Do you use fresh or dried herbs?
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Best Natural Soap
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Using Fresh or Dried Herbs
Hi there!
I use fresh herbs for making oil infusions, and dried herbs for adding directly to my soap batches. Infusions are great for adding the vitamins or scent (sometimes) of an herb to your soap without adding scrubby texture. Loosely fill a qt. size mason jar with the fresh herbs. Cover with olive oil (or any other liquid oil in your recipe). I cover the jar with gauze and a rubber band, and leave it in my dark pantry for 2 weeks. Then, strain the oil and use it in place of your regular oil. The color doesn't last- most infused oils turn strange shades of brown/green, and leave a "natural" color in your soap.
If you use fresh herbs directly in your soap, they are likely to mold. I haven't had that problem with dried herbs. I use approx. 1 T. in a 5 lb. (oil) batch at medium trace. Dried herbs give varying colors- you have to experiment a bit. Parsley gives a greenish-tan color, and rosemary gives a tannish color. I hadn't had much luck making true "green" soaps with natural ingredients... until I discovered Spirulina (a type of blue green algae). It gives a nice natural green- somewhat "avocado-ish."
Hi there!
I use fresh herbs for making oil infusions, and dried herbs for adding directly to my soap batches. Infusions are great for adding the vitamins or scent (sometimes) of an herb to your soap without adding scrubby texture. Loosely fill a qt. size mason jar with the fresh herbs. Cover with olive oil (or any other liquid oil in your recipe). I cover the jar with gauze and a rubber band, and leave it in my dark pantry for 2 weeks. Then, strain the oil and use it in place of your regular oil. The color doesn't last- most infused oils turn strange shades of brown/green, and leave a "natural" color in your soap.
If you use fresh herbs directly in your soap, they are likely to mold. I haven't had that problem with dried herbs. I use approx. 1 T. in a 5 lb. (oil) batch at medium trace. Dried herbs give varying colors- you have to experiment a bit. Parsley gives a greenish-tan color, and rosemary gives a tannish color. I hadn't had much luck making true "green" soaps with natural ingredients... until I discovered Spirulina (a type of blue green algae). It gives a nice natural green- somewhat "avocado-ish."
Spearmint
Dear Jezzy,
You could always use Spearmint E.O. so it does not discolour rather than risk a fresh herb going brown. You could have both E.O and dried mint. I have read up on this E.O and it is supposed to be good for irritated skin. I know when I use it in my soaps, it smells amazing.
Dear Jezzy,
You could always use Spearmint E.O. so it does not discolour rather than risk a fresh herb going brown. You could have both E.O and dried mint. I have read up on this E.O and it is supposed to be good for irritated skin. I know when I use it in my soaps, it smells amazing.
mychicknpi
Well-Known Member
I have used mint tea, without the leaves in a soap, it was a greenish color. It didn't retain any discernable mint aroma.
I have also made a green/mint tea soap with the leaves molded in some little yogurt cups I have....we fondly call it "toad soap". My younger children love it, so do other children I gave it to, especially the boys.....personally I think it is because it has brownish green lather and they cannot believe they are getting clean when they wash up with it! The leaves turned dark brown but are soft and not very scratchy. It pretty much smells like soap, the teas didn't impart any lasting scent. I added the lye to the tea, so that might have aided the scent loss, I don't know.
Don't know if that helps or not, but if yours turns out as mine did at least the little boy crowd will think it's cool. DH uses it, but he's not picky. I use it because I want to get rid of it! :shock:
Anna
I have also made a green/mint tea soap with the leaves molded in some little yogurt cups I have....we fondly call it "toad soap". My younger children love it, so do other children I gave it to, especially the boys.....personally I think it is because it has brownish green lather and they cannot believe they are getting clean when they wash up with it! The leaves turned dark brown but are soft and not very scratchy. It pretty much smells like soap, the teas didn't impart any lasting scent. I added the lye to the tea, so that might have aided the scent loss, I don't know.
Don't know if that helps or not, but if yours turns out as mine did at least the little boy crowd will think it's cool. DH uses it, but he's not picky. I use it because I want to get rid of it! :shock:
Anna
Tacoma
Well-Known Member
I have used dried Rosemary to make an exfoliating bar. I went heavy with the Rosemary and used a full cup in an 8lb batch of soap. It turned the soap green and I thought it was a bit heavy with the exfoliating properties but several people really liked it myself included.
I did let the Rosemary set in my oils while I was waiting for the oils and the lye water to cool. I will make this again but I think I will use 1/2 cup of Rosemary.
I have done the same thing with Lavender buds. 1 cup of buds turned the batch white. It was too much lavender so my next batch I used 1/4 cup and this time I ground them in a high speed blender . I really like the effect but the soap did not go white. I do think this is going to be a popular soap though.
I did let the Rosemary set in my oils while I was waiting for the oils and the lye water to cool. I will make this again but I think I will use 1/2 cup of Rosemary.
I have done the same thing with Lavender buds. 1 cup of buds turned the batch white. It was too much lavender so my next batch I used 1/4 cup and this time I ground them in a high speed blender . I really like the effect but the soap did not go white. I do think this is going to be a popular soap though.
