Does anyone add Titanium dioxide directly to lye water?

[akseattle]

Help needed with using TD.

I've really struggled with Titanium Dioxide. It doesn't seem to incorporate well and I get little specs. I saw on some Utubes that TD was mixed ahead of time and put in squirt bottle. Then when needed, the bottle was given a really good shake and then used as needed. My TD is water soluable (I have bought more that is purportedly both water soluable or oil soluable, but I thought I'd try to make this water soluable TD work since have a pound of it.....) So, I mixed a batch up and put in a small jar. It settles really quickly and also dries really quickly so I first stir up the pre-mixed TD with a butter knife (scrape it off the bottom of jar, and stir until it feels like there are no clumps -this is super time consuming.). Then, I use a milk frother to try to get the TD really disbursed in the water. But, my jar of TD has gotten worse and worse. I'd say it ruined my last soap batch by being really speckled in not a good way. Also, since it's pre-mixed, I can't really tell how much TD I'm using this way. So, to add to the fact that my soap has mega TD specs, it's not very white.

So, I'm wondering if anyone adds their TD directly to the lye water (along with other additives like salt and sugar.)
I feel like if I added directly to the water, I would 1) know how much TD I'm adding to this amount of batter and 2) I'd be able to see if the TD were really disbursed, just like I can see if salt and sugar have dissolved.
(Not sure if TD dissolves or just disperses.)

I've tried mixing up my pre-mixed TD in jar, then adding that to a small amount of batter and mixing with my milk frother, then adding to the rest of the batter.
Although it has looked to me like it was well disbursed, it wasn't!! Big time TD specs anyway!

So, I'm wondering if I can add TD directly to lye water. This would lighten the whole batch of batter but I could live with that. Does anyone add there TD in this way?
Is there a downside or problem with this approach?
HELP!!

 

[MelissaG]

I only use water soluble td in bath bombs and only occasionally. Like if I know that it might change color due to scent.

I use oil soluble because I've found it's much less likely to cause the problems you've suggested. A couple weeks ago, I made soap with oil soluble td. One teaspoon td to three teaspoon oil. Mix it in advance thoroughly until there's nothing left that's not mixed. I say advance but I mean only about a half hour or so. I've found it's less likely to completely settle to the bottom of the container. Add the mix to your oils before you add the lye/water and mix it into the oils well with an immersion blender. Then add the lye water.

It worked very well for me. Usually, I have the same problem you do. This method worked perfectly for me.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I put mine in a squirty bottle (after mixing it really well in a paper cup first) then drop in a marble. Each time before i use the bottle i shake it around well and the marble does the mixing for me.

 

[xavier244]

Help needed with using TD.

I've really struggled with Titanium Dioxide. It doesn't seem to incorporate well and I get little specs. I saw on some Utubes that TD was mixed ahead of time and put in squirt bottle. Then when needed, the bottle was given a really good shake and then used as needed. My TD is water soluable (I have bought more that is purportedly both water soluable or oil soluable, but I thought I'd try to make this water soluable TD work since have a pound of it.....) So, I mixed a batch up and put in a small jar. It settles really quickly and also dries really quickly so I first stir up the pre-mixed TD with a butter knife (scrape it off the bottom of jar, and stir until it feels like there are no clumps -this is super time consuming.). Then, I use a milk frother to try to get the TD really disbursed in the water. But, my jar of TD has gotten worse and worse. I'd say it ruined my last soap batch by being really speckled in not a good way. Also, since it's pre-mixed, I can't really tell how much TD I'm using this way. So, to add to the fact that my soap has mega TD specs, it's not very white.

So, I'm wondering if anyone adds their TD directly to the lye water (along with other additives like salt and sugar.)
I feel like if I added directly to the water, I would 1) know how much TD I'm adding to this amount of batter and 2) I'd be able to see if the TD were really disbursed, just like I can see if salt and sugar have dissolved.
(Not sure if TD dissolves or just disperses.)

I've tried mixing up my pre-mixed TD in jar, then adding that to a small amount of batter and mixing with my milk frother, then adding to the rest of the batter.
Although it has looked to me like it was well disbursed, it wasn't!! Big time TD specs anyway!

So, I'm wondering if I can add TD directly to lye water. This would lighten the whole batch of batter but I could live with that. Does anyone add there TD in this way?
Is there a downside or problem with this approach?
HELP!!

Hey, I feel your pain with Titanium Dioxide! I've had similar issues with it not incorporating well. Adding it directly to the lye water might be a good solution. Has anyone else tried this? I've heard it can help with dispersion and control. Just wondering if there are any downsides to this approach?

 

[AliOop]

I have the same issues with premixed TD - it re-clumps so badly!

The solution that finally worked for me is to measure the dry TD into a sieve that is over either the lye solution or the oils (or a cup of the split batter if I’m only doing a portion).

Then I lightly shake the sieve to sift the TD into the product below, followed by a spoon to mash any remaining clumps through the sieve. The resulting TD powder is then fine enough to incorporate easily, and with zero specks.

