Clamshell Technique for Cold Process Soaps DIY

I’ve used this clamshell technique for cold process soaps a few times and have posted some earlier videos on YouTube but realized I have not made a full blog post about it so that I can share some additional best practices and techniques. I am excited to share this additional technique for cold process soap making and hope that you find it useful in your soap making.

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For this clamshell technique, I used three colors but you can also get a similar design with two colors. The goal is to create beautiful and intricate swirls that look like clamshells using complementing colors. For the clamshell technique for cold process soaps, a light trace is best. It is important to use a fragrance oil that behaves well and gives you enough time to pour.

A few notes about the scent and additives

In this soap, I used lavender essential oil. The lavender essential oil behaves well in soap making and does not discolor the soap. Any fragrance oil that behaves well is also a great option for this technique.

Since there is no discoloring from the lavender essential oil the soap remains as designed. If you select a fragrance oil that contains vanillin, keep in mind that it can discolor a bit. It can be hard to design soaps with high vanillin content scents. I love using coffee scents in my soaps and most of them have a high vanillin content. To minimize discoloration’s impact, you can add titanium dioxide to the lye water solution. This will make the colors more pastel and also reduce discoloration. Keep in mind that the soap will still turn a bit darker over time but it will not be as dark as it would normally be without it.

Kaolin clay

Kaolin clay is a very gentle clay used in many cosmetics and face masks. It is not only gentle on the skin but it is also great for anchoring the scents in the soaps. I also think it gives a great slip to the soaps that make the soap super luxurious.

Colloidal oatmeal

Colloidal oatmeal is also used in several skin care products and is considered a skin protectant. It helps retain moisture on the skin. It is very soothing and is usually recommended for people with dry skin. You can skip it but I like it in my soaps because of its excellent skin properties.

The clamshell technique for cold process soaps is a more advanced technique. With this technique, you want to pay good attention to the trace and move quickly to make sure you have enough time to pour all the batter. This soap design technique has become one of my favorites as well. Each soap will be unique in its design.

In this soap, I used three different color micas. I used a shimmering light gold color mica, a light pink color mica, and my daughter’s favorite mermaid blue color mica. The mermaid blue color mica accelerated the batter a bit. It still gave me enough time to pour the soap but as you can see in the video it started to thicken faster than the other two colors.

Making soaps using the clamshell technique for cold process soaps

Additional equipment needed for cold process soap making at home

Recipes and techniques for making cold process soap at home

Check out the posts linked below for several free cold process soap recipes and techniques. I hope you find one that is perfect for you.

Handmade Cold Process Soap Making

All Natural Aloe Vera Cold Process Soap

In this Kiss Pour and Handmade Mold DIY I not only give you a recipe and another fun technique to use, I also share how to make a mold using a cardboard milk box.

Summer Vibes Double In the Pot Swirl Cold Process Soap DIY

Coconut Milk & Coconut Water Cold Process Soap

Mahogany & Amber Cold Process Soap

Hibiscus Guava Fresca Cold Process Soap Layers – Tiger Stripe Technique

Ready to start making your own cold process soaps? Then this eBook with 25 different cold process soap formulations is the perfect resource. With so many formulations, you will have lots of inspiration to experiment and find the perfect one.

This eBook also includes best practices to modify the formulations to your liking.

I want the 25 recipes!

Step by Step cold process soap DIY – using the clamshell technique for cold process soaps

Weigh out the butters and coconut oil and melt them in the microwave
Add the liquid oils to the melted butters
Weigh out the water in a separate container
Weigh out the sodium hydroxide (lye) needed for the soap also in a separate container
Sprinkle the sodium hydroxide (lye) into the water and mix well, then allow to cool to 85-90 degrees F
Add the lye water solution to the melted oils and butters
Mix using the immersion blender for only a few seconds until you achieve a light trace
Split the batter into three separate containers and mix in the mica colorants
In a separate pouring container pour two colors from each side. Add the third color in the center.
Pour the soap batter into the mold using a small circular motion going: corner 1 – corner 2 (opposite corner) – center. Continue to pour using the small circular motion and corner – opposite corner – center direction.
Pour only from one side. Lift the pouring side if needed to make sure the soap flows to the opposite side of the mold.
Allow the soap to go through the saponification process for at least 24 hours
Cut the soap and allow it to cure for four to six weeks

I hope you enjoy making this lavender soap using the clamshell technique for cold process soaps.

Learn more about cold process soap making in a post where I’ve summarized several questions that I always get asked: Cold process soap making most common questions answered in one place. Head over to my all cold process soap making questions answered post to learn so much more!