Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin: Same Fairy Cottage Mold, Two Completely Different Magic Results!✨🏠

Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin: Same Fairy Cottage Mold, Two Completely Different Magic Results! ✨🏠

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Helen’s How To. 

Today I’m sharing a super fun experiment I did with the exact same silicone fairy cottage mold. I cast one version in eco resin and the other in traditional epoxy resin — and wow, the difference the colours make is honestly mind-blowing! 

One gives you that dreamy, glowing transparent look. The other delivers vibrant, blended colour magic. They both turned out gorgeous, but in totally different ways.

The Two Finished Pieces

1. The Translucent Pink Beauty (Epoxy Resin)
This one is crystal-clear pink/magenta. The light shines right through it, making the little fairy house, door, roof tiles, trees, and flowers glow beautifully. It has that ethereal, magical feel — perfect for a candle holder or night-light style piece.

2. The Vibrant Gradient Yellow-to-Green (Eco Resin)
This one is full of life! It gradients from sunny yellow at the base through fresh greens into soft turquoise at the top. The colours interact with the raised design in such a unique way — the house, chimney, door, mushrooms, and foliage really pop. It feels whimsical and nature-inspired.

Same mold. Same design. Completely different personalities. 

Quick Comparison: Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin

Here’s what I noticed using the exact same mold:

Feature	Eco Resin (Yellow-Green Gradient)	Epoxy Resin (Pink Transparent)
Demold Time	~30 minutes (amazingly fast!)	24 hours (patience required)
Transparency	Opaque / beautifully coloured	Crystal clear & glowing
Colour Behaviour	Colours blend and layer in a soft, vibrant way	Pigments stay true; great for solid transparent colours
Finish	Lovely matte-to-satin mineral look	High-gloss, glass-like
Safety & Fumes	Very low odour, indoor-friendly	Stronger fumes – needs good ventilation
Best For	Quick colourful pieces, gradients, home décor	Transparent/glowing effects, clarity lovers
My Verdict	Love the speed + how colours come together	Love the transparency & glow

Both have their good points and not-so-good points — exactly as I always say! 

Eco resin wins for speed and that gorgeous colour-blending effect. Epoxy wins when you want that see-through magical glow.

How I Made Them – Simple Step-by-Step (Works for Both Resins)

What you’ll need:

• Fairy cottage / fairy house silicone mold
• Your chosen resin (eco resin or epoxy resin + hardener)
• Pigments or resin dyes (pink for the transparent version; yellow, green, turquoise for the gradient)
• Mixing cups & stir sticks
• Gloves + good ventilation (especially for epoxy)
• Optional: mold release spray, heat gun/torch for bubbles, sandpaper + polish for finishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your workspace
   Cover your table. For epoxy, open windows or work in a well-ventilated area. For eco resin you can usually work indoors with minimal fuss.
2. Mix your resin
   • Eco resin: Follow your specific brand’s ratio (often powder + liquid). Mix thoroughly but gently. 
   • Epoxy resin: Measure precisely (usually 1:1 or 2:1 by volume/weight) and mix slowly for 3–5 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom.
3. Add colour
   • Transparent pink (Epoxy): Add a few drops of pink resin dye or alcohol ink to clear epoxy until you reach the desired shade. 
   • Gradient yellow-green (Eco): Mix separate small batches — one yellow, one green, one turquoise. This is where eco resin really shines — the colours layer and blend beautifully as you pour.
4. Pour into the mold
   Pour slowly into the lowest point of the mold so the resin flows up the details.
   For the gradient effect, pour your colours one after another or swirl gently with a stick for soft transitions.
   Tap the mold on the table or use a heat gun/torch to release air bubbles (more important with epoxy).
5. Cure & Demold
   • Eco resin: Leave it alone for about 30 minutes. It should be firm enough to demold carefully. 
   • Epoxy resin: Leave it for a full 24 hours before demolding (I usually wait overnight).
6. Finish
   Pop out your piece gently.
   Trim any flash with scissors or a craft knife.
   Sand the base flat if needed.
   For extra shine on either piece you can buff with resin polish or apply a clear sealer (especially nice on eco resin if you want more gloss).
7. Optional final touch
   Pop a battery tealight or fairy lights inside for that magical glowing effect — especially stunning on the transparent pink version!

