Tips For Achieving Your Desired Color With Melt and Pour Soap

Playing with colors is one of the most fun parts of making your own soap. Melt and pour soap is especially user-friendly and easy to work with whether your desired look is a solid shade, layers of color, or whimsical swirls.

Solid Colors

The opacity of your melt and pour soap base affects the final look of your soap. If you choose an opaque base like Goat Milk or Shea Butter, the final color of your soap will be different than it would in a transparent base like Clear Glycerin or Honey Glycerin.

When adding color to an opaque base, the colorant is being mixed with white or off-white which lightens the final shade significantly. To achieve bright, vibrant colors, we recommend using extra colorant. Soap color is customizable and easy to adjust as you go. Start slow, adding a few drops at a time, and stirring to see your progress. If you want a darker color, continue adding colorant a few drops at a time until you’ve reached the desired shade. Mixing colorants is also a great way to achieve a custom color. Want your green a little darker? Add a few drops of blue. Trying to create a coral hue? Mix pink, red, orange, and yellow until you’ve landed on the perfect tone.

When using a transparent base, less colorant is required. The final colors will be darker and more vibrant but with no opacity. Both options are beautiful. Experiment with both, have fun mixing colors, and see what you can create!

Colorful Layers

You can layer colors using opaque or transparent soap bases. The key to layering is allowing each layer to fully cool and set before adding the next one. We recommend mixing one layer at a time. Pour the first layer into the mold, spritz with alcohol spray and allow to set for 20 to 30 minutes. Then you can continue adding subsequent layers following the same process.

Swirling

The secret to mesmerizing swirls in melt and pour soap lies in temperature control. As the soap base melts, it transforms from a solid to a liquid, reaching temperatures around 130-150°F. But the show starts as it cools and thickens.

• 140-150°F: Colors merge freely, creating wispy, ethereal swirls with some color blending.
• 120-130°F: Swirls become more defined, with distinct color separation for a bolder look.
• 110-120°F: Colors stay mostly separate, potentially mirroring where they were poured, resulting in subtle swirls.

For truly striking swirls, choose contrasting soap colors. Experimentation is key – the "perfect" temperature depends on your desired effect.

Remember, there are no mistakes, just unique and beautiful soap creations, so have fun! We'd love to see your finished creations. Tag us on Instagram at @life.of.the.party.soap.