 gr) 

At least one suitable mold (silicone molds or milky way molds work the best)

You'll need as well:

Beakers to melt and mix the ingredients

disposable pipettes

a water bath to melt the butters

glass rods or suitable spatulas or spoons

Here we go:

1-Set the temperature of the water bath @ around 60 degrees centigrade. Melt the cacao butter. Stop heating and add the shea butter and partially hydrogenated soybean oil. As they are melted as well add all other ingredients (except lavender essential oil and lavender blooms). Stir gently to mix.

2-As cacao butter is melting prepare your mold by putting lavender blooms in the cavities. You should keep in mind that since the blooms have a low density, they would move to the top of the cavity as you pour the butter. This gives you a beautiful color contrast as the butter hardens. At the bottom of the butter piece there are more lavender blooms than at the top.  

3- After all ingredients are mixed and as the mixture reaches a temperature of around 40 degrees centigrade add the essential oil and pour the butter into cavities.

4- Bring the form into the fridge. This is the most difficult part by a mass production: to find enough space in the fridge.

5- Depending on the mold, the truffles need about half an hour to a few hours to harden. Be patient, adding the blooms prolongs the process of solidifying compared to traditional truffles you have probably made.

After unmolding, depending on the ambient temperature, the truffles should be kept in the fridge or not. Remember: these are butters and would melt by exposure to heat and sunlight. Store them under 25 degrees centigrade. Pack them in cellophane or in wax paper and then as you prefer in a box or treat bag to give them away as an elegant gift. Or enjoy the emolliency and relaxing effect of the truffles in your bath tub yourself. 

Here you can purchase all the ingredients for this project.