Natural Orange Color

[Dean]

My last batch of soap with 10x orange EO came out an unappealing dull mustard color. What is the best way to naturally brighten the color of future batches? I'd love a nice ylw-orange tangerine color if possible.

 

[Saponificarian]

Red palm oil at 15-20% maybe or infuse Annato seeds.

 

[soapmaker]

Yes, infused annatto seeds. NDA used to have an annatto natural colour. Not sure if they still do.

 

[DeeAnna]

I third the idea of infusing oil with annato seeds. The more you use, the darker the color. This example shows a lighter opaque yellow made with annatto infused oil + titanium dioxide and a darker translucent yellow made only with annatto infused oil.

 

[earlene]

My soap made with 18% red palm as a test batch, was a deep honey-tint of orange, which now (2 years later) still looks about the same. I would call it a sort of brownish-tinged orange and not a true orange-orange, however, so probably not what you are looking for. But I also used an FO that had vanillin in it, so the color is probably more brownish because of that.

The bad thing about red palm oil at this percentage, is that the soap bleeds color when washing, which I don't like when I wash my hands. I don't have any other soaps with red palm in them, although I did use it all up later just to get rid of it, and they were all orange, but not a vibrant bright orange.

Other ingredients for orange-ish:

beta carotine capsules (cut open a gel-cap and squeeze it into your soap, careful as it stains) - available in supplements section of pharmacies, etc. - intensity of color depends on how much you use & the oils in your recipe, I have had pale yellow to orange.

Carrots - pureed baby food or puree them yourself - strain well and use part as water replacement

Pumpkin puree - canned or puree it yourself - strain well and use part as water replacement

Paprika infusion in oil - intensity of color depends on type of paprika (some are much darker than others) and oils in the recipe, as well as amount used

Annato seed infusions have been covered.

I have read that some citrus scents help the orange tint, and I am pretty sure that is probably true. I have found that soaps I added citrus scents to have a stronger yellow or orange hue than ones without, when the same colorant is used.

I have also found that soaps with egg yolks added are more yellow-orange as well. But I am not sure if you are ready for egg soaps this early in your soaping career.

 

[soapmaker]

I made Mango Papaya (WSP) soap that is sooo fruity and people love it. The part I don't like is it does have a percentage of vanilla in it so my annato seed colorant doesn't make the soap true orange. Like earlene said it is a brownish tinged orange which I lightened somewhat with TD

 

[amd]

I've used tomato paste and gotten an orange color. I'm looking for the photo of the soap (it was a few years ago). I was expecting to get a red color, but it was orange when it came off the cure.

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Beta carotene is the way to go. That's the easiest way (other than mica) to get a really true orange that will last. Not reddish yellow or yellow with orange tendencies, but cheddar cheese orange. Florida Gators orange. Dutch royal house orange.

 

[amd]

Here's the photo of the tomato paste soap. Sorry for the poor quality. I was still learning how to take good pics. I used 1 tbsp paste to get this color.

 

[Dean]

Thanks all for the suggestions and pics. I'm intrigued by the beta-carotene. Hope its economical. Will try to find a local source for liquid. Little worried about splattering myself by popping capsules.

 

[earlene]

Dean, I cut the gel cap with a small scissors and squeeze directly into the soap batter. Wear gloves, cut over the soap bowl, remove gloved hand with glove inside out wrapping the opened gel-cap inside, place in trash and put on new glove to continue stirring soap batter. It's the least messy way I have found to work with it. Others may have found ways that work for them, too.

I've used straight pins to penetrate gel-caps, but the small scissor snip works best. Speaking from years of experience expelling vitamins from gel caps. (I won't get into why.)

Oh, and wipe the scissors with a paper towel, and clean with alcohol or cleanser of your choice, asap.

A small bottle of beta-carotene gel caps costs about $4.00 where I live, and I've only used it in soap a couple of times, so yes. Fairly inexpensive as a soap colorant.

 

[Dean]

Dean, I cut the gel cap with a small scissors and squeeze directly into the soap batter. Wear gloves, cut over the soap bowl, remove gloved hand with glove inside out wrapping the opened gel-cap inside, place in trash and put on new glove to continue stirring soap batter. It's the least messy way I have found to work with it. Others may have found ways that work for them, too.

I've used straight pins to penetrate gel-caps, but the small scissor snip works best. Speaking from years of experience expelling vitamins from gel caps. (I won't get into why.)

Oh, and wipe the scissors with a paper towel, and clean with alcohol or cleanser of your choice, asap.

A small bottle of beta-carotene gel caps costs about $4.00 where I live, and I've only used it in soap a couple of times, so yes. Fairly inexpensive as a soap colorant.

Thx Earlene. Will give the caps a try.

 

[shunt2011]

Pumpkin can also give an orange. Though, it's been awhile since I used it.

 

[DeeAnna]

I'd say the beta carotene is a better option if you want more of an orange shade. Annatto is more of a deep yellow in soap (although the infused oil is a lovely deep orange color).

 

[soapmaker]

I'd say the beta carotene is a better option if you want more of an orange shade. Annatto is more of a deep yellow in soap (although the infused oil is a lovely deep orange color).

Mine is a true orange, but I definitely want to give the beta carotene a try.

 

[Lma]

Beta carotene is the way to go. That's the easiest way (other than mica) to get a really true orange that will last. Not reddish yellow or yellow with orange tendencies, but cheddar cheese orange. Florida Gators orange. Dutch royal house orange.

Do you add the beta carotene to the oils or lye solution?

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Do you add the beta carotene to the oils or lye solution?

The oils.

 

[DeeAnna]

Mine is a true orange, but I definitely want to give the beta carotene a try.

I understand annatto infused oil can create an orange, but only if I use a lot more of it than I normally do. I don't use annatto infused oil as a main soaping fat -- I use it in small amounts only as a colorant, so butter yellow is about as deep as I can go without running too much risk of messing up the soap. Beta carotene can be used in smaller amounts to get a deeper color, so I can see how it would work better for me as an orange colorant than annatto.

 

[soapmaker]

What if you want orange only as a small part to swirl in another colour, can you add at trace after separating some from the main batch?

 

[Dean]

Shopped for beta carotene today. Only comes in non-veg gelatin caps. Used carrot juice instead. Came out dull orange...exactly the color of the juice. Will try annetto next time.