Comments on: Botanicals in Soap http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/ Thoughts and ideas from the world of Majestic Mountain Sage. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:20:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-222 Andee Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:23:25 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-222 jaspersgarden- Did you add all of the oils you entered into the calculator? This may be a situation where drying the soap is best. How much water did the initial batch want? How much total fat? Did you add lye for the carrots? jaspersgarden-
Did you add all of the oils you entered into the calculator? This may be a situation where drying the soap is best. How much water did the initial batch want? How much total fat? Did you add lye for the carrots?

]]> By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-218 Andee Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:18:16 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-218 sincerlyemily- Yes, and the scent will be more subtle than if you added rosemary essential oil. sincerlyemily-
Yes, and the scent will be more subtle than if you added rosemary essential oil.

]]> By: jaspersgarden http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-215 jaspersgarden Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:10:01 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-215 I tried pureed carrots (baby food)...I'll tell ya! I got me some HEAVY lye soap - LOL!! But it doesn't look crumbly or anything. It's actually very pretty to look at - but man o man - it will take the skin right off of you...not good ;o( I used full water in MMS calculator, then subtracted 7 oz of the water. At light trace, I added my pureed carrots (7 oz) and FO. Everything looked good, so I went ahead and poured it in the mold. Next day I unmolded and cut each bar. I swear - they are sooo pretty, but they burn!!! But what's funny about this is there was no zing when I did the tongue test...??? I went over my recipe with a fine toothed comb, every ingredient was checked off - I just can't for the life of me figure out what went wrong... Any ideas? Thanks! Kathy I tried pureed carrots (baby food)…I’ll tell ya! I got me some HEAVY lye soap – LOL!! But it doesn’t look crumbly or anything.
It’s actually very pretty to look at – but man o man – it will take the skin right off of you…not good ;o(

I used full water in MMS calculator, then subtracted 7 oz of the water. At light trace, I added my pureed carrots (7 oz) and FO. Everything looked good, so I went ahead and poured it in the mold. Next day I unmolded and cut each bar. I swear – they are sooo pretty, but they burn!!! But what’s funny about this is there was no zing
when I did the tongue test…???

I went over my recipe with a fine toothed comb, every ingredient was checked off – I just can’t for the life of me figure out what went wrong…

Any ideas?
Thanks!
Kathy

]]> By: sincerelyemily http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-208 sincerelyemily Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:31:44 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-208 ok, so, if I want to use rosemary (substitute any herb/botanical) as a scent I should brew it into a tea and use that tea as my water (like I did in Coffee soap)? then I can as a bit of the finely ground rosemary to the soap for effect? thanks, Emily ok, so, if I want to use rosemary (substitute any herb/botanical) as a scent I should brew it into a tea and use that tea as my water (like I did in Coffee soap)? then I can as a bit of the finely ground rosemary to the soap for effect? thanks, Emily

]]> By: gentlegranny http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-190 gentlegranny Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:12:32 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-190 I love to use calendula petals in soap scented with Pina Smoothie or anything Pineapple and it looks like Pineapple is in it. Or ground oatmeal in my signiture soap is very invigorating. Grins, Gentlegranny I love to use calendula petals in soap scented with Pina Smoothie or anything Pineapple and it looks like Pineapple is in it. Or ground oatmeal in my signiture soap is very invigorating.
Grins,
Gentlegranny

]]> By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Andee Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:19:41 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-185 MB- It could when used excessively. When peppers are used as colorants they are generally low Scoville unit peppers, and they work well. MB-
It could when used excessively. When peppers are used as colorants they are generally low Scoville unit peppers, and they work well.

]]> By: MB http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-184 MB Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:37:46 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-184 Great tips, thanks, Will cayenne pepper burn eyes and private parts? mb Great tips, thanks,

Will cayenne pepper burn eyes and private parts?

mb

]]> By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-172 Andee Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:19:04 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-172 mb, Some colors are oil soluble. Think of the last time you made a big pot of spaghetti sauce. The spoon turned red/orange! This color is oil soluble. So, how do you get it off the spoon? Wipe it with solid shortening and leave it overnight. Wipe off the orange shortening the next day, wash, the repeat the shortening if necessary. So, what does this have to do with color? The most stable colors in soap are oil soluble. Try the paprika, turmeric, mustard, and more, by covering with any vegetable oil, heating, then straining out the herbs or spices. Some herbs or spices make pretty swirl bars. Try the recipe we did for making a swirled bar on February 27. Almost all food ingredients make good soaps, just remember to err on the side of too light for your first batch. mb,
Some colors are oil soluble. Think of the last time you made a big pot of spaghetti sauce. The spoon turned red/orange! This color is oil soluble. So, how do you get it off the spoon? Wipe it with solid shortening and leave it overnight. Wipe off the orange shortening the next day, wash, the repeat the shortening if necessary.

