This Kaleidoscope Cold Process Soap project explores colour, flow, and internal movement using the Love Your Suds Kaleidoscope Set (5) + Round Silicone Column Mold.
A fluid cold process soap formula and four vibrant mica colourants are layered sequentially inside the mold around a central acrylic pull-through insert. As the insert is slowly lifted through the soap batter, the colours are drawn through the patterned openings, transforming the layers into an intricate kaleidoscope design in a single continuous motion.
Once cured and sliced, each bar reveals a unique cross-section of the internal design, showcasing dramatic colour contrast and structured movement throughout the soap.
The finished bars combine precision pouring, controlled fluidity, and geometric pull-through techniques to create visually striking cold process soap using the Love Your Suds Kaleidoscope Set (5) + Round Silicone Column Mold.
Click here to download the Step-by-Step PDF Guide!
Safety First: Working With Lye
Cold process soapmaking is both creative and rewarding, but sodium hydroxide (lye) must always be handled with proper safety precautions.
Before beginning:
- Wear gloves and safety glasses
- Use long sleeves and closed toe shoes
- Work in a well-ventilated area
- Keep children and pets away from your workspace
Important Lye Safety Rules
- For better control, always add lye beads to water and not water into lye
- Avoid directly inhaling lye fumes
- Use heat-safe containers only
- If lye contacts skin, rinse immediately with cool running water
Preparing and measuring all ingredients before starting will help the soapmaking process run more smoothly and safely.
Recommended Equipment:
- Digital scale
- Stick (Immersion) blender
- Digital Read Thermometer
- Kaleidoscope Set (5) + Round Silicone Column Mold
- Microwave-safe bowls or soap pot
- 4 x Easy Pour Measuring Cups
- Silicone spatula
- 0.15 cc Plastic Scoop
- Small Plastic Cups
- Isopropyl alcohol in spray bottle
- Cardboard box & towel for insulation
Formula: Total: Approx. 1.5 kg / 3.4 lb batch
| Ingredient | Oil Usage Rate (%) | Weight (g) |
| Olive Oil - Pomace | 35 | 350 |
| Coconut Oil 76 RBD | 25 | 250 |
| Shea Butter Refined | 20 | 200 |
| Kokum Butter Refined | 10 | 100 |
| Avocado Oil Refined | 5 | 50 |
| Castor Oil USP | 5 | 50 |
| Essential Oil Blend | 3 | 30 |
| Distilled Water | 380 | |
| Sodium Hydroxide - Lye | 137 (5% Superfat) |
Colourants
- 12.5 g Castor Oil mixed with 1g Mermaid Green Mica
- 12.5 g Castor Oil mixed with 1g Buttercup Yellow Mica
- 12.5 g Castor Oil mixed with 1g Tangerine Dream Mica
- 12.5 g Castor Oil mixed with 1g Rocky Mountain Sky Mica
Why This Formula Works Well for Swirling
This formulation is designed to maintain a fluid, stable trace that supports controlled multi-colour layering and pull-through techniques using the Love Your Suds Kaleidoscope Mold Set.
The balance of liquid oils helps extend working time, allowing multiple colours to be prepared and poured before thickening occurs. Hard butters contribute firmness and structure after cure, helping the finished bars maintain crisp internal pattern definition when sliced.
Castor oil supports emulsion stability and lather performance without significantly accelerating trace. The result is a balanced formulation that prioritizes pour control, colour separation, and detailed internal patterning while still producing a firm, long-lasting finished bar.
Featured Ingredients:
Olive Oil - Pomace
A key base oil in this formulation, valued for its ability to support a slow, stable trace and a smooth batter texture. Olive pomace oil helps extend working time, making it especially suitable for controlled layering techniques where precision pouring is required.
Coconut Oil 76 RBD
Provides cleansing properties, hardness, and a rich lather profile. Its refined nature ensures a neutral scent, allowing the visual design and fragrance blend to remain the primary focus of the finished soap.
Shea Butter Refined
A rich, conditioning butter that contributes creaminess and bar stability. In this formulation, it supports final hardness while helping create a smooth, balanced skin feel after cure.
Kokum Butter Refined
A highly stable, firm butter that strengthens bar structure without heaviness. It contributes to a clean, hard finish that helps maintain the integrity of intricate internal patterns once the soap is cut.
Avocado Oil Refined
A conditioning liquid oil that supports skin feel and formulation balance. It helps maintain fluidity during the working phase while contributing to a smooth, nourishing finish in the cured bar.
Castor Oil USP
A functional support oil that enhances emulsion stability and boosts lather performance. Its humectant properties help improve the creamy quality of the finished soap without disrupting trace control.
Lye - Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide is the essential alkali used in saponification, the chemical reaction that converts oils into soap. When properly formulated and fully cured, no active lye remains in the finished product. Safe handling practices, including full PPE, are required during all stages of preparation.
