Micas and Oxides for CP Soap

[melstan775]

Which micas and oxides do you like best? I've looked all over the internet but there's so many and not all of them say which ones are CP Soap stable. If you had to pick 10, which would they be and why?

 

[OliveOil2]

I wish that I had 10 examples to give you, these are the ones that I am happy with:
Chromium Oxide Green
Hydrated Chromium Oxide (Teal Color)
Cosmic Carolyn Mica (Bubble gum pink in salt bars, peach color in goat milk soap) from TKB
Yellow Oxide (so far I've only mixed with the Chromium Oxide Green to make a beautiful pear color)
Omega Blue Ultramarine TKB
Blue Ultramarine
Violet Ultramarine
I've tried Colorona Bordeaux from TKB and think the Violet Ultramarine is more true in soap. Hope you get some other replies, since I am wondering about this too. I want to try Coral Reef Mica, but already have a couple of micas that I'm not crazy about.

 

[Badger]

I have gotten several oxides from WSP that I am really pleased with. As money permits, I plan to get the other colors that I am looking for. So far, I have gotten the red, brown, and woodland green oxide. So far, the green oxide is my favorite of those three colors as it has a really nice range of shades that you can get from it. I have had a hard time working with the red and getting a color that I like consistently. The brown is nice also. I do plan on getting the ultramarine blue and lavender colors as well as some black and yellow oxides. As for micas, I only have limited experience, so I can't say a whole lot sadly. So far, my preference is oxides over micas, but that is with pretty limited experience.

 

[wildbelles]

I much prefer micas over oxides...just my personal preference as I have trouble getting the oxides to fully blend. TKB usually lists if their micas are soap stable, but I haven't always found those predictions true. Same as The Conservatorie. Always look at the ingredients in the mica...the blues and purples often contain "ferric feroccide" (have no idea how to sp??? this lol!)...if they contain FF, they will usually morph to something fugly.

I always use a frother to pre-mix my micas in a bit of oil from the batch...then add it to the batter to avoid speckling. It's often a crap shoot with micas and best to test color in small batches or even in individual cups.

Do know, that at least with oxides, what you see is what you get, but remember a little goes a looooooong way.

 

[melstan775]

I really like chromium green oxide and yellow oxide as well. They mixed beautifully, and with water- soluble TD added, they made wonderful lightweight colors. I am looking for a red-red, a stable medium purple.... oh heck, okay,so I need 12 colors - all the colors on the color wheel, plus black and white. They need to be "midlevel" brightness, neither too light nor too dark. Using these colors, plus perhaps some iridescent sparkle mica, should be able to make just about any color. Not speaking of multi-reflective colors or colors of multiple finishes. but in general, the 12 colors of the color wheel when mixed can make up to 256 colors.

 

[kharmon320]

I like the Bordeaux mica from BB, works great for blending. If I add a bit of red oxide, it deepens the color for burgundy, but I can also create more pinkish tones with that mica. I also have an Antique copper Mica that works well. My basics include: green oxide, Hydrated chromium green, yellow oxide, blue ultramarines, and water-soluble TD for MMS (love this).

 

[Mommysoaper]

I just got the 1982 blue mica from BB and it makes a nice medium blue in CP soap. I get frustrated trying to figure out which micas won't morph. I know BB's black luster mica looks more charcoal grey to me once soaped. BB's cappuccino mica makes a nice milk chocolate brown. Those are the only micas I've used so far that haven't morphed on me. I have some ultramarines and oxides that work well though- black oxide, yellow oxide, brick red oxide, hydrated chromium green(teal), chromium green, ultramarine pink( mauvey pink), and ultramarine blue(dark blue) and ultramarine viloet (lavenderish purple) Hope this helps! I would like to try more micas myself if anyone has suggestions of non-morphing ones!

 

[dudeitsashley]

I've used sparkle gold mica, pearl green mica, and pearl pink mica all from Peak and have had great results. That being said I do tend to lean more towards the pastels then deep bold colors. I just found this wonderful lady last night and her soaps are so beautiful!! If you go into the post about the tiger stripe she lists the colors she used from the Conservatorie. http://www.amathiasoapworks.com/blog/

 

[newbie]

I love micas and hardly ever use oxides. There are so many good micas out there!

