12 Cold Process Soap Swirling Techniques: The Sunday Swirl Collection
If you've been wanting to try different cold process soap swirling techniques, I've got 12 designs to share with you!
When I started The Sunday Swirl, I wanted to challenge myself to step outside my usual soap-making routine. I'm typically a pretty simple soap maker. I love experimenting with different ingredients, liquids, and colorants, but elaborate designs? Not usually my thing.
So I decided to try something different.
Over the course of 12 episodes, I experimented with different soap swirling and design techniques, from the classic in-the-pot swirl to more intricate designs like the butterfly swirl and column pour.
Some turned out exactly how I hoped. Others? Well, let's just say there was some learning involved.
Throughout the series, I used the same basic soap recipe and intentionally chose fragrance oils that I knew would behave well in cold process soap. I wanted to avoid fragrances that could accelerate trace, cause discoloration, or create other issues with my soap batter.
The goal was to focus on learning the different swirling techniques, not fighting with my soap batter!
In this post, I'm sharing all 12 tutorials, along with my cold process soap recipe, so you can try your favorites.
My Sunday Swirl Cold Process Soap Recipe
For this series, I used a five-oil cold process soap recipe made with olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, high-oleic sunflower oil, and castor oil. I adjusted the batch size for certain molds, but kept the same basic oil percentages
Soap recipe (46 oz oils) | ||
Ingredient | Percentage | Weight |
Olive Oil | 50% | 23 oz (652.04 g) |
Coconut Oil, 76° | 25% | 11.5 oz (326.02 g) |
Shea Butter | 10% | 4.6 oz (130.41 g) |
High-Oleic Sunflower Oil | 10% | 4.6 oz (130.41 g) |
Castor Oil | 5% | 2.3 oz (65.20 g) |
Total oils | 100% | 46 oz (1,304.08 g) |
Lye solution: |
Fragrance: My original recipe used 1.44 oz (40.77 g) of fragrance oil for this batch size. Fragrance choices varied during the series, so check the individual videos for details. Always follow the manufacturer's usage recommendations and applicable IFRA limits. |
Important: These measurements are specific to this formula and batch size. Always verify your recipe in a reliable soap calculator before making it. Wear appropriate protective equipment when handling sodium hydroxide, work in a well-ventilated area, and always add lye to water, never water to lye.
A Quick Note About Trace
Trace plays a big role in soap swirling. Some techniques require a thin, fluid batter, while others work better at a medium trace. My recipe contains 10% shea butter, which can contribute to faster thickening, so I used my stick blender in short bursts and hand mixed whenever possible to avoid overmixing. I also made sure my oils and butters were completely melted to help prevent false trace.
Choosing Fragrance Oils for Soap Swirling
For this series, I chose fragrance oils that I already knew behaved well in cold process soap. Some fragrances can accelerate trace, cause ricing, or discolor the finished soap, making detailed designs more challenging. Using familiar fragrances gave me more time to work with my colors and complete each swirl. If you're trying a new fragrance oil, I recommend testing it in a small batch first.
Explore All 12 Sunday Swirl Techniques
1. In-the-Pot Swirl
We started the series with a classic in-the-pot swirl, one of the few designs I was already familiar with.
For this episode, I experimented with both thin and thick trace to see how the consistency of the batter changed the final design.
It's a great place to start if you're new to swirling cold process soap.
2. Drop Swirl
Next up was the drop swirl.
This technique involves pouring different colors of soap batter into the mold, allowing the colors to drop into the soap and create patterns.
It's a relatively simple technique that can produce beautiful results without requiring any special swirling tools.
3. Hanger Swirl
For episode three, I tried the hanger swirl.
This technique uses a swirling tool to move through the soap batter after it's been poured into the mold.
The movement of the tool helps create patterns inside the soap that you don't fully get to see until it's cut.
And yes, this episode involved a few mistakes. That's part of experimenting!
4. Drop Hanger Swirl
For this design, I combined the previous two techniques.
I started with a drop swirl and then used a hanger swirling tool to create additional movement throughout the soap.
Combining techniques is a fun way to experiment once you're comfortable with the basics.
5. Spoon Plop Swirl
The spoon plop swirl is another technique that doesn't require complicated tools.
Instead of pouring all the colors directly into the mold, you add portions of colored soap batter using a spoon.
The placement of each color helps create the finished design.
6. Gold Pencil Line
For episode six, I experimented with adding a gold pencil line to cold process soap.
A pencil line creates a thin decorative accent between layers of soap.
It's a relatively simple way to add an elegant detail to your bars without creating an elaborate swirl.
7. Circling Taiwan Swirl
This was one of the more detailed techniques I tried during the series.
The Circling Taiwan swirl involves carefully pouring and manipulating different colors of soap batter to create an intricate design.
Working with a fluid batter and paying attention to your pouring technique is especially important for this one.
8. Mantra Swirl
For the mantra swirl, I used a divided mold to separate my soap colors before creating the design.
This technique is a fun way to experiment with color placement and internal swirls.
9. Butterfly Swirl
The butterfly swirl is known for its beautiful, almost mirrored patterns inside the finished soap.
It's one of those techniques where cutting the soap is especially exciting because the full design isn't visible from the outside.
10. Vertical vs. Horizontal Soap Swirls
For this episode, I explored how the orientation of a swirl design affects the finished bars.
Sometimes changing the way you approach or cut a design can create a completely different look.
This was a great reminder that soap design isn't always about adding more colors or using more complicated techniques.
11. Dancing Funnel Swirl
For episode eleven, I tried the dancing funnel swirl using a mint green and white color combination.
This technique creates rounded patterns by pouring soap batter in repeated spots throughout the mold.
It's a fun design that benefits from a fluid batter and a little patience.
12. Column Pour Swirl
For the final episode, I tried the column pour technique.
This design involves pouring alternating colors over an object placed inside the mold, allowing the soap batter to spread outward.
I kept the color palette simple with white, gray, and black.
Funny enough, this ended up becoming my favorite soap from the entire series. I definitely didn't plan that!
What I Learned from Trying 12 Soap Designs
One of my biggest takeaways from The Sunday Swirl is that you don't have to be an expert at decorative soap making to experiment with new techniques.
Before this series, I usually stuck to fairly simple designs. But trying something different each week helped me get more comfortable with controlling my soap batter, working with different trace consistencies, and experimenting with color placement.
I also learned just how important it is to work with a recipe and fragrance oil that you're familiar with. Knowing how your ingredients behave gives you more room to focus on the design itself.
Not every design turned out exactly as planned, and that's okay.
Sometimes the unexpected results are just as interesting as the ones you had in mind.
If you're new to swirling, I'd recommend starting with the in-the-pot swirl, drop swirl, or spoon plop swirl before moving on to some of the more intricate techniques.
Watch the Complete Sunday Swirl Series
If you want to see every technique from start to finish, I've put all 12 episodes together in one YouTube playlist.
And if you're looking for a way to organize your own soap-making experiments, check out my free Soap Maker's Toolkit, which includes a soap design planner, batch logs, and other helpful resources.
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