Herb Question

[amanda131]

I dried some Lavendar and am ready to make soap with it! I was thinking of makeing like a "tea" with it and using the tea with my lye. but i was wondering do I need to keep the actual chunks out of the lye mix and add dry ones later? or can I just throw the herbs into the hot water let it cool completly and add the lye and go on as normal? I'm scared the lye will burn the herbs.
Next question If I need to seperate the herbs, can I use the wet herbs or do I need to add dry ones at the end to my soap? I hope this all makes sense! Thanks!!!

 

[dagmar88]

First of all (in case you didn't realise) the soap you are planning will turn brown and the lavender will look like mouse poop You could use a 'herbal tea' as a liquid for your lye solution. But personally, I do not like lavender buds al throughout my soap. I'd sprinkle some on top...

 

[krissy]

ya, your lavender buds will look like pooey. i wanted to make soap like that to, but settled for infusing the lavender into my oils

 

[reallyrita]

The only success I have had with dried herbs is to sprinkle them on top of the just poured soap and slightly press them into the soap with the spatula or back of the spoon. I spray like mad with 91% alcohol and let them go to the the cure rack with a wing and a prayer. My rosemary got a little scratchy this way as it dried out but it stayed reasonably green. My lavender turned out wonderfully. It stayed lavender colored after two months on the cure rack. I just mailed off the last of those soaps to my DD and her family. No mouse poop there....anything inside of the soap will go brown eventually. Usually sooner rather than later. I did go back and re-mist the tops of the lavender soap after the first few days on the cure rack. I used lavender EO and this was the first lavender batch that did not go all ashy on me. It must have been the squirts of alcohol.

 

[LJA]

I've seen people grind their lavender and then put it in the soap, thus eliminating the mouse turds - that looked pretty. I don't know that throwing it in the lye water would be good. It might get all brown and gross right away. Good luck....love to see pix, whatever you do!

 

[amanda131]

Grinding might be an option.....and maybe sprinkle on top too?? For this batch i'm trying to be very natrual, no FO just the herb. I see your point with the turd effect.....but turds do occur nature!!!! Hmmmm, this is about to get interesting!!

 

[Deb]

grinding turned my batch green..very pretty but not what i'd intended.