Annetto turned green?

[Teresa408]

I made my first embed soaps and I’m mostly pleased with the result. I made lavender embeds with PVC and I made two kinds for the base color/scents. I used madder root for the pink strawberry scent and annetto and a touch of turmeric for yellow lemon scent. The only thing is the yellow is avocado green! Any tips for preventing this in the future? It’s not totally disappointing because the scent has lemongrass and citronella, so the green isn’t terrible for such an herbal scent.

For the annetto, I put some seeds in olive oil and heated it in the microwave several times, not boiling it, and stored in the fridge for a day.

 

[Dawni]

Cute soap!

How much annatto in how much oil? Maybe the infusion is too light? I make really strong infusions, so if I wanted a darker color I'll just add more. Also maybe it wasn't infused enough? I make mine inside my slow cooker for hours and leave them out where they'll get heat, but not direct sunlight for some weeks. No fridge.

One other factor could be the color of your base soap? Some have reported dark green pomace sometimes makes their colors wonky.

I can see bright yellow speckles though. Might be the turmeric? I noticed that you won't get as much color from the spice being sold in the supermarket (I always have this at home), compared to the ones others have purchased as colorants from soap supply shops.

 

[Teresa408]

Cute soap!

How much annatto in how much oil? Maybe the infusion is too light? I make really strong infusions, so if I wanted a darker color I'll just add more. Also maybe it wasn't infused enough? I make mine inside my slow cooker for hours and leave them out where they'll get heat, but not direct sunlight for some weeks. No fridge.

One other factor could be the color of your base soap? Some have reported dark green pomace sometimes makes their colors wonky.

I can see bright yellow speckles though. Might be the turmeric? I noticed that you won't get as much color from the spice being sold in the supermarket (I always have this at home), compared to the ones others have purchased as colorants from soap supply shops.

Thanks for the insight and the compliment Dawni!
It was 28 Oz of oil, and I used an infusion that looked fairly orange, about 3 or 4 Tbsp. I think you’re right about the orange spots, they are from turmeric. I definitely regret putting it in. I have had that same jar of turmeric produce nice yellow color, but I mixed it in before emulsion to the whole batch, so maybe that’s why it worked. My base soap was pretty white, the same formula as the pink/white and the lavender pictured. Olive(GV) 55/coconut 30/canola 10/castor 5.

I did use a little salt and baking soda in the water, as I like how it hardens up olive oil heavy soaps, per Zane’s Castile soap recipe. I may have been lurking a little. I think I read somewhere that annatto goes green sometimes but I can’t figure out or remember why. If I could recreate the color on purpose that would be so handy, two colors from one additive!

 

[Dawni]

Oh.. Maybe the baking soda did it? One thing I noticed with using that faux seawater is that it lightens up my soap...

I like the green though.. You're right, if you can replicate it multiple times it's a nice natural swirl

Here's a good read on annatto used different ways btw
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/annatto-seed-soap-making-pics-included.20564/

My supermarket turmeric infusion never gives me a bright yellow, just different shades of pale.

 

[Teresa408]

Oh.. Maybe the baking soda did it? One thing I noticed with using that faux seawater is that it lightens up my soap...

I like the green though.. You're right, if you can replicate it multiple times it's a nice natural swirl

Here's a good read on annatto used different ways btw
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/annatto-seed-soap-making-pics-included.20564/

My supermarket turmeric infusion never gives me a bright yellow, just different shades of pale.

That’s a great thread, thank you! I will have to try again with annatto. Looking at the thread you linked, I think besides the possible seawater factor, I probably could have infused the seeds for longer.... and the seawater lightening you mentioned actually clues me in to a difference in some other bars I made, thank you!

Oh! Here’s the yellow/orange from turmeric and paprika and green from spirulina/chlorella. It has been almost 4 weeks and it’s fading, but it definitely got some color! I did CPOP and maybe that helped.

 

[Clarice]

I take my annatto seeds and pour fractionate CO oer them and just let them marinate on the shelf in my "colorant" box! The oil gets a really really deep color and I need about a teaspoon to render a 500 gm (oil) batch a deep beeswax yellow color. FUN! BTW - I get my Annatto seeds in a local mercado that caters to cooks from Mexico, Central, and South America!

 

[Iluminameluna]

Just a comment on the annato seeds for coloring: you can extract even more color by grinding up the seeds.
I buy them in powdered form from the local market and a tbsp gives me a deep orange color in about a qt of any liquid oil I prefer.

