After completing the mushroom decoction I have decided to venture on and create a carrot decoction and ginger decoction. I have gathered my supplies and I’m ready to start cooking, first I will clean and cut up some carrots and place into a sauce pan, add water (I need at least 6 oz for the recipe), so adjust the water amount to your needs. Then I brought the mixture to a boil and turn heat down to let simmer for 20-30 minutes. As you can see in the photo the water came out a pale orange color. This will be the water portion that I will be using in making my next batch of soap. I am listing the soap recipe below and using 6 ounces of the carrot decoction that I just created.
Caution – Please make sure that you allow time for your hot decoctions to cool before you add lye to them.
Supplies Needed:
| Ingredients Palm Kernel Oil Coconut Oil Olive Oil Lye Water Decoction of choice |
Equipment Scale Microwave Safe Container Spoons Pipettes Immersion Blender Soap Bucket Gloves Soaping Goggles Soap mold of choice |
Recipe:
| Recipe in Grams 170.1 Palm Kernel Oil 141.75 grams Coconut Oil 141.75 grams Olive Oil 62.37 grams Lye 177 mL Water/Decoction |
Recipe in Ounces 6 oz Palm Kernel Oil 5 oz Coconut Oil 5 oz Olive Oil 2.20 oz Lye 6 fl oz Water/Decoction |
Recipe in Percentages 38% Palm Kernel Oil 31% Coconut Oil 31% Olive Oil Q.S. Lye Q.S. Water/Decoction |
I’m going to use the same soap recipe as I did when making the soap with infusions, powders, and mushroom decoction. This will give you some ideas and suggestions when you try any of the infusions, powders, or decoctions in your soap batches.
Begin by weighing the sodium hydroxide and adding it to the carrot water. Now, weigh all of the oils into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Add the cooled lye solution to the cooled oil mixture. Our target temperature is about 120°F because this is a small batch (1 lb). We do not want the soap to overheat and volcano out of the mold. When the temperature is reached then mix the oils and lye solution together with an immersion blender, continue mixing until trace is achieved then pour into a mold and allow to sit for 24 hours. Cut the soap. Allow the soap to cure. Longer curing time will result in a harder bar. If you want to add more or less of the decoction do a second batch so you can compare the difference and vote for your personal choice. Try a half and half mixture; or a one fourth to three fourths mixture or full amount of water could be your decoction.
I have noticed that when adding this decoction that I am getting a light pale orange color to the soap. When adding decoctions to my soap I am most interested in adding beneficial elements of the carrots into the soap and not worrying too much about a significant color change. Maybe if carrots are in my soaps it will help improve my vision? Probably not. In any event, the carrots may be added if they are mashed up after cooking. Use no more than 1 Tablespoon of carrot puree to a 1 lb fat batch when adding your cooked carrots.
 Carrots  Blending soap to trace  Soap with Carrot Decoction |
 Carrot Decoction  Soap w/Carrot Decoction  Soap with Carrot Decoction |
 Mixing lye  Pouring Soap into Mold |
 Melted Oils and Lye Mixture |
Interesting series.
Why was the mushroom decoction split in half
when adding the lye….and the corrot is left full amount?
Different days, different moods, different techniques. You can do either. If I am worried the decoction may have a lot of plant sugars (carrots) then I generally tend to try the half and half method first. Sugars can collect into a brown, snot-like gel at the bottom of the soap. It isn’t pretty and certainly not desired. Once I test with the half and half method then I test with the full amount. I’m wanting the soap to talk to me and tell me what is OK.
Tina
Thanks, I’ll try half and half with marshmallow root first
since it is a syrupy consistency………I’m listeneng, soap.