Achieving True Black in Soap

[homesoaper]

I am using bamboo activated charcoal in my cold process soap making and up until a few weeks ago I was getting a beautiful deep black in my soaps.....and now it just insists on being a dark gray! I don't feel like I have changed anything about the way I am adding the charcoal...Any ideas about what I am doing wrong or tips on using activated charcoal? So Frustrating!!:headbanging:

 

[Dahila]

AC will never give you true black just dark gray. If I was you I would not try to get black with activated charcoal (due dark lather) but add a bit of black iron oxide or black mica

 

[MorpheusPA]

+1 on the black iron oxide, but even so, if it's true black, the suds will be gray at best and will mark light-colored washcloths. Be ye forewarned.

 

[jcandleattic]

I use a mix of activated charcoal and black oxide. Get a deep dark black without colored suds every time.

 

[SaltedFig]

<--- The "lumps of coal" in my picture are coloured with charcoal (no mica or oxides), and the lather is definitely grey.

Have you bought a new lot of charcoal?

I've noticed a little bit of a difference in coloring between the different charcoals and grind sizes, but to be honest I haven't paid that much attention to this.

I think (from memory) with these ones I presoaked the charcoal, but I also added some as powder to the batter after making the soap (to make it blacker).