TD vs Vanilla Stabalizer

[Candybee]

I started using TD in my soaps for a whiter soap or just a more opaque color. I have since noticed that it is also working pretty good as a stabalizer against FOs that discolor.

Case in point, I recently made a soap using French Vanilla FO I know turns my soap dark brown. This time I used 1 tbs TD for a 6 lb batch. I also used a 50/50 blend with the Vanilla and another scent. My soap is a light to medium tan and so far has not turned dark.

The vanilla isn't the only FO I have used it on that discolors. In each case I got white soap or a very minimal discoloration using the TD. I am using the water soluble one from TKB.

Here is a pic of my vanilla soap using 50% vanilla:

Here is the same soap one week later. Normally it would have already turned a very dark tan or dark brown by now. It's now a light tan:

[TallTayl]

Nice! I have tried TiO2 against darkening FO's with only limited success. Would be nice to tame Pink Sugar! It will be interesting to see how that color fares over time.

[Candybee]

Did you check out Babs Pink Sugar in the gallery? She says she used VS in hers. Would like to know who's VS she uses.

[TallTayl]

I did see her pics. Every Vs i have used is only a temporary fix. The soap still darkens over time. And every one i have tried morphed the FO leaving a very unpleasant scent i could detect. I would rather embrace the brown, or use pearl white mica than add more "stuff" to the scent.

[Candybee]

I hate scents morphing in my soap. Did not know that could happen with VS.

I just started using TD a lot more over the past month or two. So it will be interesting to see; how well it works as a color stabilizer, and two, how well a scent holds up. Also, I am not 100% certain that TD does not interfere with diminishing lather. Seems I have detected some but it could be my recipe. Sigh. I just need more time for research.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Candybee

[MoonShadow]

"Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is (...a true straight coconut that doesn't fade or discolor so I don't have to use either of VS or TD in my coconut soap.... )" :tongue2

Is that asking too much??????

[Scented]

"Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is (...a true straight coconut that doesn't fade or discolor so I don't have to use either of VS or TD in my coconut soap.... )" :tongue2

Is that asking too much??????

LOL!

And to Candybee, boy I may have to up the amount of TD I'm using to see if that will help at all with known discolorants. I have some scents that reports say a guaranteed brown and it's just too hard to make something sexy smelling look great in brown. I'm pretty close to the 1 T though, but not at 1T so wonder if about 1/4 tsp more will make that difference. On vacation, so I should be able to find out.

[Candybee]

I checked the soapies this morning and they seem a little darker but in no way are they dark brown. Will take pics in a week or two for comparison. Just to see if the color is still on track.

But the vanilla is really coming out now. Scented, this is the one I mixed with cedar and allspice. At first all you could smell was sweet spice and cedar notes. Now the vanilla has come out and the scent just keeps getting better and better.

[8-GRAN-ONES]

your soap are very pretty..

the only VS i used was from BC…in Pink Sugar...in time it turned spotty brown..and morphed the scent..

about TD..

I don't know from my own experience..maybe someone else can give their input..

but to much TD can make your soaps chalky?

I use TD in some of mine....diluted/in either oil or water/1teasp pp. of soap..that is the highest i have ever used..and i have not seen any negative feel or results in my soap..

Edited December 19, 2013 by 8-GRAN-ONES

[Candybee]

I tend to use 1 tsp TD for every 2 lbs of oil. Thats all I use because it works out for my coloring/whitening needs. I don't know how high you can go but from my experience up to 1 tsp ppo works fine.

When I first used TD I got a cakey soap. It was a 34oz batch. I split the batch into 2 bowls to color each one seperately. In one batch I put in about 1 tbs fr. green clay and 2 tsp TD. That particular half of the soap with the clay and the TD got cakey and stuck in my mold. So it could have been because it was in combination with the clay. But hopefully that will give you an idea of what you can work with.

[TallTayl]

I have found that the chalkiness appears with only some sources of TiO2. So far I really am liking Brambleberry's the most right now.

For whitening, has anyone used TKB's pearl white mica? I really like the shimmery effect in some soaps, preferring it to the matte look of traditional TiO2

[ProudMarineMom]

I don't have TKB's but I do have Conservatorie's Shimmering Pearl, Sparkling Pearl and Shimmer White. Of the three, I like Shimmering Pearl the best. I can get a very pretty, bright white with a non-discoloring FO. Have to use a little more for those that lightly discolor. Still doesn't work the best if there is quite a bit of discoloration. I used it in a soap using AH Candy Cane and the white is now a nice muddy taupe.

The Sparkling Pearl mica has quite a bit of sparkle and tends toward that TD crackle you sometimes get. Shimmer white looks like a ground up piece of chalk. It does alright but I will grab the Shimmering Pearl.

Edited December 20, 2013 by ProudMarineMom

[Candybee]

Ooh! I have been eyeballing those white micas from TKB. One of these days I want to try one.

[Candybee]

The soap is 11 days old now. I could swear it appears darker sitting on my shelf. From the photo it doesn't appear to have darkened much if at all. What do you think?

[TallTayl]

It does look more tan in the photo. Still not that ebony of most vnaillas though. And three cheers for no brown lather!

[Candybee]

I haven't actually washed with it but I was hoping for a vanilla without the tan lather. Can't wait to try it.