Different Way of Adding Color

[mom2tyler]

Has anyone tried adding color (mica) to the lye THEN adding to water?
I usually add color at trace but I'm looking for a different look.

Thanks! Happy Saturday

 

[rubyslippers]

No, but keep us posted. That never occured to me but I'm afraid to add anything to lye.

 

[Soaplady22]

May I ask, what "look" are you going for?
I think using it with the lye is subjecting it to more abuse than is neccessary.

 

[mom2tyler]

Something a bit more translucent than adding it at trace.
I will try with a small batch.

I'm making sandalwood and lavender and I wanted to add a bit of cocoa powder for some color....but not exactly solid like you get with adding color at trace.

 

[MissMori]

Wouldn't you get the same effect as adding the mica to the water and then adding the lye? When I'm making a solid colored bar, I always add my color to the water, stir, then add the lye and stir.

 

[NancyRogers]

If I'm doing a solid color, I just mix my mica in the oil before adding the lye solution.

 

[IrishLass]

If you gel your soap, it will automatically have a more transluscent look to it (unless you also add TD to it, that is).

I suppose you could add the mica directly to the lye before adding it to the water, but I bet dollars to donuts that it's not going to make any difference in the transluscency/opaqueness of your soap than if you just mix the color into your water first instead (before adding the lye).

If I'm doing a solid color, I mix the color in a small bit of my of water amount, and then I stickblend it right into my oils before adding the lye. It always comes out transluscent as long as I gel, and also as long as I didn't add TD to it.

IrishLass

 

[soapbuddy]

I've tried it in the lye water and then in the oils and it made no difference.