# To keep lavender on top of soap purple...



## Cosmo (Apr 1, 2013)

Just a little tip I've been meaning to share. To keep the lavender buds you sprinkle on top of soap purple, sprinkle it on after the soap has gelled and spray liberally with alcohol. The alcohol adheres the buds to the soap and helps them keep their color instead of turning brown. Works like a charm!

I have buds on top a lavender soap that have remained bright blue/purple for 6+ months now.


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## SoapPapaw (Apr 1, 2013)

Great thanks.


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## Miz Jenny (Apr 1, 2013)

Thank you for that tip!


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## ruby61 (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks!8)


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## Cosmo (Apr 1, 2013)

Your'e welcome everyone! I'm trying to get a pic of one of the soaps now, but the only one I have with lavender buds is sprinkled with plantain (which is brown), too. Go figure!

Oh well, I'll show you anyway!

This soap is about 4 months old. It's really ugly IMHO but the lavender's still pretty!


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## melstan775 (Apr 1, 2013)

Wow that is a great tip Cosmo. Thanks so much for sharing!


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## Mommysoaper (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks!  I did something like this with a lavender soap I made, at least adding the buds after spraying with alcohol.  I didn't realize this was why they had stayed purple.  Good to know!  Now I know how to recreate!  Thanks so much!


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## paillo (Apr 1, 2013)

Wow, that is a fabulous tip, thank you!


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## ewenique (Apr 2, 2013)

What a great tip!  I'll try that next time.  What percent alcohol did you use?


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## Cosmo (Apr 2, 2013)

I used 91% isopropyl alcohol. I think any clear spirits with a high alcohol content would work, though.


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## TeriDk (Apr 2, 2013)

Your advice couldn't have been more timely.  Thanks.


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## Parke Co. Grapevine (Apr 4, 2013)

*Holding color in Herbs ?*

Mommysoaper ... or anyone else with experience....

Does the 'sprinkle herbs on after gel and spray liberally with alcohol'   work for other herbs to keep their color?  Would it help dried mint stay green on top of a soap?  Or, sage remain cool-gray?  Any other herbs that this works with?

And, Thank You for this wonderful tip!  I had been looking and praying for a way to incorporate real, dried lavender into a soap presentation.


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## Cosmo (Apr 4, 2013)

I'm not sure if it works on other herbs. It sounds like we have some experimenting to do!


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## liafrank (Apr 4, 2013)

Yes, I would love to hear if other people are duplicating this result.


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## squeakycleanuk (Apr 4, 2013)

Thank you so much cosmo thats a great tip, thanks for sharing   There is much experimenting to be done now, I've been wanting to use rose petals, so going to try it out.  Does it only work for the herbs when sprinkled on the top or do you think it would be effective if the flowers were sprayed with alcohol then mixed into soap at trace? Or am I expecting a bit much now


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## Cosmo (Apr 4, 2013)

Squeaky, I think with the high ph of soap that nothing could save the herbs that are mixed in from discoloring. The only reason this helps with lavender is that the herbs aren't being pushed into the soap since the alcohol adheres them, and I think the alcohol helps maintain the color for some reason, but I'm not sure why.


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## Parke Co. Grapevine (Apr 4, 2013)

Oops, forgive me Cosmo, for not giving credit where it belongs. I am not being a very careful reader; for some reason I thought Mommysoaper originally shared this tip. So, to you

Cosmo, thank *you* for sharing this tip.


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## Cosmo (Apr 5, 2013)

No problem, Parke! I will share other tips as I think of (or find) them.


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## Parke Co. Grapevine (Apr 12, 2013)

OK, I'm ready for experiment #1.  Prepping to do a batch of Ecualyptus-Mint Cp soap.  After the gel (or maybe even, out of the mold?)  I will finish it with a fine sprinkle of rubbed, dried mint leaves on top, Spayed ie: soaked with 51% isopropyl alcohol (could not find any 90% shopping yesterday in my teeny hometown.)  We'll see how long the mint leaves stay green. I figure if they turn unattractive, I can just 'scrape' that top layer off the soaps.


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## lizflowers42 (Apr 12, 2013)

Can ya'll post some pictures pretty please?  I would love to know how this holds up for you over time too!


