Is there a point where buds stop browning the soap?

[akseattle]

Is there a point where lavender buds stop browning?

I used lavender buds for the first and only time in April.
Although they mostly fell off, those that managed to hang in there have now browned the soap.

I've been gifting these and have been explaining to my giftees that this browning is normal, due to the lavender buds.
But, it's really disappointing.
I wonder if I spray with alcohol and add more buds, if these buds would also brown the soap OR is there a point where the soap is cured and no more browning occurs?

 

[artemis]

I'm not sure I'm following you. Do you mean could you add the buds at a later time when the soap wouldn't make them brown? If that's what you mean, I don't know how you would add them.

Or, is the alcohol how you think you would add them?

I have an idea: make a small unscented batch of lavender colored soap. Then, grate it and sprinkle it onto your soap. That way, you get a pretty effect on top and no browning.

 

[akseattle]

@artemis what I was thinking was that I could spray the top of the soap with a good amount of alcohol to maybe make it a little sticky. Then while still a little sticky, I would press the lavender buds onto the top of the bars. Since they been curing for 4 months, maybe whatever causes the buds to brown will stop happening? Maybe some of the buds I press on might stay?

These buds as well as some rose petals I have were gifted to me for Xmas last year. I would sort of like to use them (I haven't used the rose petals yet. Only the lavender buds this one time.

The faux lavender bud idea you propose is an interesting proposal if I can't find a way to make the real lavender buds work.

What do you think of spraying a bunch of alcohol then trying to adhere the additional new buds?

 

[AliOop]

What do you think of spraying a bunch of alcohol then trying to adhere the additional new buds?

Per my reply on the other thread, I don't believe this will work. It is the high alkalinity of soap that browns the lavender. Soap alkalinity may drop a bit over time, but not low enough to stop this.

But hey, give it a try and see what happens. You'd make the entire soaping world happy if you found a solution to this.

 

[artemis]

@artemis

What do you think of spraying a bunch of alcohol then trying to adhere the additional new buds?

Along with what @AliOop said, I don't think spraying with alcohol is going to soften the soap enough to be able to stick anything to the top.

Tell me about these lavender buds? Is there a label that tells you if they are food grade? If they are, you can add them to tea. There are also recipes online for using them in your cooking. If not, you can make sachets with both the rose buds and lavender to go into your dresser drawers.

 

[AliOop]

I see them often in bath salts, as well. They look very pretty in the jars, but unless one is adding the mix to a sachet, they are a pain to clean out of the tub (just like when they are added to soap).

 

[akseattle]

Tell me about these lavender buds? Is there a label that tells you if they are food grade? If they are, you can add them to tea. There are also recipes online for using them in your cooking. If not, you can make sachets with both the rose buds and lavender to go into your dresser drawers.

@artemis, yeah, I don't think I'm going to eat these buds any time soon.... but, I love your suggestion to use in sachets!

But hey, give it a try and see what happens. You'd make the entire soaping world happy if you found a solution to this.

Since it's the high alkalinity the is the culprit, I don't think I'm going to try pioneering a lavender bud technique for the soaping world !
I like @artemis 's idea of just putting these in a sachet- that's a perfectly simple and good use for these! Not sure why I didn't think of that myself!