Colors?? Food coloring??
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If you have some old eye shadow, you can grind that up in the blender and add a little to your M&P soap. While it will not work in CP soap because of the saponification process, I would think it is OK for M&P base. Colored clays can also be used. Here is a link with with other ideas. 20+ Natural Soap Colorants for Melt and Pour Soap Recipes
Short answer is...there really isn't one. Colors that are labeled with "FD&C" and "D&C" are supposed to have been certified as be safe to use in "Food, Drugs and Cosmetics" or "Drugs and Cosmetics", but let's be honest here...folks in the government aren't the brightest crayons in the box. A lot of whether or not someone can be used, regardless of the government, comes down to other ingredients and application.
You could probably use Food Coloring in M&P, but I wouldn't recommend it for CP Soap or for bath bombs; partly because alcohol content with regards to the saponification process and in bath bombs because the amounts you would need could lead to colorants staining the skin. And I agree with @lsg about using old mineral based eyeshadows in M&P, but not in CP Soap. I bought a lovely Blue Mica that turned out that it couldn't be used in CP Soap, but was okay to be used in Eye Shadow. Which explained why when I added it to my soap batter, it disappeared. It was the same with another Mica I bought...it was fine to use in bath salts and bath bombs, but not in CP soap...again, it disappeared.
My recommendation would be that if you already have the food coloring, make a single bar of soap and what the results are. Make sure you document how many drops you use to get the color you want, how it feels when you are washing, how your skin feels afterwards (up to at least an hour) and if there is any staining...on your skin and your washcloth.
You could probably use Food Coloring in M&P, but I wouldn't recommend it for CP Soap or for bath bombs; partly because alcohol content with regards to the saponification process and in bath bombs because the amounts you would need could lead to colorants staining the skin. And I agree with @lsg about using old mineral based eyeshadows in M&P, but not in CP Soap. I bought a lovely Blue Mica that turned out that it couldn't be used in CP Soap, but was okay to be used in Eye Shadow. Which explained why when I added it to my soap batter, it disappeared. It was the same with another Mica I bought...it was fine to use in bath salts and bath bombs, but not in CP soap...again, it disappeared.
My recommendation would be that if you already have the food coloring, make a single bar of soap and what the results are. Make sure you document how many drops you use to get the color you want, how it feels when you are washing, how your skin feels afterwards (up to at least an hour) and if there is any staining...on your skin and your washcloth.
If you get Blue Food coloring which states it is Blue1, you can use it to make a nice purple in soap. It will morph a few times before settling to purple but you do have to be careful to not get it too dark. It is better to use it in a swirl until you figure out how to use it in the beginning. Blue 1 only morphs to purple in a high ph environment.
Yikes! This misunderstands FDA color regs & their purpose.
"Colors that are labeled with "FD&C" and "D&C" are supposed to have been certified as be safe to use in "Food, Drugs and Cosmetics" or "Drugs and Cosmetics", but let's be honest here...folks in the government aren't the brightest crayons in the box. A lot of whether or not someone can be used, regardless of the government, comes down to other ingredients and application."
They're regulating for *safety*, in fact the use of harmful colorants was the origin for the FDA.
The certification process is to be sure of authenticity (as opposed, say, to things sometimes sold on Amazon etc. that aren't what they claim), and also hygeine & chain of custody (ingredients not being adulterated between mfr and buyer).
"Will this color my product well?" is not the FDA's concern. "Will this colorant not harm the person using a product containing it?" is.
I mean, theoretically, functionally, one could use white lead or Paris green as cosmetic colorants, they do make colors. Poisonous ones. That's the sort of thing the FDA, FD&C regulations are about. Not whether ferric ferrocyanide stays blue in soap.
"Colors that are labeled with "FD&C" and "D&C" are supposed to have been certified as be safe to use in "Food, Drugs and Cosmetics" or "Drugs and Cosmetics", but let's be honest here...folks in the government aren't the brightest crayons in the box. A lot of whether or not someone can be used, regardless of the government, comes down to other ingredients and application."
They're regulating for *safety*, in fact the use of harmful colorants was the origin for the FDA.
The certification process is to be sure of authenticity (as opposed, say, to things sometimes sold on Amazon etc. that aren't what they claim), and also hygeine & chain of custody (ingredients not being adulterated between mfr and buyer).
"Will this color my product well?" is not the FDA's concern. "Will this colorant not harm the person using a product containing it?" is.
I mean, theoretically, functionally, one could use white lead or Paris green as cosmetic colorants, they do make colors. Poisonous ones. That's the sort of thing the FDA, FD&C regulations are about. Not whether ferric ferrocyanide stays blue in soap.
I am not sure what paradisi is talking about but Blue 1 is FD&C blue 1 and is safe to use, I used it for years with no problems. You can also buy it at The Sage in powder form, it is their Grape color.
You all are such deep wells of knowledge! Thank you so much I really appreciate it! I’m just trying to be cheap. I have food coloring and I just don’t feel like buying more of anything. We’re just making tiny little decorative soaps for Christmas presents from my seven year old. Nothing fancy. Melt and pour. Nothing fancy. i’m having a blast with it, and I have gotten fancy with other things in the natural and self-care world in the past, but I think this time, I’m just gonna have fun with these little candy molds, and give them away for Christmas. It’s certainly worth being careful that it dies because I know some peoples skin is sensitive. and I agree that the FDA is not necessarily out for our actual best interests. But I’m not making food just goofy, decorative hand soaps and I agree that the FDA is not necessarily out for our actual best interests. But I’m not making food, just goofy, decorative hands folks. I think if I read between the lines, it seems like food coloring is mostly safe for most peoples skin, and worth my experimenting with in the name of being cheap. I did buy organic soap base! and I am using high grade essential oils for scent. Lol! Thanks everyone for your help.
I’m so excited to have all these little ones to give away as a gifties this year. Last year a lot of random people and coworkers gave me a little gifts, and this year I am prepared to give them also. Lol!
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Great-looking soap! Love the pickle.
Color me confused, but isn't that what I said?
As for the actual color of the color...wasn't even part of the conversation.
oops, I need to look at what forum postings are in. I did not realize this was m&p.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Oh! That is exciting. I thought about that. My daughter has a billion broken crayons. I also have used crayons to color candles in the past. That’s great to know. Thank you!
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