Citrus Blossom Morning Bars (Recipe)

Base idea: sunny, fresh, lightly floral-citrus swirl.

Ingredients:

• 500 g white or shea butter melt-and-pour base
• ¼–½ tsp yellow or soft orange mica
• 1–2 Tbsp dried calendula petals (for topping or light sprinkle inside)
• Essential oil blend (approx. 8 g total):
• 5 g sweet orange
• 2 g mandarin
• 1 g lavender or neroli fragrance oil

(Sweet orange and mandarin are generally gentler citrus choices; still, keep within typical usage rates.)

Swirl steps:

1. Melt the base and stir in the essential oil blend.
2. Pour about 100–150 g of the scented base into a separate jug and color it with the yellow/orange mica.
3. Pour the uncolored portion into your mold first.
4. Immediately drizzle the colored soap in thin ribbons over the surface and into the loaf, moving the jug back and forth.
5. Use a skewer to do a light swirl, not overmixing so you keep that “citrus ribbon” effect.
6. Sprinkle a pinch of calendula petals on top while still soft.
7. Spritz with alcohol and let cure.