I got the idea from all the bath bomb videos, most of which use a sieve and spoon to sift the ingredients into the mixing bowl.

 

[Firefly24]

I use a small baggie, the jewelry sized one. I put the TD inside and add my distilled water. I then use a popsicle stick to mash it along the sides. I do this ahead of using it. I keep mashing and blending.

ALSO: Has anyone used Zinc Oxide instead of TD? Someone??? recommended that instead of the TD. Just curious.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

My method is pretty laborious in my opinion, but works. After mixing with a frother I strain the solution as I pour it into the soap batter.

 

[Ford]

Hi, put a couple three, stainless steel ball bairings. In the premix container. Then give it a shake. Every now and then. When you walk by. This has helped me with td spots, specks in my finished soap. Went from using water. To oil as well, to mix my TD.

 

[AliensrReal]

I do exactly what @Firefly24 does.

 

[IrishLass]

I mix mine fresh for each batch. I just measure out however much dry TD I need into a small glass prep bowl for the batch I'm working on, add just enough vegetable glycerin to it and mix into smooth slurry with my Badger mini mixer using the flat disc blade, then stick-blend it into it to my soap batter. It works very well for me and keeps those pesky spots at bay. I love mixing it with glycerin because it mixes well with either water soluble or oil soluble TD.


IrishLass

 

[akseattle]

Thank you everyone for sharing your T.D. technique. Utube videos all make using T.D. look like there is nothing to it!
I made a batch of soap this weekend and ended up using 1 teaspoon of TD with 2 teaspoons of water. I blended that with a milk frother in a small silicone cup until I thought the TD was completely disbursed. Then, I added 2 tablespoons of oil. I could see big TD specks so blended that until the TD specks looked extremely tiny. This blending took me 20 minutes. It was exhausting. I really only wanted to whiten 1/2 of the batter but I was afraid that the lye concentration would be so different (higher in the 1/2 that didn't have the TD and low in the batch with the TD and extra oil.) I chickened out and added the TD to the entire batch of batter - I hand mixed it in. The good news for me was that there don't appear to be TD specks. The bad news is that 1 teaspoon of TD wasn't nearly enough (it was for 1000 grams of oil - a big batch for me.) It had pretty much no whitening or even lightening effect

Mix it in advance thoroughly until there's nothing left that's not mixed. I say advance but I mean only about a half hour or so. I've found it's less likely to completely settle to the bottom of the container. Add the mix to your oils before you add the lye/water and mix it into the oils well with an immersion blender. Then add the lye water.

@MelissaG I mixed mine while I waited for my oils and lye water to cool down. Each started out at 155 and 160, so I had only just enough time. I could see the TD specks in the oil better than in water, so I don't think I'll buy TD that has to be mixed in water anymore.

I put mine in a squirty bottle (after mixing it really well in a paper cup first) then drop in a marble. Each time before i use the bottle i shake it around well and the marble does the mixing for me.

@KiwiMoose , can I assume that your TD can be mixed in oil? When you say "each time before I use the bottle", do you mix one bottle and use it for a number of weeks with different batches? Or, do you mix only what
you can use for the one batch you are making that day?

Adding it directly to the lye water might be a good solution. Has anyone else tried this? I've heard it can help with dispersion and control. Just wondering if there are any downsides to this approach?

@xavier244 , I had wondered about adding TD directly to lye water, too. So, far, no one seems to do this.... except MAYBE @AliOop . If you decide to try this, let me know how it works for you!!

The solution that finally worked for me is to measure the dry TD into a sieve that is over either the lye solution or the oils (or a cup of the split batter if I’m only doing a portion.

@AliOop , have you actually done this where you put your sifted TD directly into your batter? If so, how easily did it seem to blend in? This seems like it would be ideal. I'm assuming that your T.D. can be mixed with oil, as opposed to water? This weekend, part of my problem was that I couldn't figure out how to account for the extra water and oil. I ended up adding the TD to the whole 1000g instead of just the part I actually wanted to whiten My concern about adding to the batter after emulsification is that if it doesn't easily blend in, I may end up with a too thick batter. Has it made a difference to you whether you Sprinkle the TD into the lye water, the oils prior to combining with lye water or into the emulsified batter?

ALSO: Has anyone used Zinc Oxide instead of TD? Someone??? recommended that instead of the TD. Just curious.

@Firefly24 , I researched the possibility of using Zinc Oxide instead of TD. The consensus seemed to be that it takes MORE Zinc Oxide than TD to whiten batter, and that it doesn't make it quite as white. I also read that the Zinc Oxide particles are bigger. I don't know if that's true. If so, I wonder if it's easier to end up with specs...

After mixing with a frother I strain the solution as I pour it into the soap batter.

@Nona'sFarm I'm starting to wonder if there is really a non laborious way to use TD

Hi, put a couple three, stainless steel ball bairings. In the premix container. Then give it a shake. Every now and then. When you walk by.

