
Swirled Orchid Soap Project
To complement Bewitched Orchid Fragrance Oil*, the soap is colored a regal purple and topped with elegant jasmine flowers.
The design in these bars is referred to as an in-the-pot swirl. Once the soap is split into separate containers and color is added, it’s poured back into one pot and swirled together before being poured into the mold. It’s a technique that’s great for beginners and results in a completely different swirl each time. Just be careful to not over swirl the soap or the colors can muddle.
*This project originally was created using the now discontinued Blushing Orchid Fragrance Oil.
What You Need:
Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
- Lots of Lather Quick Mix - 33 oz
- Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- Titanium Dioxide Pigment - 1 oz
- Bewitched Orchid Fragrance Oil - 1.75 oz
- Queen's Purple Mica - 1 oz
- Activated Charcoal - 1 oz
- Jasmine Flowers - 3 oz
EQUIPMENT:
- 10 inch Silicone Loaf Mold
Instructions
You will need:
- 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
- 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
- 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 10.9 oz. Distilled Water
- 1.5 oz. Bewitched Orchid Fragrance Oil
- 1 tsp. Titanium Dioxide
- 1 tsp. Queen’s Purple Mica
- 1/2 tsp. Activated Charcoal
- Jasmine Flowers
COLORANT PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of the titanium dioxide into 1 tablespoon of sunflower or sweet almond oil (or any other liquid oil). Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. In a separate container, mix 1 teaspoon of Queen’s Purple Mica into 1 tablespoon lightweight liquid oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. Finally, mix 1/2 teaspoon of activated charcoal with 1/2 tablespoon lightweight liquid oil.
Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap batter, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. Use a coffee grinder to break up any clumps of color and prevent streaks of white from showing in the final soap. We like to use a coffee grinder that has a removable stainless steel mixing area for easy cleaning.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.
Follow these steps:
1
Slowly and carefully add 4.7 ounces of lye to 10.9 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2 teaspoons sodium lactate.
2
Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix until it’s completely clear. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 33 ounces into your soaping bowl. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman
Swirled Orchid Soap Project
- LEVEL Intermediate
- TIME 2 hours
- YIELD 3 pounds of soap
Project Description
To complement Bewitched Orchid Fragrance Oil*, the soap is colored a regal purple and topped with elegant jasmine flowers.
The design in these bars is referred to as an in-the-pot swirl. Once the soap is split into separate containers and color is added, it’s poured back into one pot and swirled together before being poured into the mold. It’s a technique that’s great for beginners and results in a completely different swirl each time. Just be careful to not over swirl the soap or the colors can muddle.
*This project originally was created using the now discontinued Blushing Orchid Fragrance Oil.
You will need:
- 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
- 33 oz. Lots of Lather Quick Mix
- 4.7 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
- 10.9 oz. Distilled Water
- 1.5 oz. Bewitched Orchid Fragrance Oil
- 1 tsp. Titanium Dioxide
- 1 tsp. Queen’s Purple Mica
- 1/2 tsp. Activated Charcoal
- Jasmine Flowers
COLORANT PREP: Disperse 1 teaspoon of the titanium dioxide into 1 tablespoon of sunflower or sweet almond oil (or any other liquid oil). Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. In a separate container, mix 1 teaspoon of Queen’s Purple Mica into 1 tablespoon lightweight liquid oil. Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. Finally, mix 1/2 teaspoon of activated charcoal with 1/2 tablespoon lightweight liquid oil.
Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap batter, we recommend micronizing it before dispersing it in oil. Use a coffee grinder to break up any clumps of color and prevent streaks of white from showing in the final soap. We like to use a coffee grinder that has a removable stainless steel mixing area for easy cleaning.
SAFETY FIRST: Suit up for safe handling practices. That means goggles, gloves, and long sleeves. Make sure kids, pets, other distractions, and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Always soap in a well-ventilated area.
Follow these steps:
1
Slowly and carefully add 4.7 ounces of lye to 10.9 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. If you’d like a harder bar of soap that releases faster from the mold, you can add sodium lactate to the cooled lye water. Use 1 teaspoon of sodium lactate per pound of oils in the recipe. For this recipe, you’d add 2 teaspoons sodium lactate.
2
Fully melt the entire bag of Lots of Lather Quick Mix until it’s completely clear. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 33 ounces into your soaping bowl. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130 degrees F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend the mixture to a thin trace.
Tutorial credits
Photographer: Amanda Kerzman