Elderberry Swirl Soap Project image number null
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Elderberry Swirl Soap Project image number null
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Elderberry Swirl Soap Project

Item No. PS000367
undefined out of 5 Customer Rating
LEVEL Advanced
TIME 2 hours
COST
$254.36
Made with classic holiday colors and a touch of gold, this soap is perfect for holiday gifts!
It's scented with Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil - a complex and festive blend of berries and spruce. It behaves wonderfully in cold process soap, which is important for this swirling technique.

What You Need:

IB000003
9 Bar Unfinished Birchwood Mold

9 Bar Unfinished Birchwood Mold

1 Mold
Out of Stock
IB002809
Silicone Liner for 9 Bar Mold

Silicone Liner for 9 Bar Mold

1 mold
$23.99
IB005690
Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil

Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil - 2 oz

2 oz
$9.26
M900018
Swirl Recipe Quick Mix

Swirl Recipe Quick Mix - 54 oz

54 oz
$18.74 Price reduced from $24.99 to
IB002266
Red Mica

Red Mica - 1 oz

1 oz
$5.99
IB005455
Dark Green Mica

Dark Green Mica - 1 oz

1 oz
$3.99
IB002531
Titanium Dioxide Pigment

Titanium Dioxide Pigment - 1 oz

1 oz
$2.99
IB005467
Gold UltraSparkle Mica

Gold UltraSparkle Mica - 1 oz

1 oz
$3.74 Price reduced from $4.99 to
IB003370
Gold Bursting Beads

Gold Bursting Beads - 1 oz

1 oz
$10.99
IB002149
Sodium Hydroxide Lye

Sodium Hydroxide Lye

1 - 32 oz jar
$15.69
IB002096
Sodium Lactate

Sodium Lactate - 4 oz

4 oz
$2.99
$254.36
9 products 2 tools

Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
  • Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil - 2 oz
  • Swirl Recipe Quick Mix - 54 oz
  • Red Mica - 1 oz
  • Dark Green Mica - 1 oz
  • Titanium Dioxide Pigment - 1 oz
  • Gold UltraSparkle Mica - 1 oz
  • Gold Bursting Beads - 1 oz
  • Sodium Hydroxide Lye
  • Sodium Lactate - 4 oz
EQUIPMENT:
  • 9 Bar Unfinished Birchwood Mold
  • Silicone Liner for 9 Bar Mold

Instructions

You will need:

  • 9 Bar Birchwood Mold
  • Silicone Liner for 9 Bar Mold
  • 42 oz. Swirl Recipe Quick Mix
  • 6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
  • 11.4 oz. Distilled Water
  • 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
  • 1.5 oz. Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance OIl
  • Titanium Dioxide
  • Red Mica
  • Dark Green Mica
  • Gold UltraSparkle Mica
  • Gold Bursting Beads

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1.5 ounces of Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil into a small glass container and set aside.

COLORANT PREP: In seperate containers, disperse 1 teaspoon of titanium dioxide, 1 teaspoon Red Mica, and 1 teaspoon Dark Green Mica into 1 tablespoon of sunflower or sweet almond oil (or any other liquid oil). Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. Have GoldUltraSparkle Mica nearby, as well as the Gold Bursting Beads.
Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap, 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 space. Always make soap in a well-ventilated area.

Follow these steps:

1

Slowly and carefully add 6 ounces of lye to 11.4 ounces of distilled water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set aside to cool. Add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate and stir throughly.

2

Melt the entire bag of Swirl Recipe Quick Mix until fully melted and clear. Measure 42 ounces into a large heat-safe container. Once the oils and water have cooled to 100-110° F, add the lye solution to the oils and whisk together to combine. Use the stick blender to pulse the soap and bring to a very light trace.

3

Split the soap evenly into three containers. Add all of the dispersed Red Mica to one container, add all of the dispersed Dark Green Mica to another container, and add all of the dispersed titanium dioxide to the last container. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Gold UltraSparkle Mica to the red and green soap. Stir the colorants and soap thoroughly to combine.

4

Add the 1.5 ounces of Elderberry and Evergreen Fragance Oil to the three containers evenly - it's okay to eyeball it. Whisk in the fragrance until thoroughly combined. 

5

If the soap is still very thin, quickly pulse each with the stick blender (going from lightest to darkest) to thicken slightly. You're looking for a light to medium trace.

6

Begin pouring each color into the mold. Pour about 1/3 of each color into the mold, going back and forth while you pour. Don't worry about what it looks like during this pour. 

7

Continue to pour the white, green, and red soap into the mold in one direction, taking care to pour thinner lines of soap that begin to lay on top of the soap surface. Try to differentiate the colors to make a more distinct pattern when you swirl. Once you're close to the end, make sure that each color is represented.
 Note: If the soap begins to thicken as you pour, stir the soap with a whisk to help keep it fluid. 

8

Tap the mold firmly on the counter to settle the soap. Insert a chopstick or dowel into the very top of the soap and drag the tool so that it crosses the lines you created. Continue to swirl until you're happy with the look.

