Crayons and Icing Sugar...??

[ChrissyB]

While I was travelling around the world wide web today I came across a couple of interesting soapmaking websites.
One said that as crayons are made of stearic acid you can use them to colour soap???
And another said that a teaspoon of icing sugar in the soap batter will make for big beautiful creamy lather.

Any thoughts anyone???

 

[ilovedoxies]

I've put confectioner's sugar into my lye water mixture and it clumps. It's true that sugar induces a good lather, but I've had better experience adding a couple teaspoons of honey at trace.

Never tried the crayon, but I've heard of it.

 

[carebear]

crayons - well they are not really approved for cosmetic use but I know some have tried them anyway. good luck if you do - I don't know what might happen!

sugar can increase your lather. to work with sugar (any kind) dissolve it absolutely completely in your water before adding the lye. if it's not completely dissolve it will burn or caramelize. I soap with milk quite often and that is the source of my sugar (lactose)

 

[starduster]

Even more colours

I found this info.Maybe it's the one you looked at.After your hint I googled up Crayons to colour soap.
Now I have something new to play with.
Thankyou
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/800236/
:idea:

 

[starduster]

well ?

I particularily loved this comment ,
Quote "I think I'd be hesitant to use ones made in China with all the crap going into stuff there. My son used to eat crayons constantly. (His diapers looked like technicolor DIsney poop!) He's 6' 4" and 26 now.m Guess it didn't hurt him and I think he's over it now. (Though I havent checked lately)

Every once in a while I worry about someone trying to sue me over my soap. All it would take is some mean spirited person to get some in their eyes. I had a woman call and complain that she was alergic to cinnamon (it was clearly listed on the lable) and she got a rash from my soap. I asked why she would by "Oatmeal Cinnamon Soap" if she was alergic to cinnamon? She hung up on me. So the next year I went way overboard on the lables. I listed everything that might have come in contact with the soap or equipment (including peanuts, just in case) and had two paragraphs of warnings. I ended it with a warning that if I were to be sued they would automaticly be awarded my house with it's leaky roof, My husband, two dogs, three cats and a car that doesn't run. Two pints of blood would be optional. Most people got the sarcasm and thought it was a riot.
"

 

[ChrissyB]

Yes starduster that is the same website that I found. I thought it was hilarious...just goes to show that you can put anything on the web!
In all seriousness though, that's not the first time I have read about the crayons to colour the soap. I thought crayons were made of wax, so for colouring candles I could understand, but soap? I'm not sure. It will be interesting to see if anyone tries it.

 

[starduster]

Try

I am off into town now.
If I can find crayons not made in China I will buy them.
Mary

 

[AshleyR]

Just bumping this to say that I made a soap using crayola crayon to colour it, and I am very happy with it! I melted some crayon shavings into a tiny bit of castor oil - you don't need much at all! For the small 1 lb batch I made, I only used about 5 little crayon shreds.

I've used up the entire bar and it hasn't irritated mine or my husbands skin. I don't sell my soap so I'm not really concerned like some others might be about using crayon to colour. In my experience it worked well, and I'll do it again!

 

[ChrissyB]

Good on you AshleyR
I didn't think that it would be harmful, I've never known anyone to get a rash or anything after handling a crayon
And on the point of Brands and where they are made:
Going only by the crayons that my kids have owned, the crayola ones are definitely superior quality over cheapies.

 

[heartsong]

crayons

i have been usuing non-toxic crayola crayons on and off for sometime now. i've never had one morph on me either. colors stayed true. i just melt them straight into the oils.

obviously they are designed for children-and everyone knows kids eat crayons. i know i must have!

i wouln't trust anything from china-remember the poisoned pet food and the contaminated baby formula?

 

[ChrissyB]

Okay so I think we can agree that it's the Crayola crayons that are ok, not just any old ones!!!
I'm going to give them a try on my next batch.
And if the colours stay true and don't morph, the possibilities are endless.
Heartsong, how much crayon do you use per batch?/how much is one of your batches??

 

[heartsong]

soap

here comes another unscientific answer!

it depends on the color-dark colors like burgundy and dark blue you use less.

i also like bright clear colors. and i have never experienced colored lather-unlike some pigments.

i make 5 pounds at a time, and i use maybe around 1/2 inch-more for light colors and less for dark, but i would say about 1/4 inch per pound.

now i haven't used every color in the 36-crayon box yet, but so far none have morphed-YET. there's always the exception to the rule. also i have never used the "metallic" ones.

good luck and keep me posted!

i wish they had spell-check. i always have to come back and fix things! some of my keys stick.

 

[heartsong]

soap

almost forgot- i reserve an ounce of water before i mix the rest in with the lye. i use this to mix my powdered sugar in. when i do straight c/p-not rtcp-i use 1 tsp ppo. make sure sugar is completely dissolved and add it at trace. when i rtcp, i reserve 1/3 of my liquid as condensed goatsmilk and add either the sugar or 1 oz of honey and add after lye mixture is blended.

 

[starduster]

Back from Crayon searching.

I am back from my trip into town with some news on crayons.
The sky is growing dark and thunder and lightening begun so it is good champers weather . But first , just before I pop that top off and have just one glass of Sacred Hill I shall let you know that I didscovered BIC Crayons and they are made in France.
By the way I am on solar so unless I took a direct strike and I suppose in a metal castle that is possible , a storm like this is a great adventure.
Not soaping during it.
Scuse me off to shut windows.
:wink:

 

[AshleyR]

If you guys check out the post I made in the Photo Gallery a few days ago, one of the soaps I posted a picture of is the one I used a Crayola crayon to colour. It's the blue/green Artemis one.

The colour blended in extremely well... there are no flecks of unmelted crayon or anything in it. To get that colour in a 1 lb batch of oils, I just added a few shreds (using a knife) off the end of the crayon. I'd say maybe 1/10 of the crayon.

 

[ChrissyB]

AshleyR, I love that soap that you made, was that really from crayon?
I am so inspired now, I am going to make soap of every colour this weekend.

 

[AshleyR]

AshleyR, I love that soap that you made, was that really from crayon?
I am so inspired now, I am going to make soap of every colour this weekend.

Yep!! I'm still new at soap making and that was one of my best soaps yet!