How to Create Swirled Easter Eggs

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Swirled Easter eggs make a beautiful display.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Part of the fun of Easter celebrations is finding new ways to decorate eggs. When friends and family see these brightly colored eggs, they'll definitely ask, "How did you make the swirls?" The secret, if you wish to tell them, is shaving cream.

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What You'll Need

Allow eggs to cool completely before coloring them.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

• Hard-boiled eggs • Food coloring • Vinegar • Water • Shaving cream • Glass baking dish • Glass bowl • Wood skewers • Vinyl, rubber or latex gloves • Paper towels

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Step 1: Dye the eggs a base color.

Pastels work best for the base color.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Start by giving the eggs a base color. Fill a glass bowl with equal parts water and vinegar, and add a few drops of food coloring. Mix with a spoon. Place an egg in the dye solution until it gains a light, uniform color. Because this is a base color, choose pastels like yellow, light blue and pink so that the swirl colors will stand out. Allow about an hour for the eggs to dry.

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Step 2: Line a glass baking dish with shaving cream.

Make sure to use shaving cream and not shaving gel.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Spray shaving cream into a glass baking dish. Smooth it out with your fingers so that an even layer lines the bottom of the baking dish. There should be no more than 1 inch of shaving cream. If there is too much, just scoop some out with your fingers and discard it.

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Step 3: Add drops of food coloring to the shaving cream.

Space the drops so that they do not touch.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Remove the caps of the food coloring, and add drops of the dye on top of the shaving cream. Use no more than two colors, and try to space the drops evenly across the shaving cream. Do not apply too many drops of the food coloring – you don't want the colors to blend.

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Step 4: Run a wooden skewer through the drops to make swirls.

Use a gentle hand to swirl the colors together.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Take a wooden skewer and run it vertically and horizontally across the dye in the shaving cream to create swirls. It will actually look like you're decorating a cake. Don't be overzealous with the skewer in the shaving cream – you want to just make swirls, not blend the colors.

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Step 5: Roll the egg across the shaving cream.

When the shaving cream looks muddy, discard it and start over.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Now here's where the magic happens. Place the egg on one end of the baking dish on top of the shaving cream and roll it across the dish in one direction. Use the skewer, rather than your fingers, to roll it. As the egg rolls across the shaving cream, it picks up the swirl pattern. Depending on its size, each baking dish lined with shaving cream and swirled food coloring will decorate three to four eggs. Once the egg has gone across the shaving cream, the distinct swirls are muddied and you should not use that section again. When all the shaving cream and dye has been used, scoop the remainder out, wash the pan and start over again with fresh shaving cream and dye.

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Step 6: Allow the swirls to set on the egg.

Be sure to wear gloves to keep your hands clean.
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Carefully remove the egg from the shaving cream with your fingers, holding it at the top and bottom ends so you don't disturb the swirls. Place your eggs on a plate to allow the color to set for about 30 minutes.

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Step 7: Remove excess shaving cream.

You will be amazed at your beautiful creation!
Image Credit: Jonathan Fong

Rub a paper towel very gently around the egg to remove any excess shaving cream.

And you're done! For this we say, go ahead and put all your eggs into one basket. It'll make a beautiful display.

More Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

Image Credit: eHow

For more creative ways to color your Easter eggs, check out these fun ideas:

How to Tie Dye Easter Eggs

Use Natural Foods and Spices to Color Easter Eggs

Easy Way to Dye Easter Eggs With Kids

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