It took me some time to find out what I wanted to do for this month’s Soap Challenge hosted by Amy Warden at Great Cakes Soapworks. After seeing Amy’s tutorial and her beautiful soap I was at a loss what colors to choose. I thought about blue and gold — two colors which come to mind when I hear the word “summer.” I tried them on a soap requested by one of my friends but I really wanted to try using three or more colors as finding the best combination is still a challenge for me.
I also had a bottle of Japanese peppermint essential oil, which has a stronger eye-opening effect than any other mint oil I had tried so far. Japan does not produce many kinds of essential oil but the ones made here often smell somewhat stronger than those produced in other parts of the world. I wish I knew the reason why it is so but am still searching for the answer.
So the bottle of hakka (Japanese peppermint) essential oil and its eye-opening effect was my starting point for this project. Oriental mint sounded good and I tried to find the color combination which would match the name.
Before making this soap, I had used clay-in-oil for top swirling but mica-in-oil was a new technique for me. So I followed the advice of Rurth of Sirona Springs regarding the amount of mica and oil.
Here is the wet soap.
Immediately after swirling the top I worried that the pattern would not stand out after the soap has dried but thanks to the absorption of the oil the pattern stood out set off by the resulting grooves. The colors though became somewhat lighter.
I like how this technique makes the pattern look as if it has been carved into the top surface. I had not been able to achieve the same effect with clay-in-oil top swirl and I guess there is something about the mica which makes the pattern stand out as it does.
For the in-depth swirl I used two colors – copper orange mica and cocoa powder. I ran out of gold mica and could not use any for the in-depth marbling.
To make the mint last, I used a little frankinsence olibanum essential oil and to add a cheerful note to it added a few drops of tangerine, lemon and eucalyptus essential oils.
I cannot wait to see all the works of soapy art this month! And again, thank you, Amy for this wonderful opportunity to try something new — I love how the techniques you choose for the challenges always strengthen our motivation to use new colors, try new shapes, create new soaps in ways have not used before…
I wish you all good luck and a beautiful weekend!
Maya
Absolutely beautiful!!!!
Thank you, Janet! It was fun making it.
Very pretty!
Thank you, Tricia. I love your soap, too! Sorry for not leaving a comment – I do not have a FB account and it seems difficult to write comment without one.
Maya, this swril is so elegant! I hope you will be a winner 😉
Thank you, Madame Propre. Your latest creation is a beautiful peace of art, too!
You are very kind. I am just a beginner, and your blog is a great source of knowledge and inspiration! Thanks!
I am very happy to hear that, but I do think that in soapmaking everybody creates beauty which helps inspire others.
Beautiful!
Thank you, Ruth!
Your swirl is lovely! That blue, especially, is a stand-out color. So pretty.
Thank you, Ruth. Thankfully, the blue did not change under the influence of lye.
Well, I love your colour combinations, in this one and in other soaps I’ve seen. If finding the right one is a challenge for you, you overcome it beatifully every time.
Thank you, Anna! I am happy you like the color combis I have used so far. I will continue to look for new and even better ones 🙂
Absolutely stunning as always Maya!!! Love everything about your soap…colors, swirls, scent…everything…great job once again!!!
Thank you, Zahida. It was fun planning and making it. I am very grateful to Amy and the opportunities she gives us to get together — love being part of it all.
Stunning! I love the movement in the swirls and the colour combination is gorgeous! x
Thank you, Tanya. I love your soaps, too. They are beautiful and elegant and … I wish I could make something as good as them.
Very dreamy, beautiful swirls, Maya! Love the colors!
Thank you, Katy!
I adore this soap. You are truly one of my favorite soap artists. Just beautiful!!
Thank you, Janelle. I value your opinion and comments very much!
It’s beautiful, Maya! I love your interpretation of the oriental mint…the colors definitely flow together and work with the fragrance I’m imagining.
Thank you, Amy!
Absolutely gorgeous! Your soaps are true works of art.
Thank you! I wish I could make better soaps though 🙂
If I could make soaps half as beautiful as what you do, I’d be ecstatic. 🙂