Cut the HP soap I made last night!

[Meena]

I haz HP swirls!!

A modest success, but pretty thrilling regardless. They might have come out better if the mold wasn't just half full, right? Assuming that had an impact, but I definitely could be wrong! Anyhoo ... here are my henna and indigo colored soaps (fragrance free).

 

[reeeen4]

They look awesome!! did you use the fluid HP soap method?

 

[Meena]

They look awesome!! did you use the fluid HP soap method?

Thanks! I appreciate it! I don't know what that method you asked about is, but I used a lot of water this time at the start, since I keep ending up feeling like I need more partway through the cook, and scrambling to add some. Colorado's climate is very dry, and I decided that I should start taking that into account.

I started with 42% water and also had water in my henna powder, indigo powder, and kaolin clay that was unmeasured and unaccounted for. I also didn't cook it as long as I had been doing. I looked at an HP swirl page online where the woman said to stop at the mashed potato stage and add the colors then. I think I would have had less trouble at the final stage of pour (4th color which was white a second time) if I had not used both salt and stearic acid in this batch. I'm still new and tend to be an experimental type.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

very nice Meena!!

 

[DWinMadison]

I haz HP swirls!!

A modest success, but pretty thrilling regardless. They might have come out better if the mold wasn't just half full, right? Assuming that had an impact, but I definitely could be wrong! Anyhoo ... here are my henna and indigo colored soaps (fragrance free).

View attachment 36933

Very cool. Where do you buy your natural colorants? We have a natural food store in the “hippie dippie” part of town that sells a variety of dried herbs. I’ve had moderate success with alfalfa (light green), goldenseal (yellow-green) and black walnut hull powder (dark brown). By success, I mean “achieved a decent color and didn’t fade over the cure). I’d love to know what other folks have tried with success. I’ve heard good things about annatto seed for a red-orange-yellow.

 

[CaraBou]

Congrats, great calico colors

 

[Dawni]

Love it Meena! Half full or not I think it ended up great.

@DWinMadison there's a ton of info on natural colorants in this forum alone, worth a check. Personally, I've had (mild) success with moringa, turmeric, red sandalwood, coffee and activated charcoal powders. I have both madder root and ratanjot infusing in coconut oils. Annatto is great but I am letting it infuse more, we also use it in food. I've heard good things about paprika, spirulina, cinnamon and cocoa powder also.

Most colorants tend to fade though, more so in high salt/brine soaps I've noticed.

Been thinking what the chili powder I have might do lol

 

[Meena]

@DWinMadison My henna came from a local Indian store and the indigo, also a hair product, was purchased on Amazon .

Don't let @Dawni get away with calling her red sandalwood anything but a fabulous result (look for her post). My paprika came out ugly, looked like catsup in the mold. BTW, I'm an old hippie lady.

Thanks, @Dawni! All i can say about chili powder in soap is Ouch. Sounds highly incompatible with certain tissues ... ahem.

 

[DWinMadison]

Congrats, great calico colors

Slightly off topic, but your profile pic leads me to ask, "how do you get those black outlines in soap? Do you put a thin layer of oxide or mica between layers before you swirl?" Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[MGM]

Gorgeous, Meena! That's a pretty awesome swirl, and so tasty looking.

 

[penelopejane]

Love it Meena! Half full or not I think it ended up great.

@DWinMadison there's a ton of info on natural colorants in this forum alone, worth a check. Personally, I've had (mild) success with moringa, turmeric, red sandalwood, coffee and activated charcoal powders. I have both madder root and ratanjot infusing in coconut oils. Annatto is great but I am letting it infuse more, we also use it in food. I've heard good things about paprika, spirulina, cinnamon and cocoa powder also.

Most colorants tend to fade though, more so in high salt/brine soaps I've noticed.

Been thinking what the chili powder I have might do lol

Spirulina fades in 4-6 weeks to pale fawn.
I had a bad reaction to it - really itchy all over and had to have a few showers to get rid of it, anti histamine and moisturiser. Horrible! So be careful who you give it to.

 

[reeeen4]

Thanks! I appreciate it! I don't know what that method you asked about is, but I used a lot of water this time at the start, since I keep ending up feeling like I need more partway through the cook, and scrambling to add some. Colorado's climate is very dry, and I decided that I should start taking that into account.

I started with 42% water and also had water in my henna powder, indigo powder, and kaolin clay that was unmeasured and unaccounted for. I also didn't cook it as long as I had been doing. I looked at an HP swirl page online where the woman said to stop at the mashed potato stage and add the colors then. I think I would have had less trouble at the final stage of pour (4th color which was white a second time) if I had not used both salt and stearic acid in this batch. I'm still new and tend to be an experimental type.

Ahh cool, I've read that sodium lactate keeps HP soap more fluid for longer and yoghurt too apparently. Been wanting to try it out. Sounds like your method is good too!

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

Lovely xx

 

[SaltedFig]

Meena, Indigo is endlessly fascinating - your version has a green tinge that I think goes very nicely with the henna colour. I would love to see some "in-use" pictures once it cures (I haven't tried henna in soap, so I'm intrigued to hear how it cures and whether it affects the lather).

I like your soaps

Slightly off topic, but your profile pic leads me to ask, "how do you get those black outlines in soap? Do you put a thin layer of oxide or mica between layers before you swirl?" Inquiring minds want to know.

While you are waiting for the amazing Carabou to reply, you might like to have a look at more of her magnificent elephant soap photo's (and the story behind them) in these threads :
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/elephant-soap.39636/page-3#post-402340
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/elephant-soap-pics.42873/

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Meena, Indigo is endlessly fascinating - your version has a green tinge that I think goes very nicely with the henna colour. I would love to see some "in-use" pictures once it cures (I haven't tried henna in soap, so I'm intrigued to hear how it cures and whether it affects the lather).

I like your soaps


While you are waiting for the amazing Carabou to reply, you might like to have a look at more of her magnificent elephant soap photo's (and the story behind them) in these threads :
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/elephant-soap.39636/page-3#post-402340
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/elephant-soap-pics.42873/

thanks for sharing the links--those are amazing

 

[Dawni]

@Meena you're a sweetheart hehe

Spirulina fades in 4-6 weeks to pale fawn.
I had a bad reaction to it - really itchy all over and had to have a few showers to get rid of it, anti histamine and moisturiser. Horrible! So be careful who you give it to.

Oooh glad to know this, thank you!

Ahh cool, I've read that sodium lactate keeps HP soap more fluid for longer and yoghurt too apparently. Been wanting to try it out. Sounds like your method is good too!

Yogurt in HP is the bomb! Haha.. But no, seriously it is and I don't even use sodium lactate anymore. Just room temp yogurt and part of the computed water heated up added after the cook.

thanks for sharing the links--those are amazing

I agree, thank you SaltedFig!

 

[Meena]

Meena, Indigo is endlessly fascinating - your version has a green tinge that I think goes very nicely with the henna colour. I would love to see some "in-use" pictures once it cures (I haven't tried henna in soap, so I'm intrigued to hear how it cures and whether it affects the lather).

I like your soaps

Thank you so much, dear Figgie. <3 I'll put up a lather picture when the time comes, or PM it to you. Now I just gotta write myself a note and put it in with the curing soaps, lol, because I don't trust my memory.

ETA: Done!

 

[Dawni]

@Meena you inspired me to try out the indigo that I have.

It came with the stuff dad brought from Pakistan and isn't blue lol. It's the indigo used for hair, but when I tried it in lye water before, the color was like henna so SaltedFig said it could be a mix of both.

I tried it on CP this time and got a nice latte color that will probably lighten up more coz of the salt I used. I'll post it once it's cut.

I'm wondering if it's good for the skin and what effect it'll have on my eyebrows and mustache hahaha

 

[Meena]

@Meena you inspired me to try out the indigo that I have.
It came with the stuff dad brought from Pakistan and isn't blue lol. It's the indigo used for hair, but when I tried it in lye water before, the color was like henna so SaltedFig said it could be a mix of both. I tried it on CP this time and got a nice latte color that will probably lighten up more coz of the salt I used. I'll post it once it's cut. I'm wondering if it's good for the skin and what effect it'll have on my eyebrows and mustache hahaha

I'm glad I inspired you!
Yes, indigo powder is green. I added a little ultramarine and AC, mixed it with water in a little cup, and added it at mashed potato stage. I have pictures of it dry and wet, will edit this post tonight to add them from my laptop.

ETA: pics - as promised, @Dawni - the indigo, AC, & UP; then the indigo mixed; lastly, the henna + mica





It sounds like you added it to lye water? If so, that's what happened to your color i think. For CP, try adding it after trace when you split your batch.

I haven't heard about any skin benefits of indigo, and it doesn't stick to hair -- it bonds to henna. If yours does have henna mixed in it, it still won't be on you long enough to transfer any color to your hair. Happy soaping!

 

[Meena]

Congrats, great calico colors

Thank you, and since I didn't want to necropost, let me take this opportunity to say how fabulous your batch of elephant soaps came out. The last photo in particular was really a stunner! Did you subsequently make any other animal soap art?