# Lemon Zest



## Absinthe (Nov 9, 2009)

I am considering scenting a soap with fresh lemon zest. (Though with the current price I may settle for orange, or grapefruit.) 

Does anyone have experience with this? Not dried zest, or oil, but fresh zest right off the fruit? Can I simply fillet off the pith and food process the rest, it seems like a reasonable strategy?

I can only assume, that like everything else it will turn brown. Perhaps I can come up with a natural coloring (that survives gel) to go with it.


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## Layne (Nov 9, 2009)

lemon lemon
yep just did this last night
used the zester side of a grater
4 lemons zest in 5 lbs of soap
CPHP, added the zest at gell state
mixed well, added just a touch of lemon FO, just to kick it up
put in log mould, went to sleep, it was late
just took it out of mould
looks and smells great
nice yellow bits all in it
whole house smells like lemons


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## Absinthe (Nov 9, 2009)

Let me make sure I am following this right, you are saying all of the zest from 4 lemons added to 5 lbs of soap? 

So you just grated the zest off the lemon, leaving a funny looking white lemon when you were done?


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## IanT (Nov 9, 2009)

I looooooooove lemons.. I used fresh zest, not dried...my theory is if its chopped small enough it wont go bad...kind of like the puree fruit/veg debate thing...

they add a nice scrubbly effect and in my experience dont really turn brown...kind of an off orange...


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## Absinthe (Nov 9, 2009)

Is there much difference between the citruses? If I were to mix grapefruit and lemon and line and orange and so forth would they go together or are they too different?

When I eat an orange from the store and I peel it, I get this stuff on my hands. Some of it is orange, but other parts are shiny broken thin waxy pieces. Terrible description, I know. But if you have seen it you know exactly what I am talking about. Is this part of the orange, or is it something that the producers coat them with to make them shiny and stuff like that? Can it be cleaned off? Or is it of no concern?


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## IanT (Nov 9, 2009)

Absinthe said:
			
		

> Is there much difference between the citruses? If I were to mix grapefruit and lemon and line and orange and so forth would they go together or are they too different?
> 
> When I eat an orange from the store and I peel it, I get this stuff on my hands. Some of it is orange, but other parts are shiny broken thin waxy pieces. Terrible description, I know. But if you have seen it you know exactly what I am talking about. Is this part of the orange, or is it something that the producers coat them with to make them shiny and stuff like that? Can it be cleaned off? Or is it of no concern?



That is actually wax that the producers coat them with in order to preserve freshness..its on pretty much all the fruit we buy except grapes I believe... I usually scrub/wash with warm water and it does the trick...

Its not really going to hurt anything either way, but still I like to know Im grating up JUST an orange and not whatever they decided to coat it in as well... 

Im pretty sure you could do a mix of citrus...maybe orange and grapefruit would be a great combo kinda like creamsicle or something!!??!! ... 

let us know how it turns out!


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## artisan soaps (Nov 9, 2009)

..


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## Layne (Nov 9, 2009)

Absinthe said:
			
		

> Let me make sure I am following this right, you are saying all of the zest from 4 lemons added to 5 lbs of soap?
> 
> So you just grated the zest off the lemon, leaving a funny looking white lemon when you were done?



yep
absolutely awsome
flecks of yellow and strong scent of lemon


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## jadiebugs1 (Nov 9, 2009)

Layne said:
			
		

> lemon lemon
> yep just did this last night
> used the zester side of a grater
> 4 lemons zest in 5 lbs of soap
> ...



what a great little bedtime story!  (it looks yummy btw!)


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