Need some help on first multi colored soap.

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JuneP

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I'm getting ready for my first slow tracing, swirl recipe,(will probably do a drop swirl using about 3 or 4 colors;s but I have a couple of questions about the oils and scents in the colorants and deciding on amount of colorant to set aside for each color etc..

Watching some you tube videos I see people not adding the fragrances to the main batch, but meting them out in the many colors they have put in little cups and then just adding a bit of oil in each and some in the main color. Are they just winging the amount? It doesn't seem like they have measured different amounts of fragrance for each little cup of color. How do you all handle that?

Another question. If you are using several colors, say you have a main base like a white or yellow, and maybe two or three or even more other colors, what proportions do you use. The reason I'm asking, is that I need to know how many oz or grams of my soap batch to use for a main, base color, and then the smaller amounts of other colors. And how much colorant to mix up for the main color and the minor colors if you just wing it. How do you manage this?

Say I have a 33oz batch oils, which has a total of with lye and water to 1,459.41 grams. And I want to have a larger amount of it set aside as a main color that I'll pour first, and use throughout the pours, and 3 or more other colors in smaller amounts. How many ounces or percentage of the batch, would you use for the main color and for each of the 3 or more other colors? I've watched so many videos, but can't find any information on this, nor can I see by their cups how much they're using since you rarely see how much they total batch is.

The only thing I can think of is to reduce the total gram batch to ounces and then decide divide it somehow so that the minor colors get one part and the major color gets what, three or four times as much???? And then, pick the amount of colorant based on the ounces designated for that color. Is there an easier way? It is puzzling to this newbie, for sure ! LOL

June
 
If I'm using a FO that I absolutely know will not accelerate trace, I will add it to the whole batch before separating. If I need to scent each color as I go, I just kinda wing it.
The same with amounts to separate out. I usually just wing it, especially if I'm leaving most of it white. If I plan on coloring the whole batch evenly, then I use the same sized container for each portion and just eyeball it.
For my standard 2 lb batch, I might separate out 1 cup of batter for each color and that give me a nice swirl without over powering the white. I generally mix about 1/4 tsp of each color but keep my colors handy in case I need more.
 
I think you are way over thinking the whole process. Making it much harder on yourself than you need to. Don't stress yourself... lol If it's a slower tracing recipe and like Obsidian the FO isn't an accelerator I will just mix my batch as a whole adding the FO to my oils then the lye/liquid mixture and blend to emulsification. I mix my colorants with a bit of the oils from the batch into however many colors I want to mix and just eyeball them. I too keep my colors handy just in case it needs a bit more. Add your soap batter and I will usually mix with a spoon or whisk at first then give a quick mix with the stick blender. I really have no exact science to get my colors.
 
Just reviewing your feedback

Thanks for answering my questions. It seemed like people were eye balling the amount of oils, but I had no way of knowing if that was really the case. Glad to know I don't have to angst over it. I was! :)

So I'll start with 1/4 tsp colorant per cup . So, I mix my oils, and when everything is same temperature (I'll aim for 85F), then I add my lye water mix to the oils and just mix the whole batch of oil uncolored soap mix until it emulsifies, but not tracing. Then I add the fragrance oil (one that is known to not accelerate the batch), and them mete out the portions I want into separate containers and add the already mixed colorants with a spoon to incorporated the color well. When all colores are mixed, I then, use the stick blender to get all of them to a light trace, and then start pouring. Is this correct?

As you can tell, I'm a bit terrified of doing my first swirling technique! It's great to feel like I can get this bit of hand holding to get me through this maiden batch of swirled soap!

Thanks again, so much!
June
 
That is correct. Have everything ready and easy to reach so you can work quickly, you don't want overly thick batter for a drop swirl. Have you watched any of soaping101's videos on swirling?
 
June, you sound just like me! LOL Yours are the same questions that vexed me to no end when it came to coloring/swirling my batches.

It took me a bit of trial and error via the method of winging it and making sure to take meticulous notes of the finished outcomes, but I pretty much have it down to a science now as far as exactly how much colorant to add to however much of my soap batter in order to get the consistent colors I want.