Mediterranean Grove Essential Oil Blend
Mediterranean Grove Essential Oil Blend is a bright citrus-herbal composition inspired by sun-warmed Mediterranean coastlines and hillside gardens. Lemon and sweet orange form a fresh, juicy opening, supported by white grapefruit for a crisp, modern citrus edge. Rosemary adds a soft, green herbal depth that grounds the blend and gives it a natural Mediterranean character.
The overall scent is clean, uplifting, and balanced, with enough herbal structure to prevent the citrus from becoming overly sweet. It performs well in cold process soap, maintaining clarity through cure while supporting a stable, workable trace window.
Mermaid Green Mica
A vibrant, shimmering green pigment designed for strong visual contrast in layered soap designs. Performs reliably in cold process soap, maintaining clarity and brightness through cure.
Buttercup Yellow Mica
A soft, luminous yellow with a subtle pearl finish. Ideal for highlighting and balanced contrast within multi-colour pours.
Tangerine Dream Mica
A warm reddish-orange mica that adds depth and energy to layered designs. Maintains vibrancy in cold process soap systems.
Rocky Mountain Sky
A bright, shimmering blue pigment inspired by clear sky tones. Provides strong visual separation between colour layers in structured swirl or pull-through designs.
Instructions:
- Prepare your workspace and wear full protective gear including gloves and goggles. Secure the acrylic insert on the metal rod so it sits firmly in place.
Make your lye solution by slowly adding sodium hydroxide to distilled water. Stir until fully dissolved. Place the container in a cold water bath to help it cool evenly.
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Weigh out all oils and butters except the castor oil. Melt gently until fully liquid and smooth, then set aside to cool.
- Divide the castor oil into four equal portions. Mix one mica colourant into each portion until smooth and fully dispersed. Set aside.
- Allow both the lye solution and oils to cool to approximately 100°F (38–43°C).
- Pour the lye solution into the oils. Alternate between whisking and short bursts of stick blending until a light trace is achieved.
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A light trace should still flow easily and smoothly while leaving a faint line or “trace” on the surface for a moment before sinking back in.
*See Beginner Soapmaking Tips below for more information on trace and temperature.
- Add the essential oil blend and mix thoroughly to incorporate
- Divide the soap batter into four equal portions of approximately 379 g each.
- Stir one pre-dispersed mica mixture into each portion until the color is fully uniform.
- Place the acrylic insert and rod securely into the mold.
- Begin pouring each colour slowly down the side of the mold, alternating between Mermaid Green, Buttercup Yellow, Tangerine Dream, and Rocky Mountain Sky. Repeat until the mold is full.
- Once filled, slowly lift the acrylic insert straight upward to create the kaleidoscope pattern inside the soap.
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Tap the mold gently to release air bubbles if needed.
Cover the mold and insulate by standing the mold upright inside a box wrapped with a towel. Allow the soap to set for 24–48 hours or until firm enough to unmold.
- Once firm, remove binder clips and unmold carefully.
- Cut into 1-inch bars to showcase the internal swirl pattern.
- Allow soaps to cure for 5–6 weeks in a well-ventilated area before use.
Beginner Soapmaking Tips
Understanding Trace
Trace refers to the thickness of soap batter after the oils and lye solution are mixed together.
A light trace looks similar to thin cake batter or warm custard. The soap batter will still pour easily and smoothly, but when drizzled across the surface, it may leave a faint line or “trace” for a moment before sinking back in. At light trace, the batter remains fluid enough for swirling, layering, and pull-through techniques.
A medium trace becomes slightly thicker, similar to pudding or gravy. The batter will still pour, but more slowly, and patterns or drizzles on the surface will remain visible longer before settling back in.
A heavy trace is thick and no longer easily pourable. The batter holds its shape and is better suited for textured finishes such as spoon textures or peaked tops on soap bars.
Temperature & Trace
Soapmaking temperatures can affect how quickly the batter thickens.
- Lower temperatures generally slow down trace and provide more working time
- Higher temperatures can cause soap batter to thicken more quickly
For this project, allowing both the oils and lye solution to cool to approximately 100°F (38–43°C) helps maintain a smooth, workable batter for detailed pouring techniques.
Stick Blending
Stick blending too long can quickly thicken soap batter. Use short bursts of blending followed by hand stirring to help maintain a fluid consistency throughout the design process.
Prepare Before Starting
Having colourants pre-mixed and all ingredients measured before beginning helps the soapmaking process move more smoothly and reduces the chance of the batter thickening too quickly.
Storage & Cure Tips
For best results, allow cold process soap to cure for approximately 4–6 weeks before use. Proper curing allows excess water to evaporate, producing a harder, longer-lasting bar with improved lather quality and mildness.
Store finished soap in a cool, dry environment away from excessive humidity and direct sunlight to help preserve colour, scent, and overall bar quality.
Note:
These formulations are provided as a general guide for personal or commercial applications. Voyageur Soap & Candle Company Ltd. accepts no liability for the performance, effectiveness, or outcomes of products made using these formulations.
Users are responsible for conducting their own testing, following safe formulation practices, and ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations.
For formulation questions, please contact customer service at customerservice@voyageursoapandcandle.com or call 1-800-758-7773.