How NOT to make a gradient colored soap…

July 12, 2012 by | 22 Comments

Another soapmaker has requested that I do a tutorial for her blog on how to make gradient colored soaps, so I thought I would put together a video this week on how I do that. Only it didn’t go quite as planned…

First, I started with the Hawaiian Sunrise soap, because I’ve done that one before and figured I could do it again. It turned out ok, but it wasn’t something that could be duplicated the way that I did it. I ended up with extra purple – which is why there is a fancy purple swirl on top:

Hawaiian Sunrise Soap by Great Cakes Soapworks

In case you are interested, here is the original:

Original Hawaiian Sunrise Soap

Next, I decided to work out the math a little more closely so I would be better prepared and be able to duplicate my methods for the tutorial. No one wants a tutorial about how you just dumped a little of this and a little of that… So I started over with a new soap and did the math. And then I second guessed myself and messed it up! I was going to make a Tranquil Pear soap that went from blue to green to yellow, only after I divided out my colors, I had too much blue and yellow and not enough green. Not only that, but the yellow was over-saturated and turned orange! Here’s a photo that I took from the video:

Colors for Tranquil Pear soap

I contemplated adding some of the yellow and blue back into the green to make more green, but first I just took a little bit of each out and combined them separately. Since the yellow was actually orange, it turned BROWN. I was so glad I hadn’t added it directly to the green! So I scrapped the gradients and just made layers – green, orange, brown, and blue. Imagine my surprise when I cut into it and found the yellow had returned!

Tranquil Pear Soap by Great Cakes Soapworks

So, I still haven’t done a decent tutorial on how to make a gradient soap, but never fear! I WILL master this! And the Hawaiian Sunrise and Tranquil Pear soaps still turned out rather lovely. They will be available at Greatcakessoapworks.com on August 7th.

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  1. My goodness – even your botched batches look great :). I’ll look forward to seeing your tutorial. I love the technique!

  3. Still absolutely gorgeous! Looks just like a sunrise, those colors are fantastic!

  6. Were you using the Lemon Drop mica from Conservatoire? That one goes bright orange on me when I mix it but after 24 hours turns back to yellow 😀

  8. Both soaps are really pretty. I just made my first gradient soap yesterday following your challenge and a few you tube videos and it turned out great. I did the 2 cups of colour, poured off one cup and then cup adding one cup and pouring one off.

  9. Just gorgeous Amy! I looove the look of your new Hawaiian Sunrise! and the colours of yourTranquil Pear are really lovely.

  10. Look forward to seeing your tutorial, Amy, just love watching you soap. The Tranquil Pear turned out geat, and how interesting about the yellow . I always buy mica from The Conservatorie, their service is excellent and definitely worth paying postage to Oz; heaps cheaper than if I bought here. Anyway, I love your soap, Amy, x Linda

  14. Amy, I LOVE how human you are! Which makes you a fabulous teacher. And the soaps? bright, pretty, fab.
    Now about your lotions…using those two I bought from you a few weeks ago. What a skinsaver with this horrible hot and dry Illinois summer we are having. Many thanks you master you!

  15. Amy,
    What a nice surprise about the yellow that turned orange turning yellow. How lucky for you! I love the fragrance of the tranquil pear and am looking forward to its arrival; the colors are a bonus. The hawaiian sunrise is really nice, too. Sorry your tutorial didn’t work out but these turned out great!

  16. Hi Amy, I have to say that I actually prefer your second batch of Hawaiian Sunrise (although they’re both lovely) and the pear soap is really nice, too. Looks like you’ve got that technique down, my friend! 🙂

  17. Oh, the soaps are all lovely! And no one would know that things didn’t go as planned if you hadn’t told us! lol There are sure to be lots of wonderfully colored soaps as you work to get the proportions just right.

  20. Even your so called botched soaps look amazing! LOL I enjoyed reading the blog post and I am sure you are back in the studio experimenting some more! Have fun!

  21. It’s perfect for the, “scenery challenge.” Which was not the name of the challenge, but I’m waiting for color to develop on my hair and the nasty stuff that’s in it is frying my brain. 🙂 I love it all. You cannot go wrong with me and mine. All your soap is yumminess and I will not let you tell me otherwise.

    Fingers in ears, “LALALALALALALA”

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