My soap turned army green!

[Labyrinth]

Hi, new to soapmaking. Took a wonderful class with a great teacher, and have done 5 batches on my own. I'm having a very big problem. My soap is coming out very discolored. I made a batch tonight that was supposed to be lavender, and it turned army green! I get that there is a lot of olive oil in this recipe and that's going to give it a greenish tinge, but this is nuts. I tried to make a previous batch light pink, and it turned out terra cotta. I am using mica coloring, and my fragrances are from Brambleberry. What in the world is going on? Also, how do you know ho much color to add? Do you just do it by eye? I have to confess, I added more and more color to correct the situation, to terrible results (see picture). Also, would adding white mica powder before adding a color address the green from olive oil? Any guidance you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[AliensrReal]

What is your recipe and where are you getting your mica from? Are you using extra virgin olive oil?

 

[lsg]

Are the micas CP color safe?

 

[Zing]

Your mica likely has information on usage rates. I use Bramble Berry and in general, it's 1 tsp mica per pound of oil. Please note that sometimes colors morph. I use a yellow that does not appear as yellow until after unmolding.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Are the micas CP color safe?

I second checking to make sure the micas are cold process soap safe. Some websites, like Nurture Soap, will let you know if the mica is OK for CP soap. I also use the lightest color olive oil, which produces an almost white soap base for coloring.

 

[artemis]

What are the fragrances? Many fragrances can discolor even if they come from Bramble Berry.

Also, some purples can go gray at first. Often, though, they will return to normal later on.

 

[TheGecko]

Without knowing your recipe and where you obtained your colorants, we can't be 100%.

We can start with your oils/butters. What color they are when they are melted is going to have an effect on how your colorants works. Many oils/butters have a natural yellow cast to them, some like EVOO, Laurel Berry and Hemp Seed oils have a green cast. You can pick colorant that can overcome this natural discoloration or you can add a little Titanium Dioxide to lighten it and then add in your colorant.

FOs can also discolor. One such discoloration is 'brown' which is cause by the vanilla content. Some FOs have a very strong yellow tint. It is always good to test your FOs.

Lastly is your colorant...did you purchase it from a reputable soap supplier? Is it meant to be used in cold process soap? Many soap suppliers also supply FOs and colorants for use in other bath and body products and even to be used in makeup products.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

Your mica likely has information on usage rates. I use Bramble Berry and in general, it's 1 tsp mica per pound of oil. Please note that sometimes colors morph. I use a yellow that does not appear as yellow until after unmolding.

Please how big is a "spoon" for soap dyes. In many instructions, I find an amount of, for example, 1 teaspoon of green clay. Is it a teaspoon or a tablespoon? I ask because everything is too light for me and I can't figure out how to dose the dyes into my soap. Thank you

 

[artemis]

Please how big is a "spoon" for soap dyes. In many instructions, I find an amount of, for example, 1 teaspoon of green clay. Is it a teaspoon or a tablespoon? I ask because everything is too light for me and I can't figure out how to dose the dyes into my soap. Thank you

Teaspoon means teaspoon.

 

[DeeAnna]

Teaspoon means teaspoon.

Yep ^ this. Don't overthink it.

I have a set of measuring spoons that tells me 1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters. And 1 Tablespoon = 15 mL. That might be helpful for those who don't use teaspoons and Tablespoons much.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

Yep ^ this. Don't overthink it.

I have a set of measuring spoons that tells me 1 teaspoon = 5 milliliters. And 1 Tablespoon = 15 mL. That might be helpful for those who don't use teaspoons and Tablespoons much.

Thank you very much, I use spoons and teaspoons, but I just wanted to make sure if it means the same to you. I'm from Czech Republic