Return of the soap 2

[John Harris]

Day off tomorrow so that means: MORE SOAP! On the agenda will be 40 4.5 oz bars - lavender EO - possible violet oxide coloring. I have very little experience at coloring soap, so this will be an adventure. (If you have any instructions to share, I would be so grateful!)

My recipe will be the same as the last batch I just made:

Olive 34.63 percent
Coconut 26.4 percent
Palm 6.65 percent
Lard 17.7 percent
Shea butter 4.87 percent
Beeswax 1.95 percent
Castor oil 7.8 percent

7% superfat

Lye Concentration 33.003 %
Water : Lye Ratio 2.0300:1

I might mess around with the palm and lard. I have a lot of palm sitting around ... but then I have 2 pounds of lard laying around too. What to do. What to do....

 

[artemis]

I never understand the appeal of these weird percentages. The difference between 1.95% and 2% is so small as to not make a difference, I would think.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I never understand the appeal of these weird percentages. The difference between 1.95% and 2% is so small as to not make a difference, I would think.

It happens to me when I resize a recipe for a different size mold. I round off with no problems.

 

[LilyJo]

It's been a while but I seem to recall the colour morphs with violet oxide or am I misrememering??

 

[cmzaha]

I have had violet oxide morph and really never had it become a pretty color.

 

[Relle]

I have had violet oxide morph and really never had it become a pretty color.

Never knew violet oxide existed , I would have purchsed some by now if I knew where to get some, I use oxides a lot in my soap, but haven't seen violet, hense I get a liquid colour in purple. Purple is my favourite colour and I use that a lot.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with the strange percentages. I don't use anything under 5% as I don't think it adds anything (except beeswax, I've not added it). I keep my percentage nice straight up numbers. Makes things so much easier to change to different size molds.

 

[John Harris]

I never understand the appeal of these weird percentages. The difference between 1.95% and 2% is so small as to not make a difference, I would think.

These weird percentages are probably because I don't know how to use SoapCalc the right way. In practice, I just round off the numbers.

 

[DeeAnna]

I sometimes use ultramarine violet -- maybe that's what John has? The violet seems more fussy than ultramarine blue. The few times I've used it, the color in soap has been too pale for my taste -- a chalky light lavender, not a definite clear violet. I don't like to use a lot of colorant, and I think ultramarine blue works fine with light to medium amounts. Apparently the violet needs a heavier hand, but I haven't had the courage to use more.

 

[cmzaha]

I should look before I type, it is ultramarine violet I have no luck with. My mistake. I know I have micas that have it as an ingredient and they are gorgeous but as a stand-alone colorant I have never had any luck nor have I ever done well with pink ultramarine. Yes, I checked my jars before typing this morning.

 

[TheGecko]

I never understand the appeal of these weird percentages. The difference between 1.95% and 2% is so small as to not make a difference, I would think.

They can happen when you round off your weights. As an example, I use 10.0% Shea Butter which is 3.30 oz. If I round it up to 3.5 oz, the percentage changes to 10.61%.

 

[John Harris]

Today's soap is in the hot house doing its thing. I put my hand under the blanket - quite hot. I was talking to my soaping partner about coloring and he decided we should do a swirl. (I've never done a swirl before and he is a total newbie.) So we gave it a try ---> in-the-pot dollops of violet oxide batter, dragged down and around by a non-operational SB. By the time we were done, the batter was heavily traced. Have to say it looks pretty unimpressive from the top. Maybe when we cut into it, the swirls will stand out more.

 

[DeeAnna]

Never judge a loaf of soap by how ugly it looks as it pours into the mold or how ugly it looks on the top before it's cut.

 

[Relle]

I sometimes use ultramarine violet -- maybe that's what John has? The violet seems more fussy than ultramarine blue. The few times I've used it, the color in soap has been too pale for my taste -- a chalky light lavender, not a definite clear violet. I don't like to use a lot of colorant, and I think ultramarine blue works fine with light to medium amounts. Apparently the violet needs a heavier hand, but I haven't had the courage to use more.

I actually have ultramarine violet and used it years ago, it is pale but was OK, for lavender. I haven't tried to add in extra, for a deeper colour, I just use the liquid colour now in purple.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

BB calls their product ultramarine violet oxide, so one and the same? The Oregon Trails Soaper Supply website has a tip for using their product called “ultra violet oxide.”

TIP: Always prepare a bit of titanium dioxide in oil or water and add to your oils to minimize the yellow undertones in them so your lovely purples and lavenders come out true. You will get a very grey soap when working with CP if you do not prepare your base with Titanium Dioxide first.

 

[Relle]

I've used TD before adding the ultramarine and it still comes out a pale mauve. I don't add TD when using the purple liquid colour and it comes out great, no greys.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I considered trying to use alkanet to get purples and then bought Iris, Cheshire Cat and one other purple Mica from Nuture!