# Botanicals that do not turn brown in melt and pour soaps



## Vladdy (Mar 9, 2019)

Hello. I've just joined. I live in England. I attended a cold press soap course but for various reasons have since been making melt and pour and it feels more straightforward. I'm really enjoying the variety including mixing different essential oils, colours and textural additions.
I learned on the cold press workshop that many botanicals turn brown, even lovely lavender. I'm assuming it's the same for cold press.
I believe the calendula petals do not turn brown, but retain their lovely orange. I dried some from my garden and they look decent so far.
What other botaniticals, including herbs and flowers, have people used that have not turned brown? Anyone used cornflowers?
Thank you


----------



## Obsidian (Mar 9, 2019)

Cornflower turn brown too. Honestly, calendula is the only botanical I've seen retain its color.


----------



## JuliaNegusuk (Mar 24, 2019)

I thought the point of melt and pour (or one them) was that botanicals didn't turn brown?


----------



## earlene (Mar 24, 2019)

I have never added botanicals to MP soap, so cannot say for sure.  My guess is that how hot the MP soap is when you add the given botanical MIGHT have something to do with it, as well as if moisture has any effect on color change.

Personally, I'd suggest little experiments on your own and report back.  I am not sure the dedicated MP soapers have had a chance to respond as yet.


----------



## JuliaNegusuk (Mar 24, 2019)

I've just googled it.  Because M&P contains water, the botanicals will absorb the water and turn brown.  It might not be as instant as with CP soap but it will happen.  Also other fresh ingredients that are quite useable in CP soap are not in M&P soap.  Like juices, and purees for example.  They too will go brown or just plain "off".  So google says.  https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...icks/purees-fresh-ingredients-melt-pour-soap/


----------

