Making Soap - Coloring Question

15 years ago

I am planning my first attempt at making a batch of melt and pour soap. Can I use food coloring to color the batch, or do I have to use the special colors from the craft store? And if I can use food coloring, won't it stain hands or porcelain sinks? Thank you!

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Brent B

15 years ago

Correction to the above post.

The link should read:

www.brambleberry.com

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Comments (9)

sara-s
15 years ago
You need colorants that are designed for soap. Food coloring won't dissolve.
sameboat
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you - I got the correct colors from Michael's. Learning as I go here. I see that you can't really get a bright dark color unless you use clear glycerin. I have a lot of pastel colored soap (which is beautiful).
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flyingflower
15 years ago
I am in the same boat as same boat. :) I just started myself and have not been able to make brightly colored soap with the colors I've purchased from Michaels. I have only bought goat's milk soap so far from Michaels which is very white so every color I've tried so far becomes pastel when mixed in. The bottles are so small, I used up half a bottle trying to make the color darker and then gave up because I didn't want to waste the entire bottle. Maybe there are other sources where you can buy more concentrated colors, I don't know.
I have been buying silicone molds from eBay, a friend with soap making experience told me the plastic molds from Michaels are a PITA, they break too easily. Cost me more for the silicone but the soap pops right out, love that.
sameboat
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi flyingflower, I've found that you have to use the translucent soap base to get a dark jewel tone. Sometimes I throw in an ounce or two of the white and it lightens it up. There must be another way but this works for me for now. I've read that if you use the soap and the suds are not white, that you've used too much coloring. I agree about the Michael's molds. Mine have cracked. I am looking for silicone loaf pans now. They didn't have them at Michael's. I'm going to try KMart next.

Are yo making the soap for fun, or are you selling? I'm finding that if I purchase from Michael's, then add my time, that I am just breaking even. Now I need to find a wholesaler for everything!
sara-s
15 years ago
I love silicone molds. I have gotten some at Bed, Bath & Beyond (baking section) and Michael's, in the cake decorating section. To cut costs, you really do need to buy in bulk, on the net. Some sites I have used includeBrableberry.com and Wholesalesuppliesplus.com.
sara-s
15 years ago
Thanks Ronnier. (I am not much of a typist.)
flyingflower
15 years ago
I give away all the soap I make, would be nice though if someone wanted to pay for extras. :) I use the 40% and 50% off coupons to buy supplies at Michaels so it doesn't cost me that much, compared to what I would spend buying a gift. I like the uniqueness of making your own soap, no one ever expects to get a gift like that.

I used to bake cakes and cookies to give as gifts but more and more people whined that they don't want to get fat. I got so tired of hearing, "thanks for the sweet treat BUT I am trying to cut down on sugar". Their appreciation was always followed by a negative. That's when I decided to try the calorie alternative.

I buy all of my molds from eBay. And because I want the soap to look extra special I splurge now on the single molds. They make a large bar so all you need is one per person, it makes a nice gift all on it's own especially with glitter sprinkled on top, bar wrapped up in a crisp celophan bag with pretty ribbon tied at the top. I've found you really get what you pay for when it comes to molds, the cheaper the price the thinner the silicone. But even the cheap silicon molds are better than the plastic ones at Michaels. A silicone mold will last forever, I'm sure my friends will tire of the fairy soaps long before the mold wears out. Soap pops out of a silicone mold in a second whereas you have to take quite a lot of time working the soap out of a plastic mold, trying not to crack the mold in the process...which will happen anyway after a few uses.

btw, I have tried those silcone baking pans with the 6 mini muffin molds but they are clearly designed for cake not soap. The soap pops out tall and "fat", not the shape you expect to see soap. It reminds me of the little rose soaps my grandmother used to fill a glass jar in her bathroom with (they weren't flat on one end either). They're OK as novelty guest soap but a little too small for the bath. It's hard to wash your hands with something the size of a walnut.
flyingflower
15 years ago
I just looked at the wholesalesupplies website and I like it! Thanks for mentioning it. I see much better multi-soap molds here than the muffin mold I bought on eBay. These aren't as thick so they will make nice looking soaps. From now on I'm not going to buy soap molds from the baking isle, I much prefer these flatter shapes. Now i'm going to look at the other website you mentioned...