@Ford I actually tried this "give it a shake every now and then when walking by" method during May and through mid July, plus blending with a milk frother. It seemed to help in week #1 but over time, even though my TD jar got 10x more attention than my garden, it didn't seem to make a difference. TD just wanted to clump and settle.

I mix mine fresh for each batch. I just measure out however much dry TD I need into a small glass prep bowl for the batch I'm working on, add just enough vegetable glycerin to it and mix into smooth slurry with my Badger mini mixer using the flat disc blade, then stick-blend it into it to my soap batter. It works very well for me and keeps those pesky spots at bay. I love mixing it with glycerin because it mixes well with either water soluble or oil soluble TD.
IrishLass

@IrishLass , I'm not really sure what vegatable glycerin is, but, you make it sound like such a pleasure, if I don't get this problem licked by using a sieve and/ or switching to TD than can be disbursed in oil, I'm trying vegetable glycerin!!!


Thanks again everyone! I'm feeling optimistic about achieving speck free soap!!

 

[AliOop]

@AliOop , have you actually done this where you put your sifted TD directly into your batter? If so, how easily did it seem to blend in? This seems like it would be ideal. I'm assuming that your T.D. can be mixed with oil, as opposed to water? This weekend, part of my problem was that I couldn't figure out how to account for the extra water and oil. I ended up adding the TD to the whole 1000g instead of just the part I actually wanted to whiten My concern about adding to the batter after emulsification is that if it doesn't easily blend in, I may end up with a too thick batter. Has it made a difference to you whether you Sprinkle the TD into the lye water, the oils prior to combining with lye water or into the emulsified batter?

Yes, I have done all three: sifted into lye water, sifted into oils, and sifted into batter. All three have worked just fine. My TD is soluble in either water or oil. If yours is only soluble in water, then lye water or batter would probably best for you. If yours is oil soluble, then oils or batter would be best.

If I put it into batter, I make sure the batter is barely emulsified, so I have a little room for a quick burst with the SB. Does that make sense?

 

[Obsidian]

I have mixed TD into lye water before. I don't remember why I did, it worked fine but but seemed messy. I use a 1oz plastic cup to mix my TD in now, add just enough water to make a thick slurry and smash any lumps up with a spoon. I never get specks anymore

 

[dibbles]

I rarely use TD and have never added it to my lye solution, but Katie from Royalty Soaps often does that in her YT videos.

 

[akseattle]

I rarely use TD and have never added it to my lye solution, but Katie from Royalty Soaps often does that in her YT videos.

@dibbles, I've decided that when it comes to TD, Utube videos give me an inferiority complex ..... they make it look SO DARN EASY!!!

I'm going to try a combo of 1) making a fresh batch each time 2) sifting the TD 3) blending with milk frother in water 4) making a slurry by adding a little oil and 5) blending slurry into oils before adding lye water, and 6) phasing out water based TD so I can try @AliOop's method of adding only to the portion I want whiter.

I have ALOT of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I understand that is more yellow than non virgin OO. Cuz even with a good amount of lard & tallow (46%) CO (20%), my soap is pretty yellow. I also use 4% Shea B, 22% OO, and 8% Castor O. Not sure which of the remaining 3 is the culprit... I guess I'm not sure if 66% lard, tallow and CO is a high amount of light oils....

I'm resigned it's going to take me some more practice and experimenting!

 

[dibbles]

@akseattle I use lard, sometimes tallow, coconut and 5% cocoa butter (ivory wafers from WSP) 5% castor, HO sunflower and regular olive oil. I use white mica instead of TD and I don’t care if my white is a little more fresh cream than fresh snow.

 

[AliOop]

phasing out water based TD so I can try @AliOop's method of adding only to the portion I want whiter.

Don't forget that if you are adding TD to batter, that batter includes both oil and water. So whether you have oil-soluble or water-soluble TD, it should work. The sifting is the key for me; I get zero TD buggers as long as I do that.

 

[ewhitake]

Hi, put a couple three, stainless steel ball bairings. In the premix container. Then give it a shake. Every now and then. When you walk by. This has helped me with td spots, specks in my finished soap. Went from using water. To oil as well, to mix my TD.

I do this and it works but what I’m going to try next is bolts in my bottle it TD/water. That’s what I Dream In Soap recommends

 

[KimLynn]

I recently made up two squeeze bottles of TD, one with water and one with oil. I put three small hardware nuts in the bottle to break up the clumpy TD on the bottom. Last batch of soap I made, I added the TD to the lye water and had no issues with spotting at all. Will see what happens with the TD in oil I add when I don’t need all my batter light.

 

[akseattle]

@KimLynn I'm interested to see how your TD and bolts in water compare to your TD and bolts in oil.
So, was your squeeze bottle of TD in water enough for more than one batch? So, the idea is you will shake up that pre-mixed TD and use at a later date?
I'm interested to see if the TD in the water ends up settling and clumping, or if it works as well as your first batch. I'm still having PTSD from my efforts to work with my pre-mixed TD in water. IF sifting the TD before adding to water works, I'm probably going to stick to just mixing it up fresh each time.
Keep us posted!!