Blue colorant that won't discolor in CP?

[Prairie Princess]

What colorant would you recommend for a vibrant/royal blue in CP? I've heard most discolor purple or green, or grey out. I tried a forum search, and found a few results that suggest adding TD to give the blue a 'base'. Wouldn't TD lighten the results? It's my experience the white is very overpowering when added to any other colorant. I've never used BB's LabColors, but see they have a line for CP. Their product description doesn't specify if the blue would discolor....

Thanks!

 

[melstan775]

If you want your color to show, you can try making your base white first, then adding blue. You may have to add more color to overcome the lighter effect of white. I don't know if this will work because it's my understanding blue changes due to the chemical reaction between lye and common blue dye compounds. I have had luck using generic blue colorant from Michael's craft store. I threw a ton of it into a soap I made last week, and it changed to a very nice blue-turqouise color. You can find it in this thread: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f22/indonesian-teakwood-32837/

 

[Seifenblasen]

OK, there are two reasons that blue colorants do not show up as blue in CP.

One is alkalinity - some colorants behave differently in alkaline, neutral, and acidic environment. Some colorants are not safe to use in CP. Adding titanium dioxide would not help at all if the blue colorant changes color because of alkalinity.

The second reason is often CP soap is not pure white, but with a yellow/beige color. When you mix blue with yellow, you get green. Titanium dioxide can help tame down the yellow component.

My experience with Brambleberry's ultramarine blue is even when my soap is yellowish, it is strong enough to maintain a vivid blue. Never used lab colors before so I cannot comment on that.

For herbal colorants, woad can turn out a pale greenish blue instead of baby blue if your soap is very yellow. Indigo is stronger and more forgiving when it comes to yellow soap.

Even though it works for some people, personally I would stay away from craftstore (Michael's Hobby Lobby, etc.) colorants and stick to soap/specialty stores.

 

[Prairie Princess]

Melstan775 - Your Indonesian Teakwood soap is beautiful...gorgeous teal! Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to play around with the amount of titanium dioxide, then, and see if I can get a good canvas.

Seifenblasen - On the note of titanium dioxide and yellow-ish soap, would perhaps the base recipe make a difference, then? I've been eying BB's Ultramarine Blue... if it works for you, I'll give it a try. It's the exact blue I'm after. Thinking about my recipe, though, I use a high percentage of olive oil. Maybe whiter base oils would help? Does your recipe contain a higher percentage of OO?

 

[Seifenblasen]

I used about 35% olive oil with ultramarine blue. Here is one of Anne Marie's tutorial where she used 40% olive oil with lab colors (note how yellow her soap is):

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-b...d-tricks/labcolors-and-gel-phase-are-friends/

She also mentioned something very important: that EO/FO could also affect the color of soap.

 

[soapsydaisy]

Soaptopia has a nice blue soap http://soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/8127

Any guesses on what they use? I know they only use natural colorants.

 

[Lindy]

When I want my colour to pop I whiten the entire base with TD then split off to make my colours. I add colour until I have what I'm looking for and then soap from that.....

Here is an example:

 

[Prairie Princess]

That's really close to what I use... Anne Marie's soap is about the same yellow I start with. Good point about the FO, though... I would have gotten totally carried away, and blamed the colorant if something went awry!

 

[Prairie Princess]

The Soaptopia bar is a gorgeous blue! 'Plant infusions', hmm? A highly guarded proprietary secret, I'm sure!

Lindy, are these soaps you've made? So pretty!

 

[Seifenblasen]

Soaptopia has a nice blue soap http://soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/8127

Any guesses on what they use? I know they only use natural colorants.

They did not even mention any colorants in their ingredient list!! :shock:

It may also depend on their definition of "all natural". Ultramarine blue used to be from ground up lapis lazuri, now it is re-created from laboratories but is supposed to be "nature identical", i.e. has the exact same mineral content as naturally occurring ultramarine.

Technically rocks and minerals are all natural.

With indigo, you can get pretty close to that color, but not quite that depth. Here is an example:

http://fernadele.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-weekly-soaps.html

 

[Seifenblasen]

Got another good "all natural" one:

http://www.soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/11670

If they achieved those colors without some help from a lab, I am going to eat soap! :crazy:

 

[Cherry Bomb]

My experience with Brambleberry's ultramarine blue is even when my soap is yellowish, it is strong enough to maintain a vivid blue. Never used lab colors before so I cannot comment on that.

I love working with lab colors! They hold color wonderfully in CP soap making

 

[Lindy]

Prairie Princess they are and thank you....

 

[Lindy]

Got another good "all natural" one:

http://www.soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/11670

If they achieved those colors without some help from a lab, I am going to eat soap! :crazy:

Gorgeous soap but yes those colours had a helping hand along the way! LOL

 

[melstan775]

Soaptopia has a nice blue soap http://soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/8127

Any guesses on what they use? I know they only use natural colorants.

That's beautiful, and I"m going to go out on a limb and say a combination of alkanet or indigo and woad. Woad is a bluish color and would ofset the red in the alkanet if it turned too purple, and would lighten up the indigo some if it got too dark. Also multiple colors makes new colors.

 

[Genny]

Gorgeous soap but yes those colours had a helping hand along the way! LOL

I think it's the "Love" :sick:

 

[Lindy]

 

[melstan775]

Got another good "all natural" one:

http://www.soaptopia.com/inc/sdetail/132/11670

If they achieved those colors without some help from a lab, I am going to eat soap! :crazy:

Technically oxides are natural. Iron oxides occur naturally in the earth's crusts and are colored by various mineral deposits. Mine thm, process them, they become safe for human use, with no side effects (that I know of). Sayin'.

 

[green soap]

I can get 3 out of 4 with plant infusions. The 4th might be cochinneal....

 

[Lindy]

I can get 3 out of 4 with plant infusions. The 4th might be cochinneal....

Seriously? Can you show us how? I would love to learn to make those colours naturally. Would you add TD?

Just so as you know - I am being sincere. Cochinneal is sooooo expensive though....