In this Soap Queen TV episode, I’m demonstrating one of my favorite techniques…the Hanger Swirl! The Hanger Swirl refers to a technique that involves inserting a Hanger Swirl Tool into the soap and moving it in various directions. A “classic” Hanger Swirl design involves layering various colors and moving the Hanger Tool in an “down, over, up, over” pattern, as shown in this video. Hanger Swirl Tools can also create more specific swirls like the Butterfly Swirl made popular by Zahida of Handmade in Florida (see our tutorial here). The Hanger Swirl Tool can also be used to create less precise swirls, as shown in this tutorial.
For this tutorial, I wanted to demonstrate the “classic” Hanger Swirl. Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil gives these bars a clean and fresh scent. It also gives plenty of time to layer and swirl the soap, as it does not accelerate. The Swirl Recipe Quick Mix also plays a huge role in this project because the combination of slow-moving oils keeps the soap fluid and workable. If you’re new to soaping, this is a more advanced tutorial because it requires a good understanding of trace. If you’re just starting out, I would recommend using the Hanger Swirl Tool along with a spoon plop design, as shown in this video. It’s a little bit easier because it does not require precise layers, but still makes gorgeous bars.
What You’ll Need:
10″ Silicone Loaf Mold
Hanger Swirl Tool
33 oz. Swirl Recipe Quick Mix
4.6 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Lye
10 oz. Distilled Water
2 oz. Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil
Ultramarine Blue Pigment
Yellow Lip Safe Mica
Titanium Dioxide
Neon Blue Raspberry Colorant
Optional: Sodium Lactate
Get everything you need to make this project on the Bramble Berry website!
Hi, I can’t wait to try making this soap! I do have a question. I know that the recipe calls for the quick mix recipe, but I have a basic oil recipe that I always use. Can I substitute the same amount of my oil recipe for the quick mix? I realize that I would need to use the calculator for the correct amount of lye and water. Thanks in advance for your help!
Absolutely, you can definitely use your recipe and run that through the Lye Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Lye-Calculator.aspx
Because you need some time to work with this design, it helps to use a recipe with slow-moving oils like olive and sweet almond. Too many hard oils can cause the soap to thicken quickly. This post has more tips on that: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/five-tips-swirling-cold-process-soap/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you for your reply. That’s a great idea about the oils. I never thought about choosing oils with similar properties. I’ll be sure to do that!
Some of your recipes call for your pre-mixed oils but don’t give a specific breakdown for people who don’t have the mixes. Is there anyway to get the breakdowns on exactly what is in your mixes so we can do the same recipes? Thank you in advance!!
Absolutely! You can find the percentages of our Quick Mixes here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/sunday-night-spotlight-quick-mixes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am looking forward to trying this soap. You mentioned putting the soap on a heating pad to help with the gel phase. How long do you keep it on the pad and at what temperature?
Hi Judy!
Good question. We turn our heating pad on medium, and allow the soap to stay on the pad for about 30 minutes. That’s long enough to “boost” the soap temperature, and help the entire bar go through gel phase. You may also want to cover the soap to help fully insulate. Then we turn the heating pad off, but don’t move the soap. Promoting gel phase really makes the colors pop, but it is optional. If you live in an extremely warm climate, this step may not be necessary. I’ve included a blog post below you may find helpful; it includes more information about when to insulate your soap 🙂
When to Insulate Handmade Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/when-to-insulate-handmade-soap/
I hope this helps!
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Thank you!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hi my name is Judy I enjoyed the swirl technique with the hanger awesome. how do i order fragrances in ready to pour bottles like the swirl recipe quick mix?
So glad you’re enjoying this technique Judy! You can find our selection of fragrances here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fragrance-Oils-C161.aspx
They come in amber glass bottles that are easy to measure out for your recipes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can the hanger swirl method be done with melt and pour soap base?
Melanie
This type of technique can be tricky to get with melt and pour. Melt and pour soap cools and hardens very quickly, and this design requires lots of time to layer and swirl. You can create other swirls with melt and pour soap though! I’ll include a post below that shows you how. 🙂
Tips for Swirling Melt and Pour Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/tips-for-swirling-melt-pour-soap/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I definitely could watch your tutorials all day!! More videos! =)
Glad you enjoyed the video Kea! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m always so excited to see a new tutorial, especially when it is in video format. I’ve already made my weekly batch for this week, but next Saturday and the following, I’m going to make this one and the Rhubarb berry crisp. I’ll let you know how they turned out and post the videos on my youtube channel. Thanks again for all the ideas and free training!
Oh have fun making this soap and the Berry Rhubarb Crumble Soap! Your soaping area is going to smell amazing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Berry Rhubarb Crumble Soap Tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/berry-rhubarb-crumble-soap-tutorial/
Beautiful
Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome Odette! Glad you enjoyed the video. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry