# Coloring soap with vanilla fragrance



## Megan (Jul 13, 2018)

I have a fragrance oil with a 4% vanillin content and it discolors to a cinnamon brown. I am making a fall themed soap with it, so I would like to have colors like red, orange, yellow and a smidge green. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to make it work (besides a stabilizer).  I think the red and orange will be okay with a tinge of brown in them, what I'm worried about is the yellow and the green (mostly the green). I'm wondering if titanium dioxide added to those colors would help any with , or if I should just do without fragrance in those colors and just add it to the others.


*edited, I found the answer to one question and deleted that one.

Also, does anyone have examples of soap with colors and a discoloring fragrance?


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## Misschief (Jul 13, 2018)

I have one but it hasn't discoloured much yet. In my case, I used the fragrance that discolours in the uncoloured base and used a non-discolouring fragrance in the coloured part. After two weeks, it's just starting to discolour a bit. After 4 weeks, I'll take a picture to compare before and after.


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## shunt2011 (Jul 13, 2018)

Vanilla is not the only thing that can cause discoloration.  At 4% it will get fairly dark.  You could try TD but keep in mind it will make your colors lighter too.  I've had a soap with no vanilla turn my colors to blah non discernible colorations.   I've done several soaps that I've left batter unscented to color and added the fragrance to the rest.  It took awhile but it did eventually affect the colored portion after time (6 months or so).   I use vanilla stabilizer now if I want them to not change.  I've got a couple 6 months old and still perfect coloring with a high vanilla content FO.


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## dibbles (Jul 13, 2018)

There was a challenge using a discoloring FO. Here is a link to the entry thread with lots of pictures: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ing-challenge-september-discoloring-fo.56326/

Some will bleed and some won't, or at least won't for a long time. The Vanilla Milk FO I used bleeds quickly into other areas, and gets very dark brown. I wouldn't use the discoloring FO in the yellow or green unless you are okay with them ending up being murky. The yellow might end up a gold color which would be pretty. 

It's kind of hard to say, really, without knowing which FO you are using. It isn't only vanilla that can discolor. If you've used it before and know it doesn't get extremely dark, it might be fine. Maybe try a small test batch and split between the colors you are planning to use to make single bars of one color. That way you can know for sure.


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## dixiedragon (Jul 13, 2018)

I would like to see them do that challenge again!

I suggest trying hot process. That seems to at least lighten the amount of discoloration. You may try green soap shreds, or maybe even a swirl of green M&P.


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## Megan (Jul 13, 2018)

That challenge post is so cool! Some of those results are spectacular!


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## dixiedragon (Jul 13, 2018)

In my experience, try for a really vivid electric yellow and electric orange, which the brown will soften to golden brown/golden orange. If you just do a pale yellow you wont' see much difference in your soap.


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## soapmaker (Jul 13, 2018)

When I want to use a vanilla f.o. and don't want brown in only one colour, I add the scent after separating out the amount for colouring and leave it unscented. The scent goes in all the others.


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## penelopejane (Jul 14, 2018)

^^^ as dibbles said a lot of vanilla fragrances mixed in part of the soap will bleed into the unscented sections and colour all sections. It might not be an even colour.  Using a vanilla stabiliser can help, as shunt said.


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## cmzaha (Jul 14, 2018)

My DB fragrance turns to a dark medium brown and I use gold micas, red mica, bright blue and yellow mica at times with the color staying without bleeding, but as mentioned some darkening fragrances will overtake the entire soap eventually. Using bright colored micas in browning soaps works out well most of the time but not always. So, like anything soap, you just have to try it, since some darkening fo's seem to overtake even bright colors. Since I do not use vanilla stabilizer I cannot say how long it keeps soaps from turning dark. I do know in my daughters m&p it would hold the color for 6-8 months, after that the soaps would start turning dark, but did not go as dark as a soap without the stabilizer. Stabilizer is quite expensive so I choose to work with the dark coloration


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