# playing with color



## PrairieCraft (Aug 2, 2010)

The two on the left were colored with chlorophyll the two on the right with parsley powder.  The ones in the back were gelled and the front were ungelled.  Fun, fun.  I was trying to see what looks best and I like them all.


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## Bukawww (Aug 2, 2010)

How long ago were these done?

I've got a few batches with parsley powder and they turned a yellow/green/brownish...I love the chlorophyll bars though - is there any smell to it?


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 2, 2010)

Last week, so they are still a little soft but the color hasn't changed at all, so hopefully it won't.  My first batch with parsley powder (pic in photo forum, subject -batches 11-19)  ended up looking more of a spring green. Can't really give an accurate update on it because I also used tea leaves and they have pretty much ruined the soap.  Used more parsley this time no tea.
Could probably use less of the chlorophyll next time forest green isn't what I was going for with the grass FO but for a pine scent it would be great.

1 tbl ppo on the parsley and 1 tsp ppo on the chlorophyll. 

The chlorophyll is from TKB, it's a liquid and out of the bottle there is really no smell.  It is sold as Natural Green.

I used the same recipe for both of these batches but 2 different grass FOs.

Will try to remember to update you on the parsley after a few weeks of cure time.


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## krissy (Aug 2, 2010)

i love all 4 colors! it is funny what gel vs no gel gives you color wise...


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 2, 2010)

It's really great that you can use the same colorant and get multiple colors depending on how much you use and whether or not you gel.  The natural red from TKB gives you NO color in CP _unless_ you gel.  

If anyone knows of a natural colorant that will give blue and one for purple let me know.  I love the look of some of the micas and stuff but personally, when I buy a bar it's always something that looks natural.  Has anyone ever tried doing a cornflower infusion?


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## krissy (Aug 2, 2010)

PrairieCraft said:
			
		

> It's really great that you can use the same colorant and get multiple colors depending on how much you use and whether or not you gel.  The natural red from TKB gives you NO color in CP _unless_ you gel.
> 
> If anyone knows of a natural colorant that will give blue and one for purple let me know.  I love the look of some of the micas and stuff but personally, when I buy a bar it's always something that looks natural.  Has anyone ever tried doing a cornflower infusion?



you could experiment with this... maybe you can tweak it to make it more blue than purple?


Alkanet root
Produces a red/purple to blue/purple depending on the ph of the final bar of soap. The higher the lye discount, the redder the purple color. Oils with more yellow such as mango butter and essential oils with a high orange color will mute the final color of the soap. So, to produce a deeper red, try to use oils that are devoid of a yellowish tinge e.g. coconut oil, soybean shortening, lard, and mango refined mango butter.

Place one cup of the root in a quart jar and add oil of your choice to fill. Deduct a portion of oil used in soap recipe to use to steep herbs in

Let steep for a couple of days shaking or stirring every so often to macerate. When ready to use, pour off a small portion such as 4 ounces of same oil in your formula. For example if the formula calls for 8 ounces of olive oil, use 4 ounces of the steeped oil added to 4 ounces of fresh olive oil and so on.

The greater the portion of alkanet oil, the darker the color will be. Keep good notes so it will be easy to repeat the color in future batches. To darken the color, use wheatgerm oil as a portion of the base oils used.


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 3, 2010)

Alkanet root is on my shopping list.  Thanks so much for the detailed instructions.  I can't wait to try it out.


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## honor435 (Aug 3, 2010)

love green! nice soap.


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## fionab (Aug 3, 2010)

All of them are good. Kaleidoscope of green woooooo.....


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

Just a note about alkanet-

I was SO excited to use mine- got it from mountain rose herbs. 
It didn't turn purple, or red, or blue. I got gray. I posted a pic in the forum last week- in the gallery under "YummyScrumptious" bars. 

anyway- not really sure what went wrong. I wanted so badly to have a pretty blue or purple.

I didn't gel- the batch went into the fridge for 18 hours. It's been 5 days, no color shift.


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## NancyRogers (Aug 4, 2010)

Green is my favorite color.  Your soaps look great!


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## orangeblossom (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm curious how they look after a few more weeks.
Can you post any new pics?  
I want to make green soap for Christmas presents 

Also I looked for this


			
				PrairieCraft said:
			
		

> My first batch with parsley powder (pic in photo forum, subject -batches 11-19)  ended up looking more of a spring green.


And couldn't find it no matter what I typed in the search.
is there any way you know the link and could post it?
Thanks!


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## Lynnz (Sep 29, 2010)

Thanks for sharing I love them all but have to say the ungelled would be my top two


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## soapbuddy (Sep 29, 2010)

Both colors are very pretty! I would love to see if the color changes after a couple of months.


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## PrairieCraft (Oct 3, 2010)

This is the original pic from a couple months ago and the pic below was taken today.  I'm sure the lighting is different and that may affect the comparison.  The ungelled parsley powder green seems to have faded the most.


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## dagmar88 (Oct 3, 2010)

PrairieCraft said:
			
		

> It's really great that you can use the same colorant and get multiple colors depending on how much you use and whether or not you gel.  The natural red from TKB gives you NO color in CP _unless_ you gel.
> 
> If anyone knows of a natural colorant that will give blue and one for purple let me know.  I love the look of some of the micas and stuff but personally, when I buy a bar it's always something that looks natural.  Has anyone ever tried doing a cornflower infusion?



Indigo? Haven't tried it myself...


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## Mayren (Oct 5, 2010)

cool greens! good job!


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