I LOVE the way this soap turned out! I used natural clay to swirl with and used an in-the-pot swirling technique for the design. This is also my first video in a long time. You can view it below to see how I created the design.

natural clay in the pot swirl

New mold! Bramble Berry sent me a 12″ tall mold to play with. I really like it! The bars are adorable (smaller than the regular loaf mold) and it is a breeze to use and unmold.

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Natural Clay In-The-Pot Cold Process Soap Swirl

Coconut Oil – 15 oz.
Shea Butter – 2 oz.
Olive Oil – 12 oz.
Avocado Oil – 2 oz.
Rice Bran Oil – 4 oz.

Sodium Hydroxide – 5.1 oz.
Distilled Water – 10 oz.

Sea Clay – 1 tsp
Purple Brazilian Clay – 1 tsp
Yellow Brazilian Clay – 1 tsp
Zinc Oxide – 1 tsp

Slow-moving Fragrance or Essential Oil – 1.5-2 oz.

Bramble Berry Tall 12” Silicone Loaf Mold

Safety Warning: This recipe is for soapmakers who have a basic knowledge of the soapmaking process and know the correct safety procedures to use when handling lye. If you are new to soapmaking, visit our beginner instructions. Be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves while soaping.

Step 1 – Make your lye solution and set aside to cool down.

Step 2 – Weigh the coconut oil and shea butter into a microwave container. Melt, just until melted.

Step 3 – Add the liquid oils to the melted oils. This helps to cool the temperature down.

Step 4 – Once the oils and lye are cooled to under 110 degrees F, pour the lye into the oils and emulsify.

Step 5 – Add the fragrance or essential oil.

Step 6 – Pour one cup of soap base into three containers.

Step 7 – Add 1 tsp zinc oxide to the main base. Add 1 tsp of each clay into the other three cups. Mix.

Step 8 – Pour the colors into the base as shown in the video below.

Step 9 – Let the base sit until it becomes a bit thicker, around medium trace. If you pour right away when it it super loose, it will create a muddy swirl. The longer you let it sit, the cleaner the colors will come out.

Step 10 – Pour into your mold.

Step 11 – Let sit overnight to saponify.

Step 12 – The next day, unmold and cut your soap.

Step 13 – Cure for a minimum of 4 weeks.

clay soap

Happy Soaping!

-Amanda Gail