Matte Pigment Powder Problems :-<

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SugarPie

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I've been reading this forum for a few months now (newbie waving!) and I was wondering if you'd be able to help me with a pigment problem I'm having?

I am not a soap making artisan in that I don't actually "make" soap. I've been purchasing ready-to-go bases, adding colorants, fragrances and then bottling the liquid product for personal and family use.

Yesterday, I poured and heated 64 oz of liquid body wash base and tried to color it using purple matte pigment. I did some reading on the net and saw that I should mix the pigment with a small amount of carrier oil (I used almond) and then add that to the base. Sadly, this did not work. The result was a mixture of base and powdered colorant that did not dissolve :-< I tried a smaller batch using 8 oz of base plus pigment (no carrier oil) and received the same result. I also tried a small batch with no heat.

Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Why won't the pigment powder fully dissolve? I would also like to add that I have the same issue using a colorant block.

Thank you in advance for any insight you can offer me.
 
Recommended Crafter's Choice Color Additives:
Liquid Dye, Bismuth Oxychloride, Pearlizer & Foam Booster

I think you need a liquid color.

Dixie, thank you! I'd like to share something with you... a convo I had with the rep @BA (s/he was familiar with the base I was using)...

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Another thing you could try is using a hand mixer/immersion blender/kitchen aid to mix if you don't do that already. I've not made liquid soap with that particular base, but I use powder dyes in cp soap and bath bombs and it's the only way to go. Mixing all the pigment into the powder bath bomb mixture evenly was impossible until I started using a kitchen aid and when I use my immersion blender for coloring cp soap it works nicely.
 
Mixing oxides with oil would be for CP or HP soaps, but you dont want to add more oil to your liquid soap.
I wonder if it would work mixing the oxide with a little glycerin first, and then mixing into the liquid soap?
 
Another thing you could try is using a hand mixer/immersion blender/kitchen aid to mix if you don't do that already. I've not made liquid soap with that particular base, but I use powder dyes in cp soap and bath bombs and it's the only way to go. Mixing all the pigment into the powder bath bomb mixture evenly was impossible until I started using a kitchen aid and when I use my immersion blender for coloring cp soap it works nicely.

Hi Burn, thanks for the suggestion! I did use a hand mixer in one of the test batches and it created furious froth and bubbles so I stopped.

Mixing oxides with oil would be for CP or HP soaps, but you dont want to add more oil to your liquid soap.
I wonder if it would work mixing the oxide with a little glycerin first, and then mixing into the liquid soap?

Thank you Sea... I don't have any glycerin on hand (I can look into getting some if it will solve the problem tho).

Also.. as I mentioned in my OP, the same thing happens using a color block (any color block).
 
Your base takes water soluble additives not oil, since it is a surfactant based not a liquid soap. You can add up to 2% additives without breaking the preservative system. I would do as SeaWolfe mentioned use glycerin if you really want to use your pigment. Glycerin is a great solvent for colorants. Are you dissolving your color block colorant in water first? They are water soluble.
 
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Your base takes water soluble additives not oil, since it is a surfactant based not a liquid soap. You can add up to 2% additives without breaking the preservative system. I would do as SeaWolfe mentioned use glycerin if you really want to use your pigment. Glycerin is a great solvent for colorants. Are you dissolving your color block colorant in water first? They are water soluble.

Thanks so much for your post Cmzaha :)

I will look into purchasing some glycerin as my investment in the pigment powders was a little bit $$$ (thanks again Sea & Cmzaha). Hopefully I'll get better results.

As to the color block... no. I was not dissolving it in water first. I wasn't aware that was required. Are there any special steps? Warm/cold water? A certain amount of water:colorant ratio?
 
Cmzaha, is this what you mean? Is this correct?

Directions for use of FD&C Colorants: Mix 1/16 tsp. colorant with 1 tsp. of water. Colorant will dissolve in water with just a little shaking or stirring. Add to soap (CP and M&P) until you achieve the color desired.
 
Did I say something wrong? Am I posting my questions in the wrong forum?

Can someone please tell me... if I had not tossed the batch with the mica powder in it (that looked like sawdust throughout the mixture).. would it have harmed the skin if used?
 
I haven't used the base you posted but I always have a problem with matte colors clumping. Even adding to a bit of OO or glycerin and blending with a mini frother, I still get small color clumps. Maybe you need to switch to shimmer micas? Nurture's colors are great but I don't know if they work with your soap base. It might be worth an email to them to find out. Good luck!
 
I haven't used the base you posted but I always have a problem with matte colors clumping. Even adding to a bit of OO or glycerin and blending with a mini frother, I still get small color clumps. Maybe you need to switch to shimmer micas? Nurture's colors are great but I don't know if they work with your soap base. It might be worth an email to them to find out. Good luck!

Thank you KristaY for taking the time to reply, I appreciate it. I have since learned that the powdered matte color I was trying to use can not be added to the base I was using as it is only meant for actual melt and pour soaps (I was trying to tint liquid body wash). I've since moved on to a liquid lab dye and it works beautifully : -)

I mix them in a little glycerin first..

Thanks so much : -)
 
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