Bleeding Red Soap

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Fran2

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I made a red oxide colored soap, and now it leaves red in the soap dish and pink bubbles. It is a 5 lb batch, what can I do with it now???? This is not the first color to to bleed, I have another batch with yellow pigment that is leaving yellow on the soap dish.

I am so frustrated with coloring soap. Is it acceptable to sell soap that bleeds when wet?????

I have used natural colorants like sandalwood and nettle but I just don't like the scratchy feeling. That will be another post.

Thank you...
 
In my experience red just plain bleeds, so I tend to use it only for swirls or in smaller quantities that don't yield a real red but instead a muted shade of pink, salmon or adobe. I haven't used the oxides, but clays do the same thing if you use enough of it to create a real red.

Would love to hear if anyone's found something for true red soap without bleeding.

As for activated charcoal, I make one soap that is so chock-full of it that it definitely bleeds gray. I have stated on my website and tell buyers in person that it WILL bleed, so they should use an old washcloth they don't mind ruining. It's my best seller, so I have no qualms about selling it as long as buyers are forewarned :)
 
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Try using less. You can get vibrant colors using 1/4 teaspoon PPO, or even less. I have overdone oxides from time to time,so I feel your pain.

Botanical colors tend to fade over time, might be worth keeping in mind if you decide to sell.
 
What can be done with it now, is there a way to rebatch it? Maybe grate it and use it sparingly in other soap?
 
Well, does it stain the washcloth? If it colors it, but just rinses off, I wouldn't worry about it. All my colored soaps leave color on the soap dish (but it washes off-if it's leaving an actual stain, that wouldn't be acceptable). I don't think the colored bubbles or color on the dish are a problem. Now, if it's actually staining things that would be different.
 
It must be okay to sell soap that bleeds because Lush does. I sampled a few chunks from a local Lush store and was surprised that they all bled.
 
I wouldn't be too worried about it unless it seems to be staining the skin (which I can't imagine), or as Marilyna says, if it stains the washcloth. I just used red oxide in a soap I made. I am fairly certain the bubbles will be red. I plan on just cautioning buyers. I have used chocolate in soap, and it made tan bubbles, but the soap still cleaned, and it didn't stain the skin.
 
Thank you for all the input. I was not aware that Lush soap bleeds. I will test it and see if it stains the wash cloth.

I like the Marketing Plan. LOL....
 

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