Soap Color Troubleshooting
Did your soap come out the wrong color? Pick the color you were going for to see what changed it and how to fix your next batch.
Why Did My Soap Color Fade?
Soap color fades when the colorant can't handle lye or light, there isn't enough of it, titanium dioxide washes it out, the soap didn't gel, or the bar sat in the sun. Here's how to tell which from where and...
Read the guide →Guides by color
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Red
Why Did My Red Soap Turn Beige, Orange or Brick?
Red is the hardest color to keep true in cold process soap. Carmine turns beige, pure dyes and lakes turn orange or pink, and...
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Pink
Why Did My Pink Soap Turn Beige, Peach or Fade?
Pink fades and shifts in cold process soap when carmine breaks down, pure dyes and lakes morph, natural pinks like beet root brown, or...
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Orange
Why Did My Orange Soap Turn Peach, Red or Brown?
Orange comes out peachy, red, faded or brown in cold process soap when the soap doesn't gel or gels very hot, pure dyes break...
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Yellow
Why Did My Yellow Soap Turn Pale, Green or Brown?
Yellow comes out pale, greenish, mustard or brown in cold process soap when the soap doesn't gel, pure dyes break down, turmeric shifts, or...
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Green
Why Did My Green Soap Turn Brown, Blue or Olive?
Green shifts in cold process soap when pure dyes break down, green botanicals fade to tan, or yellow oils and vanillin push it toward...
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Blue
Why Did My Blue Soap Turn Purple, Green or Gray?
Blue shifts in cold process soap for a few clear reasons: pure dyes and lakes turn purple, iron blue turns brown, and yellow oils...
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Purple
Why Did My Purple Soap Turn Gray, Blue or Brown?
Purple is fragile in cold process soap. Carmine-based purples lose their red and go blue-gray, pure dyes and lakes shift, pure manganese violet fades,...
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Brown
Why Did My Brown Soap Turn Tan, Red or Spotty?
Brown comes out tan, reddish, patchy or speckled in cold process soap when there isn't enough colorant, iron oxide browns lean warm, natural browns...
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Black
Why Did My Black Soap Turn Gray?
Black soap turns gray when there isn't enough colorant, the base is too white, the soap didn't gel, or soda ash leaves a white...
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White
Why Isn't My White Soap White?
White cold process soap comes out cream, yellow, tan or spotty for a handful of reasons: yellow oils, vanillin, sugars and milk, gel heat,...
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