Disappointed in my soap (Experimenting with color; struggling with discoloration)

[JanelleTrebuna]

I made my usual soap recipe and used BB Blooms and Berries fo and purple and green micas.
This is my 2nd time working with micas, and my first with this particular fo. This was my first attempt at an in the pot swirl.
For my first mica soaping I mixed the micas with a little almond oil before adding them to my soap; this time I dumped them straight in. I'm wondering if that is what caused what look to be flecks in my soap. Maybe it wasn't fully incorporated? I noticed vanillin listed on the fo. I added it to the purple, thinking that it wouldn't affect it that much, maybe just deepening the color; versus adding it to the green or the base soap.
This looked pretty when I poured it, but after cutting, its ashy and the purple went dark and ugly. The green softened a bit in color, but stayed relatively bright. I'm super disappointed in the purple.
And where the heck did that bright yellow come from?
So... I ordered some titanium dioxide, do you think adding it to the base and making it white would help future batches of this soap? Where do you think the bright yellow came from? Is the only hope to purchase the vanillin inhibiting stuff? I hate to buy one more thing, when I only soap for our family's use. But darn it, my soap smells great and I want it to be pretty too. lol

Any helpful hints you all can offer are appreciated.

Janelle

 

[Dawni]

Yknow what? I actually think that's pretty awesome. I know I told you that somewhere else before you posted cut pics but to me the inside is very cool... Reminds me of the Joker from Batman hehehe

I know it wasn't what you were going for but if it smells nice and feels nice.... And to me, it looks nice.. That's a lot better than a lot of soaps some of us come up with. Or should I just point fingers at myself? Hahaha

I haven't used micas but maybe you didn't blend it well enough? I've seen videos where people dump them into the batter no problem. Also, maybe the yellow is collateral damage from the vanillin?

Someone with more experience will come along n give you better answers, and for sure also tell you it's a good looking soap. You'll see

 

[dixiedragon]

I actually think it looks good!

How much vanillin? It will usually say on the bottle?

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

Yknow what? I actually think that's pretty awesome. I know I told you that somewhere else before you posted cut pics but to me the inside is very cool... Reminds me of the Joker from Batman hehehe

I know it wasn't what you were going for but if it smells nice and feels nice.... And to me, it looks nice.. That's a lot better than a lot of soaps some of us come up with. Or should I just point fingers at myself? Hahaha

I haven't used micas but maybe you didn't blend it well enough? I've seen videos where people dump them into the batter no problem. Also, maybe the yellow is collateral damage from the vanillin?

Someone with more experience will come along n give you better answers, and for sure also tell you it's a good looking soap. You'll see

Thank you so much for your sweet encouragement

Janelle

I actually think it looks good!

How much vanillin? It will usually say on the bottle?

Thank you. It probably did, but something leaked on it and smeared the writing on the bottle.
I'm looking on their website and it mentions it discolors to tan in cp.
A few people mention a yellow color as well. So I guess that is where the yellow came from!

Janelle

 

[dixiedragon]

Is it possible the yellow is from the FO not getting mixed in all the way?

Purple is a tricky color, because most things + purple = brown. Maybe next time have more white. So maybe 1/2 of the soap white (uncolored) and 1/4 purple and 1/4 green. So you have more of a barrier between the purple and green and less chance for them to mix.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

Is it possible the yellow is from the FO not getting mixed in all the way?

Purple is a tricky color, because most things + purple = brown. Maybe next time have more white. So maybe 1/2 of the soap white (uncolored) and 1/4 purple and 1/4 green. So you have more of a barrier between the purple and green and less chance for them to mix.

Thank you. I will definitely try this. And I'll use titanium dioxide to get a nice white base batter to begin with.
The fo I whisked in (just to the purple), because I've had some issues with major acceleration when stick blending some of my fo's.

Thanks again for your suggestions
Janelle

 

[cmzaha]

As with some florals the fragrance turned the batter yellow, so I would work with it and use different colors next time. It is reported to turn the batter tan so yellows, greens, orange etc should work fine for colorants next time. You most likely will not get a real white batter since the fo turns it yellow. The yellow is going to turn tan I am guessing.

What did you use for purple? As Dixiedragon mentioned, purple can be very tricky and many times will morph several times before settling on purple.

 

[dixiedragon]

Thank you. I will definitely try this. And I'll use titanium dioxide to get a nice white base batter to begin with.
The fo I whisked in (just to the purple), because I've had some issues with major acceleration when stick blending some of my fo's.

Thanks again for your suggestions
Janelle

If you mix the TD into your soap and then add your color, it will make your new color paler or sort of chalky looking. Mix the TD with the non-colored portion.

But it's very possible that your purple will rally and/or the yellow will fade.

 

[BattleGnome]

I’ve used the same color/scent combo before with no issues. Did you double check you had CP safe micas, BB sells several types. I have also used this scent for a liquid product with pink lab color and it did discolor a lot after time caught up to it. I think all the soaps are gone so I can’t tell you how age has worked on them.

If the record matters I believe I used “queen’s purple” from BB and one of their green oxides for soap

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

As with some florals the fragrance turned the batter yellow, so I would work with it and use different colors next time. It is reported to turn the batter tan so yellows, greens, orange etc should work fine for colorants next time. You most likely will not get a real white batter since the fo turns it yellow. The yellow is going to turn tan I am guessing.

