A good list of Herbs and plants to use in soap?

[Stakie]

I was looking around the internet and could only find partial lists. But I could not find a list with all herbs/plants and the like that can be used in soap.

Am I just horrible at googling?:-|

 

[dagmar88]

:wink: The possibilities are pretty much endless.

 

[Stakie]

I just like having a good list to reference from. I am weird like that.

 

[Lion Of Judah]

there is not a list per say ..... many soap makers are of the mind that if you can "eat, drink, use for medicine, enhance food" and so on that it can be added and used in soap . some properties come through in the soap while some gets lost in the saponification method. i know its nice to have something to work off of , i would say try looking at herbs for natural holistic healing and thinking of incorporating them that way , just be sure to weigh the pros and cons of the herbs you may want to use.

 

[Stakie]

Oh, I am very familiar with what types of herbs that can be used. I just like looking herbs up and there just doesn't seem to be a place where you can just look at it. Does that make sense? I tend to be very bad at describing what I mean.

 

[dagmar88]

You'd need a huuuge database for that.
I bought the two 'a modern herbal' books by Mrs. M. Grieve a couple of months ago and use them a lot.

 

[moonbeam]

I kow alot of folks like to use Rosemary sprigs that have been cut up for exfolliation, although a friend said he bought some soap like that and said when he was done it looked like he had just mowed the lawn in the bath-tub!
I like to use Calendula, don't know if that counts, but it's lovely in soap, doesn't turn black as many things will.

 

[judymoody]

Most green herbs will turn brown or black in the presence of lye. That doesn't mean you can't use them but when your lavender buds end up looking like mouse poop you will know why.

It is best to dry herbs before using them in soap or you risk getting moldy soap.

Comfrey and nettle stay green. Calendula stays yellow. Madder root and alkanet are good for red/purple/blue. Yellow dock gives a nice deep pink.

Spices: turmeric, annatto, paprika will give you yellow/orange.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

The scent won't survive saponification.

 

[Stakie]

Yeah, I totally didn't get my point across. Thanks for all the information. It's obvious what I am looking for is not made.