Which red to use?

[PinkCupcake]

I thought I saw a recent thread on red colorant, but I can't find it now. I'm going to make a peppermint soap for a friend for Christmas, and I need to get a red colorant. I have used several kinds in the past, but I'm interested in hearing what everyone likes to use. I figure since I'm out of my other reds, I might as well try something new.

So, what gives you the best red?

 

[AKjulz]

I have yet to find a red that looks good yet doesn't "turn the tub red". Look forward to watching this thread

 

[shunt2011]

I have found that using red oxide with a bit of a hot pink makes a nice red but there is certainly a line to where it's a light pink suds to a blood red suds. I've had pretty good luck with it.

 

[lsg]

You might check out this post. The info on red is at the end of the video.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=40850

Soaping101 has a video on the perfect red for CP soap:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpItActdi28&list=UU6NFc1XyVdzuyQw-f9HG42g[/ame]

 

[seven]

I have found that using red oxide with a bit of a hot pink makes a nice red but there is certainly a line to where it's a light pink suds to a blood red suds. I've had pretty good luck with it.

with the hot pink, is it the hot pink mica by the conservatorie? or would neon pink worked too? red is very hard to achieve, sometimes i'm deeply frustrated. it's touch and go for me..

 

[PinkCupcake]

Thanks for the help, everyone! Shunt2011, I had heard that trick before, and had forgotten it. Isg, that video was exactly what I needed to see!

For this soap, I'm making a white bar with red swirls on top, so I'm not too worried about getting colored lather. I probably won't make it for a few more weeks, but I'll be sure to post pix. Thanks again!

 

[fuzz-juzz]

I also mix neon pink and merlot mica to achieve bright red. Both are from BB. Works almost every time. I say almost, as one of the PP said, it is a fine line between achieving pink with a hint of red and deep pinkish red.

 

[jade-15]

I hope this link works:

https://www.facebook.com/DragonMica...2163907289733/214976568675133/?type=3&theater

I will be trying this combination myself soon, so I hope it doesn't have too much red run-off/suds.
Also, I have read somewhere that adding Vibrance pink mica to a Vibrance red will hep make it a 'true' red (can't find the reference now though, sorry).

 

[IrishLass]

My go-to red- which I only use for swirls, mind you- is a combo of Colorana Bordeax powdered mica from TKB and Tomato Red liquid colorant (also from TKB). It produces a lovely, 'blood-red' red, as you can see:

To get the above shade, I combined 3/16 of a teaspoon of Colorana Bordeax (or 1 dash + 1 pinch if you are like me and use those tiny, specialty measuring spoons that measure in dashes, pinches and smidgens), and 5 drops of Tomato Red. I mixed them together with a little glycerin and then added them to 1/2 cup of soap batter for swirling that didn't contain any TD in it, and I also made sure my soap gelled (both very important or you'll end up with something more dusky pink than blood red). For what it's worth, the above amounts can be adjusted as per your batter amount. The best news of all (to me) is that the red swirls in my soap do not give me red suds or red washcloths.

Having said that, though, I once tried the color combo (adjusted for size) to color an entire batch of soap a solid red, but the resulting soap gave me Psycho shower syndrome. So be forewarned- use it for swirls only, unless, that is, you actually want your shower to look like a crime scene. lol


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

Neon Pink will work just fine. I've also used Red Oxide and Tomato Red (NG) with good results (that's one that bled red though).

 

[Earthen_Step]

For a deep red that isn't extremely bright Moroccan red clay is a great choice. The color lasts and it has great benefits for the skin. Not the cheapest option, but one of the better imo.

 

[grumpy_owl]

I haven't tried it but Anne-Marie of BB suggests Merlot Sparkle Mica with Electric Bubblegum for a "Christmas red" in cp. Good luck! I usually end up with a weak kind of Band-Aid color in mine using Merlot alone. But I'm kind of timid with colors.