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[SRNJJJV]

Hello soap makers,
I have been making soap for about a year now. I homeschool so I have only made 8 batches so far. I would just like some input on my soap as far as aesthetics. I know over time I will get better but I think I’m feeling a little discouraged with the overall appearance. I have a picture of a test batch I made. I know it’s only a picture and it would be easier to actually see the soap in real time, but I would appreciate some honest feedback. I used pink clay but I didn’t get the results I wanted as far as color. Maybe as they cure the color will change.

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[artemis]

I love a white bar of soap!

What is discouraging you about the appearance? What don't you like? Everyone's taste is different.

My personal preference, though, is to avoid things like flower petals on the top. They can turn brown over time and I have to be careful to remove them so they don't go down my drain.

 

[AliOop]

I agree, those are pretty as-is. I'm also in the no-botanicals group - too messy and they get moldy in the shower. Yuck.

As for the color, what size was your batch, and how much pink clay did you add to it?

If your batter wasn't pink before you poured it into the mold, your soap isn't likely to be pink, either.

Where did you buy the pink clay? Not all are suitable for CP soap, and will fade or change color dramatically due to the lye.

 

[akseattle]

@SRNJJJV , I don't have a comment on what to do different with the clay or the petals. The Nerdy Farmwife has an article "9 Brazilian Clays to Naturally Color Soap." You might take a peak at that. She made a BEAUTIFUL pink soap with clay.

I know the soap isn't what you were going for. That said, I think your soap is a beautiful creamy color. Beats the yellow soap I keep coming up with!! As far as botanicals, I've only used lavendar buds and even though I tried to press them on, they mostly fell off My son's girlfriend gave me a little bag of rose petals (she also gave me the lavender.) I haven't used the rose petals yet since they are bigger and they are CERTAIN to fall off! Since I have them, I'll use them at some point. I like your idea of sprinkling them on a nice, cream colored soap. Whatever doesn't fall off, probably WILL get soggy in the shower. But, hey, in the meantime, look how pretty they look!!

anyway, I like your soap. It's really pretty. Has your soap cured? If so, how does it feel?

 

[SRNJJJV]

I love a white bar of soap!

What is discouraging you about the appearance? What don't you like? Everyone's taste is different.

My personal preference, though, is to avoid things like flower petals on the top. They can turn brown over time and I have to be careful to remove them so they don't go down my drain.

I’m not happy with the color. I used pink kaolin clay, but as you can see it doesn’t look very pink. My goal is to use natural colorants rather than micas. Do you have any advice on colorants? My goal is to start selling my soaps. Not anytime soon because I still have a lot to learn, but overall I have the basics down.

I agree, those are pretty as-is. I'm also in the no-botanicals group - too messy and they get moldy in the shower. Yuck.

As for the color, what size was your batch, and how much pink clay did you add to it?

If your batter wasn't pink before you poured it into the mold, your soap isn't likely to be pink, either.

Where did you buy the pink clay? Not all are suitable for CP soap, and will fade or change color dramatically due to the lye.

I used 1 tsp of clay. I only made a 1 pound batch. The clay I purchased from Amazon. I only purchased it because of the reviews that were from other soap makers.

 

[AliOop]

I used 1 tsp of clay. I only made a 1 pound batch. The clay I purchased from Amazon. I only purchased it because of the reviews that were from other soap makers.

Was the batter pink when you poured it into the mold?

 

[SRNJJJV]

@SRNJJJV , I don't have a comment on what to do different with the clay or the petals. The Nerdy Farmwife has an article "9 Brazilian Clays to Naturally Color Soap." You might take a peak at that. She made a BEAUTIFUL pink soap with clay.

I know the soap isn't what you were going for. That said, I think your soap is a beautiful creamy color. Beats the yellow soap I keep coming up with!! As far as botanicals, I've only used lavendar buds and even though I tried to press them on, they mostly fell off My son's girlfriend gave me a little bag of rose petals (she also gave me the lavender.) I haven't used the rose petals yet since they are bigger and they are CERTAIN to fall off! Since I have them, I'll use them at some point. I like your idea of sprinkling them on a nice, cream colored soap. Whatever doesn't fall off, probably WILL get soggy in the shower. But, hey, in the meantime, look how pretty they look!!

anyway, I like your soap. It's really pretty. Has your soap cured? If so, how does

@SRNJJJV , I don't have a comment on what to do different with the clay or the petals. The Nerdy Farmwife has an article "9 Brazilian Clays to Naturally Color Soap." You might take a peak at that. She made a BEAUTIFUL pink soap with clay.

I know the soap isn't what you were going for. That said, I think your soap is a beautiful creamy color. Beats the yellow soap I keep coming up with!! As far as botanicals, I've only used lavendar buds and even though I tried to press them on, they mostly fell off My son's girlfriend gave me a little bag of rose petals (she also gave me the lavender.) I haven't used the rose petals yet since they are bigger and they are CERTAIN to fall off! Since I have them, I'll use them at some point. I like your idea of sprinkling them on a nice, cream colored soap. Whatever doesn't fall off, probably WILL get soggy in the shower. But, hey, in the meantime, look how pretty they look!!

anyway, I like your soap. It's really pretty. Has your soap cured? If so, how does it feel?

