Soap Challenge 2013 - Week 2

This week's featured technique in the Great Cakes Soapworks series of Soap Challenges is the Elemental Swirl.  In a nutshell, two separate in-the-pot swirls are created.  I've never attempted an in-the-pot swirl, let alone two at once, so this will certainly be an adventure!

Many of my soaps, whether it be through the use of herbs, botanicals, or the essential oils chosen, are inspired by the natural world around us.  The idea for this soap came from the ever-changing cloud formations and dramatic colors spread across the horizon here in Iowa at dawn.

My soaps always go in the mold upside down (i.e. the slightly rounded edge created at the bottom of the mold becomes the top of each soap bar), so that means the sky section of this soap goes first.  For the sky, I chose the following colorants: alkanet root (front L), paprika (back L), annatto seeds (front R) and pink kaolin clay (back R).  The alkanet root, paprika, and annatto seeds were all infused in olive oil in advance.

Here they are poured in the pot...

 And gently swirled...

The earthen tones included Fuller's Earth clay (front), black walnut hull powder (back L), and a thin pencil line of cocoa between the earth and sky layers.

The base formulation of this recipe included coconut oil, soybean oil, and olive oil; it's a tried-and-true recipe that I use when teaching my Soapmaking 101 classes, so I knew it would allow plenty of time for working with the large number of colorants.   This batch of soap is lightly scented with essential oils of jasmine, thyme, and patchouli.  

So here it is...