 

[Teresa408]

I take my annatto seeds and pour fractionate CO oer them and just let them marinate on the shelf in my "colorant" box! The oil gets a really really deep color and I need about a teaspoon to render a 500 gm (oil) batch a deep beeswax yellow color. FUN! BTW - I get my Annatto seeds in a local mercado that caters to cooks from Mexico, Central, and South America!

Interesting! I wonder if it’s the type of oil makes it infuse better for you. I will try castor oil, I think.

 

[Teresa408]

Just a comment on the annato seeds for coloring: you can extract even more color by grinding up the seeds.
I buy them in powdered form from the local market and a tbsp gives me a deep orange color in about a qt of any liquid oil I prefer.

I have hesitated to dirty BF’s coffee grinder but since this is edible I think I will try this, thanks!

 

[penelopejane]

Interesting! I wonder if it’s the type of oil makes it infuse better for you. I will try castor oil, I think.

I’d try olive oil or sweet almond oil to infuse colourants.
They are long lasting stable oils.
When you are adding the coloured oil subtract it from the recipe oil.

 

[Teresa408]

I’d try olive oil or sweet almond oil to insuse colourants.
When you are adding the coloured oil subtract it from the recipe oil.

I used olive oil and it turned a nice orange. Still not sure how I got avocado green from that!

 

[penelopejane]

I used olive oil and it turned a nice orange. Still not sure how I got avocado green from that!

It’s called morphing! Weird things happen in soap.
If your OO was a deep green it will cure white so the colour will change.

 

[Teresa408]

It’s called morphing! Weird things happen in soap.
If your OO was a deep green it will cure white so the colour will change.

OO was your basic Walmart stuff. Not even a dark yellow as far as olive oils go. So strange! But I guess I have to learn to just go with it when I use natural colorants. I bought some more mica to use when I’m determined to get a particular look.

 

[earlene]

I have hesitated to dirty BF’s coffee grinder but since this is edible I think I will try this, thanks!

I have a spice grinder AND a coffee grinder. I do not mix their use. It used to be two coffee grinders, where one was only for spice, but one year my brother came to visit and didn't have his own coffee grinder, so we gave him one. That's when I went out and bought a spice grinder.

 

[Teresa408]

I have a spice grinder AND a coffee grinder. I do not mix their use. It used to be two coffee grinders, where one was only for spice, but one year my brother came to visit and didn't have his own coffee grinder, so we gave him one. That's when I went out and bought a spice grinder.

I will do this eventually, probably. I’m trying so hard to limit the money and space dedicated to my hobby. I’ve already got the living room full of stuff. It smells great but omg. I took this on as I was working on being a better minimalist so all the space I otherwise gained is now occupied by soap. But I guess if it sparks joy, it’s ok right?

 

[penelopejane]

DH won’t let me near his beloved coffee grinder in case I contaminate it.
Anything soapy is acceptable (on this forum anyway) especially if it sparks joy!

 

[earlene]

I will do this eventually, probably. I’m trying so hard to limit the money and space dedicated to my hobby. I’ve already got the living room full of stuff. It smells great but omg. I took this on as I was working on being a better minimalist so all the space I otherwise gained is now occupied by soap. But I guess if it sparks joy, it’s ok right?

I get that! While my husband is gone this week at a training in New Jersey, I have been attempting some de-cluttering, and boy is that not going so well. So far all I've managed to do is choose a few clothing items to donate and get back pain (I don't even know how!) so now am icing it and hoping I'll be able to get back to work on this sometime today, since my bed is covered with clothes. At least I got the dining room table cleared before the pain was more than I could stand. We shall see. I really want to decrease the closet clutter at least this week. But more than that was on my agenda.

 

[Teresa408]

I get that! While my husband is gone this week at a training in New Jersey, I have been attempting some de-cluttering, and boy is that not going so well. So far all I've managed to do is choose a few clothing items to donate and get back pain (I don't even know how!) so now am icing it and hoping I'll be able to get back to work on this sometime today, since my bed is covered with clothes. At least I got the dining room table cleared before the pain was more than I could stand. We shall see. I really want to decrease the closet clutter at least this week. But more than that was on my agenda.

The struggle is real! Currently struggling with letting go of some bins in the garage.

I hope your back feels better soon! I’ve found a foam roller helps a lot if you’re up for rolling around on the floor.

 

[earlene]

I actually have one of those, I should pull it out.