# Anyone put chamomile tea in their soap?



## Carl (Nov 27, 2018)

I'm thinking the tea right from the tea bag?  The only ingredient in the list of the tea bag box is chamomile.  SO it's not like there is anything else present.   It may act somewhat as an exfoliate?

I have another recipe that does something similar but with coffee grounds and I was very happy with the results.


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## BrewedSoap (Nov 27, 2018)

Greetings, I’ve made soap with green tea and chamomile tea in the past with nice results. I’ve used concentrated tea in my lye solution, and I’ve sprinkled tea bag contents in for esthetics. I’ve had the lye react to green tea leaves, but I don’t recall anything happening with the chamomile.


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## Carl (Nov 27, 2018)

Awesome thanks.  Noticed you're new.  Welcome and I've picked up a lot of great tips from this site so far!


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## shunt2011 (Nov 27, 2018)

As long as you're okay with tan or brownish soap you most certainly can.   I don't add herbs etc to my soap as they can be scratchy but some do.  Most herbs/botanicals will turn brown. 

As for coffee grounds make sure they are spent and not dry.  They can be really scratchy.  Don't add a lot.


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## BrewedSoap (Nov 27, 2018)

Carl said:


> Awesome thanks.  Noticed you're new.  Welcome and I've picked up a lot of great tips from this site so far!


Thank you!!!I’m excited to learn new things and share what I’ve learned through trial and error


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## soapmaker (Nov 27, 2018)

Another tea idea: I brew a strong batch of red rooibos tea, cool it of course, and use that for my lye water. I scent that soap with vanilla and cinnamon. It's one of my best sellers. You can definitely smell the rooibos in the finished bar. Just keep from eating it!


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## earlene (Nov 27, 2018)

Yes, I have used chamomile tea.  I used to grow chamomile and collected the flowers for tea.  So anyway, this is my experience with using tea from a tea bag and using the flowers I dried myself:

As the soap cures and loses water, the tea also becomes drier and more scratchy.  The longer the soap cures, the more pronounced the scratchiness becomes.  I can only use this soap on my feet because it is extremely exfoliating.  I had not expected chamomile tea soap to be so scratchy, but it certainly is on my skin.  I have read that some others don't find it so; perhaps their soap is younger, or their skin is not as fragile as mine; I am not sure.  Or maybe I used more of the actual bits of tea in my soap and they used less.


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## penelopejane (Nov 28, 2018)

I take the tea out of three tea bags and use a mortar and pestle to grind it small so it isn’t scratchy and doesn’t leave leaves in the shower.  I make a 1800g batch but generally divide it and have about 1/3 plain and 2/3 with tea as the water and tea leaves added to this part. Then you get a swirl because the tea will make the batter go brown.


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## BrewedSoap (Nov 28, 2018)

I should’ve also added that I blend the loose tea with my stick blender after I’ve achieved trace. The tea is then so fine that I personally have never had an issue with scratching. With that being said, I also don’t put in too much, it’s for esthetics just to add flecks of herbally goodness. I wouldn’t recommend whole dried flowers or a large amount. I also make coffee soap, and I have had the issue of too much exfoliation. Even though I use the finer grind.


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## soaplady30 (Nov 29, 2018)

I use peppermint tea often for visual effects. The amount that is in one Celstial Seasons bag in 5 lbs of soap. I dump it in at med Trace and it suspends just fine.


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## KiwiMoose (Nov 29, 2018)

Chamomile tea sounds lovely.  I might try that too.  I think I would use an EO or FO with it, for nice smellies - any ideas what would smell good with the chamomile?  I initially thought lemon, but I already have a Rosemary and Lemon soap on my agenda, so maybe something else?  Apple?


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## Fargood (Nov 29, 2018)

I can't use chamomile in any of my soaps because my kids and husband are ridiculously allergic, but I use coffee grounds in a re-batch whipped soap.  The oilfield guys and farmers love it because the coffee is an order neutralizer and the grounds make a nice abrasive for dirt and oil.  I try to use a scent that "goes" with coffee like the cocoa spice FO from Brambleberry or another warm scent.


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 3, 2018)

I make a baby bar using olive oil infused with chamomile tea and calendula petals. I strain the oil so no bits get into the soap. Makes a lovely soap.


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## karon L adams (Dec 4, 2018)

Chamomile and Calendula was one of my favorites. I made that one as a standard in my business.

Mix the dry tea will a little bit of liquid oil, whatever kind you would want, and make certain to stir it up very well so that you don't get clumps. once you are certain that all the of the tea/dried material of any kindis mixed well with theoil, it will blend beautifully into your soap mixture. Chamomile is beautiful in soap. the texture is just gorgeous.


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## KiwiMoose (Dec 4, 2018)

karon L adams said:


> Chamomile and Calendula was one of my favorites. I made that one as a standard in my business.
> 
> Mix the dry tea will a little bit of liquid oil, whatever kind you would want, and make certain to stir it up very well so that you don't get clumps. once you are certain that all the of the tea/dried material of any kindis mixed well with theoil, it will blend beautifully into your soap mixture. Chamomile is beautiful in soap. the texture is just gorgeous.


Do you strain yours?  I was thinking I could grind the tea down, infuse it, and then leave the bits in?


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## penelopejane (Dec 4, 2018)

I’ve left the tea in but it was finely ground. It should go down the drain ok.

I didn’t use infused tea in my soap. I just mixed the ground tea into the soap. Just experiment and see if you like it and which you like best.


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## karon L adams (Dec 4, 2018)

KiwiMoose said:


> Do you strain yours?  I was thinking I could grind the tea down, infuse it, and then leave the bits in?


entirely up to you. I left it in because it was pretty. I didn't use pigments if I had texture. it made the soap more natural _looking_ as well as feeling. I loved using the vegetal material where ever possible.  I LOVED Ginger soap, too. I would juice a hand of ginger and then mix the ginger fiber back into the juice and put it all into the soap. YUM!


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## karon L adams (Dec 4, 2018)

Fargood said:


> I can't use chamomile in any of my soaps because my kids and husband are ridiculously allergic, but I use coffee grounds in a re-batch whipped soap.  The oilfield guys and farmers love it because the coffee is an order neutralizer and the grounds make a nice abrasive for dirt and oil.  I try to use a scent that "goes" with coffee like the cocoa spice FO from Brambleberry or another warm scent.


Pumice powder is also good for oilers' hands. Charcoal powder would be as well. and Charcoal powder will also help with scent neutralizing.


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## penelopejane (Dec 4, 2018)

karon L adams said:


> Pumice powder is also good for oilers' hands. Charcoal powder would be as well. and Charcoal powder will also help with scent neutralizing.



Coffee grounds are good too for colour, texture and scent neutralising when you wash your hands with it.


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