Making White Soap

[tomahtashi]

Hi everyone,
So I'm interested in making white soap (cold process).
I've heard that Titanium Dioxide (TD) is typical to use to help get that desired look. However, I'm conscious on my environmental footprint when making soaps, and I've heard TD may have a negative effect on marine life.

TD is safe for human use in soap, but what about its effect on marine life?

 

[Relle]

You could also use whiter oils such as coconut oil in your recipe. I have no clue about TD in water ways.

 

[Ekuzo]

I can't say about TD either, but I agree you can use the oils to your advantage if you want white soap.

100% coconut oil soap makes white bar, but if you don't like the idea, you have other options as well. You can use soy wax instead of palm oil and high oleic sunflower oil instead of olive oil* to get white. If you use cocoa butter, change it for shea. Pay attention to the color of the oils in raw state - it will give you a basic idea what to expect in soap, with a little variation of course.

*some types of olive oil color the soap more than others. See https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ive-sunflower-olive-blend.93324/#post-1010019 for more info

 

[tomahtashi]

I can't say about TD either, but I agree you can use the oils to your advantage if you want white soap.

100% coconut oil soap makes white bar, but if you don't like the idea, you have other options as well. You can use soy wax instead of palm oil and high oleic sunflower oil instead of olive oil* to get white. If you use cocoa butter, change it for shea. Pay attention to the color of the oils in raw state - it will give you a basic idea what to expect in soap, with a little variation of course.

*some types of olive oil color the soap more than others. See https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ive-sunflower-olive-blend.93324/#post-1010019 for more info

Thank you! I'll see how white the soap comes out using those oils without the TD

 

[paradisi]

As far as I know, the supposed harmful effect from Titanium dioxide is theoretical at the moment, the way that the "sunscreen use is harming corals" is. At least, I have yet to see any serious research confirming it.

I'd welcome links to studies on the subject.

 

[justsomeguy]

Thank you! I'll see how white the soap comes out using those oils without the TD

I did two white ones recently.

 

[Ekuzo]

Also, 100% lard soap is supposed to give white - I haven't done that yet. And you may or may not like it's qualities, but it's there as an option

 

[paradisi]

I spent an hour or so this morning looking into the titanium/marine life question.

The pigment grade TiO2 used in soapmaking is not the form that is used in sunscreen. Pigment grade is not nano. It's not the one in all those articles based on one or two inconclusive studies referencing marine life. Pigment grade particles are too large to enter the skin, much less enter cells.

Secondly, the toxicology studies on it are either "inhale clouds of TiDi 6 hours a day for two years, and even that rat study isn't directly useful in human health", or "inject it intravenously or into the stomach or trachea", and all say... needs further research to come to a conclusion.

The type used in food & toothpaste? Nano. Not pigment grade.

For myself, I would not hesitate to use Titanium dioxide to color soap.

I would hesitate to get scientific advice from influencers on Instagram or tiktok who dabble in the whole "dangerous chemicals" thing to get engagement.

 

[DeeAnna]

Thanks for the research, @paradisi -- good stuff to know.

As far as what titanium dioxide (TD) does when used in soap, it will make a light-colored soap even lighter. But it cannot remove color. It won't make the soap pure white.

A thing I don't like about adding TD to soap is it adds opacity -- light can't pass through soap that contains TD (or other pigmented colorants, for that matter). So if you enjoy soap that is delicately translucent, such as soap high in lard or palm, you'll lose that benefit if you add TD.

Also TD can thicken the soap batter, especially if you add a lot of TD. This can reduce the amount of time you have to work when creating swirls and other decorative patterns.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

The single oil soaps made for lather testing also provide insights into the resulting differences in color. In my experience, actual colors may vary a bit within different batches/brands of fats, but the general trends hold. Keep in mind that lighting and monitors affect the appearance of colors in photographs.

Here are some examples that show the ranges of colors in single oil soaps:

https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...ks/single-oil-cold-process-soap-lather-tests/
https://lovinsoap.com/single-oil-soaps/

Auntie Clara showed that salt enhances the whiteness/opacity of soap without the addition of TD.

 

[paradisi]

And just on the idea of white.. a soap that looks yellowish when put next to an enamel refrigerator or sheet of copy paper, will look white next to soaps that are blue or brown or pink etc. (Think of the range of whites, grays and creams in paint sample chips, which all look white in isolation.)

So it's not necessary to get that stark white with a big pigment load, to make a soap perceived as white. ... it's going to be easier than it seems at first.

 

[paradisi]

I spent an hour or so this morning looking into the titanium/marine life question.

The pigment grade TiO2 used in soapmaking is not the form that is used in sunscreen. Pigment grade is not nano. It's not the one in all those articles based on one or two inconclusive studies referencing marine life. Pigment grade particles are too large to enter the skin, much less enter cells.

Secondly, the toxicology studies on it are either "inhale clouds of TiDi 6 hours a day for two years, and even that rat study isn't directly useful in human health", or "inject it intravenously or into the stomach or trachea", and all say... needs further research to come to a conclusion.

The type used in food & toothpaste? Nano. Not pigment grade.

For myself, I would not hesitate to use Titanium dioxide to color soap.

I would hesitate to get scientific advice from influencers on Instagram or tiktok who dabble in the whole "dangerous chemicals" thing to get engagement.

Update.. even less worrisome

 

[Judy41]

I made a white soap this summer using beef tallow - 80, coconut oil - 10, castor oil - 10, and kaolin clay at 2 tsp ppo.