My first galaxy melt and pour soap had cute swirled planet embeds, but the galaxy itself turned a dingy gray instead of a starry night sky. Rather than toss it, I remelted it, darkened it with activated charcoal, and poured it into a dragon eye mold. Here’s the whole story in two parts, so you can learn from my mistakes.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links in this post are affiliate links. They cost you nothing extra and help support Koala Soap.
Part 1: The Galaxy Soap
Materials
- Goat’s milk melt and pour for the planets
- Clear melt and pour for the galaxy
- Titanium dioxide, a blue mica and a black colorant
- Cosmetic glitter
- Fragrance oil (I used a watermelon scent)
- Ball mold for the planets and a loaf mold
- Small squeeze bottle or syringe for filling the ball mold
- Spray bottle of 91% isopropyl alcohol
Fragrance Amount
Use up to 5 ml of fragrance oil per 16 oz (1 lb) of soap base. You can always use less, but don’t go over 5 ml per 16 oz.
1. Make Swirled Planets
Color some goat’s milk base blue and some white with titanium dioxide. Pour the blue into the ball mold first, about half to three-quarters full. As it starts to set, poke through the top and pour the white into the middle. Pouring color first, then white, gives the best swirl.
2. Pour the Galaxy Base
Color clear base with black and glitter and pour the first layer into the loaf mold. At about 117°F, spray the planets with alcohol and set them in on their sides, so they look round when you cut the bars.
3. Add a Milky Way
I stirred white soap shavings into the next layer to look like a Milky Way. They melted in, and the galaxy turned gray. Then I added the rest of the planets, cutting small slits in the skin to set them in, and poured the final layer.
What Went Wrong
- The shavings melted. Instead of stars, they turned the whole galaxy a dingy gray.
- Too many shavings. Even a few would have been plenty.
- I cut it too soon. It needed more time to set.
Part 2: How I Saved It
4. Remelt the Bars
Remelt the galaxy bars. Mine turned a pinkish purple because of the goat’s milk planets. It’s already scented, so no need to add more fragrance.
5. Darken with Charcoal
Mix a little activated charcoal with alcohol and stir it into the melted soap until it’s dark. The glitter from the original soap still sparkles.
6. Pour into a Dragon Eye Mold
Pour it into a dragon eye soap mold and spray with alcohol. Pour any extra into a spare cavity mold.
7. Unmold
Once it’s set, unmold. The dark soap shows off the dragon scales, and the glitter looks like little stars.
Tips & What I Learned
- Pour planet color first, then white. It gives the best swirl.
- Place round embeds on their sides. They’ll look round when you cut the bars.
- Skip warm shavings in clear soap. They melt and turn it gray.
- Let it set fully before cutting.
- Never toss a failed soap. Remelt it, darken it, and use a fun mold.
FAQ
How do I fix a soap with a muddy color?
Remelt it and add a darker color like activated charcoal, then pour it into a detailed mold.
Can I paint the dragon eye?
Yes. See my mica painting guide, which uses the same mold.
More Soap Ideas
- Galaxy Melt and Pour Soap
- How to Paint Melt and Pour Soap with Mica
- Night Star Melt and Pour Soap
- Melt and Pour Soap Fail and Fix
- All my melt and pour soap tutorials on YouTube
If you make this, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram or Pinterest, and subscribe on YouTube for new soap tutorials.
