If you search High Temperature Hot Process on youtube you will find how to keep the fluidity in your HP soap. The volcano that this process can cause are only unnerving the first time it happens then you'll realize that they are actually very easy to control. The secret is to avoid filling your...
You can infuse olive oil with turmeric for yellow, paprika for orange. Red it's difficult to achieve but you can try with manjistha or madder root. These are just some examples.
I'm in Arizona and here is where I buy sodium gluconate : https://www.saveoncitric.com/nsearch.html?query=sodium+gluconate+8&searchsubmit=Search&vwcatalog=yhst-128631805714435
Yes it is, I alway use both sodium citrate and sodium gluconate as chelators in my handmade soap (they help prevent DOS and soap scum, I have very hard water) and dissolving them in the water before adding the lye is the easy way to do it :)