m&p soap color PLEASE HELP

[chiptooth]

I've posted a couple of times before trying to find an answer but I guess nobody knows it, so I'm asking again incase someone finds my question again. I linked to a website from a topic here (somewhere) and it was for a website that the person sold toys like the rubber ducks to embed in soaps and a bunch of different soap molds but there were also colors that were sort of crystal like.... or sort of glittery without adding glitter. If anyone can help me or point me in a direction that may have something similar I would be VERY grateful....thank you , thank you.

[prairieannie]

I am copying this from Brambleberry's website. Actually, it's a link from there to Teach Soap. I think it may help you... I wonder if Mica's are what you are referring to? The shimmer? Anyhow.. hopefully this will help. Otherwise, I have no clue, I don't color my soap anymore.

(1) Soap Pigments - oxides and ultramarines fall into this category. Pigments, like most colorants out there, do not fall into the natural category. They are manufactured in labs and have been since the 70s. Apparently, pigments (oxides and ultramarines) used to be mined but the FDA stepped in and demanded some purity so since then, those colorants have been manufactured in a lab - same molecular structure just a different way of processing. Some Iron Oxides are still extracted naturally; however, Iron oxides in nature (dirt) are often stuck with toxic metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony and selenium (when they are in nature). This is why the FDA stepped in to regulate cosmetic colorants so the level of toxic metal present are present in such low concentrations that they are considered "safe." In fact, only synthetically prepared iron oxides are approved for use in cosmetics in this country. (Johnson, S.T. & Wordell, C.J. "Homeopathic and herbal medicine: Considerations for formulary evaluation," Formulary, 32, 1167, Nov. 1997. )

The good things about using pigments in soap is that they are stable. I've personally not had more than two "morph" into another color and I know that all of the ones that we carry are stable in CP soap. I believe that all of Oregon Trail's and The Pigment Lady's are also stable in CP/MP soap. They are also cost effective; at $3-$6 per ounce, you're looking at a very cheap, per pound price, for color. The bummer part about pigments is that they tend to clump and so they require much extra TLC to get them not clump.

(2) FD&C Colorants - There are many types of FD&C colorants but basically, they are manufactured in a lab, are not natural but are generally incredibly easy to use and give a wide (anything you imagine) range of color. There is wide spread distrust, and even fear, about FD&C colorants. This is most likely because the FDA has recalled colors in the past because of safety concerns. The most well known example is probably Red No. 2, banned in 1976 over possible links to cancer. In truth, FD&C colorants are in most, if not all, processed foods we eat (from cheese to french fries to candy) and fears about the use of these colorants in soap, while well meaning, are probably unfounded. In addition, the miniscule amount of this type of colorant in soap (which doesn't stay on your skin), is the least of concerns compared to the rampant amount of FD&C colorant in food (and vitamins etc...)

The nice part of using FD&C colorants is that they are, on a per use basis, fairly inexpensive to use. They are incredibly concentrated. They also mix in smoothly. They normally stay clear in MP. The bummer part is that they are not stable, at all, in alkaline environments (aka - cold process soap). It's the rare FD&C that actually stays stable.

(3) Micas - These should fall into the FD&C colorants category because mica is a natural product, that is mined but then, the individual mica (which looks like a platelet) is coated with FD&C colorants, or pigments, or a combination of both to achieve the colorant. The dual sided color is what causes the shimmer and sheen of micas. Mica is exactly the same stuff you see in your lipstick, eye shadow and blush. Micas work best in clear products, like clear melt and pour, because the shimmer needs light in order to reflect and refract nicely.

The great part about using micas in CP is that they don't clump at all. The colors are so smooth and wonderful to work with. The bummer part about using micas in CP is that they have a higher usage rate than both pigments and straight FD&C colorants. They also do provide just a tinge of sheen in CP, and that looks sophisticated. Another bad thing about micas in CP, is that, since they are coated in FD&C, some of them are not stable in CP soap and do require testing.

(4) Natural soap colorants - There is no legal definition for a natural color. FDA classifies colorants as those requiring certification and those not requiring certification. "Exempt colorants are inherently neither more nor less safe than certified colorants," concludes an article in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. We may consider them as less hazardous because we perceive them as "natural." But "like all color additives, they are fabricated products." Historically, bugs were ground up for colorant. Today, potential customers get squeamish about that so we skip that. Cochineal (the legs of a some bug, if I remember correctly) was a favorite for a nice red color. Some popular ones to use are:

Yellow - Annatto, saffron, Turmeric, Carthamin

Green - chlorophyll

Brown - the cocoa bean (pods, shells, stems), cocoa powder, fermented tea

Red - Paprika (may be irritating)

Purple - Alkanet Root (for CP)

The list goes on of course.

The nice part about using natural colorants is the marketing angle; the general public thinks that natural is better so you can market this well. However, it is difficult to achieve the color you want, using natural colorants, and sometimes, you can't get a smooth color (depending on the herb used). Another problem is that some of the colorants are expensive to use.

[chiptooth]

Thanks for the info, but I don't remember them being micas. I'm remembering that they were actually dye chips for soaps and they were sort of like glistening. I am desperate to find these. My daughter and I bought flexible ice cube trays at Target that look like gemstones...so we made m&P soap in them and now she wants to embed plastic "gemstone" rings in them and from there we are doing a whole "princess" type line of soap/bath type stuff. I guess if I can't figure out where I saw these colors, I'll have to go with the micas or add glitter. I should've bookmarked it but I did jot the site down on a little scratch notebook here on the desk, but it's disappeared! Oh well!

[chiptooth]

OOOOH I found some sparkley colors at wsp. This isn't the original place I saw them and they are a little more expensive, but it will have to do.

[blazerina]

I purchased a bottle of a sparkly liquid soap color from Glory Bee just to try. The color is Saphire and you wouldn't beleive it, but the teeny tiniest dab of that into clear mp makes the most lifelike color (or non color) of water for aquarium soaps. Off subject, but it's just amazing to me.

But anyhoo- it is sparkly with out having glitter and it doesn't take much at all to get the effect. There is a link to Glory Bee in the Fragrance Discussion if you want to check it out.

I just looked at my bottle for ya and it says 'Saphire Gel Tone'

p.s I hope what you seen wasn't just a trick of the camera and lighting- Know what I mean?

[chiptooth]

OOOOOH....I found it. The place is called www.soapandthings. they even have a glow in the dark powder. I'm hoping this will be a good thing for Halloween soaps!