It's not easy gettin' green

[SparksnFlash]

I have an interesting problem that I haven't found anywhere else in the Forum. Twice I've tried to make CP soap with green colorant. The first time I used spirulina - and the soap turned a very lovely shade of purple. This week I made a soap and used green mica, and it turned orange. Two different recipes.
Recipe 1 = Turned purple
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Castor Oil
Unscented (cuz I forgot to add FO)
I did use green mica with this and it was perfect!

Recipe 2 = turned orange
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Palm Oil
Shea Butter
FO's (mixed clover/rose/lilac/wildberry/lily of valley)

I've used both of these recipes with other colors and no problem - only green. Any ideas?

 

[jenneelk]

Where was the mica from? And it could be your FO that caused it but since you had so many it would be hard to say what the culprit was. Morphing colors are very frustrating! Sometimes when it gels though it will go back. I had one many months ago with 2-3 colors change and then totally go back after a CPOP.

 

[cmzaha]

Interesting, I have never had Spirulina turn purple and I use it alot. I have had it morph to a light brown when I have not used enough. It takes a good heaping teaspoon in 12 oz of batter to make a nice green that has a slight bluish tint. I do not gel most of my soaps so that could make a difference.

 

[SparksnFlash]

Mica from Brambleberry, and used it in Recipe 1 it turned out great - used a different FO in that one though. For the batch that turned orange (Recipe 2) I threw it out, as it was supposed to be grassy and the orange didn't go with the other colors. The batch with spirulina stayed a great purple, and is still purple to this day in the unscented soap. I laugh because it's such a great purple, but bet I can't replicate it. LOL!

 

[Obsidian]

Go back to the brambleberry site and double check if your mica is stable in high PH, not are all. I have a blue that sometimes morphs to a pinkish color.
Not sure whats up with your spirulina, I've used it with no issues. Maybe its brand you use, where is it from? I use green oxide, it works good and never any morphing.

 

[Seawolfe]

+1 on the brambleberry green oxide if you want a greeny green. This one is the green chrome oxide.

I've also gotten a more olive green with hemp oil & french green clay.

 

[SparksnFlash]

Seawolfe & Obsidian - Feeling a bit green myself now, jealous you know. Here's a pic of my lovely purple spirulina. Thanks for your help, ordering green oxide tonight.

 

[songwind]

I had these same issues with a green mica I didn't check for high pH stability. It turned orange, then purple, and some of it turned back to green.

I wrote about it in my aptly named thread, "Go home, soap. You're drunk."

 

[neeners]

PURPLE!?!? weird!!! I use chlorella, and have consistently gotten a really good green that lasts.

 

[HerbalEarthling]

Seawolfe & Obsidian - Feeling a bit green myself now, jealous you know. Here's a pic of my lovely purple spirulina. Thanks for your help, ordering green oxide tonight.

Edit: Jeez nevermind I'm just a blockhead. I see now the recipe was in your first post. Duh!

Omg they're beautiful!!! I wish spirulina would turn purple for me! I've used spirulina successfully to make green in about 5 different batches. Alkanet for purple. Would you mind sharing the recipe for the spirulina/purple soap? Maybe it's an essential oil or combination of ingredients. I saw a blog post about cinnamon EO and milk powder turning a beautiful shade of red because of that combination.

 

[OliveOil2]

That green oxide from Bramble Berry is beautiful, I am using one that turns out more of a sage green. I'll have to remember that when I do an order from them.

 

[SparksnFlash]

I wrote about it in my aptly named thread, "Go home, soap. You're drunk."

Thanks Songwind. I thought I'd thoroughly checked the threads, but missed that one. You got a pretty purple too.

 

[SparksnFlash]

Omg they're beautiful!!! I wish spirulina would turn purple for me! I've used spirulina successfully to make green in about 5 different batches. Alkanet for purple. Would you mind sharing the recipe for the spirulina/purple soap? Maybe it's an essential oil or combination of ingredients. I saw a blog post about cinnamon EO and milk powder turning a beautiful shade of red because of that combination.

HerbalEarthling: I forgot the FO in the batch that turned purple. I am going to try it again using the exact recipe to see if I can get the same result. (I gave it away, but it was oddly a big hit - one never knows.)Will let you know, and send you the measurements of Recipe 1 if it turns purple again. Songwind had a similar issue, but looks like his went from orange to green to purple. Now wishing I hadn't thrown out the orange, so I could see what happened to it after cure. May try that again too.

 

[SparksnFlash]

Thanks for your help everyone. I got in a bit of a hurry and didn't mix my TD thoroughly, so white dots, but the green turned out perfect using oxide.

 

[Ruthie]

Very nice! I just love my oxides!