# Non bleeding colorants



## fountains324 (Oct 15, 2020)

I am looking for non bleeding colorants for goat’s milk base.  Does anyone have ideas?
Also looking for dark colors that retain their darkness in my opaque base.
Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## Anstarx (Oct 15, 2020)

If your base is opaque I'd use mica. They don't have the shimmer in opaque soaps and usually don't bleed (still need testing tho).
However, if you want a super dark soap (like a true black or super dark brown), either use a ton of colorant or go for a translucent basae.


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## fountains324 (Oct 15, 2020)

Anstarx said:


> If your base is opaque I'd use mica. They don't have the shimmer in opaque soaps and usually don't bleed (still need testing tho).
> However, if you want a super dark soap (like a true black or super dark brown), either use a ton of colorant or go for a translucent basae.


Thank you


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## Todd Ziegler (Oct 16, 2020)

Ultramarines and oxides remain dark and never bleed for me. This is an ultramarine pink pigment that I used.


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## fountains324 (Oct 17, 2020)

Todd Ziegler said:


> Ultramarines and oxides remain dark and never bleed for me. This is an ultramarine pink pigment that I used.


Where would you buy those in good quality?


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## earlene (Oct 17, 2020)

Oxides can bleed.  It really depends on how much you add to the soap.


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## Todd Ziegler (Oct 17, 2020)

fountains324 said:


> Where would you buy those in good quality?


TKB trading is a really good source.


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## Jinxer (Oct 17, 2020)

I's not easy getting a truly dark color in TD white opaque soap without it bleeding.   Try this:  Color transparent base to your dark color.  Add white soap til you get the opacity you want.  Try a sample.  It's the only way you'll know for sure.  Good Luck.


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## fountains324 (Oct 18, 2020)

Jinxer said:


> I's not easy getting a truly dark color in TD white opaque soap without it bleeding.   Try this:  Color transparent base to your dark color.  Add white soap til you get the opacity you want.  Try a sample.  It's the only way you'll know for sure.  Good Luck.


Thank you


earlene said:


> Oxides can bleed.  It really depends on how much you add to the soap.


What would you recommend?  I'm totally stumped and really need to figure this out quickly.   Any help is appreciated.


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## fountains324 (Oct 19, 2020)

Jinxer said:


> I's not easy getting a truly dark color in TD white opaque soap without it bleeding.   Try this:  Color transparent base to your dark color.  Add white soap til you get the opacity you want.  Try a sample.  It's the only way you'll know for sure.  Good Luck.


Thank you for the tips.  I’m making this week so perhaps I will try it.


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## earlene (Oct 29, 2020)

fountains324 said:


> Thank you
> 
> What would you recommend?  I'm totally stumped and really need to figure this out quickly.   Any help is appreciated.



Sorry for the lack of reply.  I was traveling and not keeping up with the forum during my travels.  So you may not need my answer anymore.  All I can recommend is that you follow the recommended amounts from where you purchased.  

If you don't have access to the source (sometimes we don't recall or are gifted a product), read _this link_ for using oxides in Melt & Pour soap.  In _this link_ search the word oxide and you will find the recommendation of 1/8 teaspoon of most oxides (which leads me to believe it would be less for the shades that tend to bleed, like red) for MP soap.

If you ever do CP soap, _this link_ suggests amounts for oxides, but as you can see, the usage rate in Cold Process soap is higher than the usage rate in MP; also notice the suggestion to halve the amount for reds and browns.  In my experience red oxide bleeds profusely unless smaller amounts are used.

Also in my experience oxides DO bleed/migrate within a soap layers/swirls.  The claim I see in some places that they don't is not borne out by my own experience, at least with red oxide.  I have the soap and photos to support my experience in this, in case anyone wants to see (I have posted about this in the past here at SMF.)  But that was Cold Process soap, so I cannot be sure if it migrates within Melt & Pour soap.  I have not used Oxides in MP.


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