Teach Soap

I have just started making lip balms. I love the recipe I am using but I want a darker color. I used Rose Pearl, Merlot Sparkle, Mauve Gem & Light gold mica. I'm looking to make a nice Plum, Pink & coral. Any suggestions on which colorants to use and how much for a 3.5 oz recipe?

I don't know anything about making lip balm yet and haven't made any recipes but is it possible to mix the lip safe colorants you already use to get the colors you want? I'll be excited to hear what you come up with!

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I made some with BB's Merlot and liked it a lot. It tinted my lips a lovely wine color. I cant however tell you how much I used. I added till I got the color I wanted

Have you tried pigments? Do you know if you just add them as a regular colorant i.e. micas? Do you also sterilize your equipment with bleach before you make it?

On the topic of sterilization I think you should always sterilize the containers you keep products in and whatever ones you use when you make the products. It's best to be safe since lip balm goes on the lips and nobody wants bacteria on their mouths! Bleach water is a good option but if you are in a pinch spraying with rubbing alcohol and wiping them down with a fresh paper towel also works.

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The Black Currant- Shipping within the US!

My shop: The Black Currant on Etsy!
My blog: http://www.theblackcurrantshop.wordpress.com
Also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube!

On BB's website, there is a list of lip safe colorants. As for the amount, are you trying to make a lip stick, tinted lip balm (leaves some sheer color), or just enough to give color to the lip balm itself? A couple mini scoops is enough to just color the lip balm. There is info on the website about how much to add to make lipstick but I don't remember the amount just that it's much more. Good luck!

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

There are a few lipstick tutorials on the Soap Queen site. Here is one with a specific recipe. =)

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body- ... recipes-2/

I just read somewhere that the darker colored 'lipsticks' were the in thing this year.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I've been using BB lip balm recipe. My problem right now is When I put in a pigment it doesn't fully incorporate...leaving it with speckles. Are you supposed to mix it in with something like Glycerin? Also, I don't know whether or not I need to sterilize my equipment first...as I do when making lotion.

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Genny

How much oil would you use? My BB recipe calls for 1/4 tsp of colorant to every 1 oz of product. The recipe I use makes about 3.5 oz. I don't seem to be able to get much color in the balm. Do you have that problem? Say for instance you wanted a nice pink color? I've had some success a little hint of plum using the merlot mica...but pink has me stumped. Or maybe you know of a better recipe where the color is nice and sheer but not a lipstick?

I would not use glycerin at all in a lip balm. Glycerin is only water soluble. Over time the glycerin could seep out. There are oil soluble FD&C colors that you could use for color.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

dear soap buddy

I don't know how much oil to use? Say for 3/4 tsp of pigment? Help?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I mix my colourants in a bit of the liquid oil from my recipe.

I sanitize everything in a 5% bleach solution (for 10 minutes) and dry it well with either clean paper towels or a towel that is straight from the dryer after a "sanitize" run. I also scrub my sink out with an SOS pad before I use it to soak my instruments, to make sure any food particles or microbial growth (some microbes LOVE soap and grow well in your sink!) are removed.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist