Alkanet root experiment

[justsomeguy]

So, I wanted to see just how purple I could get ZNSCS (Zany's no slime castile soap) as well as how it turn out if I used sea water aquarium salt water as well as how 3 different fragrance oils would perform at 5% usage rate.

I infused 1.46oz of Alkanet root powder into 15 ounces of olive oil using an Anova sous vide machine programmed from 150°F for 2 hours.

Mixed up the faux sea water. Froze it. Then added the lye.

When I combined the lye water and the oil it was black. So I stick blended expecting it to change color or lighten up and it never did. Then I realized I was at thick Trace

Ended up with blue soap so far

And the neroli fragrance oil is potent.
The oatmeal milk and honey is not.
The sandalwood fragrance oil is nice and mellow.

I was able to unmold them after 2.5 hours.

 

[curlycoat2]

Hi there,

You have blue soap because you poured at a cold temperature. In my experience this should slowly change towards purple. I would suggest taking photos over the next 2 - 3 weeks as the change is quite gradual and its best to look at in photos.

Its not easy to get blue so Congratulations! Plant Magic at its best! My favorite part of soaping - plants - you just never quite know what you might get - best fun ever

 

[IanT]

Even though it is not the color you intended it looks pretty cool!

 

[justsomeguy]

Hi there,

You have blue soap because you poured at a cold temperature.

That's so cool. The lye was around 90°F and the olive oil 73.

In my experience this should slowly change towards purple. I would suggest taking photos over the next 2 - 3 weeks as the change is quite gradual and its best to look at in photos.

That's the plan. I'm hoping for a really dark purple at some point

Its not easy to get blue so Congratulations!

Thanks. I'm hiding the back of the soaps cause I didn't smoosh em in the molds all the way so the backs are... Incomplete

Plant Magic at its best! My favorite part of soaping - plants - you just never quite know what you might get - best fun ever

It is!

Even though it is not the color you intended it looks pretty cool!

I was mesmerized by the inky black in the jug. One of the reasons I blew pass thin trace...

 

[curlycoat2]

That's so cool. The lye was around 90°F and the olive oil 73.


That's the plan. I'm hoping for a really dark purple at some point



Thanks. I'm hiding the back of the soaps cause I didn't smoosh em in the molds all the way so the backs are... Incomplete



It is!


I was mesmerized by the inky black in the jug. One of the reasons I blew pass thin trace...

So easy to be mesmerized by plants in soap. I know believe me and I completely understand how you felt! You will get dark purple, keep at it but there is a point where it can lather purple and also where it borders on black and well then you lose that purple that is so tempting!

Keep going and I look forward to seeing your journey!

 

[Sudds]

I love this color just like it is! I am going to have to try experimenting once I get my soaping mojo back up and running again..it's been a while!

 

[justsomeguy]

I'll post updated pictures as/if things change over the next 4 weeks

 

[justsomeguy]

Initially, the suds were purple. Then they cleared up. Not much lather though.

Edit: the suds are purple. Tried it again this morning and definitely purple.

 

[VikingChick]

Such a pretty deep purple! And I’d be thrilled about purple lather too, as long as it’s not staining anything. I haven’t used enough alkanet soap to know if it’ll do that.

 

[justsomeguy]

Such a pretty deep purple! And I’d be thrilled about purple lather too, as long as it’s not staining anything. I haven’t used enough alkanet soap to know if it’ll do that.

Stay tuned! We'll all learn together from this experiment

The little sliver has gone purple. The bars remain blueish though...

 

[justsomeguy]

The bar is definitely purple.
Feels amazing compared to my first batch of ZNSC.

It does leave its mark on a white washcloth, but it doesn't stain.

So, Alkanet root powder for the win

Edit: oh and the salt water aquarium salt water in place of the faux sea water. I used this one: Sea salt

 

[justsomeguy]

Purple!

 

[curlycoat2]

Purple!View attachment 77145

Excellent color! So gorgeous. You and Alkanet will be friends forever now! I am super excited for you this is a really, really good example of Alkanet at its best.

Congratulations! just beautiful

 

[justsomeguy]

Excellent color! So gorgeous. You and Alkanet will be friends forever now! I am super excited for you this is a really, really good example of Alkanet at its best.

Congratulations! just beautiful

I'm gonna have to dial it back a little. Until it doesn't leave a mark on the washcloth at least.

 

[justsomeguy]

Started a new experiment. 3.5% Alkanet root infused castor oil and 7%. Two 14 ounce bricks.

2.1oz Alkanet root infused into ~30oz of castor oil using Anova sous vide at 152° for 7 hours.

 

[curlycoat2]

Started a new experiment. 3.5% Alkanet root infused castor oil and 7%. Two 14 ounce bricks.

View attachment 77251

2.1oz Alkanet root infused into ~30oz of castor oil using Anova sous vide at 152° for 7 hours.

always wait the full 7 days with alkanet so that you can see what the maximum color it gives will be before you go up in strength of infusion/amount used or down. Its a tricky thing and takes time to get to its full morph.

 

[justsomeguy]

always wait the full 7 days with alkanet so that you can see what the maximum color it gives will be before you go up in strength of infusion/amount used or down. Its a tricky thing and takes time to get to its full morph.

Thanks for the advice.

The first experiment taught me that a deep purple is possible. This time around I wanted to see the effects of a longer infusion with a smaller amount of powder.

always wait the full 7 days with alkanet so that you can see what the maximum color it gives will be before you go up in strength of infusion/amount used or down. Its a tricky thing and takes time to get to its full morph.

I just read your article about purple colorants. There will be gromwell root in my future...

 

[curlycoat2]

Thanks for the advice.

The first experiment taught me that a deep purple is possible. This time around I wanted to see the effects of a longer infusion with a smaller amount of powder.


I just read your article about purple colorants. There will be gromwell root in my future...

Edit: added in the link to the article

Oh yes I prefer Gromwell if I am honest over Alkanet and I really like Ratanjot also.

Thank you for reading the article hopefully it helps. For what its worth I do long slow infusions (in the dark) of all my colors. I usually just use the 30g ratio as well and then up or down the amount of the infusion to make the difference in color. Its not unusual for me to find 12 month + infusions (all in Olive oil) at the back of a cupboard. The longer the infusion the stronger the result and then you only need a really small percentage to get the same effect. Particularly with the rhubarbs.

I am enjoying your journey, thank you for sharing with me

 

[justsomeguy]

Oh yes I prefer Gromwell if I am honest over Alkanet and I really like Ratanjot also.

Good to know.

Thank you for reading the article hopefully it helps.

It did, yes! And your soaps are beautiful!

For what its worth I do long slow infusions (in the dark) of all my colors. I usually just use the 30g ratio as well and then up or down the amount of the infusion to make the difference in color. Its not unusual for me to find 12 month + infusions (all in Olive oil) at the back of a cupboard. The longer the infusion the stronger the result and then you only need a really small percentage to get the same effect. Particularly with the rhubarbs.

I'll try to do a pantry infusion of Alkanet root or maybe a 24 hour sous vide infusion.

I just did a 8 hour infusion of smoked paprika (the only kind I had on hand) into castor oil.

I am enjoying your journey, thank you for sharing with me

 

[justsomeguy]

Experiment update.
One week after the mango butter soap pour.

The leftmost purple soap has not touched water yet. The mango soaps seem to be getting closer in color. Could just be my sleepy eyes though...