So, what does this have to do with color? The most stable colors in soap are oil soluble. Try the paprika, turmeric, mustard, and more, by covering with any vegetable oil, heating, then straining out the herbs or spices. Some herbs or spices make pretty swirl bars. Try the recipe we did for making a swirled bar on February 27. Almost all food ingredients make good soaps, just remember to err on the side of too light for your first batch.

]]> By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Andee Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:14:50 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-169 sincerelyemily, When making your first test batches remember to brew strong, puree till smooth, and essential oil lightly. If you aren't sure how an essential oil blend will work out, test it in blotter cards. The paper will show which scent will be dominant. I suspect from a lemon/tea tree mix that the best mixture will probably be only 10% tea tree. Lemon is a light, volatile, and fresh scent. Tea tree sticks, to everything! To get a dominant lemon, or a first whiff of lemon, it will need to greatly outweigh the tea tree. Spices from the cupboard are fine to use. Grind finely. It is ALWAYS better to grind too finely in your first batch, then make notes as to the lesser grindings you prefer (keep bagged samples for future reference). As far as the essential oils for a room diffuser, if you feel confident they are pure essential oils, you can use them in soap. I will caution that you should check a listed resource for essential oils to make sure they are skin safe oils. Cinnamon leaf can be used in cosmetics (lightly please!) but cinnamon bud can not. If any of the bottles are vague as to what is inside (such as listing CINNAMON only) then just use it in the diffuser. sincerelyemily,
When making your first test batches remember to brew strong, puree till smooth, and essential oil lightly. If you aren’t sure how an essential oil blend will work out, test it in blotter cards. The paper will show which scent will be dominant. I suspect from a lemon/tea tree mix that the best mixture will probably be only 10% tea tree. Lemon is a light, volatile, and fresh scent. Tea tree sticks, to everything! To get a dominant lemon, or a first whiff of lemon, it will need to greatly outweigh the tea tree.

Spices from the cupboard are fine to use. Grind finely. It is ALWAYS better to grind too finely in your first batch, then make notes as to the lesser grindings you prefer (keep bagged samples for future reference).

As far as the essential oils for a room diffuser, if you feel confident they are pure essential oils, you can use them in soap. I will caution that you should check a listed resource for essential oils to make sure they are skin safe oils. Cinnamon leaf can be used in cosmetics (lightly please!) but cinnamon bud can not. If any of the bottles are vague as to what is inside (such as listing CINNAMON only) then just use it in the diffuser.

]]> By: Andee http://blog.thesage.com/2009/03/13/botanicals-in-soap/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Andee Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:13:37 +0000 http://blog.thesage.com/?p=1506#comment-168 kathyjane, Chocolate, and cocoa butter, are lather killers. There is nothing wrong with the soap and if you can get past the "lather = clean" concept, it is a nice soap. Use chocolate lightly, and cocoa butter as no more than 2 ounces in each lb of fats. Make sure to use lots of coconut oil, palm kernel oil and/or olive oil. As far as fresh herbs, remember they turn black and look like compost piles. My suggestion is to make a strong tea with the plant material, then puree what is left. Use the tea and a bit of the puree. Then scent with compatible essential oils. You do not want much chlorophyll in the mix. Good luck! kathyjane,
Chocolate, and cocoa butter, are lather killers. There is nothing wrong with the soap and if you can get past the “lather = clean” concept, it is a nice soap. Use chocolate lightly, and cocoa butter as no more than 2 ounces in each lb of fats. Make sure to use lots of coconut oil, palm kernel oil and/or olive oil.

As far as fresh herbs, remember they turn black and look like compost piles. My suggestion is to make a strong tea with the plant material, then puree what is left. Use the tea and a bit of the puree. Then scent with compatible essential oils. You do not want much chlorophyll in the mix.

Good luck!

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