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## Parke Co. Grapevine (Apr 12, 2013)

Yes, I'll post pics as soon as I get some lessons (or lots more study of the user's manual) under my belt for our digital camera. Normally, I have my hubby or one of our electronic-talented children do any photography. BUt I need to learn to do this for myself!


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## kazmi (Apr 12, 2013)

Does the alcohol help at all with keeping the lavander on top from turning brown when the soap gets wet/used?  Probably not but just thought I'd ask.  Mine are staying pretty blue/purple so far but not so pretty once wet.


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## Cosmo (Apr 13, 2013)

Did you use the alcohol method, Kazmi?

The buds do turn brown after being in water, unfortunately.


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## kazmi (Apr 13, 2013)

No I didn't know about the alcohol method when I made it.  It's sprinkled on top and lightly pressed in hp soap that I made about 2 months ago.


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## danahuff (Apr 14, 2013)

I wouldn't have thought of that! I didn't realize the alcohol would fix the buds on. Thanks for the tip!


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## Cosmo (Apr 14, 2013)

You're very welcome!


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## MaitriBB (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks for the tip!  I am going to be making a batch of sandalwood rose tonight, want to try this method with rose petals on top, will report back!


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## MaitriBB (Apr 24, 2013)

Ok here is my use of dried rose petals using the layer of alcohol underneath.  I added the alcohol/petals about 24 hours after pour.  They still look like this after 1+ weeks of curing.  I couldn't tell that the petals browned from the soap at all.


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## Cosmo (Apr 25, 2013)

MaitriBB, that is awesome! It's nice to know maybe this will work with all kinds of herbs/flowers. Your soap is beautiful, too!


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## kazmi (Apr 25, 2013)

Oh!  pretty!!!!  

My lavendar is still purple but I'm going to try this.  I'm sprinkling rosemary on top next batch and will use the alcohol just to be sure.


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## MaitriBB (Apr 25, 2013)

Cosmo said:


> MaitriBB, that is awesome! It's nice to know maybe this will work with all kinds of herbs/flowers. Your soap is beautiful, too!


 
Thanks - I didn't put rose petals on all of the bars because I was making that scent (sandalwood rose) for a customer request, and didn't want the petals to ruin the soap if it didn't work.  But the FO seized the batch so I had to glop a bit and the tops of the soap look like .. um .. lady parts .. if I don't have the petals on top.  Needless to say the customer will be getting the soaps with the petals


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## Parke Co. Grapevine (Jun 13, 2013)

*Sprinkled my soaps with dried mint April 12 . . .*



Parke Co. Grapevine said:


> OK, I'm ready for experiment #1.  Prepping to do a batch of Ecualyptus-Mint Cp soap.  After the gel (or maybe even, out of the mold?)  I will finish it with a fine sprinkle of rubbed, dried mint leaves on top, Spayed ie: soaked with 51% isopropyl alcohol (could not find any 90% shopping yesterday in my teeny hometown.)  We'll see how long the mint leaves stay green. I figure if they turn unattractive, I can just 'scrape' that top layer off the soaps.



Well . . .  I still don't have photos, but I can share from my experiment. (I've been super busy this spring, and will continue to be.)

The soaps are a lovely pale green color from some green clay and a bit of green oxide. The dried mint that I sprinkled and then alcohol sprayed onto two bars has not changed in appearance;  the mint is still firmly adhered to the soaps. But, it does not look like mint leaves. The mint leaves (I tried several possibilities here) look dark brownish-green once they are dry. On the soap, they look, well, just dark. I haven't had time to try with another herb that stays 'greener' in the dry, like cilantro or dry parsley flakes. So far, calendula is the only herb I've been able to confirm stays a nice true color in the soap, on the soap, after using the soap.  Thanks to all for this discussion!


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## jean1C (Jun 14, 2013)

MaitriBB said:


> Ok here is my use of dried rose petals using the layer of alcohol underneath.  I added the alcohol/petals about 24 hours after pour.  They still look like this after 1+ weeks of curing.  I couldn't tell that the petals browned from the soap at all.


 These soaps look lovely! I bet they smell great too. When you added the rose petals 24 hours after pour, did they stick okay or did you have to press them in? Are they still sticking now?


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## roseb (Jun 18, 2013)

Wow, I couldn't have read this thread at a more perfect time.  My next batch will be lavendar, so now I know how to keep the top looking good.  Thanks for sharing!!


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