Cocoa Butter Bath Bark: a rich moisturizing bath treat sprinkled with silver and gold sea salt

 

Tis the season to stock up on goodies for the winter holiday rush. November and December are some of the busiest months for soap makers and skin care artisans. Every year we like to feature recipes that work especially well as holiday presents. Bath treats, like this simple bath bark, are perfect for marketing as stocking stuffers or small gifts.

 

The base for this recipe uses just two ingredients, pure cocoa butter and our Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Base – a pre-mixed blend of oat flour, milk powder, and honey powder. You can easily customize the recipe by swapping out the color of mica or the type of salt. You can also experiment by topping the bark with other bath-friendly ingredients like dried herbs or flowers.

Cocoa butter has a delicious aroma all on its own so we left our batch unscented. However, fragrance oil, essential oil, or aromatic CO2 extracts can be added to give the recipe another layer of scent. Try adding about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of your preferred aromatic ingredient (or blend) to give this formulation a new aroma.

 

COCOA BUTTER BATH BARK

Makes about 16 ounces (454 grams)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (240 ml) Cocoa Butter
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Oatmeal Milk and Honey Powder
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) Sea Salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Gold Karat Sparkle Mica, divided
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Silver Sparkle Mica, divided

Directions

1. Heat cocoa butter in double boiler until fully melted.
2. Meanwhile, divide sea salt into two bowls. Add 1/2 teaspoon mica to each bowl and toss until well coated. Set aside.
3. Remove cocoa butter from heat and add sifted oatmeal milk and honey powder. Whisk continuously as powder is added to avoid forming lumps.
4. Pour mixture onto a clean baking sheet (with rim) and transfer to refrigerator. Let the sheet chill for 10 to 15 minutes, keeping a close eye on firmness.
5. When the mixture reaches semi-solid texture, sprinkle the colored salts onto the tray. Dust tray with remaining mica.
6. Return the tray to the refrigerator and chill until bark is fully solid.
7. Place tray with hardened cocoa bark upside down on a clean surface lined with was paper. Tap on the bottom of the tray to release bark, then snap or cut the bark into 2 – 4 inch pieces before transferring to bags.

Usage & Packaging

• Cocoa Butter Bath Barks looks wonderful in our small cello bags. Try packing these bath goodies in bundles of 2 or 4 ounces – enough for several baths.
• To use, simply drop one or two pieces of bath bark into warm bath water. The cocoa butter will melt away in the heat of the bath water.

Shelf Life & Stability: Please note that the formulations featured here on The Natural Beauty Workshop have not been challenge tested for stability or shelf life, and may not be suitable for commercial use as-is. For more information on shelf life, stability, and working with preservatives, check out the following article from our Information Library.