HP natural coloring

[Sharry]

Hi, I’m new to the HP method, I really like this method, except for coloring. I mixed hibiscus & indigo powder with a little oil to make a beautiful deep purple color, however when poured into cooked soap in became a camouflaged green in color (no akanet root at time, although not sure if it would matter as never used in HP). Can you not mix powders for color variations? It appears all colors are less brilliant, but mine appear to be more of a grey tone. What am I doing wrong? Please help. Thanks so much, Sharry from Tulare

 

[szaza]

Hey Sharry,

Unfortunately hibiscus will turn brown due to the pH of soap.. even in HP it doesn't work, which is probably why your color turned out different than you expected
Have you tried your indigo before? There are certain types that get more greyish or even greenish.. so it might also have to do with that. It should be possible to get blue from indigo by just adding powder dispersed in oils after cook (with the right indigo)
For a purple soap I'd recommend adding an alkanet infusion before cook, so it can go through gel phase. I've also had reasonable success with adding an isopropanol infusion of alkanet after cook (if you want to make a swirl with different colors).
If you don't have alkanet, I guess you could try adding some pink clay to the mix (make sure to make a slurry with some distilled water or your soap will get lumpy) I've never tried this myself though, so not sure how it'll work out..

Hope this helps!

 

[Sharry]

Hey Sharry,

Unfortunately hibiscus will turn brown due to the pH of soap.. even in HP it doesn't work, which is probably why your color turned out different than you expected
Have you tried your indigo before? There are certain types that get more greyish or even greenish.. so it might also have to do with that. It should be possible to get blue from indigo by just adding powder dispersed in oils after cook (with the right indigo)
For a purple soap I'd recommend adding an alkanet infusion before cook, so it can go through gel phase. I've also had reasonable success with adding an isopropanol infusion of alkanet after cook (if you want to make a swirl with different colors).
If you don't have alkanet, I guess you could try adding some pink clay to the mix (make sure to make a slurry with some distilled water or your soap will get lumpy) I've never tried this myself though, so not sure how it'll work out..

Hope this helps!

Yep, this helps, and I have had success with clay coloring. Did not think about the hipiscus and ph, should have though. Really appreciate it. I found the indigo and food outlet I had never been to before, and is is the greenish color and not the blue I usually get. Thanks for info.

 

[Dawni]

I have a post on indigo as I've used three kinds so far in soap.

The "raw" indigo straight from the plant is the type people use to darken hair but it'll never be blue - mine actually might be mixed with henna hence the resulting color.

I've not used alkanet, but something similar called ratanjot, but I have yet to be more than semi successful with it lol there are snippets from others in that post though, if you're interested.

Also, you'll find that hibiscus isn't the only plant powder that will turn brown in soap. Most will. Some turn into nothing lol. Hibiscus, blueberry, dragonfruit, butterfly pea, are some I recall reading about here. Takes a bit of research...