Spring in Ohio means rain and dandelions.  I've always loved dandelions.  Most people consider them a weed, but I think they give a pop of color to an otherwise bleak canvas.  And when you're a kid, it's fun to blow the seeds and make a wish.

Dandelions dot yards across the country.  Bees use them for a source of both pollen and nectar.  Since dandelions bloom before other plants, they are important for the bees so they can get to work.

 

Dandelions have been used for generations in salads, to make wine, and for other culinary purposes.  I use them for natural skin care.

As soon as we got dandelions, my daughter picked me a bunch and helped me prep them for drying.  This year, I made this dandelion melt and pour soap recipe for dry skin and a pain relief body butter with the dandelion oil.

Last year, I made dandelion infused oil and dedicated an entire post to talking about how to make it, its benefits, and how to use it.  I also made dandelion solid lotion and dandelion lip balm.  The year before that, I made a dandelion salve for dry skin.

I loved the dandelion lip balm; it's my favorite recipe of any of the lip balms that I've ever made.  I'll make it again this year with this new oil infusion.

This year, I wanted to try using dandelion oil in a melt and pour soap recipe.  I didn't want it to make just a plain bar because why be plain when you can make something pretty?  I mean, my blog is called Everything Pretty after all.

I created a double layered soap, both with dandelion oil and the same essential oils.  The first pour has poppy seeds to naturally exfoliate, and the second pour has dried calendula petals for a pretty texture and their skin benefits.

For both pours, I used a mix of clear and white melt and pour soap.  I was originally going to just use white, but I only have one package of white left and three packs of clear.  Of course, you can just use all white or all clear.

I used Crafty Bubbles melt and pour soap.  Both the clear and the white are regular bases and not suspension bases.  I'll teach you a trick to get around using a suspension base when using additives.

I wanted part of these bars to be exfoliating to remove dead skin cells.  This helps improve skin health and sloughs off dead skin for smoother looking skin.  I used poppy seeds for a nice pop of color in the green soap base.  

I used a dandelion infused grapeseed oil for this dandelion melt and pour soap.  You can learn all about how to infuse dandelions and oils here.  

Infusing herbs and oils takes a while because you need to dry the flowers or herbs and then infuse the oils.  You can either set it in a cool dark place for two weeks to infuse or use heat to infuse it.  I used my slow cooker to infuse my oils so I could make this quicker.

You can also buy dandelion oil already infused on Etsy.  This is a great way to save time and the hassle of drying, infusing, and straining.

For the second pour, I really wanted to use dried dandelions.  Unfortunately, not every flower can be used in melt and pour.  Lavender and rose will turn brown and can even mold inside of the soap.  Calendula is one dried flower that works well in melt and pour soap though.  

Since dried calendula looks like dried dandelion, it makes a great substitute for dried dandelion.  Calendula is said to soothe the skin and help repair the skin.  It's also said to promote skin cell regeneration.  

I used some green mica to color the scrubby layer.  I like mica for layered soaps because it doesn't bleed.  You can use soap colorant, but it may bleed after a while.  

I don't recommend using food coloring because it fades and bleeds.  It can also stain skin and even your tub, sink, or skin.

Since this dandelion melt and pour soap is for dry skin, I wanted to use an essential oil blend that would be good for dry skin.  I chose a blend of lavender essential oil, Roman chamomile essential oil, and ylang ylang essential oil.  All three oils are excellent for the skin.

Roman chamomile essential oil is said to help promote wound healing.  It's good for eczema and rashes and can help reduce inflammation when applied topically.

Lavender essential oil is a gentle oil.  It smells great, and it's naturally antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory while it promotes healing.

Ylang ylang essential oil smells wonderful with the other two oils.  It's antiseptic and helps promote healing.

I wanted to layer these and be able to see the layers, so I used this large ice cube silicone mold.  It has 2 inch by 2 inch cavities with a bevel on the top.  I didn't fill them completely, but if you did it would take about 4 ounce of soap per cavity.  You could also use these rectangle soap molds.

• 1 pound of white melt and pour soap, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon dried calendula
• 1 teaspoon dandelion infused oil, divided
• 48 drops lavender essential oil, divided
• 24 drops Roman chamomile essential oil, divided
• 16 drops ylang  ylang essential oil, divided
• Mica

Tools and Supplies

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Your dandelion melt and pour soaps are ready to use as soon as they are cool. Unlike cold process or hot process soap, melt and pour soap doesn't need to cure.

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