Coloring handmade soap is an art and a science. Adding colorants to lye soap can dramatically enhance the visual appeal of your soap designs. However, coloring cold process soap made with lye requires careful consideration of colorant types and usage rates to ensure your soap remains safe and effective. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through all the factors to consider when choosing colorants for lye soap and techniques for achieving vibrant, long-lasting colors.
Types of Colorants for Lye Soap
There are three main types of colorants that can be used to safely color handmade lye soap:
Liquid soap dyes
Liquid soap dyes are highly concentrated, soap-stable dyes specifically formulated for cold process soap. They typically come in small bottles with an integrated dropper tip that allows you to easily control the amount of dye. Most liquid soap dyes are synthetically derived rather than from natural pigments. They produce bright, intense colors in soap even at low usage rates. Liquid dyes are simple to use – just add drops into your soap batter and mix thoroughly before pouring.
Powdered pigments
Pigment powders are another soap-stable option for coloring lye soap. They are made from very finely milled mineral or organic pigments that dissolve evenly into the saponified oils. Pigments typically provide more muted, natural hues compared to liquid dyes. They can be messy to work with, so wearing a mask is recommended when weighing out pigment. Usage rates vary based on the intensity of the particular pigment.
Botanical colorants
Many plant materials contain pigments that can be harnessed to naturally color handmade soap. Common examples include herbs, spices, clays, and powders made from food waste. Botanical colorants create soft, earthy colors. Since potency can vary, testing is important to determine the required usage rates. Most botanical colorants need to be infused into oil ahead of time.
Tips for Coloring Cold Process Soap
Here are some key tips to follow when adding colorants to cold process soap:
- Always use soap-safe dyes, pigments, or botanical colorants. Do not use food coloring, candle dyes, or other colorants not formulated for lye soap.
- Start with small amounts of colorant and mix thoroughly – you can always add more. But you can’t undo adding too much!
- Add colorants after the lye and oils have fully saponified and the batter has thickened. Adding earlier may cause colors to morph.
- Stick blend after adding colorants to fully incorporate throughout the soap batter.
- Consider how colors may change or morph once poured into the mold. Some hues shift as soap cures.
Creating Custom Soap Color Palettes
One of the joys of handmade soapmaking is customizing unique color palettes. Here are some tips for creating coordinated multi-color designs:
- Choose three or four harmonious hues that look pleasing together.
- Vary shades and tones – try a bright, medium and dark version of a color.
- Consider complementary colors across the color wheel like oranges with blues or greens with reds.
- Use white as a neutral base to gently soften and blend vibrant colors.
- Limit the color palette for a clean, cohesive look.
It can take trial and error to learn how various color combinations will look when swirled together in cold process soap. Experiment with creating sample soap battters using tissue paper to help visualize your color palette before committing to a full batch.
Achieving Specific Soap Color Techniques
Beyond choosing harmonious colors, the specific design technique impacts the overall color effect in lye soap. Here are some tips for popular cold process soap color techniques:
Solid Color Soap
For a single, uniform bar color, ensure the entire soap batter is an even consistent color. Stick blend vigorously after adding the colorant to fully disperse. Pour at a thicker trace to avoid color morphing.
Two-Toned Soap
Creating bars with two distinct colors requires pouring at a thicker trace. Keep the batter for each color separate. Pour into the mold in layers or stripes allowing natural texture between the colors.
Swirled Soap
For swirls, blend two or more colors into separate batters. Pour into the mold simultaneously in droplets or stripes and swirl a skewer through the soap. Allow thick trace for defined swirls.
Marbled Soap
Marbling requires a thin trace to allow colors to flow together. Gently pour contrasting colors into the mold in different spots and tap the mold to marble the patterns.
Layered Soap
For distinct horizontal layers, pour each color at a thicker trace into the mold one after another. Allow a layer to set up before pouring the next.
Troubleshooting Color Morphing in Cold Process Soap
One frustrating aspect of coloring lye soap is the potential for colors to shift, fade or morph into something totally different. Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips:
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Muted, grayed colors | Insufficient trace when adding color | Add colors at thicker trace once soap batter is emulsified |
| Bleeding colors | Pouring at too thin of a trace | Allow soap batter to thicken more before pouring into mold |
| Orange discoloration | Some vanillas or clove essential oils | Avoid problem oils or use colorants to override discoloration |
| Speckled appearance | Inadequate dispersion of color | Stick blend vigorously after adding colors |
Testing your soap recipe and process ahead of time is the best way to troubleshoot potential color issues and achieve the vibrant hues you envision.
Using Natural Botanicals for Color
For soapmakers who prefer to avoid synthetic dyes, there are many botanical sources that can naturally impart color to handmade soap. Here are some of the most commonly used:
| Botanical | Color |
|---|---|
| Annatto powder or infused oil | Yellow to orange |
| Paprika powder | Orange |
| Turmeric powder or infused oil | Yellow |
| Calendula petals infused oil | Yellow to orange |
| Carrot juice | Orange |
| Spirulina powder | Green |
| Chlorophyll liquid extract | Green |
| Activated charcoal | Black |
| Cocoa powder | Brown |
| Clays like rose clay or green clay | Pink, green |
The key with natural colorants is testing to determine the required amounts needed to achieve the depth of color you desire. Typically more is needed compared to concentrated synthetic dyes.
Creating Black Soap
One of the most challenging soap colors is a true, jet black. Activated charcoal is the most common way to achieve black cold process soap. Here are some tips:
- Use up to 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal per pound of soap.
- Blend into a small amount of melted coconut oil before adding to the batter.
- Add at very thick trace just before pouring.
- Expect some gray ash initially after unmolding that will fade to black over 4-6 weeks curing.
Some essential oils like vetiver, clove and lavender also help deepen charcoal’s black hue in soap.
Creating White Soap
Bright white can be just as difficult to achieve as black in handmade lye soap. Here are some considerations for formulating white cold process soap:
- Avoid fragrance oils that cause discoloration like vanilla.
- Use oils that stay light like coconut, palm, sunflower or rice bran.
- Add titanium dioxide or kaolin clay to naturally whiten the soap batter.
- Use milk, yogurt or aloe vera liquid instead of water to naturally bleach the oils.
- Freeze goat’s milk or buttermilk overnight and add the frozen milk to the cooled lye water.
Getting a pure, snowy white takes some testing and tweaking, but it’s achievable with the right recipes and ingredients.
Conclusion
Coloring cold process soap made with lye allows you to create stunning works of art from simple handcrafted bars. With the right colorants and techniques, the possibilities for designs are truly endless. Start slowly and stick to color palettes that appeal to you personally. Over time and with experience, you’ll gain confidence in formulating and swirling creative colors into your lovely lye soaps. The visual appeal of your creations will bring joy to you and everyone who gets to enjoy using your handmade soaps. Have fun and get colorful with your soapmaking!