Coloring your soap

[kafm73]

Hello all!
So far, I’ve only tried the glycerin color drops (blue) and not too happy with the results ( mostly bc my bars are more yellow than white, so nothing really turns out blue). I got some mica samples today, many different colors. Which coloring type, of the two, do you guys prefer?

 

[Dawni]

I'm not sure exactly what glycerin color drops are hehe, other than guessing they could be micas dispersed in glycerin?

Always check if the colorants you're using are meant for CP (or HP).

You'll find most here use micas... Or oxides.. And some, like me, use only natural colorants. Some use a combination of two or all three.

 

[kafm73]

I'm not sure exactly what glycerin color drops are hehe, other than guessing they could be micas dispersed in glycerin?

Always check if the colorants you're using are meant for CP (or HP).

You'll find most here use micas... Or oxides.. And some, like me, use only natural colorants. Some use a combination of two or all three.

Well, they are the small dropper bottles of soap dye/colorant. Amazon has these and most hobby stores sell a few colors. I don’t know what else to call them, but I think I’m going to stick w the mica. As you’ve said and I’ve come to realize, seems like most prefer the mica...

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’ve mostly used natural colors and clays and am just getting started with micas. Hopefully others with more experience will jump in. The oxides seem to have their place for getting certain colors/effects and some makers also use liquid dyes (lakes?). From what I’ve read, the micas are highly predictable and may be easier to mix than the oxides. Titanium dioxide seems to be the primary white used, but can be finicky (for me at least). I decided to stick with ordering my CP soap colorants from specialty soap suppliers rather than ordering through Amazon or buying them at craft stores because the soap making suppliers test them specifically for cp soap. I order mostly from Nuture (indigo, clays and micas) and Brambleberry (clays). Some mica colors will morph in cp soap which is why the testing is important.

 

[kafm73]

I’ve mostly used natural colors and clays and am just getting started with micas. Hopefully others with more experience will jump in. The oxides seem to have their place for getting certain colors/effects and some makers also use liquid dyes (lakes?). From what I’ve read, the micas are highly predictable and may be easier to mix than the oxides. Titanium dioxide seems to be the primary white used, but can be finicky (for me at least). I decided to stick with ordering my CP soap colorants from specialty soap suppliers rather than ordering through Amazon or buying them at craft stores because the soap making suppliers test them specifically for cp soap. I order mostly from Nuture (indigo, clays and micas) and Brambleberry (clays). Some mica colors will morph in cp soap which is why the testing is important.

I’m definitely interested in TD as I love a white bar of soap and also the pastels that can be made...seems more “soap like” colors to me, soft and pretty!

 

[cmzaha]

Most hobby store colorants are optimized for m&p and will not work in the high ph environment of cp. You want to purchase colorant for high ph or cp use, and not all micas are high ph compatible. I think all from Nurture Soap Supply are suitable for high ph but not entirely sure. The micas at TK Trading have high ph stable micas and some that are not. Micas and More is another supplier that pretty much specializes in cp compatible micas.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’m definitely interested in TD as I love a white bar of soap and also the pastels that can be made...seems more “soap like” colors to me, soft and pretty!

You can also work to find a soap recipe that will be very close to white without having to add a lot of TD. The very light gold olive oils tend to produce white soap. Some of the lard I use produces very white soap and some produces very pale grey soap. The salt bars I made with 100% coconut oil are white. I haven’t tried all of the oils, but in my experience, the ones that are very pale gold are more likely to produce white soap in comparison with oils that have a green tint. With darker green oils, I will usually end up with a cream or light tan color soap.

 

[Obsidian]

Yep, using lighter oils will help a great deal in producing a white base that takes color well.
Using virgin olive is where most people get color. Switching to regular will help.

I agree that the drops you have are made for m&p, they often morph to odd colors in CP or simply do not have enough pigments to properly color lye soap.

 

[kafm73]

You can also work to find a soap recipe that will be very close to white without having to add a lot of TD. The very light gold olive oils tend to produce white soap. Some of the lard I use produces very white soap and some produces very pale grey soap. The salt bars I made with 100% coconut oil are white. I haven’t tried all of the oils, but in my experience, the ones that are very pale gold are more likely to produce white soap in comparison with oils that have a green tint. With darker green oils, I will usually end up with a cream or light tan color soap.

I, in fact, made one last night! I used refined Shea, coconut, castor, and 75% lard! It turned out well and took a minute to trace, so it may be a good recipe to use for practicing coloring soaps

 

[kafm73]

Yep, using lighter oils will help a great deal in producing a white base that takes color well.
Using virgin olive is where most people get color. Switching to regular will help.

I agree that the drops you have are made for m&p, they often morph to odd colors in CP or simply do not have enough pigments to properly color lye soap.

I made a much whiter soap last night. I used refined Shea, coconut, castor and 75% lard. My frag oil was the darkest oil, lol!!

 

[Kathymzr]

I first off bought dropper colors and chucked them for oxides (Amazon). Pretty but they bled. I’ll keep them for sometime. Now buy from BB or Mad Mica (to eliminate “issues”. Now learning pitfalls of fragrances, so sticking to BB for now because you can know each FO’s behavior in CP. i’ve Got enough issues just with getting comfortable with the whole thing. I tend to panic at “surprises”, so I need to practice more. I’ve been avoiding TD because I hear it accelerates. But now I know why I was having acceleration issues (letting Sodium Lactate sit too long in lye water, and FOs that speed trace. Now I think I can do TD. First b/c I don’t like the dark colors I’m getting, and second b/c I’ve been accounting for variables. I think things will be better. I made a fabulous soap, but alas, too dark mauve. Too good to discard. Confetti is my friend.

 

[penelopejane]

I first off bought dropper colors and chucked them for oxides (Amazon). Pretty but they bled. I’ll keep them for sometime. Now buy from BB or Mad Mica (to eliminate “issues”. Now learning pitfalls of fragrances, so sticking to BB for now because you can know each FO’s behavior in CP. i’ve Got enough issues just with getting comfortable with the whole thing. I tend to panic at “surprises”, so I need to practice more. I’ve been avoiding TD because I hear it accelerates. But now I know why I was having acceleration issues (letting Sodium Lactate sit too long in lye water, and FOs that speed trace. Now I think I can do TD. First b/c I don’t like the dark colors I’m getting, and second b/c I’ve been accounting for variables. I think things will be better. I made a fabulous soap, but alas, too dark mauve. Too good to discard. Confetti is my friend.

Natures garden has good notes on FOs in CP soap. There is also a list on their sire called fragrance oil tests and it lists all the characteristics of their FOs.

I don’t buy anything that discolours (so I don’t need TD) or anything that rices or accelerates. Their are hundreds of FOs that perform perfectly in soap.

Buy oxides from soap suppliers and don’t put much in and they won’t bleed.

I think one of the most difficult things to learn is finding emulsion. Watch this video by newbies. It is really helpful.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/stickblending-to-emulsion.60618/

 

[Mobjack Bay]

It sounds like you are moving nicely along the learning curve. The panic stage passes! I like to have a plan B and even a plan C and that gets easier, too, as you begin to understand the behavior of your recipes.

 

[Kathymzr]

Oh thank you for info and encouragement. Without this forum my canoe would be lost on the famous creek!!