Pearlescent Text Effect: CSS Text Animation

Pearlescent Text Effect

Satin letters tinted pink, lilac and aqua, with a soft round sheen gliding over them like light on a pearl. The pastel stops are mixed with your accent so they hold up on white.

Also known as: pearl text css, opal text effect, mother of pearl gradient.

Pearlescent

Color Font size 40px Dark background

HTML

<div class="txt-pearlescent-text">Pearlescent</div>

CSS

.txt-pearlescent-text {
  --c: var(--txt-color, #3b82f6);
  font-size: var(--txt-size, 32px);
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
  font-weight: 700;
  line-height: 1.2;
  font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;
  letter-spacing: 0.02em;
  background:
    radial-gradient(ellipse 30% 70% at 50% 35%, rgb(255 255 255 / 0.85), transparent 75%) 0 0 / 200% 100% no-repeat,
    linear-gradient(100deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, #f0abfc), color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, #a5b4fc) 25%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, #67e8f9) 45%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, #f9a8d4) 70%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, #f0abfc)) 0 0 / 200% 100%;
  -webkit-background-clip: text;
  background-clip: text;
  color: transparent;
  -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
  -webkit-text-stroke: max(1px, 0.01em) color-mix(in srgb, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 50%, #581c87) 40%, transparent);
  filter: drop-shadow(0 0.03em 0.02em color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 40%, rgb(46 16 101 / 0.4)));
  animation: txt-pearlescent-text-glide 4s ease-in-out infinite alternate;}
@keyframes txt-pearlescent-text-glide {
  from { background-position: 100% 0, 0% 0; }
  to   { background-position: 0% 0, 100% 0; }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .txt-pearlescent-text, .txt-pearlescent-text *, .txt-pearlescent-text::before, .txt-pearlescent-text::after, .txt-pearlescent-text *::before, .txt-pearlescent-text *::after {
    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  }
}

Customizing this snippet

Color: set --txt-color on the element or a parent. Currently previewing #3b82f6.
Font size: set --txt-size. Every other dimension is in em, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing 40px.
Speed: change the duration on the transition or animation shorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm.
Reduced motion: the rule at the end of the CSS turns the motion off for people who asked their OS for less of it. Keep it.

Pearlescent Text Effect

HTML

CSS

Customizing this snippet

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