Crayons for color - experiment results

[luluzapcat]

I made some sample soaps trying out Crayola crayons for color. Here are the results: at pour, 2 days, 3 days, 24 days, 39 days, and ~7.5 months. Top row left to right used green and blue-green crayons; middle row was a dark red and blue; last row is red and purple. You can see the actual crayon color names in the last shot.

I used a pretty large amount of crayon, given the small size of the soaps (about 2" square x 1"), for each of these--i cut the tip off the sharpened crayon as it came in the box. This was kind of by mistake; I'd be curious to see what I get with less.

My takeaway: blues and greens are certainly promising. Reds give unexpected and unsaturated results, and that includes purple as presumably a blend of red and blue pigments.

I haven't used the soaps yet and will post when I see how they feel. The oils were olive 55%, coconut 20%, soy wax 20%, and castor oil 5%, with a superfat of 5%.

 

[Catscankim]

Well that's a neat experiment! Can't wait until you test one. Keep us updated.

 

[cmzaha]

The problem is Crayons are not necessarily FDA approved colorants for bath and body products. Unless things have changed since I started making products.

 

[Arimara]

The problem is Crayons are not necessarily FDA approved colorants for bath and body products. Unless things have changed since I started making products.

Have to agree. Those crayons may yield beautiful colors but if they are not FDA approved for B&B products, you are potentially inviting more harm than you'd think.

 

[luluzapcat]

I don't sell, and with these cautions from you folks. I won't even give these away.
I do feel comfortable trying it on myself, since crayons are sold to children and safety-approved for ingestion, and, I would imagine, for coloring all over one's body...but then again, not necessarily for lathering up and risking getting in your eyes.
Thanks for the warnings!

 

[Vicki C]

I don't sell, and with these cautions from you folks. I won't even give these away.
I do feel comfortable trying it on myself, since crayons are sold to children and safety-approved for ingestion, and, I would imagine, for coloring all over one's body...but then again, not necessarily for lathering up and risking getting in your eyes.
Thanks for the warnings!

Others here have experience using crayons - see Crayolas to color CP/HP soap helpful to see your results - thanks for posting!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

2 days, 3 days, 24 days, 39 days, and ~7.5 months. You can see the actual crayon color names in the last shot.

Well done! Thank you so much for doing that.

I used a pretty large amount of crayon, given the small size of the soaps (about 2" square x 1"), for each of these--i cut the tip off the sharpened crayon as it came in the box.

That sounds about right to me. If I understand you correctly, you used the tip of the Crayola to color each of the small samples? For others who may be interested, the recommended use rate is 1" PPO. For more information, see the link @Vicki C posted above.

The oils were olive 55%, coconut 20%, soy wax 20%, and castor oil 5%, with a superfat of 5%.

As mentioned in this thread, soy wax takes color very well. So that should be taken into consideration when using Crayolas.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

The problem is Crayons are not necessarily FDA approved colorants for bath and body products.

Have to agree. Those crayons may yield beautiful colors but if they are not FDA approved for B&B products, you are potentially inviting more harm than you'd think.

I use only CRAYOLA Crayons. When I wrote to them, according to Smith-Binney, the manufacturer, Crayolas are certified non-toxic to assure the products contain no known toxic or harmful substances in sufficient quantities to be injurious to the human body, even if ingested.

Label Ingredients: Paraffin wax, stearic acid and powder color pigment.
Each of those ingredients is GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) and they are found in any number of B & B products.

Smith-Binney further explained that they have not gone to the trouble of having Crayolas approved by the FDA for use in soap and other B&B products due to the expense ...plus, that's not their intended use of the product.

 

[TheGecko]

Interesting how much the colors have faded over time, reminds me of using all natural powders.

 

[cmzaha]

I use only CRAYOLA Crayons. When I wrote to them, according to Smith-Binney, the manufacturer, Crayolas are certified non-toxic to assure the products contain no known toxic or harmful substances in sufficient quantities to be injurious to the human body, even if ingested.

Label Ingredients: Paraffin wax, stearic acid and powder color pigment.
Each of those ingredients is GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) and they are found in any number of B & B products.

Smith-Binney further explained that they have not gone to the trouble of having Crayolas approved by the FDA for use in soap and other B&B products due to the expense ...plus, that's not their intended use of the product.

If they are not directly approved by FDA and one is sure due someone having a problem guess who will lose...

 

[Arimara]

I use only CRAYOLA Crayons. When I wrote to them, according to Smith-Binney, the manufacturer, Crayolas are certified non-toxic to assure the products contain no known toxic or harmful substances in sufficient quantities to be injurious to the human body, even if ingested.

Label Ingredients: Paraffin wax, stearic acid and powder color pigment.
Each of those ingredients is GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) and they are found in any number of B & B products.

Smith-Binney further explained that they have not gone to the trouble of having Crayolas approved by the FDA for use in soap and other B&B products due to the expense ...plus, that's not their intended use of the product.

Thanks for the input but I'm still not using crayons in soap. Maybe lipstick if I feel a certain way but not soap.

 

[luluzapcat]

Update: I've been using the purple, which had faded/morphed to a pale peachy color.

Well, it turns out that's only on the outside! The more I use it the more it returns to a beautiful shade of purple. So...something about lye + crayons becomes sensitive to air?

I'll have to go ahead and slice on of the other majorly faded ones in half to get a look at the inside. I'll post when I do--feels a bit murderous so waiting for the mood to strike.

Can you believe this is the same soap?

 

[The_Phoenix]

What a fun experiment. I applaud your curiosity.

 

[Babyshoes]

Cool experiment, I'm interested to see the insides of the other faded ones.

 

[Melysg25]

This is a super neat idea! How fun and crafty