Titanium Dioxide

[user 58545]

For my next soap I want to make a coconut soap, well actually a coconut smelling soap, I think off the top of my head there is some coconut oil but its mainly shea butter and olive oil or well something similar.

Anyway the colour ends up a off white almost yellowish, I want to use Titanium Dioxide to make a nice white.

Do I have to adjust the recipe at all to incorporate that? Again off the top of my head I think I need like a teaspoon or less of titanium dioxide.

The recipe I am following doesn't use it, but I want to hence the question

Thank you

 

[artemis]

Are you using a coconut fragrance oil for scent? Step one will be making sure it won't discolor your soap-- a lot of coconut FOs do.

 

[user 58545]

Hi, yes it is coconut fragrance oil. I thought the TD would help whiten the soap?

I couldn't actually find any coconut essential oil in the UK. Not sure if that's even a thing?

 

[Ford]

Hi, a discoloring fo. Will still mute your TD white. Depending on the amount of vanillin(sp) in the fo. Depends on how dark. More like a bone white. In my experience. I have no experience with Vanillin canceling solution. See, l can't even remember what it is called.

 

[artemis]

Vanilla stabilizer. If you search the forum, you will find more information, including experiments with a DIY vanilla stabilizer.

 

[Obsidian]

No, you don't have to alter your recipe when using TD.
I use water soluble TD at roughly 1 tsp ppo. I mix the td with a a tiny bit of water, just enough to make a thin slurry. Mix it a few minutes before you start your soap so it has time to hydrate, helps it blend better.

If coloring the whole batch, add it right after the lye solution so it can really get mixed in. Since your FO is only discoloring to a off white, you shouldn't need any vanilla stabilizer.
Many coconut FOs discolor really dark, thats why most of the responses have been addressing the issue.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Before you order any coconut FO, check the user reviews. If the majority say it discolours to brown or dark beige don't buy it, and opt for a other one with better reviews.

Buy the palest OO you can find - there is no need to get extra virgin, it is no different in soap to refined, just more expensive. See if you can find an 'extra light' OO. Examples:
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/256692951https://groceries.asda.com/product/olive-oil/napolina-light-in-colour-olive-oil/910002373434https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/essential-light-in-colour-olive-oil/692384-98323-98324
Surprisingly - the Waitrose one looks the best deal price-wise.

Make sure you get refined shea butter which is white.

Add your TD as per @Obsidian's instructions.

 

[Zing]

Colorants including titanium dioxide don't alter recipes. I love using TD. I don't know what kind you are using. I mix mine in oil first. It is clumpy so make sure it is all dissolved or you will end up with small white dots in your finished soap. I put TD and oil in a sealed plastic bag and squish it by hand for awhile. Good luck!

 

[user 58545]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for the lateness of my reply.

This Tesco oil is the one I am using, is it suitable ? - https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/259045325

As for the TD, I got it here : Titanium Dioxide - TheSoapery

Not going to lie, it turns up in a plastic bag, wondered how on earth it made it through the postal system as looked like something else!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for the lateness of my reply.

This Tesco oil is the one I am using, is it suitable ? - https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/259045325

As for the TD, I got it here : Titanium Dioxide - TheSoapery

Not going to lie, it turns up in a plastic bag, wondered how on earth it made it through the postal system as looked like something else!

Yes - that OO is good : )

 

[KiwiMoose]

It doesn't say whether your TD is suitable for dispersing in oil or water?

 

[user 58545]

The description says suitable for all oil based recipes so I just assumed it would be dispersed in oil?