# mica question



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

If I already have black oxide would I ever need black mica? Also, what about white mica? Does that show up at all in GM soaps? Or any of the pastel sparkly micas?


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2010)

The white mica does not show up in gm soaps, I have used the pastels but I have mixed them with other colors like oxides and the sparkly just does not show up if that is the look you want.. probably works great in clear melt and pour but not gm soap... I don't know about the black mica
Barb


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

The white mica makes a difference when I have used it in my cow milk soap. The swap soap I sent in had white mica swirled in there and it did whiten it up a lot. Most of the sparkle factor is lost in milk soaps when using mica. I've never used the black oxide, just black mica so I wouldn't know if there is a difference or not.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Okay....thanks! Just trying to figure out I want to try and include on my TKB order. They are out of black mica and I was thinking my black oxide would be the same thing only stronger. I haven't used it yet but picked it up to try as an alternative to charcoal because I do use that on occasion and it's expensive.


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

So far my favorite TKB micas are the pop mica set along with black and white. By doing my own blending I can get quite a range of nice colors. I tried the Emerald green the other day and it turned gray on me. I just got a big TKB order last week. :biggrin I have tried the Colorona Russet, that's nice, I get an earthy brick red. I tried Chameleon Glitter. It looks really pale on the TKB site but the one I got is surprisingly dark. It just turns pink in my soaps. I can't wait to try the Taurus Orion green. It's just a beautiful shade of spring green. I hope that translates into the soap and doesn't morph!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

My initial list was quite large and then I thought I should just get the basic POP set and try my own combinations. So I only ordered that and 2 other samples that I can't remember at the moment. My biggest obstacle is that I use too many fragrances that discolor. So what works great in one is not so good in the next.


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

When I have FO's that discolor I like to take out some of the soap batter before scenting and add my coloring to that. It's one more step in the process though. I was lazy last week and just added scent and coloring to a whole batch that I normally separate out. Instead of having my normal blue swirled soap I ended up with a green soap. It's a pretty color and that would be fine and dandy and all....if my soap wasn't called Blue Sugar!

I just made a batch of Fresh Pear using my new Taurus Orion Green. I have high hopes for this soap!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I have done that on occasion. But I worry about putting the full amount of FO in a smaller amount of soap, make sense? I usually color more than just for swirling on the tops. So with a 4 lb batch of oils I take 2.5 cups of soap batter out to color for my swirl.


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

I'll cut the FO amount back a bit if I'm taking out soap to swirl that I don't want discolored by the FO. I really haven't noticed it making the soap smell less.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Also don't go crazy with too much color and too much texture and too much swirls or layering in all your soaps. Having to duplicate this over and over if you get large is simply crazy! I have slowly moved my line to marbleing and texture through exfoliates...so although its fun to play around and why I do swaps, don't go crazy with your colors! Vicki


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Yes....I hear you!  I love playing with complicated layers and swirls but only on 'limited edition' soaps.


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