Teach Soap

I've using FD&C colorants for a while (from Neelikon). They are aluminium lakes,oil dispersible and I have read about using them in soapmaking purposes. Some Australian web site offers them as cold process colorants. The trouble is that they make lather coloured and leave marks during melting. I suppose I cannot prevent thet marks,but can I do anything about the lather? The producer don't offer much info,due to lack of experience in handmade soap manufacure. Anyone has an idea what to do? The colorants don't bleed in soap itself, but bleed out. By the way, ordering colorants from US,would be unjustified due to ship cost,and European soapmaking suppliers charge soooo much, comparing to other companies that sell same colours but to industry (food,cosmetic and pharmaceutical) buyers.

As for CI numbers (colour index), does anyone can tell if the same number refers to same ingredients incorporated in that colour, or just refers to the same specific shade of colour. I would tell it's the first,but not really sure.

Thank you ladies in advance, I've gotten so much great advices so far.

Check the following links:
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/
http://www.ctfa.org/colors-cosmetics-re ... ted-states

by the first , you can check the CI number and get the chemical name and all regulations in the EU, or vice versa search the name.
By the second, you have the CTFA regulation, link to FDA regulation and CI and D&C nomenclature

Regarding the colored foam, I guess you've incorporated too much pigment or incorporated it wrongly.

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Genius is 1 % inspiration and 99 % perspiration

The only time I've ever had colored lather was when I used too much colorant.

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

Thanks guys, I hope not all my batches will have the colour bleed problem. It might be that I put too much colour in couple of my first batches, later I cut down,and still waiting those to cure to check them.
Any recommendations about proper quantity?
I'll be happy if the quantity is the only issue.

For powdered color I just use a very small amount to start (like the tip of a knife) or I premix the color with glycerin and add it by drops until I have to color I want. Then I make sure it put the amount in my notes so I can get the same color again next time.

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

I mix a 0.15cc scoop of powdered colourant with ~5ml vegetable glycerin and start there. I've gone up to as much as 10 scoops that size for a 2 lb batch of soap (2 lb total, including lye water).

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I always mix (with a small mixer) little colour into olive oil (i'll try glycerin as well) and pour into traced soap,before f.o. I never pour all coloured oil,because lakes are insoluble neither in oils nor in water (but are oil dispersible),so powder sinks to the bottom no matter how long I mix it. I suppose I do it right.
I stopped adding more colour afterwards,because I could never dissolve extra amount of colour properly,and specks always showed up.
Decreasing amount of dark colours (such as brown,blue or green) would mean I can never get original colours,or if I want them,the soap will have coloured lather. Am I right?
I was afraid some of you soap masters would recommend me to give up on using lakes,because I can get them at really reasonable price.
Do you think liquid FD&C dyes would do better?
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences

Hestey,how do you measure 0.15cc,I'm not so good at 'one-look' measuring? When I measure mine,I use a little espresso coffee spoon but don't ask me how much would it be. I just can't estimate.

I picked up 50 0.15cc scoops from BB, and I reuse them to save money! is a link!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Ok,thanks. I'll try to find those

Those little 0.15 cc scoops are great! I reuse them to save money too. They really shine when you want to add a little bit of one color to another to create a new shade.

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Linda

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