# Pretty proud of this one...



## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

Tangerine and Bergamot essential oils for the scent and turmeric and madder root for the color.  They will probably fade a lot but... meh!  Lol I'll enjoy it while I can.


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## shunt2011 (Oct 20, 2014)

Very pretty.  I like the colors together.


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## snappyllama (Oct 20, 2014)

I love those colors too.


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

shunt2011 said:


> Very pretty.  I like the colors together.



Thanks!  I was trying for some kinda orange.  Hopefully it doesn't fade too much.  The madder root came out a lot more vibrant than originally intended.  But I'm not complaining!  It's hard to get vibrant when using only herbs


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## IrishLass (Oct 20, 2014)

Very pretty color combo!

 IrishLass


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

Thanks snappy and Irish!  First soap that has behaved for me in a while.  I was patient, let the soaps sit in the molds for 2 days before I even looked at them (well, maybe I peeled the mold away from the side of one of the loaves hehe).  They popped out in a snap and they cut like butter, really really nice butter that isn't melting.  Ahhh, this is such a confidence booster.  Finally!


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## rainwater (Oct 20, 2014)

Pretty colors


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

rainwater said:


> Pretty colors



Thanks! Turned out much more vibrant than I expected. But what a pleasant surprise!


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## doriettefarm (Oct 20, 2014)

Please keep us posted on the madder root and if it fades over time.  I haven't experimented with it or alkanet but I'm also impressed with how vibrant your pink is!  What ratio did you use?


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

I have used madder successfully in the past, for at least 6 months and it stayed a really nice rosy pink. Also, though I didn't edit the photo, I think it is a bit more vibrant than it actually is. 

I used 1 tbsp in about 1 lb. I just kinda eyeball it when I portion out my batter.

I will definitely post more photos after the cure.


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 20, 2014)

doriettefarm said:


> Please keep us posted on the madder root and if it fades over time.  I haven't experimented with it or alkanet but I'm also impressed with how vibrant your pink is!  What ratio did you use?



Oh and I have also used alkanet. Got a really awesome muted shade of lavender. I guess I used about 1 tsp for .5 lb. I don't have any photos of that as I sold out at a show before I had the chance


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## CaraBou (Oct 20, 2014)

Awesome colors and design!  Great to see natural colorants.  Do you feel any scratchiness on the surface, or are they smooth?


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## TheOneWhoSoaps (Oct 20, 2014)

These look fantastic, great job!


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 21, 2014)

CaraBou said:


> Awesome colors and design!  Great to see natural colorants.  Do you feel any scratchiness on the surface, or are they smooth?



Thanks! Honestly, I've been using natural colorants since I started making soap and the only ingredient that I've found to be too scratchy are coffee grounds. But they might not have been ground finely enough. All herbs are going to be scratchy to an extent since they don't dissolve. But if you'd like the color and not the scratchyness, you could always make a strong oil infusion or discount your water and add a tea make from the herb after emulsion.


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 21, 2014)

TheOneWhoSoaps said:


> These look fantastic, great job!



Thanks so much! After a few months of being in a soap slump, this was a real confidence booster!


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## Khanjari (Oct 22, 2014)

I love the colors!  In fact, I am wearing the same pink today  absolutely LOVE IT! !!! I don't do CP yet but love to see all the pictures  

Hope you are not offended!  If so, sorry in advance!!!


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 22, 2014)

Khanjari said:


> I love the colors!  In fact, I am wearing the same pink today  absolutely LOVE IT! !!! I don't do CP yet but love to see all the pictures
> 
> Hope you are not offended!  If so, sorry in advance!!!



That's awesome!  And silly, what would I be offended about??   I love these colors, wasn't really expecting them!

Thanks for the kind words!


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## toyah999 (Oct 29, 2014)

That's gorgeous! I love the madder root. I haven't tried using it myself yet but it looks so pretty now I'll have to get some lol


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## tigersister (Oct 30, 2014)

That is beautiful. I love those colors together. I put some madder root, among other things, in an online cart yesterday. I may just have to go back and pull the trigger.


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 30, 2014)

toyah999 said:


> That's gorgeous! I love the madder root. I haven't tried using it myself yet but it looks so pretty now I'll have to get some lol



Thanks so much!  It's holding up pretty strong, almost 2 weeks into the cure.  I should get my camera out and photograph it now then again after full cure.  Get it under the same lighting to show to progress of the colors.  I got a natural color kit from SMR a year or so ago, still have sooo many colors to play with.  Was a fun purchase!


