# Color and Vanillin



## Jerliesa (Feb 22, 2016)

Hi!

So, does anyone have any experience with coloring soap with a fragrance oil that has a 3% or higher vanillin content?  I'm wondering what happens to the colors.  Do they darken or do they turn brown and leave no color whatsoever?  I know there isn't a exact science when it comes to this particular issue, and I've had some interesting results with my current recipe where a FO that I thought would discolor a whole lot, barely discolored at all.  I'm wondering if it has anything to do with my recipe.


----------



## kchaystack (Feb 22, 2016)

Oh yes.  They will darken up like you added brown color it.  

NEVER color dragons blood FO with pink.  it makes it look like zombie flesh.  ugh. 

When I am using a discoloring FO I will add some TD to help even out the discoloration.  I use browns and black for color.  maybe keep some batter unscented, but that is still colored something dark as some FO will bleed into the  un scented part.

Or just not use any colorants and let it do what it wants.


----------



## dixiedragon (Feb 22, 2016)

Sometimes it takes longer. I HPed a discoloring FO and it stayed off-white for about a week or so. I thought I was soooo clever. It slooowly darkened until it was brown by the end of the cure.

I embrace the brown, but I try to break it up. Either with a dark swirl (charcoal or black mica), a light swirl (TD), or HP, which gives it a marbled look. I actually prefer very dark brown, almost black, to medium brown (aka poo brown).


----------



## cmzaha (Feb 22, 2016)

kchaystack said:


> Oh yes.  They will darken up like you added brown color it.
> 
> NEVER color dragons blood FO with pink.  it makes it look like zombie flesh.  ugh.
> 
> ...


For DB I always pour off 2 separated batters and color one with red oxide and 1 with td, if I want a third I will pour off and color with Activated Charcoal. My dragon's  blood goes dark brown and the red oxide, td and AC look great. Here is a page that shows one of my DB soaps. It is not to it's full dark brown but it looks just as good if not better now that full colors are reached  http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=58003


----------



## shunt2011 (Feb 22, 2016)

I do the same as Carolyn but without the TD. Brick Red and Charcoal. Looks great


----------



## PrairieLights (Aug 20, 2016)

Hmmm... searching Dragon's Blood... on candlescience it says no vanillin, but you all say that it WILL darken??? DIL is going to do yellow, red, black.......... need your pro opinions on discoloration, since I am perplexed now.


----------



## Obsidian (Aug 20, 2016)

My DB always darkens even with no vanilla. Its fairly dark but I can still use colors like black or dark red and have them show. There are other ingredients besides vanilla that can discolor. I had a coconut FO that discolored a weird browny pink.


----------



## Cindy2428 (Aug 20, 2016)

I have found anything over 2% turns to brown for me, but my base soaps are not white without TD


----------



## PrairieLights (Aug 22, 2016)

Thank you, Obsidian. Do you use candlescience's? I will pass this info on to DIL and let her decide if she wants to take the chance with her yellow........


----------



## dixiedragon (Aug 22, 2016)

I recently used an FO with 1.3% vanillin (Mad Oil's Vanilla Milk) and it is VERY dark. I did a TD swirl so it is dark brown with a medium brown swirl.


----------



## cmzaha (Aug 22, 2016)

PrairieLights said:


> Hmmm... searching Dragon's Blood... on candlescience it says no vanillin, but you all say that it WILL darken??? DIL is going to do yellow, red, black.......... need your pro opinions on discoloration, since I am perplexed now.


I have never had a DB not darken. If you are interested in a really good DB, other than the one I had made, this is the best I have found. It is my best selling soap,even better than lavender. But then my biggest clientele are men
Yellow if done bright enough will show in a dark brown soap. The DB I listed below goes semi chocolate brown. Very dark. I usually like to swirl in some unfragranced soap batter to help balance out the messy dark soap. They are messy!
http://purefragranceoils.com/index....earch_in_description=1&keyword=dragon's+blood


----------



## PrairieLights (Aug 26, 2016)

Thank you, Carolyn!
We separated out the yellow and went ahead with the red and black w/ DB. Crossing fingers. Will report back as to how Candlescience's handles the red. We were browsing the pretty soap thread and saw the flame soap. One of our sons (the DIL's husband) just e-published his first book and another one of our sons illustrated the cover. (proud mom moment) The cover is a hand with flames coming up from it. So - we saw the flame soap and she said "I HAVE TO MAKE THAT FOR N!!!"
We just finished... It is hard to wait to cut it and see if the flame indeed worked out. Shhhh! Those 2 boys know nothing about this endeavor. ;-)


----------