9

Insert the dividers into the soap until they reach the bottom of the mold in every section. Sprinkle Gold Bursting Beads on top of each bar until you're happy with the look.
Note: If you prefer to cut your bars, do not insert the dividers.

10

Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. Cover the mold and place on a heating pad for 1-2 hours to promote gel phase. That helps the bars release from the dividers faster and more easily.

11

Allow the soap to stay in the mold for at least 3 days. Because this is a soft recipe and the soap was poured at a thin trace, it may take a little longer to unmold. 

After 3 days, check to see if the silicone liner pulls away easily. If it does, remove the soap. If not, give it another day or 2 to harden. Gently remove the soap from the dividers. To prevent tearing, do not pull the dividers. Push the soap down, or slide the dividers up or down to remove the bars without tearing. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks, and enjoy!

Tutorial credits

Photographer: Amanda Kerzman

See more

Elderberry Swirl Soap Project

  • LEVEL Advanced
  • TIME 2 hours
  • YIELD null
It's scented with Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil - a complex and festive blend of berries and spruce. It behaves wonderfully in cold process soap, which is important for this swirling technique.

You will need:

  • 9 Bar Birchwood Mold
  • Silicone Liner for 9 Bar Mold
  • 42 oz. Swirl Recipe Quick Mix
  • 6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
  • 11.4 oz. Distilled Water
  • 2 tsp. Sodium Lactate
  • 1.5 oz. Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance OIl
  • Titanium Dioxide
  • Red Mica
  • Dark Green Mica
  • Gold UltraSparkle Mica
  • Gold Bursting Beads

FRAGRANCE PREP: Measure 1.5 ounces of Elderberry and Evergreen Fragrance Oil into a small glass container and set aside.

COLORANT PREP: In seperate containers, disperse 1 teaspoon of titanium dioxide, 1 teaspoon Red Mica, and 1 teaspoon Dark Green Mica into 1 tablespoon of sunflower or sweet almond oil (or any other liquid oil). Use a mini mixer to get rid of any clumps. Have GoldUltraSparkle Mica nearby, as well as the Gold Bursting Beads.
Optional: To ensure the titanium dioxide blends smoothly into the soap, 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 space. Always make soap in a well-ventilated area.

Follow these steps:

1

Slowly and carefully add 6 ounces of lye to 11.4 ounces of distilled water and gently stir until the lye has fully dissolved. Set aside to cool. Add 2 teaspoons of sodium lactate and stir throughly.

2

Melt the entire bag of Swirl Recipe Quick Mix until fully melted and clear. Measure 42 ounces into a large heat-safe container. Once the oils and water have cooled to 100-110° F, add the lye solution to the oils and whisk together to combine. Use the stick blender to pulse the soap and bring to a very light trace.

3

Split the soap evenly into three containers. Add all of the dispersed Red Mica to one container, add all of the dispersed Dark Green Mica to another container, and add all of the dispersed titanium dioxide to the last container. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Gold UltraSparkle Mica to the red and green soap. Stir the colorants and soap thoroughly to combine.

4

Add the 1.5 ounces of Elderberry and Evergreen Fragance Oil to the three containers evenly - it's okay to eyeball it. Whisk in the fragrance until thoroughly combined. 

5

If the soap is still very thin, quickly pulse each with the stick blender (going from lightest to darkest) to thicken slightly. You're looking for a light to medium trace.

6

Begin pouring each color into the mold. Pour about 1/3 of each color into the mold, going back and forth while you pour. Don't worry about what it looks like during this pour. 

7

Continue to pour the white, green, and red soap into the mold in one direction, taking care to pour thinner lines of soap that begin to lay on top of the soap surface. Try to differentiate the colors to make a more distinct pattern when you swirl. Once you're close to the end, make sure that each color is represented.
 Note: If the soap begins to thicken as you pour, stir the soap with a whisk to help keep it fluid. 

8

Tap the mold firmly on the counter to settle the soap. Insert a chopstick or dowel into the very top of the soap and drag the tool so that it crosses the lines you created. Continue to swirl until you're happy with the look.

9

Insert the dividers into the soap until they reach the bottom of the mold in every section. Sprinkle Gold Bursting Beads on top of each bar until you're happy with the look.
Note: If you prefer to cut your bars, do not insert the dividers.

10

Spritz the top of the soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol to prevent soda ash. Cover the mold and place on a heating pad for 1-2 hours to promote gel phase. That helps the bars release from the dividers faster and more easily.

11

Allow the soap to stay in the mold for at least 3 days. Because this is a soft recipe and the soap was poured at a thin trace, it may take a little longer to unmold. 

After 3 days, check to see if the silicone liner pulls away easily. If it does, remove the soap. If not, give it another day or 2 to harden. Gently remove the soap from the dividers. To prevent tearing, do not pull the dividers. Push the soap down, or slide the dividers up or down to remove the bars without tearing. Allow the soap to cure for 4-6 weeks, and enjoy!

Tutorial credits

Photographer: Amanda Kerzman