How do I get RED?

[CareBear]

I made some lovely macintosh apple tarts and used red dye (block, shaved it in). Looked pink so I added more. and more. and more. Pink. Pink. Pink.

How in the blazes do I get a RED red?

[kari357]

Try liquid dyes, they're stronger.

[Billie]

I found this on a search for getting a red. Since I'm pretty new this is the best I can do until someone with experience comes along. I'm finding nothing has a simple answer with candlemaking.

1. When it comes to red I think I have figured it out! I use J223 and if you want a bright bold red here's my recipe, for three pounds of wax I use 14 drops of red to 3 drops of orange...yup you read that right. The orange takes the pink out of the red and makes it a fire engine red. HTH

2.I don’t know what wax you're using, but a mix of red and brown works for me. I use scarlet color block and brown diamond chip. I usually go about half and half, but more scarlet will give you a brighter red, more brown darker.

3. Someone on here told me to try cinnamon red chips, I use 1 1/2 chips per #, if I want to get a darker red for my baked apple FO I put approximately 1/8 gram black with it. I love this because it is so simple and I can get a consistent color. I use soy/j223. HTH

4. I use liquid dyes and I add 1 drop of yellow for eachpound of wax. It helps get the pink out.

5.I use a red block from Candlewic, and a little burgundy color block. I use 50/50 soy/J223.

[logcabinmomma]

What's your wax again? I'm testing 464 and getting awesome reds with liquid dye. I did a deep merlot wine with 4 drops red, 2 drops brown, 2 drops black pp and no frosting...

After using C-3 I'm very happy. This colored much easier with much less dye.

-Kristi

[Candle Makin Momma]

A lot of red and alittle black

[Kelly]

I can get a great Red color, but then I can't get my candle to burn properly! GL to you, I've almost all but given up on red although I might try adding orange since I have not tried that!

And as soon as you get the deep shades you desire, hopefully, you'll be able to avoid frosting, unlike me. Aren't I a big whiner?

[CareBear]

I'm just in tarts (so far), so no wick issues! I'm using Ecosoya VB. I'm having a bear of a time getting the stupid craft-store dye block shavings to dissolve completely anyway - think it's time to venture into liquid dyes. Now which ones....

[Kelly]

Well I like the BCN liquid dyes, except I think they may be causing the frosting issues I'm having. I use EZ Soy though so maybe they will work better in the Ecosoya. BCN Color Blocks are pretty nice too if you want to stick with the blocks.

[CareBear]

Am I the only one who finds blocks frustrating? I find it hard to control just how much I get. What is the benefit to those?

[Luvcandletarts2]

I love my Peak's liquid dyes. I only use the color blocks for those "oddball" colors.

[Kelly]

I like working with the blocks (except for Michael's or other poor quality blocks) other than it's difficult to duplicate exact color matches. I think they are easy to work with and less sloppy than the liquids. But with that said, I pretty much only use the liquids now because of how easy it is to duplicate colors again at a later date (if you keep good notes!).

[CareBear]

notes? I'm supposed to keep notes? LOL - I'm doing my best!

A while ago I lost my soaping and B&B notes (I moved and they went AWOL) and was beside myself - almost terrified, even though I do all this just as a hobby! Those resurfaced finally (thank GOD!!!) and I was reminded of just how important note-keeping is!

[jes432]

I don't like messing with liquids, I usually get more on my hands than in my pot. I have had no problem getting a real red with Peaks Ruby Red Dye chips in CB3, 6006 & 1343 (for my pillars).

[Kelly]

Lol, well you don't HAVE to keep notes! But I would recommend it incase you ever start using wicks in your candle products. But for now I would say at least keep notes on how much FO you add to your tarts and how many drops (liquid) or grams (blocks) and if you add anything else to them, like beeswax note the amount used for that too.

I suppose it doesn't matter much for personal use, but if you ever found something that worked really well and you knew it could sell big time you'd be happy you kept those notes and were able to duplicate the product to the letter. You know that though, but I'm bored at work so I like to state the obvious.

[Kaybee23]

Carol, try mixing 3 parts red to 1 part orange, gives me a beautiful red everytime. You can then adjust the lightness or darkness of it, by adding a touch of black. This is with liquid dyes, I am thinking it may work the same with the blocks as well.

[Sharon in KY]

I love KY's Spice red and Scarlet red. You can get some really nice deep reds. I do in soy also use liquid colors from RA, like their shades of the colors and they are stronger than others I have.

[SunshineSundries]

I use liquid colors - never liked the idea of weighing grams for color chips as I'm weighing challenged! The less stuff I have to weigh the better! My hint for liquid colors is use disposible pipettes if you don't have a dropper on your bottle (I use the 4oz bottles from candlewic - no dropper) and use those disposable plastic gloves that they sell at Sam's Club for food service. I think I got like 1000 of them for $5 or something like that. Works awesome! No color all over my hands! To get a good apple red, I use several drops of red and a few drops of black. I may try the orange thing too just to see what happens since Valentine's day is coming up and I want to make some different reds.

Best of luck to ya!

Life & Light!

Tish

[CareBear]

Tish that's a great idea - I can get all the pipettes I want from work. Gloves? Well yea, I probably should, but with a size 4 hand I HATE gloves... (and have gotten lye "sunburns" more than once )

[KJohnson]

I use Peaks and Lonestars liduid dyes....I also use Peaks color chips...their Cinnamon Red works great at 1 chip per pound of wax and Im using soy.

HTH

[Carriegsxr6]

1. When it comes to red I think I have figured it out! I use J223 and if you want a bright bold red here's my recipe, for three pounds of wax I use 14 drops of red to 3 drops of orange...yup you read that right. The orange takes the pink out of the red and makes it a fire engine red. HTH

Carol, try mixing 3 parts red to 1 part orange, gives me a beautiful red everytime. You can then adjust the lightness or darkness of it, by adding a touch of black. This is with liquid dyes, I am thinking it may work the same with the blocks as well.

I have to agree here. After reading this technique, I went into my kitchen, melted 14oz of wax to make two 7oz containers. I am using C-3 with no additives. I added 6 drops of liquid red (ECO) and 2 drops of liquid orange (ECO). I just poured and it was looking very cherry/fire engine red. I will wait to see what it looks like when it sets up.

I also attempted the red with added brown. Used 14oz C-3, added 6 drops red and 2 drops brown, let it set up and it is more of a burgundy red.

I will post pics of both attempts when the one with orange completely sets up.

[Carriegsxr6]

here a pic. the candle on the left was added with brown and the candle on the right was added with orange.

[CareBear]

Thanks for the pics Carrie - seeing is everything!! Are those the dishes from Michaels? I got two but since I have barely made it past tarts yet I have no idea what to do wht them!

[Holly]

I use Just By Nature's non-stinky liquid dyes, and I use Red with Brown -- more red than brown. I sometimes will add a little bit of purple if I want a blue tone red. Navy does not work....it turns it into a drab red.

[Carriegsxr6]

Thanks for the pics Carrie - seeing is everything!! Are those the dishes from Michaels? I got two but since I have barely made it past tarts yet I have no idea what to do wht them!

yep, these are the $1 ones from michaels.

[laura9259]

I never would have thought about red & orange.

I use a lot of RUBY RED dye chips - they come out nice and red.