For me, the thing that helped me figure things out more easily was to first measure the cup/mL volume of my soap batter once the lye water had been added to my oils(my soaping pot is marked on the inside with cup/mL lines which makes this easy). My most common size batch is 2.7 lbs. @ a 33% lye solution, which happens to make a total of 8 cups batter by volume.

I should insert here that although I use my scale to weigh out all my ingredients beforehand that go into making the batch, I prefer to use cup/mL volumes after the fact when measuring out my batter for swirling. It's just easier for me that way.

Anyway, knowing that my batch makes 8 cups of batter makes it easy for me to then figure out how I want to portion out my batter for the swirls. For example, say that I want to do a 2 color swirl... I'll grab 2 plastic measuring cups and pour out 1 cup of batter into each and add whatever colors I want to them, then leave the remaining 6 cups batter in my main pot for the base color.

As far as how much colorant to add to however much batter was an exercise in trial and error for me, which is why it's very important to keep meticulous notes. Without my notes, I'd be totally lost.

Anyway, once you get more batches under your belt and are careful to keep notes, coloring will become more of a joy than a nerve-wracking frustration. You can just look at your notes and take it from there without thinking twice about it.


IrishLass :)
 
Thanks Irish Lass and others

Thanks so much for that detailed explanation. Irsih Lass, I copied your message about the weight of oils, etc and will save it. It is so helpful!

Unfortunately I didn't get to make my soap today. Husband had to go to the hospital for an unexpected medical meeting and I was expecting an important call from the hospital as well as an order that I had to sign for, so there was no way I was going to risk being in the middle of my first swirl recipe and have to stop.

I also had orders arrive from BB and Essential Depot that I unpacked and I have one more bigger one with several more fragrance oils and colorants, coming in the next day or so. The Presto shredder sliver also arrived, so tomorrow morning I have to find places for al these things and add them to my inventory list.

Tomorrow is already spoken for, so Thursday will be probably the earliest I'll be able to get to make that first swirl soap.

And yes, I have watched so many swirl videos on you tube - repeatedly! I bought a tool to do hanger swirls, and made another one for a smaller mold out of an old wire hanger. I've watched spoons swirls, and the hanger swirls, fancier ones using separators, etc. etc. I've been watching them for weeks while ordering more supplies and waiting for them to arrive and get them organized in a suitable place. The repeated viewing and time I gave myself, trying to assimilate those techniques, brought me to the point that I feel comfortable tackling the spoon swirl and the drop swirls now.

I go to sleep at night visualizing pouring, over a silicone spoon, pouring vertical lines, or pouring from high to low,, alternating colors, etc. etc. The only things I worry about are having the right recipe that won't firm up before I can get all my pouring done, and meting out the right amount of my colors to get a nice balance and getting enough color mixed.

There's also the concern about figuring out how to adjust the oil content of the recipe if I take some of the oil out to mix colorants and what if I don't use all the colorant? How will that affect the recipe? These are the things that have been my concern and made me reluctant to jump right in. But all your responses including those last night and today have been exceedingly helpful!

Thank you , thank you, thank you!
 
You've gotten some excellent advice from very experienced soapers. The only bit I'll add is to have a back up plan. On a couple of occasions I planned out a new swirling technique with various colors, made a slow moving batter, checked with the fragrance description that it didn't accelerate or discolor, soaped cool, etc. At the sticking point things didn't go as expected so quickly changed the plan to an in-the-pot swirl and dumped it into the mold. You just never know when the soaping gremlins are going to visit and wreak havoc, lol. I'm sure all will go well for you but just in case, make a plan B. Don't forget to post pics when you get it cut too so we can help celebrate your success!
 
Backup plan

Thanks KristaY. I'll be soaping tomorrow and will post photos after my soft tracing soap recipe, is ready to un-mold. My recipe only has about 47-48% hard oils (no palm and no butters for this first try). I'll add some sodium lactate to help harden it faster for un-molding, so hopefully I'll be able to un-mold the next day.

Thanks so much for the back up plan. Let's hope I don't need it!

June
 
You sound like you are well prepared.....good luck! I never have a back up plan, if it doesn't go right I just work fast and wing it....that may be just me though. I use SL in all my soap now. It helps with unmolding.
 
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