Question about colors!

[MKristen]

Hi there!

So I have been soaping for about two months now and I have to say...I am addicted! I just received a large order of oils and scents and I am so excited to play some more!

The one thing that is seeming to overwhelm me a bit is colors...I have a few colors that I purchased from a local soap supply store, titanium dioxide, blue mica, and a few liquid glycerine colorants that I have had some pretty great success with in my soap (other than the blue that turned purple, oh well).

What is the difference between lab colors or liquid colors and micas - is one necessarily better? It seems to me the micas for the most part are much more expensive than the liquids/lab colors - is it because of trying to be "all natural" do you find your customers like one more than the other?

What are your favorite suppliers for colorants? I have looked at Brambleberry and Goplanetearth, are their others you love?

Thanks so much!

 

[judymoody]

For micas, Brambleberry, TKB trading, or the Conservatorie. Brambleberry is helpful because Anne Marie tells you how they perform in CP soap - like your blue morphing to purple. She also has great sample packs so you can try them out in small quantities before committing to larger sizes. TKB has a huge selection, though.

Labcolors tend to bleed so if you're going for crisp swirls, this is not the best option. Great for solid color soaps though.

I prefer clays, oxides, and ultramarines as colorants. A little goes a long way and the particle size is a bit larger and heavier than with the micas so they are less likely to get blown about and possibly inhaled. It's always a good idea to use a mask when measuring out your mineral colorants.

Botanical colorants, especially the greens, can fade or look more muted over time. If you like a more earthy, subdued color palette, they might be worth trying.

Hope this helps!