Cocoa powder
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I personally wouldn't go over 1 tsp ppo, if even that much...a little goes a long way. Bear in mind that it won't hold the scent, you could possibly end up with brown lather, and it 'will' stain a washcloth....ask me how I know 
Cocoa is perfectly safe to use...in very small amounts. That's all Jstar is trying to say. Start with 1 teaspoon per pound of oil. Add a bit more if needed. Don't be surprised if you get a brown washcloth, though.
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amd
I have never had good luck with cocoa powder (for some reason every.stinking.batch volcanoes - maybe its the cocoa I'm using?? :shrug
but I have had very good luck with melted chocolate - I use a minimum 80% cocoa bar. I think the pb chocolate bar I made for the bf was an 86% Ghiradhelli bar, 1oz per ppo. I tempered the melted chocolate into the batter. It hasn't cured fully so I don't know how good it is as soap, but it didn't volcano!
but I have had very good luck with melted chocolate - I use a minimum 80% cocoa bar. I think the pb chocolate bar I made for the bf was an 86% Ghiradhelli bar, 1oz per ppo. I tempered the melted chocolate into the batter. It hasn't cured fully so I don't know how good it is as soap, but it didn't volcano!
I use 1tsp ppo quite often. Sometimes you can get a bit of brown lather but it washes right out. I use just Hershey's powder regular or dark chocolate.
I've used Dutch process cocoa as one of the colors in a swirled design. Worked nice. I don't recall the exact amount, but the added cocoa looked like lightly flavored chocolate milk when mixed into the batter. I was worried it was not enough, but the worry was not necessary -- the color became darker in the cured soap. Used as a swirl, there was not enough cocoa overall to affect the color of the lather.
I have used cocoa as a cocoa line in soap with no brown lather. I used coffee(regular strength, left over from breakfast) for a water substitute, then the cocoa line in the center. It was actually pretty!
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
It's helpful to put it in a tea ball and tap it into your soap, it can be really hard to get the lumps out! It's safe to use, but it makes a dull mud brown or poo brown, so I tend to use it as an accent or a swirl, not the whole bar. I prefer the brown I get from coffee.
Me, too! When it gels, it gets that almost translucent look. It really is pretty.
BlackDog
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This is good to hear - I'm going to try my first pencil line this weekend and I was considering using cocoa. Do you find the moisture from the soap darkens it at all?
handavaka
Well-Known Member
Hi! I use 1 tsp cocoa powder AND 1 square of the bittersweet chocolate in a 3lb batch. The lather is white, however, there is slight color on a washcloth, but the color is really pretty. I don't use a pencil line in this soap, but I do use coffee and it leaves a really cool freckled effect that is darker than the soap itself; that might work for you as a pencil line.
I don't see what the risk is. Almost any dark coloration can make colored lather or come off on a wash cloth. My coffee soap is really dark brown and colors everything when washing, the lather is quite dark.
I've had blue and red lather too, from mica and oxides. Oh and grey lather from charcoal, thats my least favorite.
My first pencil like was with coco powder, it was very dark, nearly black. It looked good though, even if I did make it a bit too thick and a couple of the bars came apart.
I've had blue and red lather too, from mica and oxides. Oh and grey lather from charcoal, thats my least favorite.
My first pencil like was with coco powder, it was very dark, nearly black. It looked good though, even if I did make it a bit too thick and a couple of the bars came apart.
Has anyone ever tried it with black cocoa...the stuff they make oreos out of...I have some in the pantry and I've been wondering...
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