Colors dissolved in glycerin - downside?

[dixiedragon]

Somebody -can't remember who - said this is the way they do their colors and it sounds like a great idea. My understanding is that oxides will dissolve in glycerin, and the glycerin won't grow things like water will.

My question is - what is the color: glycerin ratio? And also, how much glycerin is okay to put in CP?

 

[DeeAnna]

Oxides and ultramarines don't dissolve -- they remain particles mixed into the glycerin or oil or water.

I have only eyeballed the amount -- maybe 1 teaspoon colorant per 2 Tablespoons of glycerin and shake well before each use.

I haven't noticed any problems with the the added glycerin from the colorant, but I haven't used a lot of color in my soaps, so I haven't added a lot of glycerin to the soaps either. I hope someone who does intense deep colors will give their perspective.

I have drizzled mica mixed with glycerin on the top of soap. If I make the mistake of not getting the bigger drops of mica-glycerin pulled out as thin as possible, the thicker parts will stay sticky for a week or two. The glycerin will eventually will soak into the soap if I'm patient, so I don't think added glycerin is a huge problem unless you really go overboard.

 

[cmzaha]

It was me and I mix all my colorants other than lab colors in glycerin. I use deli cups for mixing. The only downside is if they sit for a couple of months they can thicken on the bottom of the deli cup, but a good stirring and a little more glycerin will usually thin it back out. I prefer this method over oils, since I do not want to add in extra oil to my batches, I superfat low with most my recipes, and I do not like pulling oil from the batch because I may not want to add in all the color. Unlike some, I am not real precise with my colors and prefer to add the color until I get what I want. I see DeeAnna beat me, but I do mix oxides and ultramarines in glycerin and do not end up with color specks in my soap, other than my oatmeal that leaves specks .

I have not had much success with using glycerin/mica for a swirl, it always seperates in the swirl and looks like tiny droplets accross the swirl. I find oil & mica make a better swirl