I have to share with people that DO understand. I have finally made a black soap! Yes, I'm not sure why, but it has been a challenge. I've only been able to achieve varying shades of metal gun grey. I have just unmoulded and cut this afternoon and it is a lovely, smooth black! Colour is alkanet root infused olive oil and charcoal. The tip was on The Dish forum. Now just have to see if the colour of the lather is white or grey! Also unmoulded my second try at using Titanium Dioxide. The result not quite as I envisaged. Still, back to the drawing board and try again. Liz