Coloring with cocoa powder?

[Zing]

I just made soap colored with cocoa powder and it's a beautiful brown. I am impatient waiting to test it in 3 weeks and have questions for the forum. Does it turn lather or washcloth brown? Does it have a scent? I can't really smell cocoa, just the peppermint essential oil I used. I used 2 Tbsp per pound of oil. Thanks!

 

[dixiedragon]

Some people say they get a very light scent. I, personally, don't. It probably won't stain your washcloth, but you may get tan or off-white bubbles.

Congrats on your soap!

 

[Richard Perrine]

Check this thread:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/cocoa-powder.3259/

 

[shunt2011]

I use cocoa powder all the time. I personally like the Hershey’s dark. I’ve never noticed and scent carry over. If too much is used it will color your washcloth but I’ve not had it stain. It washes out.

 

[Misschief]

I've used unsweetened dark baking chocolate and cocoa powder in one of my soaps, along with Chocolate Fudge FO with peppermint; it's my granddaughter's favourite soap. I've never had an issue with staining.

 

[Arimara]

I use cocoa powder all the time. I personally like the Hershey’s dark. I’ve never noticed and scent carry over. If too much is used it will color your washcloth but I’ve not had it stain. It washes out.

Agreeing. I've mis-measured this before.

 

[Alfa_Lazcares]

I can smell it but most people dont.

 

[cmzaha]

I really like the brown color cocoa powder gives, but get no smell from it

 

[Dawni]

I have used a local, unbranded cocoa powder in the single successful batch of soap I've managed to make (I've made only 3 btw) and there is a very faint "dessert" smell (it doesn't come off as specifically chocolatey, at least to me) ... Not sure if it's because of the kind of powder I used but maybe it being unscented also helped.

I used 1.5 tsp (very small batch) and added it after the cook. It's still curing so I have no idea yet if mine will color lather or stain towels. What I'm worried about is if the powder will feel scratchy.

 

[soapmaker]

I usually use cocoa powder to colour soap that a little chocolate smell would fit in, like Mocha Latte.

 

[Zing]

Thanks, all. And @Misschief, your soap is beautiful.

 

[Misschief]

Thanks, all. And @Misschief, your soap is beautiful.

Thank you.

 

[KimT2au]

How much cocoa powder would you use ppo, @Misschief ?

 

[Misschief]

It's a 1000 gram batch of oils; the whole batch has 25 grams of dark unsweetened chocolate and one half has an added 1 tbsp of Dutch cocoa.

 

[KimT2au]

It's a 1000 gram batch of oils; the whole batch has 25 grams of dark unsweetened chocolate and one half has an added 1 tbsp of Dutch cocoa.

You put some proper chocolate, as in a bit of cooking chocolate, in the soap as well as the cocoa, @Misschief ?

 

[Misschief]

You put some proper chocolate, as in a bit of cooking chocolate, in the soap as well as the cocoa, @Misschief ?

Yes, a square of baking chocolate, melted with the oils.

 

[Dawni]

Yes, a square of baking chocolate, melted with the oils.

Sounds really yummy to bathe with.. Must be really luxurious, aside from very pretty

 

[Misschief]

Sounds really yummy to bathe with.. Must be really luxurious, aside from very pretty

It's my granddaughter's soap of choice right now. She raves about it and has been the main reason the first batch sold out as quickly as it did.

 

[babysoapmaker]

I made a batch of cocoa soap (in the lye water) last night. I'm pretty certain it won't discolor since I was working with a recipe provided in one of Jo Haslauer's books, who makes all her soaps with natural colorants and sells them commercially. Not sure about scent as I used a fragrance oil but I did notice that the cocoa water (which smelled great at the outset) smelled pretty terrible after adding lye so I probably wouldn't have wanted that scent to stick anyway. It's my understanding that natural fragrances are very difficult to achieve when it comes to soap. Shea butter is said to leave a faint shea butter fragrance in the soap, which might come across as somewhat "desserty" if you pair it with cocoa powder if that's what you want?

Yes, a square of baking chocolate, melted with the oils.

That is so cool. I am still pretty new to soapmaking and I'm still playing around with infused oils and replacing the lye water with other liquids. Nowhere near having the guts to add in other things like this. Your soap looks beautiful!

 

[Dawni]

Yes, a square of baking chocolate, melted with the oils.

@Misschief, I'm curious about something.

And sorry for going slightly off topic...

If the "brown" chocolate gave you this color, will white chocolate help lighten the soap's color?