TKBs: the pearl collection is great, coral reef, umber, copper penny, breath of spring, the colorona reds, cosmic carolyn, queen kathyrn, harvest yellow, passion orange, soft blue/green/blue/yellow, winter rose, swiss brown are all great. The blackstar series ends up looking black in soap and the real glittery ones won't retain their glitter in CP soap as CP is too opaque.

COnservatorie: the martini collection is excellent and I'm working my way through a bunch of their micas for soap. I can say the Midori Blue is SO SO fabulous in the bag but disappears in CP.

The neon colors from TKB and Brambleberry are worth consideration too, if you like bright colors.

Can't pick 10.

 

[Badger]

Has anyone been able to get a good, true red with micas or oxides? I have used Queen Kathryn and both times it came out pretty pink for me. The red oxide is more of a brick red which isn't bad, but also not what I am looking for... I wonder if I could blend the two and get a color I like....

 

[wildbelles]

Try ruby red from the Conservatorie...although they are OOS right now.

 

[newbie]

I made this this afternoon and it does have a mix of colors but I was pleased with the shades of red I got. I used a mix of BB's Velvet Red liquid color and TKB's tomato red liquid color. There is one in there that has Ruby Red mica plus velvet red. We'll see how it looks when I cut it and if it bleeds all over, but it gave the most real red I've gotten so far.

With two different lighting situation.

 

[Sunny]

Always look at the ingredients in the mica...the blues and purples often contain "ferric feroccide" (have no idea how to sp??? this lol!)...if they contain FF, they will usually morph to something fugly.

hehe. Ferric Ferrocyanide. I have the Blue Kamikaze mica from Conservatorie that has this ingredient and it stays a nice blue for me in CP!

 

[wildbelles]

hehe. Ferric Ferrocyanide. I have the Blue Kamikaze mica from Conservatorie that has this ingredient and it stays a nice blue for me in CP!

I know, it's strange...I think it might have to do with the amount of FF...ya just never know!

 

[melstan775]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've decided to place an order with the Conservatorie. Any suggestions for a really silver and really gold mica there? For gold I am thinking Shimmer gold mica which is described as "Free flowing gold powder with golden reflection" or 24 karat gold mica which is "Free flowing gold powder with light golden refection." Very close descriptions. Also up is Antique gold, which has a patina look to it and also described as "Free flowing gold powder with golden reflection." Wondering if this one will turn greenish in soap. Suggestions for medium silver lustre shades also welcome.

 

[melstan775]

PS - Ruby Red is back in stock though apple martini is oos.

 

[newbie]

Those golds won't looks gold in CP soap. They will become the yellow tone that they are but you won't get the sparkle. They're great for on top of the soap or for M&P and occas people have gotten a gold thread through their soap but, trust me, they will not look at all like they do in the bag. I must have 4-5 different golds and there just isn't the translucency in CP for the light to catch any reflection. It's sad but true.

 

[melstan775]

Those golds won't looks gold in CP soap. They will become the yellow tone that they are but you won't get the sparkle. They're great for on top of the soap or for M&P and occas people have gotten a gold thread through their soap but, trust me, they will not look at all like they do in the bag. I must have 4-5 different golds and there just isn't the translucency in CP for the light to catch any reflection. It's sad but true.

That's okay. I was thinking of them for the top and for mica lines. Any opinion on which gold is better?

 

[RocknRoll]

Those golds won't looks gold in CP soap. They will become the yellow tone that they are but you won't get the sparkle. They're great for on top of the soap or for M&P and occas people have gotten a gold thread through their soap but, trust me, they will not look at all like they do in the bag. I must have 4-5 different golds and there just isn't the translucency in CP for the light to catch any reflection. It's sad but true.

This is good to know. I got my first gold mica for my "Morrocan Gold" soap but havent used it yet. I knew it wouldnt be all that sparkley in CP but i was hoping for some sort of gold luster from it... not just yellow color.

 

[melstan775]

This is good to know. I got my first gold mica for my "Morrocan Gold" soap but havent used it yet. I knew it wouldnt be all that sparkley in CP but i was hoping for some sort of gold luster from it... not just yellow color.

If you rub it on the outside of the soap after it's cured, the mica will keep it's gold appearance. I saw Anne-Marie do it on an MP soap, so it makes sense it should so it on a finished CP soap too.