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The Truth on
Colorants
An Oxide is one that's a bit controversial in the "natural"
department. I began believing the were natural, then a chemist
told me they were not, they are a powdered colorant that can be mixed
with water or oil and a variety of mediums to incorporate into your
product, but are 99% best used in CP or HP soapmaking, ideally CP.
Just the other day when I was working with our color chemist at one of
our suppliers, he told me that technically the oxides are natural, so
there you have it, to some they are, to others, they are not.
Mica is platelets of mica (tiny particles of sparkles) titanium
dioxide (or other colored oxides) and a small amount of ferric
ferrocyanide and color (many many different colors which is where you
get your variety). There are trace elements of mercury, lead and
arsenic. However, there is less cause for alarm using these
products when they are cosmetic grade or soap grade in
soap use only than eating the lettuce you purchase at the local
market. In lots of cases, our food contains far worse chemicals
than this so DO NOT be alarmed and when they say trace elements, they
mean less than "one" ppm, and they contain no pathogens so
they are quite safe, except if you are handling large amounts, you
should wear a dust mask to protect your lungs.
FD&C stands for Food, Drug & Cosmetic and these are actually
dyes, a totally man made material and it will stain your fingers, but
washes off after a few washings. It's pure, certified for use on
the pills you take and cosmetics you put on your face, so it's totally
ingestible and safe. The main drawback and it's a small one, is
"easy does it", a little goes a long way in soapmaking and
these are generally water soluble so you can use them in CP, although
the lye reacts with some and you get a very different color than you
intended which can be a good thing, ala: Martha Stewart.
The only real downside to naturals is the same as the essential oils,
some can react to your skin and cause a rash, they are generally a
food and some people have allergies, but for the most part, I love the
naturals as much as any color. I'm sure there is someone,
somewhere who has had a reaction to madder root, alkanet, cinnamon,
paprika, whatever, but I'm guessing that's
few and far between, it is a consideration though. On the other
hand, some folks can't wear makeup, (FD&C) or use any colorant.
Personally, I use all these mediums to color my soaps and cosmetics,
it's fun, they're beautiful, it's just a matter of caution, don't
overdo and proper labeling.
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