What did you use for purple? As Dixiedragon mentioned, purple can be very tricky and many times will morph several times before settling on purple.

I used purple mica. They aren't labeled with color names, unfortunately.
Dh bought them off of Amazon for me for Christmas.
They behaved beautifully the first time I used them in red and green.
I can't remember the company name. They are all in unlabeled little plastic bags with a Ziploc closure.
There are a lot of gorgeous colors.

Janelle

I’ve used the same color/scent combo before with no issues. Did you double check you had CP safe micas, BB sells several types. I have also used this scent for a liquid product with pink lab color and it did discolor a lot after time caught up to it. I think all the soaps are gone so I can’t tell you how age has worked on them.

If the record matters I believe I used “queen’s purple” from BB and one of their green oxides for soap

They were a gift from Dh for Christmas. I had linked him to Nuture Soap and their micas, but he mostly shops on Amazon.
So he bought a couple of large sets from Amazon. I'm certain he was trying to get me lots of different colors. (He spoils me).
I can't remember the Company name. They came in a bath bomb making set.
Its possible, I guess, that some will perform well, and some may not.

Janelle

 

[Misschief]

Some micas and colorants do not perform as expected in soap. I should know better and I still have it happen; recently, I made a Margarita soap. I added green colorant and it turned tan. I made what was supposed to be an Ice Queen soap, with a blue colorant... it turned a lovely amethyst colour.

If you can't ascertain that they're CP safe, I wouldn't use them in CP soap (says she who does it anyway).

 

[Donee']

Just my two cents - are her colours strong enough? Perhaps putting more colour in? They look fine on the outside but faded on the inside. I am a colour fanatic though and I rather overuse colour than underuse.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

Just my two cents - are her colours strong enough? Perhaps putting more colour in? They look fine on the outside but faded on the inside. I am a colour fanatic though and I rather overuse colour than underuse.

I used 1 tsp. each of the micas.
My loaf mold is pretty small.

Janelle

 

[JasonPatton]

What is your recipe, oil/lye temps and do you know if your soap goes to gel phase(usually, never, idk)
I don't know the reaction of vanillin in soap but would assume temp/ph will caramelize or denature it(could be very wrong )

Easy way to figure out if it's FO is do a batch without it, you can make a one bar batch if you have a small mold(can use yogurt containers etc for tests).

I don't think TO will help if it's a FO problem(I'm still new though), seems like you'd just get whiter whites(or duller colors) AND yellow spots..

I hope you figure out how to make it like you want it however like said above it has a cool joker theme, Mardi Gras or just a pretty swirly soap that probably smells great.

 

[cmzaha]

Using purple in a base that goes yellow will just not work well.
I would recommend reading the reviews about this fragrance on B&B's site, and read the description. The reviews mention the batter will go bright yellow and the product description states the soap will discolor to tan

 

[shunt2011]

Also, if they are not high PH stable they can and will morph. Some just do not play well in CP.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

Using purple in a base that goes yellow will just not work well.
I would recommend reading the reviews about this fragrance on B&B's site, and read the description. The reviews mention the batter will go bright yellow and the product description states the soap will discolor to tan

**Must remember to read the fo reviews before soaping!**

What is your recipe, oil/lye temps and do you know if your soap goes to gel phase(usually, never, idk)
I don't know the reaction of vanillin in soap but would assume temp/ph will caramelize or denature it(could be very wrong )

Easy way to figure out if it's FO is do a batch without it, you can make a one bar batch if you have a small mold(can use yogurt containers etc for tests).

I don't think TO will help if it's a FO problem(I'm still new though), seems like you'd just get whiter whites(or duller colors) AND yellow spots..

I hope you figure out how to make it like you want it however like said above it has a cool joker theme, Mardi Gras or just a pretty swirly soap that probably smells great.

I'm at work, so I don't have it in front of me, but I do wrap well for 24 hours so it gels, I soap between 115 and 125 F or so, and my recipe consists of lard, olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter & almond oil. Equal parts olive/coconut; slightly more lard; equal (smallest parts) almond oil and shea butter.

Janelle

 

[shunt2011]

@Janelle Trebuna try soaping a bit cooler. I melt my lard, shea, coconut until it's almost melted then stir to finish. Then I add my liquid oils. My oils are just warm to the touch on the outside of my bucket. My lye is room temp or just warm. Vanilla in soap won't caramelize, it will darken your soap over time the shade depending on how much vanilla is in the FO. Some of mine go from light beige to dark brown.

 

[Chris_S]

I think it looks really nice too. One of my first ever soaps discoloured from using a vanilla fo but i was so new to soap making that i didnt realise till recently thats why the soap turned a brown colour as a base i actually really like how it turned out and is still one my fave soaps i was using different micas then and they really really stood out in that soap

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

I think it looks really nice too. One of my first ever soaps discoloured from using a vanilla fo but i was so new to soap making that i didnt realise till recently thats why the soap turned a brown colour as a base i actually really like how it turned out and is still one my fave soaps i was using different micas then and they really really stood out in that soap

Thank you

Janelle