topofmurrayhill Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Well, not really. I'm not blue and neither is the soap exactly, but I was expecting the grayish tone from what I've seen online. Mine has a greenish tinge because the soap isn't white.It's a strange color but it grows on me. I can do something with this.I did the lye water method, though I didn't fully follow the instructions and there are lots of very teeny indigo specks in the soap. Maybe I can get it fully dispersed next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 The pre-reduced indigo crystals are a little easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 The pre-reduced indigo crystals are a little easier.I noticed a couple of sources (for instance, Bramble Berry) recommend putting it in the lye water. One of them says put it in hot measured water before adding the caustic or it will remain as indigo bits, and then shows a picture of exactly what I got adding to the lye instead of plain water.Okeydoke, sounds like an easy fix -- but no! The stuff I got HATES water with a passion. It wants to leap out of the bowl and run away.Then I tried oil and it dispersed very evenly and joyfully. I still saw some fine powder but it seemed like maybe it would dissolve.Is it possible the stuff I got from SMR just wants to be dispersed in oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I didn't have the patience for dealing with what you're going through, lol. It's possible the stuff you have is processed to be more oil dispersible or extractable. I have not looked to see.After the pre-reduced crystals i decided no more natural colorant unpredictability for me. The pre-reduced crystals dissolve quickly in plain old water and stir right into the waiting soap. It took far more than what everyone told me to get a reliable, decent blue. I stick to ultramarine blue or cosmetic micas now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) I've used indigo a few times and was able to get a deep blue by dispensing into my soap oils and SB the tar out of it. Never tried putting it in my lye water. The only color I put in my lye was the water soluble titanium dioxide. But that left specks so instead I started adding directly to my oils and SB'ing it in the soap batter. No more specks. So now I add all my colorants directly into my soap batter and use my stick blender to blend them in. The combination of oils/butters and other additives can also effect the color. Blues and purples seem to be the worst when it comes to getting that icky gray. Sometimes it just takes adjusting the soap oils or using extra colorant. Edited May 5, 2015 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) I've used indigo a few times and was able to get a deep blue by dispensing into my soap oils and SB the tar out of it. Never tried putting it in my lye water. The only color I put in my lye was the water soluble titanium dioxide. But that left specks so instead I started adding directly to my oils and SB'ing it in the soap batter. No more specks. So now I add all my colorants directly into my soap batter and use my stick blender to blend them in. There seem to be some subtly different titanium dioxides out there. The one that I used quite a lot in the past went easily and evenly into water. I didn't put it in the lye water because it was only for one swirl portion, so I prepared it as a liquid colorant like the dyes I was using and added it once the batter was well mixed. I basically never SB, so hopefully that's not the only option for indigo. I tried it at a higher rate and added it to the oil. It was easier and less messy, but the specks didn't dissolve in the oil like I hoped. I'll check the results later and maybe ask our friend at SMR what the trick is. Edited May 5, 2015 by topofmurrayhill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I know that some natural colorants, eg.; paprika, red sandalwood, spirolina, can leave specks in the finished soap. The trick I read about at the soapmakingforum is to blend the colorant into an oil like olive oil and you can save the colored oil to add to your soap when you need it. When you use it you can strain it through a filter like a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Another option is to put the colorant in a sealable tea bag, then drop the tea bag in the oil and let is set until you reach the desired color. The use the colored oil for soaping. Personally I found these methods too labor intensive for my taste but other soapers swear by them and use them for many of their colorants. Its a great method especially for annetto seeds. I actually embrace the 'speckled' look of some natural colorants and use them as part of my swirled colors to lend a look and feel of texture to the soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I bought one of those little battery powered mixers from Bramble Berry for about $7.00 to mix colorants. Works like a charm. That model is pretty flimsy but it still buzz saws my colorant mixed with either oil, water or glycerin quite well. I have a white soap formula (hate TD) but it makes everything so pastel in my goat milk soaps. Still have a stash of Pop Micas and discovered some other micas that are real nice but Ultramarine Blue is the only way to go IMHO. Try one of those cocktail mixers Top. Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 I suppose it will either be a matter of mixing or filtering. It would be weird to have to filter this because nobody describes indigo as one of the colorants that should be infused into oil. Hmmm.I'll also get an opinion from SMR and see what he has to say since this indigo is his. I think some time and mixing might be the answer because I already got better results trying to disperse it in oil, though there are still specks.I also got a better color. A rate of about 1 1/2 tsp ppo overcame the green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I'm not seeing any colorant specks in those last 2 pics. I see some small whitish specks that look something like stearic specks. Are those what you are talking about? Or maybe I just can't see the specks in the pics. I had several natural colorants from SMR that gave me specks in the finished soap. Not all of them but several. But now as I mentioned earlier I use them specifically for achieving a textured look. So I don't filter on purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'm not seeing any colorant specks in those last 2 pics. I see some small whitish specks that look something like stearic specks. Are those what you are talking about? Or maybe I just can't see the specks in the pics. I had several natural colorants from SMR that gave me specks in the finished soap. Not all of them but several. But now as I mentioned earlier I use them specifically for achieving a textured look. So I don't filter on purpose. Those are just a few bubbles from CPOPing the little mold. I put it on autopilot with a 2 hour timer when I left the shop to make sure it would gel. I think the indigo specks might be visible with better focus, but it's really much improved. With more time and mixing it might get even better, but this is pretty satisfactory. And I don't think I noticed any wacky colored suds, so I should be able to take the color further, maybe for a nice swirl. Later today it's Madder Root powder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) I love madder root! Makes a great earthy red color. Think of cinnamon bark or red clay. Edited May 7, 2015 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 What about woad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 What about woad? SMR is out of stock, but I don't entirely get it because it seems to be the same substance as indigo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 It's definitely not like indigo. I have both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 SMR has been out of stock for a long time (woad). How are they different CB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 They look similar in the package until you use them. Woad can produce a sky or baby blue. Indigo always reminds me of dark blue or navy or even a dark royal blue depending on your soap ingredients. Of course you could try to simulate them by adjusting the amounts used but the shades will still be different. But both are nice as far as natural colorants go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 The thing that confused me is that if you look it up they are supposed to be the same substance from 2 different plants. There are even references to making indigo from woad. I guess there's some more subtle thing that distinguishes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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