We realise it can be quite confusing when you are starting out - hopefully these tips will help you find your way!
Tips & Hints for Using Colours in Cold & Hot Process Soaping:
- We recommend APPROXIMATELY between 5g - 10g of powdered colour per kilo of soap. This will vary of course, depending on the base colour of your oils, whether you just want a pastel all over colour, a deep rich colour, or whether you are swirling and your personal taste preference
- Try adding your powdered colours to water prior to using. I like to use a dropper or old sauce bottle, and then I store the excess mixed colour in the fridge. This way they are ready to go. However, you can also mix a teaspoon or so in a medicine measure, and then allow the leftover colour to dry out, and just add water to hydrate ready for your next batch. **Pink UM is OIL SOLUBLE, so use a little oil to mix to a paste
- You can also try using a little of your traced soap to blend your colour with but you must be quick or your soap will start to set up before you are finished mixing
- If you are adding colours to a very green, yellow or tan mixture of base oils, this will affect the colour of your soap. Titanium Dioxide can be added to the base oils enabling you to start with a nearly neutral colour
- pH also needs to be taken into account when using some colours - spectacular changes can occur particularly with Brilliant Blue Dye and Alkanet Root
- Oxides are far stronger than Ultramarines, therefore use a little less
- If using Ultramarine Violet, it is wise to use this a little more concentrated as mauve coloured soap that has too little colour in tends to be quite grey looking
- Have everything prepared ready in case your trace is accelerated or your soap starts to seize
- If using our Liquid Colours, just drip straight into the pot and stick blend to mix well through - all our colours are very concentrated, so go cautiously until you are used to their strength.