This month, the creative challenge for soap makers was the intricate pipe swirl technique. Participants were given specific guidelines, including a limit of four colors, the mandatory use of a slab mold, and the exclusive application of the cold process soap method. To meet the demands of this particular competition, I constructed a new slab mold, as my existing one had developed a warped bottom. This involved a trip to Home Depot to acquire lumber and three different sizes of PVC pipes. Once the new mold was complete, I meticulously calculated its volume, as well as the volume of the pipes, to accurately resize my soap recipe for optimal results. With these preparations finalized, I was ready to begin the challenge. The initial steps involved lining the newly built mold, selecting my four distinct colors, and melting cocoa butter to securely adhere the PVC pipes within the mold, a crucial step for achieving the pipe swirl design.

For this soap challenge, I carefully selected my color palette from esteemed suppliers: TKB Trading, Nurture Soap, and WSP. 

 The chosen hues, presented from left to right, were Arora Mica, Sahara Gold Mica, Titanium Dioxide, and Black Pearl Mica, offering a sophisticated visual appeal. To complement these colors, I selected the Almond & Honey fragrance oil from WSP, promising a delightful sensory experience for the finished soap bars.

The next phase involved the critical steps of soaping, pouring, and swirling. After achieving a perfectly emulsified soap batter, I meticulously divided it into four distinct portions. Prior to this, I had already calculated the precise amount of soap needed to fill the PVC pipes, subtracting this volume from the total to ensure I reserved the correct amount of batter for the main mold. I then incorporated the chosen colors and a portion of the Almond & Honey fragrance oil into the two larger soap batter portions. The remaining fragrance oil was reserved for the other two colors, to be added just before pouring. Once all the colored batter was carefully poured into the slab mold, the PVC pipes were gently removed, creating the signature channels for the pipe swirl. A freehand swirl was then executed to further enhance the artistic design. To mitigate the formation of soda ash on the surface, a common occurrence in cold process soap making, I sprayed the top with 90% alcohol.

I designed my recipe to yield a double thickness slab, effectively doubling the number of resulting soap bars. From the 9" x 9" mold I constructed, I was able to produce 18 bars of soap. This was achieved by first cutting the cured slab into logs, then segmenting those logs into double-sized bars, and finally, into standard bar sizes, maximizing the output from this pipe swirl project.

The final stage involved presenting the finished soap bars. Following the cutting process, I meticulously planed the tops and beveled the sides of each bar to achieve a polished, professional appearance, ensuring they were ready for evaluation in the pipe swirl soap challenge.

Reflecting on this particular soap technique, I believe that when executed with precision, the pipe swirl can yield truly beautiful results. However, it is worth noting that the subsequent cleanup can be quite challenging; the PVC pipes, in particular, proved difficult to fully clean and scrape free of residual soap. As an unexpected bonus, I had enough leftover soap batter to craft an additional bar, which I will happily keep for personal use.

Should you have any questions or wish to share your comments, please feel free to do so below.

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I have also created a video documenting the entire process of making the Almond & Honey pipe swirl, from its inception through the final cut. A link to the video will be provided here once all editing is complete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wRhEculYQ

Thank you,

Lisa