Unique Rainbow Melt and Pour Soap Tutorials: The 2026 Rainbow Soap Challenge

I’m Putting the ‘Bow’ Back in Rainbow!

Rainbows have always been a popular soap-making theme, but when it comes to melt and pour soap, the options have traditionally been pretty limited. Rainbow layers and stripes are lovely, but they always felt like the only realistic way to create a rainbow design.

As much as I like layered rainbow soaps, I was always a little disappointed that there didn’t seem to be an easy way to make a proper rainbow. You know, the classic arch-shaped rainbow that everyone draws as a kid.

Of course, there are plenty of rainbow-themed silicone moulds out there that can be used to create embeds. The problem? Most of the ones I found were actually fondant moulds. They were either way too large to fit inside a normal-sized bar of soap or so tiny that filling all those little channels with different colours of soap felt more like a chore than a fun afternoon of soap making.

So I kept thinking about it.

And thinking about it.

For well over a year, I bounced different ideas around in my head, trying to figure out how to create a true rainbow shape with melt and pour soap. Then one day it hit me: a rainbow is really just half a circle.

Instead of trying to make a curved rainbow shape from the beginning, what if I made circles?

That simple idea led to a whole new approach. By creating coloured concentric circles, each ring could represent one colour of the rainbow. The colours sit neatly beside one another, just like traditional rainbow layers, but in a circular design. Then, when the circles are cut in half, they magically become perfect little rainbow arches.

And just like that, I found a way to bring the bow back to rainbow soap!

Four photos show handmade soaps with bright rainbow designs, displayed on soft towels and surrounded by small decorative plants, small vases, and tiny rainbow accents. The arrangement is cheerful and colourful, with the phrase “Somewhere Over the Rainbow!” written below the images.

The 2026 Rainbow Soap Challenge

That discovery inspired the 2026 Rainbow Soap Challenge, where I’ll be creating a brand-new rainbow-themed melt and pour soap project every month for a full year. Along the way, I’ll be sharing fun rainbow-making techniques, creative embed ideas, and plenty of colourful inspiration.

All of the tutorials are collected in a special playlist on The Dancing Soap Dish YouTube channel. Whether you’re looking for an easy rainbow hack or a unique technique, you’ll find plenty of ideas to spark your next soap-making project.

Best of all, every tutorial is beginner-friendly and designed specifically for melt and pour soap makers, proving that rainbow soap can be so much more than simple stripes and layers.

Watch the 2026 Rainbow Soap Challenge Playlist on YouTube or read on to learn more about each of my rainbow soap tutorials.

1. Awesome Hack for Melt and Pour Soap Rainbows

This tutorial features a simple rainbow-making hack that helps create beautiful rainbow soap bars with little fuss.

Four rectangular soaps with a rainbow‑and‑cloud design are arranged on a light blue cloud‑patterned surface. Each bar shows a white cloud on one side with a rainbow arcing across a pale blue background. On the left, the bars are grouped to form two complete rainbows; on the right, the same bars are separated to show each individual piece. White towels, pastel bath sponges, flowers, and a small rainbow decoration surround the display.

Better still, the technique can be easily adapted to different colour palettes and works with a variety of soap mould sizes and shapes.

My Awesome Hack for Melt and Pour Soap Rainbows tutorial showcases the rainbow soap that started it all.  It’s a copy of the prototype soap I made to prove my ‘a rainbow is just a circle cut in half’ concept.

It was also my first adventure with the ‘Cut and Fill’ melt and pour soap technique, which has since become one of my favourite ways to create detailed soap designs.

2. Rainbow Soap Embeds PART 1 – Multiple Embeds From ONE MOULD!

My first Rainbow Soap Embeds tutorial introduces a clever way to create multiple rainbow embeds from a single mould.

Several rainbow shaped soap embeds with bright coloured layers of red, yellow, green, and blue are arranged on a light blue surface patterned with soft white clouds. The rainbows are various shapes and sizes, some full arches and some partial arches. There are also some very tiny three-layer rainbow soap embeds. A towel sits to the left and green plants to the right, creating a fresh, cheerful display.

Not only does it save time, but it also opens up all sorts of creative possibilities for future projects.

If you enjoy making embeds ahead of time and incorporating them into different soap designs, you’ll find plenty of inspiration here.

Plus, there’s a fun new mould discovery in this tutorial that has me pretty excited about the possibilities for future melt and pour soap projects.

3. Rainbow Soap Embeds PART 2 – Rainbow Melt & Pour Soap Bars

My second rainbow soap embeds tutorial builds on the embed techniques introduced in my first video and shows how those rainbow embeds can be transformed into finished soap bars.

Several rectangular soaps with various bright rainbow designs are arranged neatly on a brown-paper surface with towels and flowers nearby. Each soap bar has a pale blue background, and the designs include single arched rainbows, rainbows rising from soft, white cloud shapes, and a mini rainbow repeating pattern. A close up on the right shows one bar resting on a blue towel.

Seeing the embeds incorporated into a complete design provides lots of ideas for future projects.

If you enjoyed part one, my Rainbow Melt & Pour Soap Bars follow-up tutorial demonstrates just how versatile a single mould can be when combined with a little creativity.

4. Rainbow-Shaped Soap Bars

Created as part of an International Day of Friendship collaboration with Crafty YouTubers United, this tutorial features adorable rainbow-shaped melt and pour soap bars.

Two photos show rainbow shaped soaps. On the left, two pink, yellow and aqua rainbow soaps rest on a light blue surface with tropical leaves and textured white and pink vases. On the right, pastel pink, peach and mauve rainbow soaps sit on a soft pink background surrounded by towels and flowers, creating a bright, cheerful display.

The project includes bright and pastel rainbow colours with a new technique for a fun, novelty shape, making it a great option for gifts, party favours, or simply celebrating the joy of friendship through handmade creations.

If you love fun, whimsical soap designs and creative collaborations, then my Rainbow-Shaped Soap Bars tutorial is definitely one you won’t want to miss.

5. Pastel Rainbow Melt & Pour Soap Bars

Not every rainbow has to be bright and bold! This project takes a softer approach with beautiful pastel rainbow colours paired with a lavender background and scent.

Two square pastel soaps with arched rainbow designs of pink, orange, yellow, green, and blue above soft white clouds with a lavender-coloured background, rest on a light bluey-green surface. Pink flowers, green leaves, and a teal ceramic container surround them, creating a bright, cheerful display.

The result is a gentle, elegant soap design that feels perfect for spring gift baskets, baby shower favours, or anyone who prefers a more delicate colour palette.

My Pastel Rainbow Melt and Pour Soap Bars tutorial is a lovely reminder that rainbow soap can be sophisticated as well as playful.

The Rainbow Soap Challenge Continues!

The 2026 Rainbow Soap Challenge playlist will continue to be updated with colourful projects and creative techniques for the next several months.

Whether you’re completely new to melt and pour soap or looking for fresh ideas to expand your soap-making skills, these tutorials offer plenty of inspiration.

Don’t forget to subscribe to The Dancing Soap Dish YouTube channel to stay up to date with all of my future rainbow projects plus much, much more.

Happy soap making! 🌈🧼

Enjoy!

A pastel rainbow themed graphic features the title “5 Rainbow Soap Tutorials Using Melt & Pour Soap” above four photos of handmade soaps decorated with bright rainbow designs. Each photo is labelled to form the phrase “Somewhere Over the Rainbow!” and shows the soaps arranged on textured surfaces with colourful props, creating a cheerful, craft inspired display.
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