I will have to read that article. This was my first time using rose petals. I have used lavender buds on a previous batch. I’m just experimenting. I have only made 8 batches so far so far. I also decided to venture outside my comfort zone and do pencil lines. I can’t No my soap hasn’t cured yet.

Was the batter pink when you poured it into the mold?

No it wasn’t. Not sure what went wrong

 

[AliOop]

Since the batter wasn't pink when you poured it, that means one of two things:

1. either you didn't use enough to change the color, or

2. the clay doesn't work with CP soap due to the interaction with lye. Is it possible that those who left reviews were using it for melt & pour soaps? There is no active lye remaining in M&P soaps, so colorants work very differently in them.

 

[Elise]

When I tried a secret swirl design for the first time, I used a very beautyful purple clay. Turned out, the color entirely disapeared once the soap saponified. Have a look at the thread it was discussed, it may help you.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/purple-clay-acting-weird-in-soap.92268/

I cannot see if your soap is still a bit pink or not at all. If you still see a hint of pink and if many soapmakers commented on the color of this particular clay resisting saponification, you may just haven't used enough.

That said, are you sure the comments aren't from melt and pour soapers ? Melt and pour won't affect additives the way lye does.

Edit : oops, I saw @AliOop's answer after posting.

 

[akseattle]

@SRNJJJV I just read that really informative thread referenced by @Elise If your clay has manganese violet in it, maybe that is the culprit.

Hopefully, you just need to try again but increase the amount you use.

I've only made 25 batches (mostly 450-500 gram batches ), so I'm not much ahead of you in my soaping journey. One suggestion i received after my first batch (which I thought I had totally messed up but which actually turned out to be fine), was to try to stick to basics for awhile. I was encourage to master the basics before moving on. I believe by "basics" I was encouraged to try no colorants, no fragrances until I had mastered the basic recipe. That ship had pretty much sailed - I mean, what's the fun in that??
But, in the spirit of keeping it basic until I have mastered the basics, I have been trying to work with one recipe with only minor deviations (with only the occasion totally different recipe.) This way, if something goes wrong, it is easier to identify the problem.

So, unless you look at the ingredient list on your clay, and it says it contains manganese violet, I would encourage you to try again. Use the exact same recipe you just tried, but increase the amount of pink clay to try to get the color you want.

The funny thing is, I have many times ended up with a soap with little to no fragrance because in my newbie way, I forgot to add the fragrance cuz I was fretting over something else (or answered the phone so my soap starting setting and had to quick pour ...) .
Same with mica- trying to do a design and being afraid to add too much mica to a particular part of the design- I didn't begin to add nearly enough. I'm working hard at not getting too attached to what i WANT it to look like, and just enjoying the end product.

I keep a log of all my soaps- how hot oils got, at what temperature I soaped, if I tried the oven technique, refrigerator or heating pad, etc.
With each mica is use I keep track of how much to approximately how much batter, etc. This way, if something is disappointing, I can try to identify the source.

As disappointed as you are with your white soap, cure it for a couple months, give it to a friend, and unless it's a really unbalanced formula, your friend(s) will probably LOVE it. Because it really is a nice looking soap!

 

[Hope Elisabeth 68]

I used 1 tsp of clay. I only made a 1 pound batch. The clay I purchased from Amazon. I only purchased it because of the reviews that were from other soap makers.

Personally, I do not use products from amazon except if buying from amazon from a national seller. Amazon has a lot of fakes on there, tbh. True clay doesn't lose its color in soap. But there are a lot of disreputable vendors on there coloring stuff and claiming it's colored clay. For example you will see bright pinks and purples that simply are not clay and thus will lose their color. (Scarier is what on earth are they colored with?!)

 

[akseattle]

I bought a fair amount of micas, essential oils and some fragrance oils (that claimed to be an essential oil) on Amazon when I first started out- that was with M&P. The reds, oranges, and browns bled or migrated. I have since bought reds and orange micas on WSP that purportedly don't bled. WSP says micas don't bleed or migrate. I haven't had a chance to try them but I have since read that dyes might be added to enhance colors and THAT is what bleeds. The mica I got on Amazon doesn't say what the ingredients are!! Some have worked just fine. But, I found if I wait for a good sale on WSP, there are no shipping charges if you spend $25.00. I usually spend way more than $25.00. So, no reason to buy EO's, FO's, clays or micas on Amazon if they can be purchased at a reasonable price with more accountability from a business that regularly deals with soapmakers.

Some of the micas from Amazon have actually been fine, though. You just have to read the fine print (or lack of). And be careful because some vendors can try to mislead.