Absinthe soap made from the beverage

Guest · Mar 30, 2012

This was my first HP batch as well as my first attempt at using spirits. I reduced the water by 25%, then at medium trace added the liquor - equal to the 25% I reduced the water by. I did not use any EOs or FOs. Some time after meduim trace I added mor absinte because I was not happy that what I saw in the pot was not green. I added the wormwood when it went into gel phase.

I did not prepare the alcohol in any way. Used it straight out of the bottle.

I think it came out lovely and it really does smell of debaucherous drunken! I love that the scent of the drink perservered through the process; I was worried that the heat might destroy it. I did not add any colorants but the drink still gave it a hint of green.

What I would do different next time is sift the wormwood. There are a few stems that my blender did not catch and I think they might be scratchy. If you look really close, in some of the bars you can actually see where the stems dragged through the soap as I was cutting. I am going to try another absinthe test batch making a wormwood tea ouf of the water.

Suggestions?

I have cocoa butter and shea butter but what I have is raw and unrefined. I wanted to use them but did not because I didn't want them interfering with the smell of the absinthe. Suggestions for nourishing oils that have no smell?

Also, I plan to use homemade recyled paper as my packaging and lace the paper with herbs or plant matter that compliments the soap. What might compliment this bar? The wormwood is kind of pricey so I don't think I want to use it in the paper.

BB

SoSoapy · Mar 30, 2012

what does the wormwood do for the skin?

and the absinthe is just for the smell?

I was just wondering because i haven't used either.

your soap looks great btw!

Guest · Mar 30, 2012

•It can be used to treat skin condition like inflammations, acne, allergic reactions, burns, cuts, wounds and all sorts of traumas. it helps prevent skin injuries from becoming infected
•Excellent antifungal properties can assist everyone who is fighting against skin and nail fungus.
•Wormwood essential oil has strong aphrodisiac properties and can assist in increasing female libido.

It also acts as an incecticide and can repel bugs.

One of the ingredients that makes absinthe.. well absinthe is the wormwood. I used the herb because it compliments the beverage and has beneficial propterties for the skin. I've seen many soapers making absinthe soap and none are using the actual beverage, and I've only seen one that uses the actual essential oil instead of immitating the scent with a blend or using a FO. I didn't use any EOs here but have some and recieved intelligence from supplier that the thujone is removed during their extraction process and am so stoked to make a test batch with the bev and the EO! Like a trifecta bar, wormwood tea for water, EO and the bev. =D

But this scent may not be for everyone... I don't think its even for me. I tried the drink and it kind of made my stomach turn, now when I smell the bars I think I feel sick. lol.

SoSoapy · Mar 30, 2012

will u let us know how it works on your skin once you test it out? :wink:

Fragola · Mar 30, 2012

If you're doing HP, you can add the liqueur just before pouring.

In this case, I wouldn't do exactly a water discount, but let more water evaporate during boiling.

The only catch is that the liqueur may gel the soap even more (if you're not careful you may end up with a partial gel). Difficult to explain what happens, you have to see it.

On the scrubby topic:

1. I believe absinthe also contains anise - small anise seeds may look prettier

2. Wormwood has actually some very cute little leaves, which maybe could decorate the soap and was also wondering if you couldn't incorporate them inside the soap - full leaves, not stems (maybe cut with scissors)

This may work better if you gather the fresh leaves and dry them (I mean in terms of keeping their shape).

brewsie · Mar 31, 2012

this is really splendid. i'll be honest, as a kid i was really visually intruiged by the 'perfect drug' video by nine inch nails, because the singer in the video was drinking this shocking green liquid. i found out as a grew up that was absinthe! then of course 'moulin rouge' which i love , lots of absinthe there. but i thought for some reason the real stuff was illegal to import into america? maybe they changed the rules. this sounds really cool!

ive never tried it myself but ive heard it has an anise flavor. is the smell anise like as well? where were you able to dig up wormwood herb?
for my own reference i have a book called "the complete book of essential oils and aromatherapy" by valerie ann worwood (not wormwood! lol). the very first page of the book is a warning page, warning against using any of the essential oils she then lists as EOs that should not be used under any circumstances. wormwood is in that list, but she does not explain why?

i really love these bars! and you are right, i have never seen anyone make the bars with the actual booze. way to go! i think i would be interested in buying something like this. it sounds like my kind of thing