Please helpppppp. I colored my soaps and they are leaking now

[beautifulsoaper]

I colored my soap using recommend level of color usage that is 1 teaspoon per pound of soap oils.
Im using mica color pigments.
Its been 15 days since I made this soap.

Now today I just wanted to test it out, and when i washed my hands the lathering was also colored and on my sink i could see the color dripping. Although it did not stick to my hands, i wanted to ask is this normal or what?

PLEASE HELPPPPP

 

[DeeAnna]

One teaspoon per pound of oils is a lot -- it's what you'd use to get an intense, saturated color in the soap. The downside is that much colorant will probably color the lather, as you found out, and may stain a light-colored or white washcloth. This is not a problem that will go away with time.

If you don't want the lather to be colored, you will have to reduce the amount of mica you use. Reducing the amount will also lighten the color of the soap. I don't know of a good way to get intense colors in soap without the risk of the lather also being colored.

You might get some good tips from a video about colorants in soap made by Amy Warden, Great Cakes Soapworks. See

 

[TheGecko]

Now today I just wanted to test it out, and when i washed my hands the lathering was also colored and on my sink i could see the color dripping. Although it did not stick to my hands, i wanted to ask is this normal or what?

Yes, it can be a side effect of using too much colorant and depending on the colorant, can even stain light colored washcloths.

A couple of things that you can do include going with a darker shade to start with, or you can gel you soap. If you are say...wanting a navy blue or a dark green, you can use 'pigments/oxides' like Ultramarine Blue or Chrome Green. You can also add a little Black Oxide to deepen darker Micas.

 

[beautifulsoaper]

But is it an issue? I mean is it pleasing to you like its all colored? The lathering and water drips?

I have already made a few batches and dont want to waste any so please tell

 

[DeeAnna]

You have to decide if colored lather is a problem or not. Only you can answer that question -- it's a preference thing, not a good or bad thing.

Colored lather and discolored wash cloths do bother me. But other people don't seem to mind.

 

[earlene]

When you ask, 'but is it an issue?' I am not exactly sure what you mean.

Some colorants that get on the sink can be very annoying, so if you are going to use the soap yourself, you can easily decide whether or not you want to deal with the cleanup of your sink every time you wash your hands.

Remember, most commercially produced (big brand names) soaps are very lightly colored, pastels or plain white, nothing intense. So people who normally use commercial soaps will not expect soaps to leak all over their sinks or stain their wash cloths. That could be an issue for you in terms of feed back or complaints about your soap if you give it to someone else.

I prefer to keep those kinds of soaps to myself because I know that.

Another possible issue would be if the leaking color actually does stain wash cloths, particularly if it truly stains and won't wash out in the laundry. So, yes, that could be an issue, but you can test that out yourself at home. Depending on the ingredients in your particular micas, some may truly stain. There is a blue mica in my stash that truly stains. I have permanent blue streaks in a plastic wash tub I use for soaping, so it is no big deal, but if it was a washcloth, I'd be annoyed.

I suggest you test your colors and keep notes to indicate what amount of mica works best to get the results you like. You can do them as color swatches, where the 'swatches' are actually small sample size soaps.

 

[beautifulsoaper]

When you ask, 'but is it an issue?' I am not exactly sure what you mean.

Some colorants that get on the sink can be very annoying, so if you are going to use the soap yourself, you can easily decide whether or not you want to deal with the cleanup of your sink every time you wash your hands.

Remember, most commercially produced (big brand names) soaps are very lightly colored, pastels or plain white, nothing intense. So people who normally use commercial soaps will not expect soaps to leak all over their sinks or stain their wash cloths. That could be an issue for you in terms of feed back or complaints about your soap if you give it to someone else.

I prefer to keep those kinds of soaps to myself because I know that.

Another possible issue would be if the leaking color actually does stain wash cloths, particularly if it truly stains and won't wash out in the laundry. So, yes, that could be an issue, but you can test that out yourself at home. Depending on the ingredients in your particular micas, some may truly stain. There is a blue mica in my stash that truly stains. I have permanent blue streaks in a plastic wash tub I use for soaping, so it is no big deal, but if it was a washcloth, I'd be annoyed.

I suggest you test your colors and keep notes to indicate what amount of mica works best to get the results you like. You can do them as color swatches, where the 'swatches' are actually small sample size soaps.

Good insight thanks. Also its only been 15-17 days to these. Does it get better after more curing?

And i will test the colors too. Thanks for this suggestion

 

[user 56151]

this is not an issue as far as I’m concerned, I don’t have any problem with a coloured lather. It won’t stain your skin. Activated charcoal has a black lather, it shocked me at first. I don’t measure my micas, I just add them until I’m happy with the colour.

 

[CpnDouchette]

No, I've not found it to get better after curing. I tend to use soaps with colourful lather in the kitchen sink rather than bathroom to avoid having to wash the bath/ shower daily. Activated charcoal is the worst offender, closely followed by a red with lots of oxide in. I've had batches that leave streaks on my skin but will rinse off without causing harm.

 

[earlene]

Good insight thanks. Also its only been 15-17 days to these. Does it get better after more curing?

And i will test the colors too. Thanks for this suggestion

I have not experienced reduced color of lather in these soaps, either. I agree that red oxide is really a persistent 'bleeder' and it just remains that way as long as the soap is viable.

Here is a video showing how Lisa at I Dream of Soap does her color samples in soap (cold process lye soap). Lisa uses 1 tsp PPO for her test soap swatches. She uses the measuring spoon method.


Here is another video showing how Sarah at Soap School does her color samples. Sarah uses 1% of oil weight (1 gram of neon mica per 100 grams of oil) in her samples. She uses the weight method.


Some soapmakers prefer to use a scale to weigh out their colorants, which is why I include both videos.