My Honest Thoughts After Making Both

• The epoxy pink feels delicate and enchanted — that transparency is addictive. 
• The eco resin gradient feels joyful and full of colour personality. The way the yellows and greens settled around the house and trees was so different from how pigments behave in epoxy.

I genuinely love both for different reasons and different projects. 

If I want something fast and colourful → eco resin every time.
If I want something glowing and see-through → epoxy is worth the wait.

Final Tips

• Always test a small batch first if you’re new to a resin. 
• Temperature matters — warmer rooms speed things up for both. 
• Don’t rush the demold on epoxy — it’s worth the wait for clean edges. 
• Eco resin is super beginner-friendly and great if you have kids or pets around (much lower fumes).

Would you like me to do a full video-style tutorial on one of these (or both) next? Or shall I show you how to create even more colour effects with these molds?

Drop a comment below and tell me — which one is your favourite? The glowing pink or the happy gradient? 

Thanks so much for reading, lovely crafters! 

Happy casting! 🌿🏠✨ 

Helen x 

How to Make Beautiful Resin Skulls & Crescent Moons

Eco Resin + Epoxy Resin Tutorial

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Helen’s How-To!   Today I’m showing you how I created these two fun pieces: a glowing turquoise skull and a dramatic red crescent moon. Both were made using simple silicone molds I purchased online, and yes — I use the same molds for both eco resin and epoxy resin without any problems, as long as I keep them clean.

Here’s a peek at the pieces in progress:

Resin Skull and Moon Materials You’ll Need:

Silicone molds (skull and crescent moon) 
Eco Resin (for the skull) – great for the environment and easy to work with 
Epoxy Resin (for the moon) – gives a super clear, hard finish 
Acrylic paints or resin dyes/pigments (I used “Red Unicorn” paint for the moon) 
Mixing cups, stir sticks, and gloves 
UV Resin (optional, for small details or top coats) 
Paintbrushes for hand-painting details 
Sandpaper (if you want to smooth edges later) 
 
Step-by-Step Process:

Prepare Your Workspace 
Work in a well-ventilated area on a protected surface. Always wear gloves! 
Mix the Resin  For the skull: I mixed eco resin and added a little blue colouring directly into the mix before pouring.   

For the crescent moon: 

• I used clear epoxy resin and tinted it with vibrant red unicorn paint. 
• Pour into the Molds 
• Slowly pour the mixed resin into your molds. Tap gently to release air bubbles. Let them cure according to the product instructions (eco resin and epoxy have slightly different cure times). 
• Demold 
• Once fully cured, carefully flex the flexible silicone molds and pop out your pieces. They come out beautifully detailed every time! 
• Hand-Painting & Details (This is the fun part!) 
• Most of the beautiful colour on the skull was added after demolding using acrylic paints and metallic accents. 
• The moon got its rich red from the tinted epoxy, but you can always add extra shading and highlights by hand. 

Finishing Touches 
These two pieces aren’t fully finished yet! Next steps will include sealing with a clear coat (matte or gloss), adding extra metallic details, or even a layer of UV resin for extra shine and protection. 
 
Helpful Tips:

• Keep your silicone molds clean between uses — a quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol works great. 
• Eco resin and epoxy both work well in the same molds. 
• Experiment with colours! Mixing a bit of pigment into the resin gives a translucent glow, while hand-painting gives you full artistic control. 
• Have fun with it — these pieces are perfect for altars, desks, bookshelves, or gifts. 

Would you like to try making your own magical resin creations? Let me know in the comments which piece you love more — the skull or the moon!  I’ll be back soon with the finished versions and more resin projects.  Happy crafting!