Teach Soap

I was trying to premix my new oxides and ultramarines and I may have made a big mistake. Not sure. I was mixing my red oxide with olive oil so I would have it ready whenever I wanted to use it. I didn't measure my oil or oxide and just popped some of each over in some containers. Is it ok if it is super concentrated and I just start off with a little bit when I add it to my hp at the end and if it isn't enough, just add a little more until I get desired color? I mixed my yellow oxide with glycerin and used a 6 oz bottle of glyc to at least 3 oz oxide and it's the consistency of a thick pancake batter but I mixed it well with a frother. I ran out of glyc so I have no more to mix with it. I don't know what consistency they should end up to start with so I don't know if it will be ok or not. I still have to premix my ultramarine violet and blue and all I have to mix it with is some olive oil. I wanted to ask yalls advice before I went any further.... I didn't like using the glyc to mix it with because it is so viscous that my poor little frother wasn't able to do as well as I hoped. I just bought it today. Ran all over Mobile and finally found one at Bed Bath and Beyond for $19.99 if anyone has been trying to find one without ordering online. Expensive but it came with a 2 year warranty thank goodness. That glyc did a number on it. I guess I shoulda said the yellow ended up a thick trace consistency and the red is like a very thin trace consistency. ???

I have also ordered online last year.
Online ordering is easy and need less effort to search for the product.

I don't pre mix my colors, so I can't advise you on that, but if you have an Ikea near you, I think I paid $1.99 for my frother.

I have no idea where the nearest IKEA is but bet your boots I will be looking them up so I can get replacements to have on hand just in case mine breaks. Thanks for the tip. I love ordering online but it just takes forever to get things unless you can afford the 2 day shipping that costs too much.

I mixed some ultramarine with olive oil in a squeeze bottle so that it would be handy. It does settle, however, so I have to shake before use. But it worked fine when I've used it on two occasions.

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
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Try fresh batteries in your mini mixer. I got one from BB&B too, and it tanked after the first couple of uses with the batteries that came with it. Fresh batteries brought it roaring back to life and it's still going strong.

You might want to keep your pre-mixed colorants in the refrigerator or add a preservative. If they sit out too long, even in a nice, tightly sealed container, you'll probably get some mold growth. Since I don't make massive quantities of soap, I use the small, artist color containers that are about the size of a prescription bottle, and those only on colors I use almost every time. The frother head fits inside perfectly.

Be careful about adding so much colorant to your soap that you end up with colored lather or washcloth stains. Red is one in particular you don't want to go overboard on. I'm still discovering that with most colorants, what you see in the raw soap is not necessarily what you get in the cured soap. Like TD for example - less is more. My raw soap will still look noticeably cream colored, but white when it cures. If I take it all the way to pure white when it's raw, I get glycerin rivers. Hopefully Irena or another expert will comment so I don't steer you wrong!

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Jennifer
Doing my best to blow up my kitchen. In style!