Slowly and carefully add 7.7 ounces of lye to 17.8 ounces of water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear. Set aside to cool. Optional: Add 3 teaspoons of sodium lactate to help the bars harden more quickly.

Fully melt the entire bag of Swirl Recipe Quick Mix until it's completely clear and there is no cloudiness. Shake the bag to mix up all the oils. Measure 54 ounces into a large heat-safe container. Once the lye water and the oils have cooled to 130°F or below (and are ideally within 10 degrees of each other), add the lye water to the oils and stick blend until thin trace. 

Pour off 16 ounces of soap into a separate container. To aid in pouring later on, a container with a pour spout is recommended. To the large container of soap, add all the turmeric infused oil and stir with a whisk. The soap will turn a bright orange color.

To the small container, add all the dispersed turmeric powder. Use a whisk to fully mix. The soap will turn a darker orange than the large container.

Add the ginger essential oil to each container proportionally—it’s okay to eyeball it. Use a whisk to fully mix.

At this point, the soap should be a thin to thin-medium trace. The key to the Hidden Feather Swirl technique is that the soap needs to be thin enough to swirl but thick enough to layer. If the soap is still extremely thin, give each container of soap a few bursts with the stick blender to thicken. Be careful to not over stick blend!

Pour a small amount of the turmeric-infused soap (the large container) into all 3 sections of the mold evenly. This first layer should be small but large enough to support the first layer in the feather.

Very carefully, pour a thin layer of the turmeric-powder soap (the small container) into the middle section of the mold. You'll be creating 3 layers of turmeric-powder soap in the center of the mold, and using some of it on top for the swirl. Keep this in mind when pouring each layer. Be careful to not break through the first layer of soap. Pouring very thin lines of soap until the first layer is covered is a good way to prevent breakthrough.

Pour more of the turmeric-infused soap into the 2 outside sections of the mold. Then very carefully, pour a layer of the turmeric-infused soap into the middle section of the mold. Be careful to not break into the layers below.

Carefully pour a second layer of the turmeric powder soap into the middle section. As the soap becomes thicker, layering the soap will get easier. But be careful to not break through to the layers below. Pour slowly and gently.

Gently cover the turmeric-powder soap in the middle section of the mold with a layer of turmeric-infused soap. Pour more turmeric-infused soap into the outside sections to keep all the sections filled evenly.

Cover the middle section with a third (and last) layer of turmeric powder soap. Keep in mind that you need a small amount of the turmeric-powder soap left over to create the swirl on top at the very end. Fill the outside sections of the mold with turmeric-infused soap if necessary to keep the sections even. If the sections are filled unevenly, one section of soap may cover the other sections when the dividers are pulled out. Keep in mind you need more of the lighter, turmeric-infused soap to cover the top.

Slowly and carefully, pull the 2 cardboard dividers straight out of the soap. Set them aside. Tap the mold gently on the counter to help settle the soap. This action is what creates the upward design on the outside of the “feather.”

Cover the top of the soap with the lighter, turmeric-infused soap. Use a small spoon to evenly distribute the top layer if necessary.

Insert the Hanger Swirl Tool into the center of the soap so that it goes through the layers in the middle section of the mold. This motion is what creates the downward design in the center of the feather. Once the Hanger Tool reaches the bottom of the mold, drag it along the bottom to one edge of the mold. Keep the Hanger Swirl Tool along the side of the mold while you pull it up and out. 

Pour a line of the turmeric powder soap down the center of the mold. Then, use a chopstick or dowel to create loop-de-loops down the length of the mold. Do not insert the chopstick or dowel all the way into the soap - only swirl the very top so you don’t disrupt the swirl inside.

Wood molds insulate very well, causing the soap to become quite warm. Our soap went through gel phase, which makes the color more vibrant. If you live in a very hot area, you may want to keep an eye on the soap for the first hour to make sure the top does not crack. If a crack forms, place the soap in the fridge to prevent more. If you don’t live in an extremely hot area, leave the soap at room temperature (do not insulate). Allow the soap to stay in the mold for 2-3 days, remove, and cut into bars. Allow them to cure for 4-6 weeks before use. Enjoy!