# dyes



## whitehouse (Mar 17, 2008)

I am wanting to dye my soap. I know there are commercial dyes, but I read somewhere you can dye with herbs, fruits and such. Has anyone done this? does it work good, fear of bleeding dye color and turning myself purple. though I do look good in purple.


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## Clementine (Dec 21, 2006)

Some natural dyes are turmeric and paprika. The color would vary from peach to orange. You can also use liquid fabric dyes (which I've never tried). You can also use candle dye`and natural pigments (used in some paints) Food coloring is also a possibility although those colors don't hold up as well. I use them, but I make soap for family and friends, not to sell.

If you are making hand-milled soaps you can use all sorts of herbs if you are wanting natural colors. I like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, which add natural color and well as fragrance.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I have only used a couple of things to color my soaps, although I stay away from fruits as I've heard they would go bad. I have used paprika, cocoa (makes a good 'chocolate swirl' soap), and alkanet root. I've also used some of the colored iron oxides.

I make chamomile soap with chamomile tea as my liquid, and ground chamomile in the soap. It gives the soap a very light yellow color along with the flecks of chamomile in it.

Dawn


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## whitehouse (Mar 17, 2008)

I do cold processes soap. Now should I mix the spice in water then mix it in. love the swirls.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I also do cold process. I normally pour out a portion of my mixture at early trace, and put the colorant into the part I want colored and mix well. I then pour the plain mixture into the mold, then pour the colored in to make my swirls. I usually add my essential oils to the whole batch before separating to add color.

Some items may be either water or oil soluble, so you will need to watch for that. I know that titanium dioxide (whitener) comes in both water and oil soluble forms, so if you get the water soluble type, you have to mix it with your water.

Dawn


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Clementine said:


> You can also use liquid fabric dyes (which I've never tried). You can also use candle dye`and natural pigments (used in some paints) Food coloring is also a possibility although those colors don't hold up as well.


I wouldn't recommend using fabric, candle or food coloring as dyes in CP soap


When using spices, I like to infuse my oils with the spice, then filter the oil, although this doesn't work for swirling.


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## Puddin (Mar 31, 2003)

I know I"m likely to get slammed for this, but....
I use crayons to color my CP soap. I melt it in while warming up the oils initially. Surely millions of children who've eaten crayons during their formative years cannot be wrong.... I cannot even remember why crayons are on the 'bad' list for colorants, I"m sure someone will come along and tell us all what the problem is with the crayons.
Although I've ended up with some interesting colors, crayons provide a consistent color. I use the same brand of crayon. I've got years old soap, which is still colored very nicely, and still does the wonderful job it's supposed to do.
Folks who buy my soap know i use crayon for colorant, this does not bother them. Nor does it bother me.
Gloria


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Puddin,
It really depends on the crayon manufacturer. Some are nothing more than soy wax. There are some crayons out there that did contain some sort of toxins. I figure crayons are skin safe and wouldn't have a problem using them for prrsonal soap - not so sure about fabric and candle dyes - and food coloring just isn't all that stable by itself


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## homebody (Jan 24, 2005)

I use iron oxides when I color soap. For our personal use, we don't usually care. However DH hates the brown of sandalwood/vanilla.


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