Getting a nice WHITE in CP

[SoapyPawCookie]

Hey!

So, yellows and oranges are pretty much easier than falling off a log, but If I'd like to highlight a nice white, can I use mica? Or should I use zinc oxide? Or maybe something else?

Humbly thanking you in advance.

 

[Obsidian]

Titanium dioxide will give a nice solid brilliant white.

 

[SoapyPawCookie]

Titanium dioxide will give a nice solid brilliant white.

Thank you!

Would that be a superior option to, say, mica?

If so, why?

(So for all the questions!)

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, its much better then mica in this case. White mica just doesn't whiten soap, its not opaque enough.
I notice a little shimmer from white mica if you use a lot but not a solid, brilliant white.

 

[SoapyPawCookie]

Yes, its much better then mica in this case. White mica just doesn't whiten soap, its not opaque enough.
I notice a little shimmer from white mica if you use a lot but not a solid, brilliant white.

Thanks so much, really appreciate the headsup!

 

[jenneelk]

Also you can stick to as many white clear oils as possible.. like for olive oil use light olive oil which makes a big difference since so many use a good amount of this oil. Butters will yellow tinge more in higher amounts. Coconut oil and Light olive oil make a great white bar with a bit of shea only... like 10% at most.

 

[Misschief]

I get a lovely white soap when I use Zany's No-Slime Castile recipe... link here.

 

[DawninWA]

Safflower oil, lard or ivory shea butter (some Shea is yellowish), and coconut oil makes a nice white soap. Not quite the brilliant white of titanium dioxide, but nice.

Sadly, the orange blossom fragrance oil in the orange and white one discolored to tanish. But the root beer one doesn't have any fragrance in its top, so it is still white. These are safflower, shea, and coconut.

 

[DeeAnna]

Another aspect of using titanium dioxide is the white it creates is opaque, so the soap (IMO) can look chalky especially if you use a lot of TD.

If your goal is to get a dead white, TD works fine to get that look, but if you want the soap to also have some translucency, TD tends to kill that especially if you use a lot.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@Obsidian and @DeeAnna - in your experience, how much TD ppo would you suggest for white that isn’t chalky?

 

[IrishLass]

Not Obsidian or DeeAnna, but to avoid chalkiness, I never go over 1 tsp. ppo. Most times (depending on my FO) I can get a brilliant white with just 1/2 tsp. to 3/4 tsp. titanium dioxide ppo.


IrishLass

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Not Obsidian or DeeAnna, but to avoid chalkiness, I never go over 1 tsp. ppo. Most times (depending on my FO) I can get a brilliant white with just 1/2 tsp. to 3/4 tsp. titanium dioxide ppo.


IrishLass

I only just started using TD (for my landscape soaps ). The first one looks fine and hopefully the second one will, too. It has slightly more than the first batch, but still in your range. Whew Thanks @IrishLass

 

[Obsidian]

@Obsidian and @DeeAnna - in your experience, how much TD ppo would you suggest for white that isn’t chalky?

I generally use 1/2 tsp ppo for a nice white. My base recipe is pretty white to start with though so it doesn't take much.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I generally use 1/2 tsp ppo for a nice white. My base recipe is pretty white to start with though so it doesn't take much.

I’m probably up a little from what you use, maybe. I can only estimate because I was adding it until I got the white I wanted. What kind of TD do you use? Mine is crafters choice matte white pigment (TD, oil soluble). It was perfectly smooth when I mixed it into a thin batter, but it seemed to be clumping up a bit when the batter started to thicken towards the end. I will know better when I cut it.

 

[user 29721]

Do not gel/insulate the soap if you use TD, it is known to have an increased chance of glycerin rivers. Some like them, some don't.

 

[Obsidian]

I’m probably up a little from what you use, maybe. I can only estimate because I was adding it until I got the white I wanted. What kind of TD do you use? Mine is crafters choice matte white pigment (TD, oil soluble). It was perfectly smooth when I mixed it into a thin batter, but it seemed to be clumping up a bit when the batter started to thicken towards the end. I will know better when I cut it.

I actually get mine from a local soaping store so I don't know who the supplier is. It is water soluble and I never have issues with speckles, clumps or accelaration.

I estimate too. I use plastic baby spoons to measure it out, a heaping spoonful is roughly around 1/2 tsp, maybe a bit more.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I actually get mine from a local soaping store so I don't know who the supplier is. It is water soluble and I never have issues with speckles, clumps or accelaration.

I estimate too. I use plastic baby spoons to measure it out, a heaping spoonful is roughly around 1/2 tsp, maybe a bit more.

Thanks. Hopefully I will remember that after I use up all of the TD I have now . Plastic baby spoons are new to me. When I still had a research lab, I had all kinds of small scoops and spoons, which would be very useful for soap additives. At one point I also had a set of those funny tiny measuring spoons. I got rid of them because I never used them for cooking. That’s pretty much how it goes around here. I get rid of something and then I need it!

 

[Nanette]

I get a lovely white soap when I use Zany's No-Slime Castile recipe... link here.

My nice olive oil had a positively green crop this spring....no white at the moment lol