Mastering the Spin Technique using the Starter Kit

Difficulty Level 2

Create a beautiful swirl using the spin techique and coloured layers.

If you are unsure as to how to do any of basic steps to prepare your Lye solution and fatty acids, please refer to the Handbook given to you during your course.

Please make sure you wear all the required protective equipment …glasses, gloves etc and use a mask if necessary to protect against sodium hydroxide fumes

1. Make the Lye (Sodium Hydroxide Solution)

Distilled Water 306g

Areetha Powder 3g

Sodium Hydroxide 125g (includes 5% security margin)

Weight the water then add the Areetha powder to the water and mix well with your blender. It will foam slightly. Once fully the Areetha powder is fully incorporated with no clumps remaining, add the sodium hydroxide. Mix well and leave to cool to between 35 to 50 degrees Centigrade

2. Prepare your Fatty Acid Solution

SOLID FATS

Coconut Oil 297g

Palm Oil 153g

Weight out the above and melt using a microwave on 50% power or a bain-marie

LIQUID FATS

Castor Oil 43g

Sunflower Oil 357g

ADDITIVES

Kaolin Clay 10g

Weigh the liquid oils into the melted solid fats, then add the Kaolin Clay and mix well with your blender. Once the Kaolin Clay is fully incorporated with no clumps remaining, leave the solution to cool to between 35 to 50 degrees C

3. Prepare your Colorants using the additional super-fat

SOLID FATS

Shea Butter 25g

COLOURANTS

2 colours 5g - 2 separate large containers required

In a separate container, melt the Shea butter using a microwave on 50% power or a bain-marie. Place 1 coloured mica into one container and the other colour into a 2nd container.

Divide the melted shea butter between the 2 containers - it’s OK to do this by eye - it doesn’t have to be exact, and mix each one well so that no lumps or clumps of mica remain.

4. Get your Fragrance Ready (if using)

Fragrance: 27g

Pour the fragrance from the bottle into a larger container and heat it slightly by standing the container in a bowl with a low level of warm (not hot) water in it.

5. Combine the Lye with the Oils

When the correct temperature is reached for both the lye solution and the oil solution (with a maximum of 5 degrees C difference between the two solutions), add the lye to the oils using a metal sieve. Do not do it the other way around i.e. oils into the lye.

6. Blend the Solution to Emulsion State

Rosemary Extract 3 - 5 drops from 10ml bottle

Using your electric hand-blender, begin to bring the solution to an emulsion state…i.e. ensuring that the oil and lye solutions are well combined with no oil slicks remaining in the solution. This is NOT TRACE !

If you’ve accidentally gone a bit too far and you trace begins to appear, stop at this point !

Add the Rosemary Extract to the solution and stir it in by hand. Because this recipe has a fairly high quantity of Sunflower Oil that is susceptible to oxidisation, it is important to use the Rosemary Extract to prolong the soap’s shelf life.

7. Dividing the Soap Base

Judge this by eye - pour approximately 1/3rd of the soap base into one of the containers that holds the colour and shea butter then pour a further 1/3rd into the 2nd container leaving the final 1/3rd in your original mixing pan. You might find it easier to transfer this remaining 1/3rd (white base) into another container to facilitate pouring.

Again, judging by eye, add 1/3rd of the fragrance to the first container, another 1/3rd to the second container and the remaining 1/3rd to your original mixing pan that contains the white soap base.

Stir each of the contents in each container by hand to prevent trace acceleration making sure that the fragrance and the mica colorant is fully combined with the soap base.

8. The Pour and Marbling

If you want to add some of the soap shavings to embed into your soap, now is the time to add some to each container. Then, into each corner of your mould, pour a little of any of the soap base (white or coloured) to create a roundish shaped splat within the mould. Into each of these round shaped splats, pour your 2nd colour choice into the centre of the original pour, followed by the third colour.

Continue pouring, alternating each colour as you go until all the soap base (white and coloured) is fully used. The pour method will create concentric circles and don’t worry if they merge and mingle ! See the diagram below:

9. The Spin

Once all the soap base is poured, tap your mould gently on the work surface to release any build up of air bubbles.

Here’s the interesting part…

…with the mould on the work surface, sharply turn the mould to the right by 90 degrees. Then repeat and repeat and repeat…until all the coloured soap base merges to resemble the striations in pebbles or semi-precious rocks.

10. Insulation, Cutting and Curing

Cover the soap with plastic food grade film and leave for a minimum of 24 hours in the mould before de-moulding.

The soap may be soft so go gently.

Turn the soap on its side and slice through to reveal a lovely striated pattern. Then cut into desired size and leave to dry and cure in a well ventilated, non humid area for the next 4 to 6 weeks to allow the saponification process to fully complete.

And Finally

We hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial. Don’t forget to send us photos of your finished soap to showcase your work on the VIP Gallery !

GOOD LUCK !