Preference:: CP Soap Colorants

[mystical_angel1219]

I thought this thread could be fun and informative to soapers on all skill levels. A meeting of the minds- for lack of a better term. Please vote what your preferred colorant is and why you prefer to use them.

[Bunny]

Can I check more than one??!!

I use oxides, ultramarines, powdered water soluable FD&C's, Labcolors, micas, natural stuff, clays. Totally depends on the look I'm going for.

[mystical_angel1219]

I dont know how to let person select multiple choices, Bunny.

That would be fine- perhaps Sara could fix it if possible.

[Grumpy Girl]

Select Shades baby!

Ultra Marines, FD&C Dyes, Clays, Naturals... it depends on what I'm after, but 9-10 times it's select shades.

[Bunny]

I don't know if it's possible Mystical.. But I wanted to click just about everything.. Then read it again. Pick my favorite! Ok, I was finally able to answer!

[Gypsyjen]

I like natural colorants. I used to use oxides & ultramarines, but did not like the fake colors they gave to my soaps. I've gotten some really beautiful and vivid natural colors.

[RobinInOR]

The ones I use the most are oxides and ultramarines. But I use herbs, the natural color of EOs, clays, food... everything except the FDC/DC based colorants, actually (that's 6 of your options I don't use, 4 I do use).

[Rebecca_IA]

I use a lot of mica's in swirls (that's the option I picked) but I also use oxides and ultramarines for base colors, lots of clays and natural colorants too. One answer was hard to pick, so I picked micas because I use that in most of my batches (as swirls) even if I've used something else as a base color. Mica's don't work too well as a base color.

[Jcandleattic]

Oxides and ultramarines are what I like best out of your list.

[Crafty1_AJ]

I'm the same as Batgirl. When I want a more rustic, muted look, I use clays or oxides. For blues, pinks & purples, I often use ultramarines. But then again sometimes I use liquid colorants if I'm going for a multiple swirl or when working with a fragrance that tends to accelerate, because I can get liquid colors incorporated faster. I also use some micas on occasion.

[Pam W]

This will be a great thread. I've been using craft store stuff and want to try some real colors but don't know what!

[Sherie]

I agree with the rest. I use oxides and ultramarines, liquid colors and naturals (clays and muds). I voted oxides and ultramarines and I usually use these the most.

[Teercreations]

Well I have tried micas and oxides in the past and mixing it is pain in the rear. I love my select shades. I usually use 1/16th of a tsp or 1/8 tsp for my parts and I still get vibrant wonderful colors.

[Crafty1_AJ]

For my oxides and ultramarines, here is how I mix them in.

If I'm coloring the whole batch the same, the water-soluble ones go into my water and I sb until smooth. The oil soluble ones go into my oils and I sb until smooth.

If I'm doing a swirl or reverse swirl, so I only want part of the batch to be colored, I mix the oxides or um's into a bit of glycerin. I smoosh the powder with the back of a spoon into a dab of glycerin, then put a little soap batter into that and mix. That soap batter either gets dumped into the main portion of batter or into the swirl portion.

HTH

[KristinesShower]

We use oxides, ums and clays - always mixed the same way.

When they come in, we take a cup of avocado oil, 1 tsp of vitamin E and desired colorant. Mix like crazy until we get the color we want, then put in fridge until we need it for soap.

This has worked the best for us - there is never any spots or unmixed color, it comes out perfect every time.

[Sara]

Oxides and UM.

Yeah. Narrowed down. I love the spash of color but also love au natural.

[dee263]

I voted for the ums and oxides, but I also use herbs and botanicals, clays, micas and FD & C pwdered dyes or pigments, or nothing at all. I would like to try the peacock colors eventually, but since I can usually get the color I want with what I have, I've restrained myself and not bought them.