Coloring your cp soaps...

[coffeebean]

Is it the coloring or the fo that makes the color changes in my soap? I was using the gel soap coloring it never stays that color. Should I be using the powder forms instead? I see other peopls soaps looking vibrant with color & they look beautiful. If I do need the powder form what company do you recommend? TIA

[ProudMarineMom]

Sometimes it can be a combination of both. One of the more experienced CP'ers can probably give you a better explanation, but I will give it a try.

The color can morph in CP soap due to the reaction with the lye. This is why you look for colors that are CP Stable. Not all websites have that information so it is trial and error at that point. Which is why taking notes is so important. If I have a color that doesn't have CP info or I can't find if anyone has tested it, I will do small tests myself. I generally have batter left over after pouring in my molds. So, in the beginning, before adding fragrance or anything else, I make a little cup of the soap, about 2 oz, with the new color and pour into an individual silicone mold. That way I can see what the color does during the cure. Also, if you gel your soap the colors can become darker or brighter, however you want to look at it.

Fragrance oils can also discolor your soap. That information is generally listed on the supplier sites. It can range anywhere from a light ivory to a dark brown, those with quite a bit of vanilla in them for example. The discoloration will also change how the final color looks. You can add titanium dioxide to help fight the discoloration, but any other color you add will lean toward pastel. Or, you can pour off some soap for swirls, topping, whatever, before adding the fragrance oil.

In my recipes I have also noticed certain things can change the look of my colors sometimes, such as honey, buttermilk or teas. But, that is probably in combination with my soap recipe as a whole, not just because of those specific ingredients. Again, you have to work with it and take notes.

I really like and use a lot of micas and trying to learn how to use natural colorants as well. There are also ultramarines, oxides, pigments, liquids, and gels like you use. For micas, TKB Trading is excellent. They have a lot of info about each mica, whether it is stable in CP soap and if it will bleed. I also get quite a few from the Conservatorie. But, they don't have CP information listed. Other places like Brambleberry or MMS have ultramarines, oxides and pigments in addition to some micas.

There are also certain ingredients in micas that are known not to be CP stable. Such as carmine (found in reds) and I think it's ferric ferrocyanide (found in blues) that will morph. But sometimes, you can get some real pretty colors from a morph. BB Celini Blue will morph into a purple or a mauve, depending on your recipe.

Sorry, information overload. Hope that helps out some.

J

[coffeebean]

Thank you so much for all your great info, I really appreciate it.

[JanetsCandles]

Most of the supplier sites (I'm talking places like Brambleberry, Magestic Mountain Sage, WSP, ect) should give you info on if a color morphs or not in CP soap. I use the Merlot Mica (from BB) for a red color, and so far haven't had a morph problem. I haven't found any others that work for the color (yet).

The color morph does happen because certain colors don't like a high pH, which happens when you have the lye/fat reactions. Some of the colors actually look like they morph, but they come back to true after they set up. I've got a lavender oxide like that. There are some CP soap colors that are in liquids too, from my understanding. It just sounds like those colors you are using are just not CP stable.

[ProudMarineMom]

The color morph does happen because certain colors don't like a high pH, which happens when you have the lye/fat reactions.

Yes this, high PH is what I meant and explained badly. Thank you Janet for making that more clear.

I think the Ruby Red mica from the Conservatorie does pretty good, but am not 100% sure yet. I used it in a batch that I accidentally added TD before pouring off the colors, so they were muted. It was still red, just not the bright red I was going for.

Wow, just looked at Conservatorie to make sure it was Ruby Red I was talking about. The have line in the details that says Soap Making Process and whether it's stable or not. That is new.