Colorants

[three_little_fishes]

I've yet to color any soaps because I'm not sure what to buy. I think I've found something and then I read that it's not for CP soaps. What do you all use? I'd like to try out some natural colorants too, possibly cocoa powder to go with a cocoa butter soap. Mmmmm...who wouldn't love a chocolate soap?! Would that even work? What about the lab colors from Brambleberry? I know they're not natural, but I'm sort of entertaining all ideas at the moment.

 

[AngelMomma]

I have seen many posts and blogs where people have used cocoa powder. And youtube videos too. If you put in a word into the search bar you will come up with all kinds of posts. Like 'natural colorants' or 'cocoa'. There is so much to learn around here! I am planning a soap with cocoa powder and coffee infused oil

 

[Relle]

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/step-above-all-natural-colorant-12310/

This link is what I got when I typed in colorant in the search bar and if you scroll down the page to the bottom of your post - Similar Threads come up.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I am planning a soap with cocoa powder and coffee infused oil

That sounds heavenly! I thought about infusing oil with coffee yesterday. My first batch of soap was a coffee soap recipe and, lesson learned, mixing your lye with coffee will not make your soap smell like coffee. :lolno:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/step-above-all-natural-colorant-12310/

This link is what I got when I typed in colorant in the search bar and if you scroll down the page to the bottom of your post - Similar Threads come up.

Thanks for the tips!! Checking out that link now!

 

[Shannon_m]

I just got mine from Bramble Berry.. they have a list for ones suitable with CP soaps

 

[Ruthie]

I've been trying the lab colors for the first time and they work ok, but I am NOT impressed with how messy they are. When I order more colors, I think I'll go back to oxides.

As for natural colors, alkanet works well. It smells like dirty socks when you infuse it, but that does not carry over into the finished soap. Cocoa powder makes a wonderfully colored soap. Mine is one of my favorites, tho not all would like it as dark as I made it. I was unimpressed with tumeric, though maybe I did not use enough.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I had wondered if the lab colors were messy. I looked over a picture tutorial that used them and it looked like a mess. The lavender lime soap I have curing now called for green oxide, but I had a hard time paying $8 shipping for $6 worth of oxides. I will probably place a bigger order for colorants soon so I can experiment and find out what I like.

Thanks for the opinions!

 

[DWinMadison]

I just bought a neon sample pack of six colors from wholesalesuppliesplus.com. It's a great way to try color.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I just bought a neon sample pack of six colors from wholesalesuppliesplus.com. It's a great way to try color.

Thanks! Going to check it out!

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

Cinnamon and clove makes a nice dark brown. Both times I used clove as a colorant the scent some how managed to make it thru the cure. Also wanna mention TKB Trading huge selection of soap stable colorants, good prices.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I may give the cinnamon a try! I've had an aversion to clove since way back when a guy I used to work with smoked clove cigarettes in our break room (yep...way back, when that was still allowed). They gave me the worst headache!

 

[DWinMadison]

Thanks! Going to check it out!

$7.29 for six. Made my first batch last weekend.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/ProductDetail.aspx?CatalogID=1&GroupID=868&CategoryID=2427&ProductID=9082&ProductName=+Color+Sampler%3A+Powders+-+Neon+Colors

 

[CaliChan]

I may give the cinnamon a try! I've had an aversion to clove since way back when a guy I used to work with smoked clove cigarettes in our break room (yep...way back, when that was still allowed). They gave me the worst headache!

Keep in mind that cinnamon can be an irritant
I made a big batch of natural colorant soaps last night and imcinnamon made a pretty light brown. Cocoa turned dark brown and your not missing a lot with the cloves it makes a spakly brown pretty but not what I was aiming for. Cinnamon is worth a shot

 

[three_little_fishes]

Good point, CaliChan. That completely slipped my mind. We bought a cinnamon shave soap once and absolutely loved it, but I can see how it could be an irritant to others if gifted or something.

 

[three_little_fishes]

$7.29 for six. Made my first batch last weekend.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/ProductDetail.aspx?CatalogID=1&GroupID=868&CategoryID=2427&ProductID=9082&ProductName=+Color+Sampler%3A+Powders+-+Neon+Colors

Ooooohhhh. Those are pretty!!!!

 

[Marieke]

I prefer clay powders to color my soaps and natural powders like alkanet, cocao, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and annatto. The only oxide I alow myself to use is TD for white soap.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I just realized that I have a giant can of tomato powder. I wonder how that would work. I've been wanting to make a tomato soap anyway because a certain big name brand is almost $10 a bar around here! There is a recipe in one of my books that actually calls for tomato paste. Think the paste will give the bar a deep red color or should I add a little powder to it too?

 

[Marieke]

I made soap with tomato puree but I also added red clay powder. Impossible to tell if the puree added color too. I'm also curious if it would.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I may try a batch tonight. I shouldn't and I said I wouldn't....but I might. They're small batches. I shouldn't have any trouble moving them! Ha!

 

[Marieke]

Please let us know how it turned out!