search  current discussion  categories  materials - clay 

metallic oxides used on the body?

updated tue 13 oct 98

 

lpskeen on thu 8 oct 98

Many of you may know that in addition to pottery, I also make
handcrafted soaps and toiletries. I am subscribed to 2 different
listserves for this purpose, and there is a vendor who sells soap
colorants.

Many of her colorants are metallic oxides. She calls them "red oxide,
yellow oxide, black oxide" etc. One that comes to mind is "hydrated
chromium oxide" and "chromium oxide green", which one is supposed to use
to get green soap. Is it possible that these can be used safely in
applications such as soap?
--
Lisa Skeen ICQ# 15554910
Living Tree Pottery & Soaps http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of
great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." -- Dante

Phyllis E. Tilton on fri 9 oct 98

Lisa: The truth in labeling that is required is a real eye opener. Not only do
we need to read the labels on food containers but on cosmetics,soaps, 2th
paste, --the list is endless. I found oxides listed on the lipstick container
and a bunch of other things that I'm not sure I want to ingest. I know they
are in such infinitesimal quantities that they probably don't hurt but it is
interesting what is used. Ignorance is bliss? --all that stuff that was used
or consumed before we knew much about it.

Phyllis Tilton
Daisypet@aol.com

Cindy on mon 12 oct 98

Lisa,

I have a book here on soap-making which suggests purchasing pigments from
pottery supply houses. These pigments are recommended for soap makers who
don't wish to use artificial ingredients, and the author gives a list of
purportedly safe pigments (metal oxides):

Brown ochre
Burnt umber
Green earth
Iron oxide
Prussian red
Raw umber
Red sienna
Ultramarine blue
Ultramarine purple
Ultramarine red
Yellow ochre
Yellow sienna

This sounds to me more like a list of water color or oil pigments. A list
of mason stain item numbers might be more helpful. Personally, I
wouldn't feel real comfortable with using chromium oxide in a soap, though.
The author warns that soaps made with metallic pigment colorings shouldn't
be used on infants.

Also suggested for coloring soaps are liquid Rit dyes, candle dyes, food
dyes (That would be my first choice--fabric and candle dyes aren't likely
intended for rubbing on intimate parts of the body--however, food coloring
tends to fade, she warns) and natural dyes such as turmeric and paprika.

Hope this helps some. I want to try soap making one of these days when I
have a few extra weeks .

Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels
Custer, SD
USA http://blackhills-info.com/a/cindys/menu.htm

----------
> From: lpskeen
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: metallic oxides used on the body?
> Date: Thursday, October 08, 1998 7:36 AM
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Many of you may know that in addition to pottery, I also make
> handcrafted soaps and toiletries. I am subscribed to 2 different
> listserves for this purpose, and there is a vendor who sells soap
> colorants.
>
> Many of her colorants are metallic oxides. She calls them "red oxide,
> yellow oxide, black oxide" etc. One that comes to mind is "hydrated
> chromium oxide" and "chromium oxide green", which one is supposed to use
> to get green soap. Is it possible that these can be used safely in
> applications such as soap?
> --
> Lisa Skeen ICQ# 15554910
> Living Tree Pottery & Soaps http://www.uncg.edu/~lpskeen
> "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of
> great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality." -- Dante
>