Rose Quartz & Serenity Blue Column Swirl CP Soap Recipe

In this recipe we will be making a fun soap using the column swirl technique with a swirly top to finish. We love making soaps with a column swirl, it makes such a marbled look but we always put a contrasting color to make the other layers pop. We chose Litsea Cubeba for this recipe because it is such an uplifting essential oil.  It is one of our favorite essential oils, because it can easily be blended to other essential oils that need a citrus note.

(1) Distilled Water

(1) 2 lb Sodium Hydroxide Flakes

(1) 1 lb Palm Oil

(1) 1 lb Coconut Oil - 76º Melt

(1) 1 lb Olive Oil - Refined A

(1) 2 fl. oz Litsea Cubeba EO - Certified 100% Pure 709

(1) 2.5 gm Bag Titanium Dioxide Pigment Powder - For Oil

(1) 2.5 gm Bag Matte Pink Ultramarine Powder

(1) 2.5 gm Bag Neon Blue Disco Pants Powder

(1) 1 Mold Tray 12 Rectangles Silicone Mold 1701

Recipe Ingredients:

• 17.12 oz. Distilled Water
• 8.56 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Flakes
• 32.30 oz. Palm Oil
• 13.84 oz. Coconut Oil - 76º Melt
• 13.84 oz. Olive Oil - Refined A
• 2.5 oz. Litsea Cubeba EO - Certified 100% Pure 709
• 0.17 oz. Titanium Dioxide Pigment Powder - For Oil
• 0.10 oz. Matte Pink Ultramarine Powder
• 0.10 oz. Neon Blue Disco Pants Powder

Equipment From Home:

• (1) Safety Equipment (goggles,mask,gloves)
• (1) Polypropylene Pitcher
• (1) Polypropylene Container for lye
• (1) Scale - Digital Display
• (1) Microwave-Safe Measuring Cup (64 oz.)
• (1) Microwave
• (1) Double Boiler (optional)
• (1) Column Piece (See Step 4)
• (3) Small Mixing Bowls
• (1) Thermometer - Digital
• (1) Stick Blender
• (3) Wire Whisks
• (1) Spatulas
• (1) Skewer for swirling

Recipe Disclaimer:

(Enlarge Image)

Directions:

NOTE: This project and these instructions have been written for someone who has experience making soap and knows the potential dangers due to working with sodium hydroxide. It will not outline all safety methods of working with dangerous chemicals, it is simply a soap recipe for advanced soapmakers.

1. Prepare the lye solution by weighing the water and lye in two separate containers. Pour the lye into the water, carefully mix in a well-ventilated area and set aside to cool while you prepare your oils.
2. Melt the Coconut 76° Oil and Palm Oil in double boiler or microwave until melted.
3. Add the Olive Oil and stir. Set oils aside.
4. For the column piece you can go to the hardware store and have them cut a piece of wood for you, or a craft store has small wood column pieces. You can even use a heavy tall cup.
5. In one mixing bowl place 0.17 oz. of the Matte White Pigment Powder for Oil with a few drops of your melted mixed oils and stir (helps break down clumps of color when adding to the soap batter). Set aside.
6. In second mixing bowl place 0.1 oz. Matte Pink Ultramarine Powder and a few drops of distilled water and mix well (this helps from getting specks in your soap).
7. In the third bowl add 0.1 oz. of Neon Blue Disco Powder with a few drops of your melted mixed oils to break up the color. Set aside.
8. When lye water has cooled, pour lye water into liquid oils and hand stir for a minute, then add Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil and stir for a minute more with a spatula. With the stick blender, blend with small bursts and stir until it is emulsified to a light trace. (It is important to have a loose batter when doing column pour.)
9. Split the soap batter into the three prepared bowls with colors. (The neon blue will look green at this stage but don’t worry it will be blue the next day.)
10. Using a whisk, stir all three containers making sure colors are incorporated. (If you need to use a stick blender, do in small bursts until it is fully blended.)
11. Place your tray mold on a flat surface and your column piece in middle of mold.
12. Gently pour your first color (Neon Blue) right on top of the column, pouring from about 6 inches above the column. Let it pour down the sides of column and out onto the tray (you will pour about 8-10 oz. of the soap batter).
13. Take the Matte Pink Ultramarine color and pour on top of the column about 8-10 oz. or until it starts pushing the Neon Disco Blue Powder out further.
14. Repeat above step with the Matte White Pigment Powder. You should have 3 rings of color at this point.
15. Repeat steps 12-14 until you have filled the mold. 
16. Gently remove the column and set aside. Gently tap mold on counter top.
17. You can keep it the design that it naturally makes or you can take a bamboo skewer and you can swirl the top by going in circular motions (make sure to keep it just barely in the batter; we do not want to mix it all the way down and mess up the pretty designs).
18. Let sit for 24-48 hours in mold.
19. Take soap out of mold and slice into bars. You can put mold in freezer for 45 min to help pop out the soap from the mold. Let cure 4-6 weeks.
20. Wrap and label your soaps. You can add a cigar band around them, shrink wrap or place in a cello bag with a cute ribbon. You can also put in a drawstring bag and wrap a label around them.

To Use: Lather onto wet skin and rinse with warm water. Avoid contact with eyes.