Alajane Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I had an order for 50 guest-size soaps for baby shower favors. Mixed up my batch of SFIC goat's milk soap, baby powder fragrance, and used Crafters Choice™ Blue Mica Powder for the colorant. Got a great shade of blue and poured all the molds I had in the right size. Left the remaining soap in my glass pyrex to be reheated and poured the next night.When I put my pyrex container in the microwave, the soap was baby blue. Took it out periodically to stir and noticed some of it was white. The more it melted, the more white soap I had, until by the time it was all melted, there was absolutely no trace of blue colorant left!! Does mica "evaporate" when it's reheated?I had to make another batch of soap to do the rest of the bars.I've never had anything like this happen, but it was the first time I had used that colorant. I know mica doesn't give a pretty shimmer in white soaps, but it was the only blue color I had, so I decided to give it a try.Does this always happen when mica is reheated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccajo99 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I had my purple lilac soaps turn white, but it was after I had them poured in the molds cooling. It was a glycerin dispursed mica. HMMMMM... got me wondering now. I just thought I didn't have enough color in it, so when it cooled it just turned lighter.But yours is different. I'm wondering now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alajane Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Does sound like mica is the common factor, doesn't it? Before this, I had only used mica in clear soap and it does great. I just couldn't believe it totally disappeared--the soap was a nice blue color before I put it in the microwave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I don't add color until my base is completely melted using the microwave. I alway add color last after any and all additives. Micas too. Haven't tried a blue mica but used the TKB POP Grape mica in a white base with no problems. I suspect the color fade is triggered by the action of heating in the microwave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccajo99 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I don't add color until my base is completely melted using the microwave. I alway add color last after any and all additives. Micas too. Haven't tried a blue mica but used the TKB POP Grape mica in a white base with no problems. I suspect the color fade is triggered by the action of heating in the microwave.I can see that with hers, but why would mine disappear? I add color last too and in the situation where it disappeared, it was not microwaved again. I have had ones that I colored and re-microwaved and never had an issue. This is just weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alajane Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 I also have re-microwaved some colored soap previously and this is the first time this has happened. Now I'm going to have to try it with some clear soap colored with mica--just in the name of scientific experiment!!Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micayla75 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 (edited) I have the same problem with the Crafter's Choice blue mica. It looks fantastic when first poured (I don't add it until it is completely melted) but after a while, it fades. I stopped using that mica.ETA: I also used the SFIC base. Edited July 22, 2010 by micayla75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alajane Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 This is just fascinating to me--I know color changes with vanilla in the soap, but I just never had any disappear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I've never had this happen to me so I can only guess at it. If its not a reaction to either heating or reheating in the microwave I would assume its the quality of the dye or the base you are using. I've noticed significant color differences from one brand of dye to another. I have also noticed there can be changes to bases themselves or using a different base can effect the color quality.I quit using bases from Candlewic for example because the base would change from time to time. I could only guess that they changed the formular or how much titanium dioxide they were using. Sometimes I would get a white base and other times a grayish base. And it had a definite effect on the use of color with the base.I love using the bases and liquid colors from C&S and have not had problems with them. I have also used TKB POP micas and highly recommend both their liquid and mica powders for color.My suggestion would be to either try a different manufacturers base or color until you can determine where the problem lies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.