Oh, that crazy indigo

[ibct1969]

So, I came across this beautiful pink soap here https://kapiamera.blog/2015/12/17/sweet-heart-soap/ by Holly at Kapia Mera where she uses some indigo powder from Soap Making Resource but her soap comes out super light pink by using an infusion of the indigo into oil (see her specific process in the link above).

I decided to try to make that color and had some really weird morphing going on when I made soap with the resulting infusion.

Since you folks are the only ones who would even be close to having any interest at all in this experiment (kids and husband looked at me blankly when I was flipping out over it) I thought I'd share some pics.

When I first mixed the indigo infusion w the other oils, it was uber purple (like that kids grape cough medicine).

When I added the lye, it started to look like really thin black bean puree.

As I SB'd it started turning gray. My SB creates a really frothy batter. I need to replace it I think.

After I poured it into the mold it was getting lighter and lighter gray, before my eyes.

As it thickened, I could see super light small lavender areas. Crazy.

Lastly, after 24 hours, it turned lavenderish pink. I haven't cut it yet as it's super soft.

Next, I'm going to add the indigo to the lye to see what color I get. Mwah ha ha! Teal, perhaps?

Has anyone else experimented with indigo?

:mrgreen:

 

[dixiedragon]

That is neat! I hope you add cut pics?

 

[Millie]

:wtf: Awesome! I would like to second the request for more pics. And request a report on any other crazy color changes you discover :mrgreen:

 

[penelopejane]

I know what you mean about family. Thank goodness for soapmaking forum so we have someone to share our excitement about all things soap related.

I haven't used indigo yet but have been thinking about it.
Can't wait to see the final colour.

 

[Kittish]

I made my second batch, which is a glycerin soap, with indigo. I mixed my indigo with water, mixed my lye in that water, then strained out the powder once the lye solution had cooled. I think that's why I wound up with that odd green color. It hasn't morphed any while curing.

 

[dibbles]

That is crazy cool. It will be interesting to see what color it decides to be in the end.

 

[ibct1969]

Ok so yeah. When I unmolded, about a third of it stuck to the bottom. I slapped it to the soap and cut it anyway. Even after a few days still feels greasy. I got a little crazy with the FO (Afternoon Tea from Nurture) and poured the whole 1 oz bottle in my 1 pound batch. Not sure if that's what did it or what. Not sure I care though because the color is so cool- at least to me. I'll just repeat that process again and hopefully get a better bar.

 

[earlene]

Love the color. I want to try that one day. I've only used indigo a couple of times and only once as the only colorant in the soap. I'd have to look back at my notes to see how I added it exactly and how much I used, but I did not get pink. I got pretty much denim (Levi's) jeans color - kind of greyish-blue. I like your translucent lavender-blue a lot!

 

[Seawolfe]

Oh wow that pink is interesting! I love it in the cut pic.
I've had some fun with indigo (the first step is admitting you have a problem...). I can only post 4 pics so heres some experiments.
Indigo in the lye water when the sun and stars aligned and I got a nice deep blue (potato quality pic tho):

A little less indigo in the lye water in a salt soap:

A little more indigo the lye water of a salt soap, but added some French green clay:

Indigo added to the lye water before the lye again, but two different lye concentrations - that light rind was a surprise. This one was super green for a day before it turned blue:

 

[ibct1969]

I like the lavender too. Not the pink i was hoping for, but fun to do nonetheless. Seawolfe those are all awesome- did they all stay those colors permanently?

 

[Seawolfe]

I like the lavender too. Not the pink i was hoping for, but fun to do nonetheless. Seawolfe those are all awesome- did they all stay those colors permanently?

Hard to say about permanent because they get used up :mrgreen:. But the light blue salt soap was like that till the last one, as was the dark blue first one. That green salt soap faded a bit with curing, and I just dug up a bar of the swirly one to check and it's now pretty faded and more greenish a year and a half later.

 

[earlene]

Seawolfe, I love your Ghost Swirl indigo soap with the rind. It's gorgeous.

 

[penelopejane]

Oh wow that pink is interesting! I love it in the cut pic.
I've had some fun with indigo (the first step is admitting you have a problem...). I can only post 4 pics so heres some experiments.
Indigo in the lye water when the sun and stars aligned and I got a nice deep blue (potato quality pic tho):

Seawolfe,
Beautiful soap! All of them :mrgreen:
Do you use natural indigo and, if so, does it fade in soap?

Thanks.

 

[Silver]

Wow, I would have never thought that you could get pink with indigo! I love the color, it is stunning. I wonder if it is just that one particular indigo from Soap Making Resource of if you could reproduce it with indigo from another supplier? Every time I find something that I like on Soap Making Resource it is out of stock, and it remains that way for months (looking at you, soap beveler =/).

 

[ibct1969]

Wow, I would have never thought that you could get pink with indigo! I love the color, it is stunning. I wonder if it is just that one particular indigo from Soap Making Resource of if you could reproduce it with indigo from another supplier? Every time I find something that I like on Soap Making Resource it is out of stock, and it remains that way for months (looking at you, soap beveler =/).

I know, cool right? SMR is no longer in business. Not sure why the site is still up.

 

[Silver]

I know, cool right? SMR is no longer in business. Not sure why the site is still up.

Oh, thanks for the heads up! What indigo do you guys use to get the pink?

 

[ibct1969]

Oh, thanks for the heads up! What indigo do you guys use to get the pink?

I did use indigo from that site to get the pink... :headbanging: