Teach Soap

I made a batch of soap yesterday using Blackberry Vanilla FO from WSP -- it gets rave reviews for its behavior in CP, so I wasn't too worried about trying a swirl. I also had a mess of powder colorant samples from TKB that I was itching to try. I had purchased their 27-sample kit where all I asked for was a variety that would be CP stable. From the 27 samples they sent me, I picked a deep blue shimmer (mica), a lighter blue (ultramarine), a 24K gold mica shimmer, and also used BB's ultramarine pink.

Everything actually went sort of according to plan, although because I was doing a 4-color ITM swirl, I didn't take my batter to light trace like I usually do but separated out the 4 color portions after full emulsification. This meant I didn't end up being able to texture the top because the whole thing in the mold was just too liquid-y. But that's okay.

I had two major problems. One was that I'd prepped my colors in glycerin - blech, never again! They may have looked like they were completely mixed and ready but they required a LOT of extra mixing once in the 4 batter cups.

The biggest problem was that my deep blue shimmer CP-stable mica morphed to beige right there in the pot as I mixed it into my batter. I poured and swirled the whole batch anyway because it could still turn out okay (the other 3 colors held up nicely). But where can I find a really nice deep purpley-blue (like when you smoosh a blackberry) colorant that won't misbehave? Anyone?

For some of the colorants you need to use a lot more than you think you need to get the color.

I mix ultramarine blue and BB's Fired Up Fuschia to to get a nice purple. You can mix similar colors to get near the shade you want and then darken it with some black oxide or activated charcoal.

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

Was it this Deep Blue http://www.tkbtrading.com/item.php?item_id=42
If so, that one's not stable in CP. Any colorant with Ferric Ferrocyanide in the ingredients will morph in CP.

But I do what Linda does to get a darker version of blues or purples, I add a bit of activated charcoal.

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Genny

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Alkanet root infused oil works really well for me but getting the amount right takes experimentation. Too much or too little and it looks gray.

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Linda

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

I threw in some Alkanet Root Powder at trace and added till I got the color I wanted for my "blackberry" color

Ohhh! Pretty!!!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Looks good MingoFan!

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

To get a good blackberry color, I mix ultramarine violet, ultramarine blue and black oxide. I don't know the proportions since I just mixed the powders together adding this and that until I got what I wanted.

It looks very pretty as is. I am another alkanet fan though, but it does take a bit of trial and error to get the shading right.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I used 100g of alkanet infused olive oil in 1/2 a batch of soap once, got a VERY pale purple. Looked grey when I first cut it though! The other 1/2 was 100g annatto infusion.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist