# where to purchase natural colorants



## numike (Aug 22, 2017)

I am planning on using natural colorants to color my CP soaps and am looking for the best online source for colorants.  Thank You!
YELLOW COLOR
“Safflower powder produces a pretty yellow in soap when added at trace.” 
 GREEN
comfrey powder at trace

PURPLE
Red Sandalwood Powder for purple
I use the powder directly at trace.  I usually use 1/4 - 1/2 oz ppo at trace. 
Needs to be very fine
BROWN
Beet root – Beta vulgaris – Color: Warm to dull brown – Add as powder or infuse dried material in liquid oils
Black Walnut Hull powder – Juglans nigra – Color: Deep brown – Add at trace


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## Cellador (Aug 22, 2017)

When I first started, I bought a natural colorant sample pack from Brambleberry. It doesn't contain the specific items you mentioned above, but it does offer a nice variety of items to try in your soaps.

You can also find a lot at Mountain Rose Herbs, From Nature with Love, and Wholesale Supply Plus.


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## SoapTrey (Aug 22, 2017)

Here's a link where you can learn about natural colorants and they have links where you can purchase: http://www.diynatural.com/natural-soap-colorants/
Here's where you can buy a sample pack of colorants: https://www.etsy.com/listing/474333428/natural-soap-colorants-sampler-5oz-for?ref=shop_home_active_7


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 23, 2017)

My favorite source for natural colorants is Monterey Bay Spice in CA. I buy 4 oz. bags which makes it cost effective for shipping several different herbs/spices. Very good company to do business with.

http://www.herbco.com/c-2-bulk-herbs-spices.aspx

I almost always use oil infusion to color soap. Not all natural colorants are best as "powder added at trace". Some powders can be quite abrasive and need to be strained out before using the oil to make soap. Ask me how I know. LOL

Here's a good article about the various ways to add colorants to soap:

http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/join-jo-coloring-soap-naturally/


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## SoapTrey (Aug 23, 2017)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Here's a good article about the various ways to add colorants to soap:
> 
> http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/join-jo-coloring-soap-naturally/



This intrigues me greatly. The idea of using an infused oil sounds wonderful if the oils can be stored for any length of time.  I'm assuming ROE can be used once infused?  Can you over infuse... leave the infusing properties in the oil too long?  I have questions about this and if anyone can help me that would be awesome!  (sorry but I don't have a FB account)


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 24, 2017)

SoapTrey said:


> This intrigues me greatly. The idea of using an infused oil sounds wonderful if the oils can be stored for any length of time.  I'm assuming ROE can be used once infused?


So far my calendula, comfrey, green tea and carrot infused oils have lasted a year. I add ROE and vitamin E to them once made. Store in my soaping cabinet in the basement, cool and dark.



SoapTrey said:


> Can you over  infuse... leave the infusing properties in the oil too long?


I don't think you can "over infuse". At some point the oil will accept as much of the plant as it can absorb, and the plant reaches its optimum release at some point. 

Just this past two weeks, I've made hard bars (7% infused oil), 100% olive oil castile (100% infused oil),  and 140 oz liquid soap using 7 % olive oil infused with yellow dock root  to make a  raspberry pink soap. 

There's good info on the internet for infusing oil. I do heat infusion, range top. For the above soapies, I put 4 oz. yellow dock (from http://www.herbco.com/) in an 8" SS fry pan; added 20 oz OO to cover an inch above the herb and warmed it on LOW on the range top for 3 hours. After straining, the yellow dock looked like it might give up more color, which it did (!) when I put it back in the pan, added 16 oz more OO and gave it another run. It was almost as strong as the first infusion and they soaped about the same.

Here's a link to the soap and the method the soaper used: 

http://sapuhusid.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pink-soap-yellow-dock.html

She used fresh yellow dock roots. I used dry roots  "cut and sifted". My experience was different from hers and the color of my soaps are more "rhubarb" than Raspberry Pink at the moment... but they've just started their journey to cure and I expect some change down the road a bit.

I think I should mention that I learned to infuse herbs in oil to make herbal balms and salves and have been at it for many years.


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