Rebatch to add colors?

[LolaJBunny]

Hi!! I'm new here. I have made one batch of hot process soap (took soooo long) and I am planning to make some cold process :-D I got the ingredients to make a honey almond soap from a recipe off of soap-making-resource.com.

Anyway, I've been wondering about adding different colored shapes in the next bars I make after this. I don't want to do melt and pour. I have quite a few molds with small pieces (dinosaurs and such) that I would like to make a different color and put in some bars. I was wondering if something like this could be done without doing all separate batches? Could I make sort of... a base (essentially my own melt and pour soap i guess) to remelt small amounts of and add color to? What would I use as the base? Maybe just pure olive oil soap? I've seen the term 'rebatch' around, but don't quite understand what the process is.

Thanks for any help!
~Lola

 

[dagmar88]

Depending on how many different colors you want; you could use some dixie cups (or other containers), mix the colorants you want with a bit of oil in each cup before soaping and split your batch into the cups after trace. Mix thoroughly.
If you work fast, start at light trace, soap with full water/a recipe that doesn't harden up to quickly, 6-8 different colors wouldn't be much trouble at all.

I know there are some people who can make rebatches look wonderful; but I'm not one of them :razz:

 

[dcornett]

I've never had rebatches to look too nice for me either...:cry:

 

[LolaJBunny]

ah, that's a great idea with the Dixie cups, thank you!

 

[OliveOil2]

A rebatch is going to look like your hot process soap, not the best for making small detailed soaps. I have made shaped soaps with cold process, but you have to keep in mind that the batter will thicken with time. So a slow moving cold process would work, just don't use really small molds, so you aren't spilling all over. A base like melt & pour is'nt what rebatch will give you. There is information available on making your own melt & pour, but to me it is not a simple process.

 

[ashleyrobertson]

If in doubt, mix with vegetable glycerin with a 1:2 ratio (one part color, two parts water, or glycerin)