# Natural colorants for ls



## seven (Nov 18, 2015)

Has anyone tried? If so, please share... Been thinking to make betel leaf ls and i want it green. Thinking of infused parsley or adding spirulina to the oils. Yay or nay?


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## Obsidian (Nov 18, 2015)

I tried using madder infused oil once, it didn't work very well. The finished soap is darker but its not pink like I wanted. Spirulina might work for awhile but I think it would fade really quickly.


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## Arimara (Nov 18, 2015)

Dumb question- Would food coloring work for liquid soap?


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## Susie (Nov 18, 2015)

Some food coloring will work fine.  Remember that you are coloring an amber liquid, so all colors will be changed by that.  Red + Amber = Orange, Blue + Amber = Green, Etc.

You can use infused oils to color liquid soap, just as you do bar soap.  Paprika infused into OO yields yellow to brick red, depending on amount used.

You can also use Beta Carotene to color LS, just add to oils before adding the KOH/water.


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## Arimara (Nov 19, 2015)

Thanks. I was just curious.


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## seven (Nov 19, 2015)

Susie said:


> Some food coloring will work fine.  Remember that you are coloring an amber liquid, so all colors will be changed by that.  Red + Amber = Orange, Blue + Amber = Green, Etc.
> 
> You can use infused oils to color liquid soap, just as you do bar soap.  Paprika infused into OO yields yellow to brick red, depending on amount used.
> 
> You can also use Beta Carotene to color LS, just add to oils before adding the KOH/water.




Good point Susie... My ls will be mainly olive, it is pretty light-middle yellow... Now i'm thinking whether i should try infusing parsley or indigo, hmmm...


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## penelopejane (Nov 27, 2015)

Spirulina, after all the work to infuse it into oil, fades really quickly in CP soap I imagine it's the same in LS. I used a good concentration. It was dark green but 4 weeks later it is a very pale brown/cream..


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## Saponista (Nov 27, 2015)

Did you leave it somewhere in directbsunlight Penelope? I have found it stays fairly well as long as it is cured somewhere darkish


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## penelopejane (Nov 29, 2015)

Saponista said:


> Did you leave it somewhere in directbsunlight Penelope? I have found it stays fairly well as long as it is cured somewhere darkish




No Saponista. It was cured in the linen press that only gets light when I turn it on and the soap is stacked in sliding mesh drawers.


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## Saponista (Nov 29, 2015)

That's strange, what a shame. The only thing I did different was to add the spirulina straight into the batter rather than infuse it. If you try that it might work a little better for you.


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## Dahila (Nov 29, 2015)

I hate natural colorants they look gross ,   I tried alcanet, the oil looked good but the soap is this very ugly kind of violet.  Tumeric has a nice color, but does it burn? 
Dandelion, suppose to be green is brown in soap, Stinging nettle suppose to be green it is dirty green,  eh  If it was not for the avocado oil and cocoa butter in it, I would trow it into garbage
Iron oxide for me or maybe mica one day


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## mymy (Nov 30, 2015)

I've used spirulina powder, turmeric powder and cocoa powder.  Turmeric and cocoa powder did give nice color to the soap but not spirulina.  It faded within 2 weeks of curing.  I barely see its green color now.


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