Help! new to colorants

[oh58ac]

I have successfully made several batches of soap with good results. I understand all the basic properties and how the process works fairly well. I am always open to the wisdom of you guys who are much more experiences thank I am. My main concern here is I am wanting to use oxide colorants, specifically red. Can someone please give me a rule of thumb guide to these , especially red, for cold process. I am wanting to get a nice solid red color for a "strawberry" soap without all the horrible side effects everyone talks about which have me scared to try. Thanks

 

[lsg]

Red is a difficult color. There are some tutorials on YouTube in combining reds to get it right. In my experience a very little red goes a long way.

 

[oh58ac]

Thanks, anyone else have more wonderful tips. I'm open for all you guys wisdom.

 

[Cindy2428]

Red oxide will give you a brick red color. As far as I know you won't be able to achieve a "strawberry" red with it.

What "horrible side effects" are you referring to with skin safe colorants?

 

[ibct1969]

I have heard that Nurture's Really Red works well. Anyone else use that? I haven't- I have just heard it.

 

[kchaystack]

Really Red is nice, but you need to gel to get the best red.

 

[cmzaha]

I have successfully made several batches of soap with good results. I understand all the basic properties and how the process works fairly well. I am always open to the wisdom of you guys who are much more experiences thank I am. My main concern here is I am wanting to use oxide colorants, specifically red. Can someone please give me a rule of thumb guide to these , especially red, for cold process. I am wanting to get a nice solid red color for a "strawberry" soap without all the horrible side effects everyone talks about which have me scared to try. Thanks

There are several red oxides and none give a true red. It is really best to buy test samples of each red and do test with each using your normal soap recipe, document each result so you have a reference. Oxides will run red even in small amounts and also take very small amounts to color.

I have heard that Nurture's Really Red works well. Anyone else use that? I haven't- I have just heard it.

It takes quite a large amount to get real red and it will also run red. Again trial and error, and do gel or you just get pink. Do not leave any soap made with red oxide or red mica sit on a sink without a soap dish because they can stain

 

[earlene]

I got a deep brick red with red oxide in this CP soap:

After a year, these soaps are now almost entirely the solid darker red you see in the soap below. The fragrance oil I used was Black Cherry by Crafter's Choice, which is said not to discolor, so either it did or the red oxide darkened with time.

I mixed 1/2 teaspoon of red oxide into 10 grams of oil for a total batch size of about 2 pounds, then mixed it into the rest of the oils. This is a ghost swirl soap, so the two different shades of color were achieved by adding more water to half of the batch and leaving the other half with less water.

The one drawback to such a deep red is that this soap bleeds red when used. The lather is red. I have no idea if it stains, because I don't use a washcloth with dark soaps, but I do have to rinse pinkish red spots from the sink.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I prefer natural colorants, but having said that, I have tried Nurture's Really Red (Mica) in CP Soap and it's a nice red. I'm sure it would be prefect in MP. Another suggestion from my notes:

TKB "True Collection" (TKB is my favorite site to peruse color options. User friendly... & fun!)
https://howtomakecosmetics.com/collections/soap-making

Since you're new to using colorants, here are some links you may find helpful...

Coloring Soap - Quick Start Guide - Lovin' Soap Studio
http://www.lovinsoap.com/coloring-soap-quick-start-guide/

Soap Queen TV
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3NQMzeDMAUo[/ame]

Soaping 101
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9IHRkv0-f4&t=40s[/ame]

 

[Professor_Snape]

Hot Process Colorants

Almost all the colorants I'm seeing (oxides and micas, etc.) indicate they work well in CP soap making. What about HP ? I do both CP and HP but I'm starting to do more HP. Any advice on colorants for HP ?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Kenna at Modern Soapmaking has Tips & Tricks for swirling HP. Here's a link:

http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/tips-for-swirling-hot-process-soap/

If you try it, I hope you post pics and let us know how it worked for you. :wave:

 

[earlene]

Just avoid colorants designed for Melt & Pour soap when you are doing HP or CP. For example, if you buy colorants at one of the big box hobby stores, they don't say it on the label, but in my experience they lose their color when they meet lye.

But the colorants that perform for me in CP soap, also perform just as well in HP, at least so far. I use mainly micas and oxides, some ultramarines, and occassionally some natural colorants as well. Only once have I had a color morph (Ultramarine blue morphed to purple) and that was in CP. But that only happened once to me, and it was not my UM blue, so I don't what vendor it came from.

 

[jcandleattic]

I have heard that Nurture's Really Red works well. Anyone else use that? I haven't- I have just heard it.

It's nice but has a pink tone to it.

I use a pinch of red oxide with a bit of neon pink to achieve my perfect strawberry/Christmas red.