Colorant Choices - Fading Question

[QuirkyBlossom]

Herbs and clay vs mica and mineral pigments...that is the question...

While I am testing recipes I won't be using any essential oils or color. I want to see how just the basic recipes I create behave before I start adding anything like fragrance or color.

That said, with shipping costs, it makes sense to order as much as I can from each supplier which will include some oils and colorants.

I know herbs and clay won't produce the bright colors mica and mineral pigments will, but do they really fade as bad as I've read some people say? Is there anything that can be done to reduce the amount or speed of fading?

Do any of you use herbs and clay to color some batches while still using mica and mineral pigments to get the brighter colors in other batches?

 

[Obsidian]

Yeah, your natural colorant are going to fade. Nothing really helps but keeping the soap in the dark can slow it down. I went through a phase of using quite a lot of herbs, none kept their pretty color for more then 2-3 months. Alkenet is the longest lasting but its fickle, sometimes you'll get a nice lavender, sometimes you'll get a horrible purply/grey/dead flesh color.
I've given up on herbs now, I'll stick to my micas.

Clays might be better, I've only used rose clay but it seems to have kept its color well. I dislike clay in soap though, it dries my skin out of leaves it feeling weird. I don't like the muted colors either.

 

[QuirkyBlossom]

Clays might be better, I've only used rose clay but it seems to have kept its color well. I dislike clay in soap though, it dries my skin out of leaves it feeling weird. I don't like the muted colors either.

Thanks for the info about it drying out your skin. I wonder if there is anything you can do to prevent that? It seems like the more research I do, the more questions I have. :mrgreen:

 

[LindaT]

Natural colorants just fade and is as simple as that. They fade out because of the ph of the soap so there is nothing really you can do about it except try and make it work somehow. I use natural, plant based colorants but also leave parts of my soap natural so the colored part isn't the main focus. So far it's been working well enough. I just ordered some micas and will begin to play around with them. I like the natural subtle colored look of my soaps and appreciate their character.

 

[Steve85569]

Thanks for the info about it drying out your skin. I wonder if there is anything you can do to prevent that? It seems like the more research I do, the more questions I have. :mrgreen:

Welcome to soap making!
The more I learn the more I know I have to learn.
This is best described as being an art form. We are after all hand crafting soap.

As has been said naturals fade, clays are muted and remain thirsty ( have a high affinity for moisture) and will be drying because of their structure.
Micas and minerals hold their colors the best but I have had some strange results wit marines and ultra marines. Food colors morph into strange colors but they are predictable. Colors for M&P generally do not stick in CP or HP soap. Mr. Lye eats them.

Lots of information to absorb. I am a novice compared to most here but I thought I'd share the little I've learned so far.

Steve

 

[dibbles]

I like the softer color of clays. French green clay (at least the one I have right now, and I think I got it from Nurture Soap) gives a soft grayish-green and the color stays. I have also used the purple clay from Bramble Berry. I gave that soap away (small batch for my sister), but I think it was more of a mauve than a true purple. It was a pretty color. Some people use white kaolin to whiten the soap. Here's a thread on that:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=54784&highlight=kaolin+creme

 

[lsg]

I have used French green clay and although it produces a muted color, I haven't noticed it fading.

 

[dixiedragon]

Nurture soap ships colors free to the contiguous 48. I have been VERY pleased with all of their colors.

IMO, clays don't fade. They are very soft, but they don't fade.

You can use some icing colors, such as the white (it has titanium dioxide) and the red with Red #40. But since Nurture ships colors free, why mess around?

Their Really Red is really great, btw.

 

[ibct1969]

Hi all,

Just reading thru this post reminded me that I have some indigo powder. Will that fade as well (in CP)?

 

[QuirkyBlossom]

Nurture soap ships colors free to the contiguous 48. I have been VERY pleased with all of their colors.

IMO, clays don't fade. They are very soft, but they don't fade.

You can use some icing colors, such as the white (it has titanium dioxide) and the red with Red #40. But since Nurture ships colors free, why mess around?

Their Really Red is really great, btw.

I will check out that company. Thanks!