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## lionprincess00 (Oct 30, 2014)

Looks so pretty! Post the color change if any


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 30, 2014)

tigersister said:


> That is beautiful. I love those colors together. I put some madder root, among other things, in an online cart yesterday. I may just have to go back and pull the trigger.



Madder root is awesome!  I've gotten kind of a dusty rose, to light pink, now this!  It's always fun to use.  Spirulina is also one of my favorites!  And black walnut hull... Okay who am I kidding??  I loves all of the colors lol!  As I mentioned in a reply just a moment ago to another poster, I got a natural colorant kit from SMR, love it!  Have barely made a dent in it and I've made well 50 soaps or so.  I think I give more soap away (and use it for myself) than I do sell it.  

Oh, it's so and so's birthday??  :wink:


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## HerbalEarthling (Oct 30, 2014)

lionprincess00 said:


> Looks so pretty! Post the color change if any



I will definitely do that! :wink:


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 1, 2014)

As promised, here are some new pictures of the soap originally shown in this thread.  Not really a whole lot of color fading I've noticed.  The photos do look a little different though because I set the more recent ones up in different lighting.


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## goji_fries (Nov 1, 2014)

You nailed this one my friens


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## DWinMadison (Nov 1, 2014)

Beautiful. Wish I had a better eye for color  I would never think to put those colors together.  And I love the tang/bergamot combo. I think berg is a way under appreciated EO. I did not know that it is a variety of orange. Fun fact.


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## goji_fries (Nov 2, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> As promised, here are some new pictures of the soap originally shown in this thread.  Not really a whole lot of color fading I've noticed.  The photos do look a little different though because I set the more recent ones up in different lighting.



Hey HE, did you mix in the madder with the lye water, at trace, with oils/infusion, or when??? :wave:


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

goji_fries said:


> Hey HE, did you mix in the madder with the lye water, at trace, with oils/infusion, or when??? :wave:



At trace for both herbs. The color of turmeric doesn't survive well if added in the lye.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

goji_fries said:


> You nailed this one my friens



Thanks!  Now if only I could learn how to avoid stearic spots.  I've tried everything, soaping at higher temperatures and I don't use PKO.  I'm not really that concerned with it though, my bars are on the natural side, I don't trim them or anything.  Never had a complaint.  But advice is always encouraged. :wink:


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> Beautiful. Wish I had a better eye for color  I would never think to put those colors together.  And I love the tang/bergamot combo. I think berg is a way under appreciated EO. I did not know that it is a variety of orange. Fun fact.



Thanks!  Just play around with colors, even if they don't match the scent or even really match each other, have fun!  I honestly didn't know bergamot was an orange until after I used it in this batch.  It's such a versatile scent, you can put it with sooo many other scents.


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## DWinMadison (Nov 2, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> Thanks!  Just play around with colors, even if they don't match the scent or even really match each other, have fun!  I honestly didn't know bergamot was an orange until after I used it in this batch.  It's such a versatile scent, you can put it with sooo many other scents.



Assuming you know this, but it is what gives Earl Grey tea it's unique flavor and fragrance.


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## soapfanbaby (Nov 2, 2014)

Stunning. I would call it “Sunset”. At least the colors look like a sunset on my computer.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> Assuming you know this, but it is what gives Earl Grey tea it's unique flavor and fragrance.



I believe I remember hearing that at one time but would have forgotten about it had you not mentioned it.  Good call!  I want some tea now


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

soapfanbaby said:


> Stunning. I would call it “Sunset”. At least the colors look like a sunset on my computer.



It's gonna be "Italian Tangerine".  I try my best to put in the somewhere in the name what the scent will be, or something pertaining to the ingredients.  It helps to keep my "natural" theme going.  Even though "Sunsets" are natural.  You know what I mean   That doesn't mean that I'm turning down any advice or suggestions.  I'm always open to them, it's a good way to brainstorm.


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## DWinMadison (Nov 2, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> I believe I remember hearing that at one time but would have forgotten about it had you not mentioned it.  Good call!  I want some tea now



LOL.  I'm a coffee man myself, but after reading your original bergamot post I remembered that we have some Earl Grey and nuked myself a cup.  Great treat on a cool day.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> LOL.  I'm a coffee man myself, but after reading your original bergamot post I remembered that we have some Earl Grey and nuked myself a cup.  Great treat on a cool day.



Yum!  My husband drinks coffee, like, a lot of coffee.  Probably somewhere around a few pots a day.  I'll have a few sits of his first cup in the morning and that's pretty much it.  I've been on a smoothie kick recently.  I have confession to make... I've never made any kind of smoothie before last week.  It's so easy and an even easier way to make sure you are getting a healthy dose of fruit (and a good way to take those fruits and veggies that are about to expire).


