Process for de-coloring residue from personal wash or cosmetic compositions comprising dye with azo bond using reducing agents as de-coloring agents

A chemical process for de-coloring solid residue compositions selected from the group consisting of bar shavings, soap scrap, bars or billets falling outside product specification and mixtures thereof which are left over from production of personal wash bar compositions, wherein said residue compositions comprise an azo colorant having one or more azo bonds, wherein said process comprises:

• (1) collecting said solid residue compositions left over from production of the bar;
• (2) heating said solid residue to melt;
• and
• (3) combining said solid residue composition with at least about 0.5 wt. % reducing agent(s) to achieve reduction and under conditions that the reducing agent chemically reacts with said azo colorant and removes said colorant from the residue.