Why are my soaps still bleeding?

[silvercb67]

My first batch I understood but then I started to use way less and mixed in with the oils and two more batches were botched! I'm so frustrated. Made a beautiful batch of lemongrass sage and used only 2 tbsp in a 6.5 lb batch of soap and it bleeds horribly. I use the oxide pigments. So now my last two batches I used way less and they look dull. Also using the titanium dioxide for whitening the bars and they all turn yellowish. I'm scared to even try again. I want vibrant colors like everyone else. Ugh
What about trying food coloring? By bleed, I'm talking colored lather

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Food coloring will morph or disappear in CP soap...it is not made to be stable in a high alkalinity environment. How or when are you adding your oxides?

 

[silvercb67]

I mix them in with the oils before adding the lye water

 

[judymoody]

In my experience a teaspoon of oxide per pound is way too much. Try 1/4 teaspoon PPO and see how that goes.

Are you gelling? Gel produces more vibrant colors.

 

[silvercb67]

Wonderful! To late. what will happen

 

[Marilyna]

Yes, I think you used way too much colorant. I've always used between 1-3 teaspoons for 5 lbs of oils.

yes, you can use food coloring. http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/food-coloring-31602/ is a discussion we've been having where we discussed it in depth.

However, you should be able to get some beautiful colors with your pigments. Maybe some other factor is making your soap look dull. What do the FOs or EOs you're using look like? Are they dark? What are your base oils?

 

[silvercb67]

My base oils are castor,olive,vegetable (shortening ) and coconut. What will to much titanium dioxide do? It's suppose to be white and it turns my soap yellow