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## jules92207 (Nov 2, 2014)

This is a beautiful soap and makes me want to play with natural colorants more. So far I have used rose kaolin clay, spirulina, and this crazy orange ginger spice I had laying around that had paprika in it. They have all been fun to play with. Most of my soaps are pretty plain jane but once in a while it's nice to make a pretty soap.


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## judymoody (Nov 2, 2014)

Lovely, keep it stored out of the light and the color will last longer.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

judymoody said:


> Lovely, keep it stored out of the light and the color will last longer.



Agreed!  It's so hard to keep them covered completely with the way that my labels are at shows though.  Yay for winter shows and Etsy!


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

jules92207 said:


> This is a beautiful soap and makes me want to play with natural colorants more. So far I have used rose kaolin clay, spirulina, and this crazy orange ginger spice I had laying around that had paprika in it. They have all been fun to play with. Most of my soaps are pretty plain jane but once in a while it's nice to make a pretty soap.



Thank you!  I only use natural colorants, excluding micas.  There really is so much you can do with herbs and food purees.  That orange ginger spice sounds neat!  Do you know anything else about it?  Did you also try it in cooking?  Have fun!


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## DWinMadison (Nov 2, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> Yum!  My husband drinks coffee, like, a lot of coffee.  Probably somewhere around a few pots a day.  I'll have a few sits of his first cup in the morning and that's pretty much it.  I've been on a smoothie kick recently.  I have confession to make... I've never made any kind of smoothie before last week.  It's so easy and an even easier way to make sure you are getting a healthy dose of fruit (and a good way to take those fruits and veggies that are about to expire).



Careful on the fruits in smoothies...lots of simple sugars hiding disguised as "healthy goodness."  Speaking of....brought a bog of satsumas home from LA last weekend. So good....been eating at least 1 every day...again lots of sugar.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 2, 2014)

Yum! Actually the reason that I'm starting this is to convert my addiction of "unhealthy" sugars to "healthy" sugars. I'm trying to reprogram my brain. It's kinda a stepping stone. Just looked up Satsuma. They look yummy! I love any kind of citrus.


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## DWinMadison (Nov 3, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> Yum! Actually the reason that I'm starting this is to convert my addiction of "unhealthy" sugars to "healthy" sugars. I'm trying to reprogram my brain. It's kinda a stepping stone. Just looked up Satsuma. They look yummy! I love any kind of citrus.



All our Louisiana friends on here just laughed. They are the sweet but homely sister of tangerines. Easy to peal, juicier (most years), seedless and abundant this time of year along the gulf coast. Just not as bright orange in color.


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 3, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> All our Louisiana friends on here just laughed. They are the sweet but homely sister of tangerines. Easy to peal, juicier (most years), seedless and abundant this time of year along the gulf coast. Just not as bright orange in color.



Citrus' don't grow well here in Maryland.  I don't think I've ever seen a citrus tree :neutral: I love me some fresh peaches though.  But they are pretty high in sugar compared to most citrus fruits.  Getting way off topic here, hope that's okay?


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## C_Rose (Nov 7, 2014)

Lovely!


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## HerbalEarthling (Nov 7, 2014)

C_Rose said:


> Lovely!



Thanks!


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## jules92207 (Nov 7, 2014)

HerbalEarthling said:


> Thank you!  I only use natural colorants, excluding micas.  There really is so much you can do with herbs and food purees.  That orange ginger spice sounds neat!  Do you know anything else about it?  Did you also try it in cooking?  Have fun!



I have used dried cilantro leaves and dried celery leaves too. They both work great!

The orange ginger spice is awesome, I have used it to infuse my oils a couple times and it makes a beautiful orange soap. I know it has paprika, dehydrated orange peel, ground ginger... I will have to look at it when I get home again but it's really nice. Oh I also used cardamom in a cardamom soap I made. It made a nice mild scrubbiness.


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## Soapsavvy (Feb 21, 2016)

They are so pretty. You're very very good. I can't find enough M & P folks here, as I'm a newbie and so curious about everything M & P related. Now I know who to consult!!!


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## lathered_up (Feb 21, 2016)

Gorgeous!  I love, love, love the colors. Anything with bergamot just makes my heart sing!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 22, 2016)

Do bear in mind that this is dragged up from 2014


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## HerbalEarthling (Feb 22, 2016)

I'm still listening


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