How to Make Swirled Melt & Pour Soap

Pour 2 inches of water into the saucepan and place it onto a burner. Set the burner to medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the water lightly.

Prepare the soap base by shredding it or chopping it up into small chunks. Divide the soap base in half and place half in each measuring cup. Place one measuring cup into the saucepan and cover with aluminum foil to prevent moisture loss.

Watch the soap carefully as it melts and stir carefully once or twice. Do not stir more than necessary because this may create air bubbles. Remove the measuring cup when the soap base is liquid and place the second measuring cup into the saucepan. Melt this soap base in the same fashion and remove from the heat when it is liquid.

Cool the melted soap until a slight skin forms on the top of the soap. Add several drops of essential oil to both measuring cups to scent the soaps. Stir the liquid soaps well. Wait two minutes and stir again. Assess the degree of scent and add two or three more drops of essential oil if desired.

Add the desired color to each measuring cup, stirring each well to incorporate the colors. Start with only a drop or two and add more if desired.

Pour each soap color into the soap mold at the same time using both hands. Very slowly, pour one color at one end of the mold and the other color at the other end of the mold. Stop pouring when the mold is full and the two colors meet in the center of the mold. Spray the surface of the liquid soap base lightly with the isopropyl alcohol to help keep the two colors separate.

Wait until the soap cools enough that a slight skin forms on the surface. When the skin forms, use a knife to swirl the two colors together. Stop when you have swirled the colors to your satisfaction. Allow the soap to harden completely.

Remove the soap from the mold after several hours of cooling. If the soap does not remove easily, place the mold in the freezer for 15 minutes and then remove it.