Soap Colorant Ingredients

Some forms of colorant do not fit in the natural catagory. This does not mean that they should be ignored. Often the reason they are synthetically produced is that they were harmful in their natural form.

Pigments, F, D & C dyes and Mica are three synthetic colorants that I use in my soap making.

Adding color to soap can be a bit tricky. It's best to start with a little and work your way up. Remember as well that the final result is not always what you expect.

We once had a batch react with a fragrance oil. It started out blue then while stirring turned green, brown and then pumpkin. After insulation it was a dark purple! It was quite exciting. Luckily, this is rare and the most that usually happens is the color hue is not quite what you intended.

Pigments

There are two types of pigments used in soap making today. Ultramarines and oxides. Both work extremely well when used in the cold process method of making soap.

In the past, pigments were mined from the earth but due to harmful impurities, they are now produced in a laboratory following strict guidelines. Be sure to purchase only cosmetic grade pigments from a soap ingredient supplier.

Pigments

Combine powder with glycerin or oil to create a mixture and add when soap base is at a light trace. Alternatively, add powder directly to lightly traced soap and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add up to 1 tsp. per 1.0 lbs. of base.

F, D and C Dyes

F,D and C dyes are found everywhere. In the food you eat, your makeup and your medication. Hence the name F, D and C = Food, Drug and Cosmetic.

This form of colorant knows no boundaries. If you try to marble your soap using it, you will have the dyed portion bleed into your base. It is best used for single shade soaps or where a blending of color is the goal. Perhaps a yellow bar with a red marble might blend to give an orange hue.

F, D and C Dyes

Dissolve the powder in water to create a solution. Add when soap base is at a light trace or to the lye solution. A little goes a long way so add a drop at a time.

Mica

All that glitters is probably mica. At least when it comes to soap and cosmetics.

Mica is a mineral that is mined from the earth and then finely ground. It is later combined with pigments or dyes to give it color.

Micas effect in cold process soap is subtle. Though it only has a light sparkle, the color it gives soap is fantastic. Combining pigments, dyes and mica, produced the variety of colors in this picture.

Be sure to only purchase cosmetic grade mica for use in your soap. From Nature With Love carries a great selection of cosmetic micas and they also have a Mica Safety Chart that tells you what applications it's ok to use each mica with. Now that's pretty cool!

Mica	Add powder directly to lightly traced soap and mix thoroughly with a whisk. About 1 tsp. per 1.5 kg. of base oil will produce a medium strenghth color.