Teach Soap

My supplies just arrived this morning, and I immediately made a 2Kg batch. Since this is a blackberry aroma I decided to do a two colour swirl using the 'violaceous violet' and the 'rose pearl mica'.
I don't add a lot these days because my first batch was way over the top on colour. So I used a level teaspoon of each colour, one for the main part and one for the swirl.
The problem is, the colour of the soap, in light trace, didn't show that much. I left it to cure wondering what the result will be. Just how much is recommended per kilo? I have scales accurate to 0.1g so an actual weight would be useful.

Where did you colors come from? For some of mine, I need up to a teaspoon per lb. of soap, so for two kgs. of soap, you might need two teaspoons. I'll give you the weight when I get home.

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

Colours from Brambleberry. Their brights and micas sample pack.

A place near me gave me samples of oil-based pigments to use in soap. Do people use oil-based pigments or is he sending me up a dark alleyway do you think?

The soap has gone through gel already and is cooling now. The colour looks like a pale green. Nothing like the violet or rose pearl. Argh!

Some micas morph in soap. Did you check the site to see if they are CP soap safe? Not all of them are. Are the oil based pigments cosmetic grade? Some are only safe in candles.

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

I assumed that since they came from BB they were OK. I'll go and check...
No. It doesn't say what the sample pack should be used for! Oh no. I will have to ask them.
The batch is cooling to a fairly horrible mustard colour.
It's either the 100 grams of blackberry fragrance discoloring, or the colorants being unsuitable. I will test the colorants directly against the NaOH to see what's going on.

Rose Pearl Mica: Our Rose Pearl mica has a charming pink shimmer. Sadly, it fades to a pasty gray in cold process soap. This mica is approved for use in eye shadows and lip balms. http://www.brambleberry.com/Rose-Pearl-Mica-P3461.aspx

Violacious Violet Mica: Use this light shimmery pink purple color when you want more of a satin look than the Violet Pearl provides. As with all micas, this looks better in clear soap than in white soap.

NOTE: This mica disappears in cold process soap and is not recommended for cold process soap.

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

Being a chemist, I had assumed that the word "mica" referred to the silicate compound found as a natural mineral, and therefore reasoned, that alkali cannot affect that. Reading the description it seems that the mica is just a filler, that artificial colour is used. Well, at least the fragrance worked OK. I'll have to check the other colours, I suppose none of them are any use.

I've got all this sorted out now. I found a local supplier who stocks both oil-based pigments and oxides.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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